The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is an exam that determines whether a student whose native language is not English has strong enough English skills to succeed in courses at a college or university in the United States or Canada. The test, which is administered by an agency called the Educational Testing Service, contains four parts: Listening, Structure (which tests knowledge of grammar and mechanics), Reading, and Writing.

        The length of the test and time allotted to take it vary at each administration and may also depend upon how many questions you answer correctly. The general tutorial lasts approximately 40 minutes, although there are portions that you can move through quickly. Each section also begins with a mandatory tutorial, which you can move through as quickly or as slowly as you wish. (Expect to spend at least a few minutes on each, though.)

        The Listening section takes from 40 to 60 minutes, the Structure section takes from 15 to 20 minutes, and the Reading Section takes from 70 to 90 minutes. The length of each of these three sections depends on the number of questions at the particular administration. The Writing section takes 30 minutes. The time for the entire test, including tutorials, is between 200 and 280 minutes. Because you will be selecting score recipients immediately after you take the test, plan to be at the testing center for a minimum of four hours. (See the next chapter for further explanation of selecting score recipients.) Take your time and relax. Only look at the clock to get a sense of how much time you have left in a particular section.

         Thousands of colleges and universities require TOEFL test scores. However, no school considers the TOEFL test the only criterion for admission. Schools may also consider your grades from previous studies as well as other criteria, including records from an intensive English program (if you have taken one). Each school has its own criteria for the TOEFL test score that is acceptable for admission. The TOEFL test results you receive cannot indicate whether your score is considered passing, because a score that one school considers suitable may not be accepted by another school. In general, you do not help yourself by gaining admission to a school before your English is up to the necessary level.