When do TOEFL scores come out? TOEFL iBT score release calculator

Official TOEFL iBT scores appear in your ETS account 3 days after your test date, at a test center or with the Home Edition. The PDF score report is ready 24 to 48 hours after that, and the institutions you chose receive your scores within 11 business days of the test. You see unofficial Reading and Listening scores as soon as you finish.

Enter your test date below to get each of those dates, plus the deadlines that follow a test (score review, reinstatement, expiry). Add an application deadline to find the latest test date that still gets your scores there in time. Every rule comes from ETS's TOEFL score pages and the 2026-27 TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin, checked November 8, 2026.

TOEFL score release calculator

Dates are calendar dates in your own time zone. Business days are counted Monday to Friday; ETS doesn't publish a holiday calendar for score delivery, so allow a little more around public holidays.

When do TOEFL scores come out?

ETS posts TOEFL iBT scores to your ETS account 3 days after your test date and emails you when they're ready. The Bulletin describes it as approximately 3 days, and the exact date you can expect is shown at the end of your test, so note it before you leave the screen. ETS doesn't give a time of day.

Worked example

Say you test on Saturday, December 5, 2026. Your official scores post on Tuesday, December 8, 2026; the PDF is ready between Wednesday, December 9, 2026 to Thursday, December 10, 2026; and your free score recipients should have the report by Monday, December 21, 2026, the 11th business day. If your Speaking or Writing score looks wrong and you haven't sent scores anywhere, you can ask for a review until Monday, January 4, 2027. If you canceled at the end of the test, you can reinstate until Wednesday, February 3, 2027. The scores stay reportable until Tuesday, December 5, 2028.

Test center or Home Edition makes no difference to the timing. ETS gives the same 3-day posting for both. The only difference ETS mentions is that a paper copy may be mailed sooner depending on how you took the test. The separate TOEFL iBT Australia test posts in about 4 to 8 days; the Bulletin notes that only TOEFL iBT Australia and tests taken before January 21, 2026 are currently approved for Australian visa purposes.

Unofficial scores on test day

At the end of the test you see unofficial Reading and Listening scores, and then choose to report or cancel your scores. Speaking and Writing aren't shown; they're scored after the test.

The on-screen numbers are a good guide but not final. ETS runs statistical quality checks before releasing official scores and says a change to Reading or Listening is rare but possible. Since January 21, 2026, every section is reported on the 1–6 band scale in half-band steps, and the overall score is the average of the four sections rounded to the nearest half band (ETS FAQ). For two years, score reports also show a comparable score on the old 0–120 scale (ETS score scale update). To see how the four bands make your overall score, use our TOEFL score calculator, and our TOEFL score range guide explains what each band means.

PDF and paper score reports

Your test fee includes a PDF test taker score report you can download and print 24 to 48 hours after your scores are posted. It shows your section and total scores from that test date and your MyBest scores. Your ETS account shows more: a proficiency level for each section and feedback on the Reading and Listening question types you handled well.

• Download the PDF as soon as it's ready. ETS suggests keeping a copy because scores are only valid for 2 years.
• A paper copy has to be requested before the test. It's mailed 11 to 15 days after your test date, and delivery time then depends on your local post.
• Express shipping is offered in 75 countries and territories for a fee. ETS says express reports usually arrive 2 to 5 business days after scores are confirmed or an additional report is ordered. You choose it at registration or when ordering an additional report.
• Your own PDF is not an official report. ETS lets institutions verify scores you send them directly, but most universities want the report from ETS. Ask each school whether it will look at the PDF while the official report is on its way.

When do universities receive TOEFL scores?

ETS says official reports reach the institutions you chose within 11 business days after your test, and sooner if the school uses a faster delivery method. That's roughly two weeks of calendar time, so a school usually has your report about a week and a half after you can see your scores yourself.

You usually can't tell which method a school uses, which is why the calculator defaults to ETS's 11-business-day maximum. ETS's advice is to contact each institution directly to confirm it has your scores. A school can also take a few days after delivery to match the report to your application, which is what the calculator's buffer is for.

