If you are planning to take the TOEFL iBT, there is an important update you need to know about. Starting January 21, 2026, ETS launched a completely new scoring system for the exam. Instead of the familiar 0 to 120 point scale, TOEFL now reports scores on a 1 to 6 scale, in half-point steps. If you are studying for this exam, or helping someone who is, here is what the change actually means in practice.

Why TOEFL Changed Its Scoring System

For years, TOEFL scores ran from 0 to 120, calculated by adding up four section scores of up to 30 points each for Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The problem was that this number did not map cleanly onto the CEFR levels (A1 through C2) that most schools, employers, and language programs around the world already use as a common reference point. A prospective student could see a TOEFL score of 90 and still have to look up a conversion chart to understand what that meant in real terms. The new 1 to 6 scale is designed to close that gap. Under the updated system, a score of 5 on any section lines up with a C1 level of proficiency, a score of 4 lines up with B2, and so on, all the way down to 1 for A1. The goal is a score report that is easier to interpret at a glance, for test takers and institutions alike.

How the New 1 to 6 Scale Works

Each of the four TOEFL sections, Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking, is now scored on its own 1 to 6 scale, in half-point increments. Your overall score is the average of the four section scores, rounded to the nearest half point. Here is a quick reference for how the new scale lines up with CEFR levels:

• Score 6 = CEFR C2 (mastery level)
• Score 5 to 5.5 = CEFR C1 (advanced)
• Score 4 to 4.5 = CEFR B2 (upper intermediate)
• Score 3 to 3.5 = CEFR B1 (intermediate)
• Score 2 to 2.5 = CEFR A2 (elementary)
• Score 1 to 1.5 = CEFR A1 (beginner)

To help everyone adjust, ETS will keep showing an estimated 0 to 120 score alongside the new scale on every score report for two years, until January 2028.

What This Means If You Are Preparing for TOEFL Now

The good news is that the content of the exam itself has not changed in a way that requires a new study strategy. What has changed is how you should think about your target score. Instead of aiming for a specific number out of 120, start by identifying the CEFR level your target university or program actually requires, then convert that to the equivalent 1 to 6 score. Most schools that used to ask for a 90 or 100 overall are now expressing that requirement as a 4.5 or 5. A few practical tips:

• Check your target school’s website directly for its updated score requirement, since some schools still list the old 0 to 120 number.
• Pay attention to your section scores, not just your total. A program may care more about your Writing or Speaking score than your overall average.
• If you already have a TOEFL score from before January 21, 2026, it remains valid on the old scale for about two years, so there is no need to retake the exam just because of this change.
• Keep practicing the same core skills. Strong reading, listening, note-taking, and clear spoken and written English are exactly what both scales are designed to measure.

A score of 5 on any section now means the same thing: C1-level proficiency, no matter which skill is being tested.

Whether you are aiming for TOEFL, IELTS, or one of the Cambridge exams, the underlying advice stays the same: know the CEFR level your goal actually requires, and build your study plan around real practice with reading, listening, speaking, and writing in English, rather than chasing a single number.