GoodMocks teamThe short answer
A 2026 TOEFL iBT score report shows three kinds of score: your four section scores and an overall score from 1 to 6, your CEFR level, and a comparable score on the old 0–120 scale, which ETS says it adds through January 2028. It also shows your MyBest scores, your photo, your personal and test details, and the schools you chose. Official scores reach your ETS account 3 days after your test, and you can download the PDF report a day or two later.
- Section and overall scale
- 1–6
- Until official scores
- 3 days
- Reports to schools
- 4 free
- Scores stay valid
- 2 years
On this page9 sections
An annotated example, field by fieldLink to An annotated example, field by field
ETS shows a sample test taker score report on its Understanding Your Scores page. We read it on November 5, 2026 and rebuilt it below, field by field, in our own layout. The student and the scores are made up. ETS notes that its sample is for reference and that a real report “might have minor variations”, so yours may look slightly different.
Meet our example student: tested on November 12, 2026, scored 5.0 in Reading, 4.5 in Listening, 4.5 in Writing and 4.0 in Speaking, and took an earlier test in September with a 4.5 in Speaking.
Page 1, top: who you are and where you tested.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Name | Family name first, then given name and middle name: “Example, Alex” in our example. ETS’s Bulletin says the name you register with must exactly match your ID, so check it here too. |
| Email and mailing address | Your contact details. If you asked for a paper copy, it’s mailed. |
| Photo | ETS’s Bulletin says your photo is taken on test day, and that organizations that check your scores with ETS can see your photograph. |
| Test date | The day you tested: November 12, 2026 in our example. Your scores are valid for 2 years from this date, not from the day you send them. |
| Appointment number | Your test’s own number. With your date of birth, it lets an organization look up your scores with ETS. More on that below. |
| Gender, date of birth, native language, country of birth | Your personal details, as on ETS’s sample. Check that your date of birth matches your passport. |
| Test center country and test center | Where you tested, with the center’s code and name. ETS’s sample shows a test center. It shows no Home Edition example, so we can’t say how a test at home is shown. |
Page 1, beside your photo: where your scores went.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Institution code | The schools and agencies you chose to receive your scores, one row each, by ETS’s code for each one. |
| Department code | Which part of that school gets your scores. In our example it’s 02, a graduate school of management. Page 2 lists every code (see the table further down). |
Page 1, middle: your test date scores.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking | Your section scores on the 1–6 scale, in half bands, each shown as “of 6” and in this order on ETS’s sample. In our example: 5.0, 4.5, 4.5 and 4.0. |
| Overall score | The average of your four sections, rounded to the nearest half band. In our example: (5.0 + 4.5 + 4.5 + 4.0) ÷ 4 = 4.5, shown as “4.5 of 6”. |
| Comparable 0–120 score | ETS’s estimate on the old scale: the middle of your band’s old range. ETS’s own example pairs 4.5 with 90, so ours shows “90 of 120”. It’s on reports through January 2028. |
| CEFR level | Your level on the Common European Framework of Reference. On ETS’s table, 4.0 and 4.5 are both B2, so our example shows B2. |
Page 1, lower: your MyBest scores.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| MyBest section scores | Your highest score in each section from all your valid test dates, and on ETS’s sample, the date each one is from. In our example: 5.0, 4.5, 4.5 and 4.5, with Speaking from the September test. |
| “As of” date | MyBest is worked out on the date shown, November 12, 2026 in our example. ETS says expired scores, older than 2 years, are left out. |
| MyBest overall, 0–120 and CEFR | ETS’s sample shows these for MyBest too, but no ETS page we read says how they’re worked out when your best sections come from different dates. So our example doesn’t give one. |
| Older 0–120 scores | On a 1–6 report, section scores from tests before January 21, 2026 are shown on ETS’s concordant 1–6 scale. |
Page 1, bottom, and page 2.
