TOEFL Score Converter 2026:
Old Scale to New Band

Free interactive TOEFL score converter

Use our free interactive tool to convert instantly in either direction — old score to new band, or new band to old score. Enter your score and immediately see your CEFR level, old or new scale equivalent, IELTS comparison, and whether you meet requirements for INSEAD, HEC Paris, Sciences Po, top US universities, and exchange programs.

Why the TOEFL scoring changed in 2026

On January 21, 2026, ETS launched the most significant update to TOEFL scoring since the test was introduced. The old 0 to 120 scale — the sum of four section scores of 0 to 30 each — was replaced by a new 1.0 to 6.0 band scale reported in 0.5 increments.

According to ETS's official score scale update documentation, the change was made to align TOEFL directly with the CEFR — the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the global standard for language proficiency that universities, employers, and immigration authorities worldwide already use. A TOEFL band 5.0 now directly communicates C1 proficiency without any additional interpretation. A band 4.0 directly communicates B2. This makes scores immediately meaningful to any institution familiar with CEFR, which is virtually every university in Europe.

Your overall score is now the average of your four section scores — Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing — rounded to the nearest half band. A student who scores 5.0 in Reading, 4.5 in Listening, 4.5 in Speaking, and 4.0 in Writing has a section average of 4.5, which rounds to 4.5 overall.

The most searched conversions — answered directly

Complete official conversion table

The following conversion table is based on official ETS documentation. During the transition period, your score report includes both scales automatically, so no manual conversion is needed when submitting to universities. This table is for your own reference and for interpreting university requirements still listed in the old format.

Source: ETS official TOEFL score scale update documentation and ETS TOEFL score breakdown page

What your converted score means for university applications

Converting your score is the easy part. Understanding what that score means for your specific application is what matters. Here is a practical guide to the most common situations.

If your university requirement is still listed in the old format

During the transition period, ETS recommends that universities maintain their old-scale requirements alongside a note that they apply to scores taken before January 21, 2026. Many institutions are still updating their published requirements. If your target university lists a requirement in the old format — for example, "minimum TOEFL 100" — use the conversion table above to identify the equivalent new band. A requirement of 100 equals band 5.0. A requirement of 90 equals band 4.5. A requirement of 80 equals band 4.0. Your score report includes both formats automatically, so the university's admissions team can verify your score in either system.

If your old TOEFL score is still valid

TOEFL scores are valid for two years from your test date regardless of the scoring change. A score from March 2025 remains valid until March 2027. Your official score report from ETS automatically includes both your old 0 to 120 score and its comparable new band equivalent. You do not need to retake the test simply because of the scoring change. Retaking is only necessary if your score has expired, if your score does not meet your target institution's requirements, or if you believe you can achieve a significantly higher score with additional preparation.

The most important institutions and their requirements

For students in Spain, Italy, France, and across Europe targeting study abroad or MBA applications, the most common score thresholds are straightforward in the new format. INSEAD recommends band 5.0 for the Master in Management program. HEC Paris requires a minimum of band 5.0 for MBA admission, with institution code 0649. Sciences Po requires a minimum of band 4.5. ESADE and IESE require band 4.5 to 5.0 depending on program. Exchange programs through Pompeu Fabra, Bocconi, and IE University typically require band 4.0 to 4.5 for US destinations.

How your overall band is calculated in 2026

Understanding the calculation helps you interpret your section scores and identify where to focus preparation time. Your overall TOEFL 2026 band is the arithmetic average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band.

If the average of your four section scores is exactly 4.75, it rounds up to 5.0. If it is 4.25, it rounds down to 4.0. If it falls exactly on a half band — 4.5 exactly — it stays at 4.5. This rounding means that a student with Reading 5.0, Listening 5.0, Speaking 4.0, and Writing 4.0 has a section average of 4.5, rounded to 4.5 overall. The same student improving Speaking from 4.0 to 4.5 would have an average of 4.625, which rounds to 4.5. Improving both Speaking and Writing from 4.0 to 4.5 produces an average of 4.75, which rounds to 5.0 — a full half-band jump in the overall score from a half-band improvement in two sections.

This calculation makes the strategy obvious. If you have strong Reading and Listening but weaker Speaking and Writing, your fastest path to a higher overall band is investing all preparation time in Speaking and Writing. A half-band improvement in your two weakest sections produces a full half-band improvement in your overall score.