IELTS vs TOEFL 2026 — Full Comparison & Concordance

IELTS and TOEFL iBT are the two most widely accepted English proficiency tests, with 12,500+ and 12,000+ accepting institutions respectively. Both are accepted by virtually every English-medium university worldwide. The choice usually comes down to test format, accent preference, and which test you can score higher on.

Format Comparison

IELTS: 4 skills tested separately, 2h 45min total, 0–9 band scale, Speaking with a live examiner, available paper or computer. TOEFL iBT: 4 skills, 2 hours total (post-2023 reformat), 0–120 scale, Speaking recorded for AI + human scoring, computer-only.

Official ETS-Approved Concordance

Approximate equivalence (rounded): IELTS 5.5 ≈ TOEFL 46, IELTS 6.0 ≈ TOEFL 60, IELTS 6.5 ≈ TOEFL 79, IELTS 7.0 ≈ TOEFL 94, IELTS 7.5 ≈ TOEFL 102, IELTS 8.0 ≈ TOEFL 110. These are not direct conversions — universities apply different cut-offs for each test.

University Acceptance

Both tests are accepted at virtually every university in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) only accepts IELTS for student visa English requirements at most levels — TOEFL is no longer SELT-approved for UK immigration.

Cost and Availability

IELTS: US$215–US$310 depending on country, multiple sittings per week. TOEFL iBT: US$185–US$300, near-daily availability at home (TOEFL iBT Home Edition) or test centres.

Which Should You Take?

Choose IELTS if: you prefer face-to-face Speaking, you need UK visa English, you find British accents easier, or you want paper-based options. Choose TOEFL if: you prefer typing essays, you find American accents easier, you want a single-day result, or your target programs publish higher acceptance for TOEFL.

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