| Field | What it means |
|---|---|
| Security identification | The ID you tested with: its type, its number with all but the last few digits hidden, and the country that issued it. |
| Notes | Three short lines: no overall score if a section wasn’t given; expired scores aren’t in MyBest; scores from before January 21, 2026 are shown on the 1–6 scale. |
| PDF line | “This is a PDF score report, downloaded and printed by the test taker.” Page 2 adds a note telling schools to verify the scores with ETS. |
| Comparison to CEFR | A table on page 2 with every band from 1 to 6 and its CEFR level. It’s the same as the table below. |
| Institution codes | A table on page 2 saying what each department code means. |
| Band | CEFR level |
|---|---|
| 6.0 | C2 |
| 5.0 and 5.5 | C1 |
| 4.0 and 4.5 | B2 |
| 3.0 and 3.5 | B1 |
| 2.0 and 2.5 | A2 |
| 1.0 and 1.5 | A1 |
| Code | Where the report was sent |
|---|---|
| 00 | Admissions office for undergraduate study |
| 02 | Graduate school of management (business) |
| 03 | Graduate school of law |
| 42 | School of medicine or nursing, or a licensing agency |
| 99 | An institution or agency that isn’t a college or university |
| 01, 04–41, 43–98 | Graduate study in another field, by the field you chose |
Want the five score parts on their own, with a calculator to try your own bands? The scores page has a short version, and our score conversion chart shows every band next to the old 0–120 range.
Which report is whichLink to Which report is which
“Score report” can mean four different things. Here’s when each one arrives and who it’s for.
| Which one | When | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Scores in your ETS account | Posted 3 days after your test | Your official scores. ETS emails you when they’re posted. The date is shown on screen at the end of your test. |
| PDF test taker report | A day or two later | You download and print it yourself. ETS’s pages say 24–48 hours after your scores, and one page says 1 day. |
| Paper copy | Mailed 11–15 days after your test | Only if you asked for it. In some countries you can pay for express shipping, which usually arrives 2–5 business days after your scores are confirmed. |
| Official reports to schools | Depends on the school | ETS sends them. Schools on ETS Data Manager get scores in 4–8 business days, server feeds take 8–10, and post takes 10–12 plus mailing time. |
Sending your report to schoolsLink to Sending your report to schools
- 4 reports are free. Choose up to 4 schools or agencies in your ETS account before your test. ETS’s Sending Scores page and Bulletin say you can change them until 10 p.m., local test center time, the day before your test.
- After that, each report costs a fee. ETS’s FAQ and Sending Scores page say US$25 per school; its fees page says US$29. Once ordered, a report can’t be changed or refunded.
- Each report is one test date plus MyBest. ETS’s FAQ says schools see the scores from the test date you send, along with your MyBest scores, which can include sections from other dates.
- Some schools also hear you. ETS’s FAQ says schools that receive scores through TOEFL Access also get your Speaking and Writing samples.
- Choosing schools affects score reviews. Once you’ve chosen any school to receive your scores, ETS won’t let you ask for a Speaking or Writing score review.
Our TOEFL fees guide has every other charge, and after the TOEFL counts the days from your test to each school receiving your scores.
How schools check your reportLink to How schools check your report
- 1
Official reports come straight from ETS
A school that receives your scores from ETS, through Data Manager, a server feed or the post, has them from the source.
- 2
A copy you send can be checked with ETS
ETS’s Bulletin says organizations using ETS Data Manager’s Verify TOEFL Scores function can see your scores and related data if you give them your appointment number and date of birth. That data includes your name, gender, photo, date of birth, ID details, scores, MyBest, and your writing and speaking samples.
- 3
If the numbers don’t match
ETS asks the school for a copy of what you sent. At the school’s request, ETS then reports your official scores and any other scores you’ve had in the last 2 years.
- 4
Held or canceled scores
If ETS holds your scores for an investigation, you can’t send reports until it’s finished. If ETS cancels scores that were already sent, it tells the schools.
Our tips for using your reportLink to Our tips for using your report
These are our advice, built on ETS’s rules above. ETS doesn’t offer them as tips.
- Check your details the day the PDF arrives. Compare your name and date of birth with your passport. If something’s wrong, ETS’s Getting Your Scores page says to contact TOEFL Services.
- Read your score in the format the school uses. If a school lists a 1–6 band, compare your overall score. If it still lists 0–120, compare the comparable 0–120 score. ETS says there’s nothing to convert.
- Check each section, not just the overall. ETS recommends that schools set section minimums too. A 4.5 overall with a 4.0 in Speaking can miss a 4.5 Speaking minimum.
- Save the PDF somewhere safe. You’ll want it for applications, and ETS won’t send or verify scores after 2 years.
- Share your appointment number and date of birth only on purpose. Together, they let an organization see your full score data.
- Pick your free schools before 10 p.m. the day before. It saves US$25–29 per school. If you think you’ll want a Speaking or Writing review, read the rule above first.
