If you’re not familiar with the TOEFL test, you may have some questions regarding the differences between the TOEFL iBT Test and the TOEFL Essentials Test.
If you’re hoping to attend university, chances are you’ll need the iBT. That’s right, the bigger test.
Let’s take a look at why.
The TOEFL iBT is the full comprehensive test which deals with academic contexts only. The test runs three hours, the tasks are longer and integrated, currently it is the only test accepted by universities.
The TOEFL Essentials Test blends academic and general English contexts, can be completed in 1.5 hours, and is currently not accepted by universities. However, we may see some change to this in the coming years.
The TOEFL Essentials also includes an unscored video submission. That’s right, you’ll be able to send a short video along with your Essentials test that academic institutions may choose to view if they want to get a clearer idea of your English capabilities and of who you are beyond your numerical score.
So while there may be some chance this test will be accepted by some educational institutions in the future, for the time being, assume that you’ll need to prepare for the iBT Test, which TOEFL still refers to as the ‘gold standard’ for English language testing.