Since January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT score reports have moved from the 0–120 scale (each section 0–30) to a new 1–6 scale, in half-point increments, aligned directly to the CEFR framework — making English proficiency levels easier to interpret, but also creating confusion for students and parents used to the old 120-point scale, especially when comparing against university entry requirements that are still published in the old numbers.
This is based on ETS’s official announcement. ETS — TOEFL iBT Score Scale Update
The 1–6 scale mapped to CEFR
| TOEFL score (1–6) | CEFR level | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | C2 | Mastery |
| 5–5.5 | C1 | Proficiency |
| 4–4.5 | B2 | Upper-Intermediate |
| 3–3.5 | B1 | Intermediate |
| 2–2.5 | A2 | Elementary |
| 1–1.5 | A1 | Beginner |
How the overall score is calculated
Each section (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing) gets its own 1–6 score. The overall score is the average of all 4 section scores, rounded to the nearest half-band — for example, an average of 5.125 rounds down to 5.0, while an average of 5.25 rounds up to 5.5. This calculation method differs from the previous system, where all 4 section scores (each 0–30) were summed directly into a 0–120 total.
The 2026–2028 transition period
For two years (January 2026 to January 2028), score reports will display three things together: the CEFR level, the new 1–6 score, and a comparable 0–120 reference score, so universities and institutions have time to adapt. This means during the transition, students can still reference their score against old-scale requirements without any manual conversion — there’s no need to worry that a university will be unable to read the new score.
See the article SAT vs IELTS/TOEFL: What’s the Difference? for a fuller comparison of scores across all 3 tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Prepare for TOEFL iBT with the new scale in mind from day one
Max Academia’s TOEFL tutors help explain the new scoring scale and set a target score aligned with your chosen universities’ requirements — whichever scale those universities still publish in.
See the IELTS/TOEFL Programme at Max Academia or ask about a study plan on LINE
