ETS to enhance Toefl iBT services for test takers in 2026
Published: 05 Jun. 2025, 16:46
![Test-takers exit an ETS testing center in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 5, 2023 [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/06/05/e6738874-b6ba-41aa-940d-5c29e38d1b78.jpg)
Test-takers exit an ETS testing center in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Feb. 5, 2023 [YONHAP]
Test-taker service ETS will adjust its test services to better its scoring rubric and make registration easier.
Test-takers using the Toefl iBT Home Edition will be the first to take the test with the updates, and improvements to test structure and scoring will be implemented across the board in Janunary 2026, according to the service on May 29.
Home Edition test takers will receive real-time support from ETS proctors, go through a check-in process powered by AI and also have flexible scheduling with 30-minute time slots available at all times.
From January 2026, the Toefl iBT Reading and Listening sections will adopt a multistage adaptive format, adjusting question difficulty in real time based on test-taker responses. Additionally, test content will be curated to reduce cultural bias and reflect the kind of English used in academic settings, such as group discussions and project-based tasks.
Alongside the traditional 0 to 120 scoring system, a new 1 to 6 scale aligned with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) will be introduced to help test-takers understand their performance in relation to global language proficiency standards.
Other upcoming enhancements include replacing headsets at global test centers with stereo headphones co-developed with audio brand Koss, the release of newly developed Toefl iBT prep materials in July 2025, and score availability within a maximum of 72 hours.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PARK SI-HYUN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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