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TOEFL Essentials: Registration, Fees and Where Scores Are Accepted

Book the right test, at the right time, for the right institution

Before you register for TOEFL Essentials, make sure the institutions you are applying to accept it and that your score will arrive before their deadline. Registration itself is done online through ETS.

TOEFL Essentials registration: check acceptance, ETS account, US$199 fee, plan score timing

Step 1: check acceptance first

ETS publishes a list of institutions that have indicated they accept TOEFL Essentials. You can search it by country, state, institution and programme. ETS also notes that some institutions may accept TOEFL Essentials without stating it on their websites, and advises checking with each institution directly.

Confirm with each institution:

  • that it accepts TOEFL Essentials for your programme;
  • the overall score and any minimum section scores it requires;
  • whether it accepts MyBest scores;
  • its application deadline.

Step 2: create an ETS account and register

Register online through your ETS account. Use your name exactly as it appears on the identification you will show on test day. On test day, the name on your ID must match the name you registered with.

Step 3: the test fee

ETS lists the TOEFL Essentials test fee as US$199 for all countries and INR 17,200 in India. Additional taxes apply in some countries. Check the current fee on ETS’s registration page when you book.

Step 4: prepare your equipment and room

TOEFL Essentials is taken at home on your own desktop or laptop computer. Before test day, install the ETS Secure Browser and run its equipment check, and set up a room that meets ETS’s requirements. See our guide to TOEFL Essentials at-home setup.

Step 5: plan around score timing

  • Official scores are posted in your ETS account 5–6 days after your test date.
  • You can send scores to as many institutions as you want at no additional charge.
  • Scores are valid for 2 years.

Work backwards from your earliest deadline so there is time for scores to arrive, and ideally time for a second attempt if you need one.

Start your journey with Prepspire

Quick FAQ

Can I take TOEFL Essentials at a test centre? ETS describes TOEFL Essentials as an at-home test.

Does sending scores to more universities cost extra? No. ETS says you can send scores to as many institutions as you want at no additional charge.

Official ETS sources

Accuracy note (15 September 2026): fees, taxes and acceptance can change. Check ets.org and each institution before booking.