Test Of English as a Foreign Language, more commonly known as the TOEFL, is one of the most reputed assessment tests of the English language. Universities widely accept TOEFL scores in the US, the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, etc. The English proficiency test helps foreign institutions in assessing an individual’s ability to speak, read, write and comprehend the English language. Indeed, most of the people in India and other developing countries consider the TOEFL Exam fee a bit high but seeing such a reputed exam solely from a monetary lens is a bit injustice.
Every year, millions of students take the test, and despite the high fees, it has seen a rise in the number of applicants year on year. The main reason for an increase in the number of test-takers can be attributed to the knowledge about the opportunities the test score provides. So a thorough cost analysis will suffice to prove that the cost of an exam has far more benefits than the monetary cost an applicant has to bear.
What’s the fee for the TOEFL Exam?
There are two types of TOEFL exams, and students can opt for either of them. The first type is the TOEFL iBT exam, and the fee for that test is $185 or INR 13,755. The second type is the paper-based test, and it costs $180 or INR 13,383. The computer-based test is opted by almost 95% of the students, and the paper-based test is only limited to those regions wherein there is poor or no internet connectivity. As far as the two types of TOEFL exams are concerned, an applicant can only opt for the TOEFL iBT exam in India. TOEFL Exam fee is $185 or INR 13,755.
Is there a difference in fee in the TOEFL home edition test from the TOEFL iBT Test?
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, ETS(Educational Testing Service), the exam conducting body has come up with a test from the home edition of TOEFL. The test from home edition gives students the liberty to take the test from the comfort of their home without having the risk of exposing themselves to the risk of virus infection. To help students further, ETS decided to keep the fee the same as that of the TOEFL iBT. The fee for the home edition will be $185 or INR 13,755.
What is the TOEFL essential test?
The TOEFL essential test is another addition by the ETS that was introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a shorter version of the TOEFL test, and its fee is $100 or INR 7435. This test is said to be of the same level as the TOEFL iBT exam, and the questions are also at par with the original test. This new edition has been introduced to ensure that all the students can take the test irrespective of the prevailing condition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is the late registration fee for the TOEFL Exam?
There are many students who delay the registration, and then they panic about it. The registration window closes seven days prior to the original day of the exam. The online registration must be done seven days prior to avoid the late registration charge. However, ETS recognizes the compulsion of students, and there can be some unforeseen situation due to which a candidate might not be in a position to do the registration. There is a process of doing the late registration for all such students by paying a fee of $40 or INR 2974. But an important thing has to be kept in mind: the late registration also closes four days prior to the test date. So if a student misses the late registration deadline, then there is no respite in that case.
What’s the fee for rescheduling the TOEFL Exam?
Often, students don’t feel comfortable giving the test on the original date selected at registration. There are many cases wherein a student may not be able to take the test due to some problem. ETS takes into account all these factors and provides the option for rescheduling the test. The rescheduling of the test enables the test taker to take the test on some other day of convenience by paying a fee of $60 or INR 4461.
In the process of rescheduling, one must bear in mind that the process of rescheduling is not entertained via email or mail. The process of rescheduling can be done by logging into the ETS account or by calling the Regional Registration Centre (India—91-124-4147700). If the rescheduling is done via phone, the applicant must mention all the details like name, appointment number, etc.
What are the rules for refund in case of cancellation of the TOEFL Exam?
The first and foremost rule for refund in case of cancellation is that it should be done no later than four days before their test date. If the cancellation is made beyond the four days threshold, there is no provision for any refund whatsoever. If the refund is done by following the rules, then the refund will be 50% of the original test fee.
Another noteworthy aspect of the refund policy is that there is no provision for cash refunds. The refunds are only done in USD and to the bank account which has been used at the time of paying the TOEFL registration fee. The rationale behind a deduction of 50% amount is to cover expenses for processing the registration and holding a seat at the test center. Please note that the provision of a refund is only against the registration fee. The payment made for any other service will not be refunded under any condition.
What’s the fee for sending the TOEFL scores?
After the TOEFL scores are released, they are sent to universities mentioned at the time of registration. Students can mention the name of four universities to which the scores will be sent free of cost. However, there are instances when students wish to send the scores to more universities. In that case, ETS takes the fee for selfing the scores to universities. The cost of sending a score per recipient is $20 or INR 1487.
Out of all the possible charges, the cost of taking the speaking and writing section review is the costliest. While other charges are also there, their inclusion in the cost of the exam depends on the services availed by the applicants. An applicant doesn’t necessarily have to pay for any or all the services compulsorily. They have to pay only when they need some service.
What are the modes of payment for the fees of the TOEFL Exam?
One can pay with any international payment-enabled debit/credit card or through any of the following modes of payment:
- Paypal
- Electronic Check
- Paper Check or Money order.