Common mistakes, side by sideLink to Common mistakes, side by side
| The mistake | What’s true |
|---|---|
| “My overall score is my four sections added up.” | On the 1–6 scale it’s the average, rounded to the nearest half band. 5.0, 4.5, 4.5 and 4.0 give 4.5, not 18. |
| “The 0–120 number is my exact old-scale score.” | It’s ETS’s estimate: the middle of your band’s range. Every 4.5 overall shows 90. |
| “My CEFR level only describes my overall score.” | ETS uses the same CEFR table for every section. A 5.0 in Speaking is C1, whatever your overall. |
| “The PDF I downloaded is my official report.” | ETS sends official reports to schools. On the PDF it tells schools to verify the scores with ETS. |
| “Every school will use my MyBest scores.” | Each school decides whether it accepts MyBest, so check each one’s admissions page. |
| “My school lists 0–120, so I can’t apply with a 1–6 score.” | Your report shows both, through January 2028. ETS says to apply as usual. |
Where ETS’s own pages disagreeLink to Where ETS’s own pages disagree
We read every ETS page on this topic on November 5, 2026. On a few points they don’t agree. Here’s what each says, so you can check the one that matters to you.
| Topic | One ETS page says | Another says |
|---|---|---|
| Extra score reports | US$25 each (Score Reports FAQ, Sending Scores, Understanding Your Scores) | US$29 each (Registration Fees) |
| Deadline for free schools | By 10 p.m. local test center time, the day before your test (Sending Scores, Bulletin) | By 10 p.m. on the day of your test (Understanding Your Scores) |
| When the PDF is ready | Ready 24–48 hours after your scores (FAQ, Getting Your Scores) | Ready 1 day after (Understanding Your Scores) |
| When schools get scores | Within 11 business days (FAQ) | Up to 10–12 business days plus mailing time, by post (Sending Scores) |
| Official scores | Posted 3 days after your test (most pages) | As soon as 4 days after (the page for teachers, agents and advisors) |
| MyBest total | “The sum of those scores” (FAQ) | On the 1–6 scale, an overall score is an average, not a sum (FAQ, Understanding Your Scores) |
See your bands before the real reportLink to See your bands before the real report
The best time to learn how to read a score report is before the real one arrives. A full timed practice test gives you a band for each section and an overall band, so you know which section to work on.
Common questions
What is on a TOEFL score report?
Your four section scores and overall score on the 1–6 scale, your CEFR level, a comparable 0–120 score, your MyBest scores, your name, photo and personal details, your test date, appointment number and test center, your ID details, and the schools you chose.
Is there a TOEFL score report sample?
Yes. ETS shows a sample test taker score report on its Understanding Your Scores page. This article walks through the same fields in our own layout, with made-up scores.
How do I download my TOEFL score report?
Sign in to your ETS account. Your official scores appear 3 days after your test, and the PDF report is ready a day or two after that.
Does the new score report still show a 0–120 score?
Yes. ETS says every report shows a comparable 0–120 overall score through January 2028, alongside the 1–6 scores and your CEFR level.
Do schools see all my TOEFL scores?
A report you send shows one test date plus your MyBest scores. If a school checks a copy with ETS and the scores don’t match, ETS can report your other scores from the last 2 years at the school’s request.
How much does an extra TOEFL score report cost?
US$25 per school on ETS’s Score Reports FAQ and Sending Scores page, and US$29 on its Registration Fees page. The first 4, chosen before your test, are free.
Sources
Every exam fact on this page comes from ETS, checked on November 5, 2026. GoodMocks is independent from ETS.
- ETS: Understanding Your Scores (with the sample score report)
- ETS: Scores and Score Reports (FAQ)
- ETS: Getting Your Scores
- ETS: Sending Your Scores
- ETS: Score Scale Update, a Guide for Institutions
- ETS: Understanding TOEFL iBT Score Displays in 2026
- ETS: Registration Fees
- ETS: Scores, for teachers, agents and advisors
- ETS: TOEFL iBT Information Bulletin 2026–27 (PDF)
Read next
Read next · Study & strategy
TOEFL speaking questions for 2026: interview questions with sample answers
Since January 2026, the questions you answer in TOEFL Speaking all come in one task: a short interview. Here’s how its four questions move, two full interviews with sample answers, and a bank of new questions to practice with. The exam facts are ETS’s; the tricks are our own advice.
16 min read