Latest safe TOEFL test date for your deadline

To be safe, take the TOEFL at least 11 business days plus a few days before your deadline, which works out to about 19 to 21 calendar days. Our rule: ETS's 11-business-day maximum for delivery, plus a 4-day buffer for the school to load the report. That is a similar assumption to our TOEFL test dates planner. You can change the buffer in the calculator.

The last column matters because the TOEFL has no limit on attempts, only a rule that you can't test more than once in any 3-day period. If your first score falls short, you need it back (3 days) and then a new booking. Regular registration closes 7 full days before the test date; express registration, for a US$49 fee, stays open until 2 days before. So testing about 11 days before your latest safe date leaves room for one retake without paying the express fee.

Holiday periods are where this goes wrong. A deadline of January 1 or 15 means delivery over the December holidays, and our business-day count doesn't skip them. If your deadline falls in early January, aim a week earlier than the table says. To compare what your schools require, see what counts as a good TOEFL score.

Free and extra TOEFL score reports

Your test fee includes up to 4 official score reports to institutions you choose before the test. You can add, remove or change them in your ETS account until 10 p.m. local test-center time on the day before your test. After that, every report is a paid additional report.

Free reports are good value, but they have a cost that isn't money: if you choose any institution before the test, you can't request a Speaking or Writing score review later. If you're applying to programs with tight section minimums and want to keep the review option, you can skip the free reports and order additional ones once you've seen your scores. For most test takers, using the free reports is still the better choice.

What are TOEFL MyBest scores?

MyBest scores combine your best score in each section from all your valid TOEFL iBT tests in the last 2 years. They appear on your score report and are included with every report ETS sends, alongside the scores from the test date you're sending.

Each institution decides whether to accept MyBest scores, so check before you count on them. If a school uses only single-test scores, you need one test date that meets every requirement. If it accepts MyBest, a retake that lifts one weak section can be enough. Because MyBest only reaches back 2 years, an old strong section drops out as it expires.

Cancel, reinstate or review your scores

You decide at the end of the test whether to report or cancel your scores. Once reported, they can't be canceled. If you cancel, you cancel all four sections, nothing goes to you or your recipients, and the test fee isn't refunded.

• Reinstate: changed your mind after canceling? Reinstate through your ETS account within 60 days of the test, for US$20. Scores reach you and your recipients about 3 weeks after ETS receives the request and payment.
• Score review: you can ask scoring specialists to review your Speaking and/or Writing responses within 30 days of the test, if you haven't sent scores to any institution. If your score is confirmed, ETS emails you within 3 weeks. A changed score, higher or lower, becomes your official score.
• Reading and Listening can't be reviewed or appealed.
• Retake instead? You can test again after 3 days. A retake costs a full test fee but gives you a new score in about 3 days, faster than a review.

How long are TOEFL scores valid?

TOEFL scores are valid for 2 years after the test date; after that ETS won't report or verify them. During those 2 years you can order additional reports at any time. If you test early in a long application cycle, check whether your schools need the score to still be valid when you enroll, not only when you apply. Our TOEFL test dates guide covers how to pick a date, and the TOEFL test day checklist covers what to do before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Last verified against ETS's TOEFL iBT score pages, score report FAQ, fee table and the TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin 2026-27: November 8, 2026. Delivery times are ETS's approximate figures; ETS policies can change without notice.

Official sources

• ETS: Getting your TOEFL iBT scores
• ETS: Sending your TOEFL iBT scores
• ETS: TOEFL iBT scores and score reports FAQ
• ETS: TOEFL iBT registration and service fees
• ETS: TOEFL iBT score scale update
• ETS: TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin 2026-27 (PDF)

Related TOEFL guides

• TOEFL score calculator: overall band from section scores
• TOEFL score range: how the 1–6 bands work
• What is a good TOEFL score?
• TOEFL test dates, Home Edition and retakes
• TOEFL test day checklist