A 4.5 is a strong upper-B2 score. It meets a large share of university requirements and sits half a band below C1 — the level many selective programs use as their benchmark.
Band 4.5 corresponds to roughly 86–94 on the retired 0–120 scale. Test takers here handle academic English well in most situations; what separates them from C1 is consistency on the hardest material — dense passages, fast or digressive lectures — and precision in their own writing and speech.
On the adaptive sections, a 4.5 usually means you were routed to the upper module in Reading and Listening and did reasonably well in it. The remaining gains are in the hardest items, so they take more deliberate practice than earlier half bands did.
A 4.5 meets many undergraduate and graduate requirements that sit in the B2 range. Requirements stated as 90 on the old scale fall inside this band; requirements of 95 and above fall in band 5. Programs that are more selective or include teaching duties may ask for more. Check every institution and program individually.
If every program on your list accepts 4.5 — including section minimums — the retake is unlikely to strengthen your application; English tests are thresholds, not rankings. If even one important program asks for the equivalent of 95 or higher on the old scale, or for C1, then the move to 5.0 is worth planning for.
Reaching 5.0 needs your four section bands to average at least 4.75. From four 4.5s, that is one section up a full band or two sections each up half a band. Speaking and Writing are often the most efficient targets at this level because their tasks are short and their scoring rewards specific, learnable features.
Moving up half a band in a section usually comes down to one or two task types. On the old 0–30 section scale, 5.0 begins at 24 in Reading, 22 in Listening, 25 in Speaking, 24 in Writing.
Band 5 readers handle the hardest academic passages in the upper module, including inference, rhetorical purpose and precise vocabulary.
Band 5 listeners keep up with long, fast academic talks, including digressions and changes of opinion, using efficient notes.
Band 5 speakers sound fluent and natural, with accurate grammar and precise vocabulary even when answering without preparation.
Band 5 writers produce well-organized, precise responses with a clear position, developed support and very few errors.
Aimed at moving from 4.5 toward 5.0. Each week assumes five or six short sessions; adjust the order if one section is clearly your weakest. For a full schedule, see the 1-month TOEFL study plan.
Practice every 2026 task type
Short lessons and timed practice for all twelve TOEFL task types, free to start.
One half band down: TOEFL 4.0. One half band up: TOEFL 5.0. See how all eleven bands line up with CEFR in the TOEFL CEFR levels guide.
Official pages checked for this guide. Last reviewed October 2026.