TOEFL Scores in 2026: Understanding the 1–6 Scale

For tests from 21 January 2026, TOEFL reports use a 1–6 scale with half-band increments. Read your section results as well as the overall score, and use the receiving institution’s requirements when deciding whether the result is sufficient.

What appears on the report

ETS describes four section scores and an overall score on the new scale. During a two-year transition after January 2026, reports also include a comparable overall result on the earlier 0–120 scale. This does not mean every old section result can be converted by a simple proportion.

How to read the overall result

The overall score summarizes performance across the sections. It can hide a weaker skill, so check whether your institution requires minimum section results as well as an overall threshold. Use ETS’s published explanation for calculation and rounding rather than rounding intermediate numbers yourself.

Do not use an invented conversion

A conversion chart cannot determine whether an institution will accept your report. If a course page still lists an older score requirement, ask the admissions team how it handles current results. Keep the exact program name and application year in your inquiry.

Turn the report into a study plan

Identify the skill furthest from your required performance. Review sample responses or missed task types, then choose one specific practice target. Keep the next attempt unfamiliar so that you are testing transferable skill rather than memory for the same answers.

Example of a useful follow-up question

Instead of asking only whether your overall score is good, ask: Does this program accept my test date and delivery option, and are there separate minimums for each skill? This produces a decision you can use without pretending one score threshold applies everywhere.

Sources and further reading

• ETS: understanding scores