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TOEFL Eligibility Criteria 2023 - Academic Qualification and Age Limit

TOEFL 2023 Eligibility Criteria

ETS has laid down very simple eligibility for TOEFL eligibility age, qualifications, documents, and also TOEFL eligibility score. There is very little TOEFL test eligibility that the aspirants need to be concerned about like – a valid passport, photo requirements, and documents required during the test.

TOEFL Eligibility Educational Qualification

TOEFL prerequisites eligibility criteria are only concerned about candidates successfully completing their 10+2 from a recognized Indian board to take the exam. To put it in other words, the candidate just needs to pass their grade 12 or an equivalent degree to be able to sit for the exam. You can also take the test while pursuing your high school.

TOEFL Eligibility Age

There are no strict TOEFL eligibility criteria in terms of age. Though candidates mainly of the age of 18 take the test. There is no eligibility set by ETS for the age of the candidate.

TOEFL Eligibility Score

The TOEFL eligibility score is totally dependent on the universities the candidate is selecting. Most of the top universities have a requirement of high TOEFL score along with a strong GPA, high scores in previous academic qualifications, and also work experience sometimes. Therefore, the eligibility completely depends on the university as well as the course of study the candidate is aiming for. A humanities program will expectedly have a higher TOEFL score requirement than any other.

TOEFL Eligibility Documents Required

The TOEFL ID proof needs to contain a recent photo and signature of the candidate. Plus, the spelling of the name should with TOEFL registration documents. According to the ETS guidelines, the TOEFL eligibility for Indian students for the ID has to be a valid passport.

Candidates have to present this in original – photocopies are not accepted. The signature and the photo of the ID must match with the photo and the signature

Along with a passport, the candidate needs to carry the national ID proof as these also contain the name, signature, photo, and date of birth. Print out of the confirmation mail from ETS will also be required during the exam for verification.

Point to be noted that the following IDs are not accepted for TOEFL as valid ID proof even though all these contain name, signature, and photo.

Any temporary ID card
Birth certificate
Credit/debit card of any kind
Diplomatic, consulate, or embassy ID card
Draft classification card
Employee ID card
International driver’s license
International student ID
Notary-prepared letter or document
School or college or Library IDs
Social Security card

ETS is very strict in terms of ID and failing this, the candidate will not be able to take the exam.

TOEFL Eligibility for Retakes

There is also no set number of times a candidate can take the TOEFL exam. The TOEFL exam dates are available throughout the year occurring 50 times. Candidates can retake TOEFL as many times as they want but only keeping a gap of 12 days between each exam.

TOEFL Eligibility for Scholarship

The TOEFL eligibility for Indian students when it comes to scholarships are:

They need to reside in India during the time of their application
They need to apply to a university or college listed in the TOEFL Destination Search
They need to hold a GPA of 80/100 or, 3.0
They need to have a valid TOEFL Score

There are 14 different kinds of TOEFL scholarships each of which serves different purposes. The following details will provide eligibility for TOEFL of different kinds:

TOEFL Research Grants: Students presently working on doctoral projects based on language assessment. They also need to have an approved dissertation.
TOEFL Young Student Services(YSS): This is only applicable for candidates who are working on topics that come under YSS. Those candidates also need to have a good hold on the English language.
Jacqueline Ross Dissertation Award: This is achieved by those who have successfully published a dissertation in the last three years.
Samuel J. Merrick Memorial Lecture Award: This is offered to those candidates whose names have appeared in the received nominations
TESOL Award: The TOEFL prerequisites eligibility criteria for this scholarship is, the candidates need to be a member of TESOL

Eligibility Criteria for TOEFL at-home edition

ETS has arranged for TOEFL at-home edition due to the ongoing pandemic. This enables candidates to take the TOEFL exam from the safety of their home. But candidates need to follow certain TOEFL eligibility related to the requirements of the equipment to take the exam. Below is the TOEFL test eligibility that candidates need to have for taking the at-home edition:

Equipment Requirements:

Desktop or computer, no tablet or mobile can be used
PC: Windows^® operating system, versions 10 or 8
MAC^®: Mac OS X^® 10.5 or higher (10.13 High Sierra is recommended)
Browser: Firefox or Chrome
Candidates need to download and run the ETS secure test browser till they see the notification “Success! You have installed the ETS secure test browser”
Also, run the ProctorU^®Equipment Check before the test. In case of any issue, get it solved before the exam
The computer firewalls and security applications may hamper the functions of the test software. If this happens, reconfigure or disable those applications before the test.

Speaker Requirements:

Only internet or external speakers are allowed to listen to the Proctor
No headphones or earphones are allowed

Microphone Requirements:

Communicate with the proctor with the help of an internal or external microphone

Camera Requirements:

The camera can be in-built or a separate webcam
A 360-degree view of the room needs to be shown to the Proctor

Environment Requirements:

TOEFL exam eligibility for at-home edition requires candidates to take the test alone
The test cannot be taken in a public place like a cafe, park, restaurant, etc
All the doors of the room must be closed before beginning the test
The laptop and keyboard must be on top of the table surface
Candidates are not supposed to cover their ears by wearing a headband or hat
Don’t wear jewelry

Note-taking Requirements:

Candidates are not allowed to take notes on regular paper for security issues
According to TOEFL test eligibility, candidates can only take notes on a desktop whiteboard with an erasable marker, no pencil or pen can be used, or a sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector with an erasable marker
When the test will end, candidates need to show the proctor that all notes have been erased TOEFL Registration can be done by candidates using the ETS official website or from the TOEFL Mobile App. Candidates can apply for their TOEFL Registration through online, mobile application or mail or any authorised person. The TOEFL iBT administers the exam 6 days a week at authorised test centres around the world or at home. It is essential that candidates register themselves for the exam 2-4 months prior before the deadline of application. Candidates are free to choose the TOEFL test centres based on their convenience.