Educational Testing Service (ETS) announced a faster and simplified registration process for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) iBT test. The registration process, which commenced on October 1, 2024, was designed to alleviate the stress experienced by test takers throughout the examination process, according to Omar Chihane, Global General Manager of TOEFL, ETS. “We understand that test takers already face many challenges, and registering for an exam should not add to that stress,” he said.

Focus on TOEFL preparation

In an effort to enable test takers to concentrate fully on their preparation and performance, ETS plans to set its eye on making the end-to-end process of TOEFL easier. The organisation aims to simplify every aspect of the experience, from registration to test day. This, ETS explains, is to ensure that students can focus on what truly matters: excelling in the test itself. “By reducing the time it takes to register for TOEFL iBT to under three minutes, we’re not only simplifying an important first step for students but also ensuring they can focus on what really matters—their preparation and success,” said Chihane.

The updated system enables candidates to complete their registration in six steps, reducing the overall time required to under three minutes. This improvement eliminates a few steps from the registration process, like selecting scores, recipients and additional information gathering during registration, which can now be done after the initial process. According to Chihane, “previously, the registration process could take over 20 minutes with multiple steps. By streamlining it, we've significantly reduced the time and effort required.”

Objective of making improvements

The objective of making improvements in the standardised English language test was to cater to the needs of test takers globally. Chihane said “this improvement, alongside other recent innovations like the shorter test and enhanced prep tools, reflects our commitment to making TOEFL more accessible and responsive and is a significant move forward to the evolving needs of test takers worldwide.” The change is being implemented worldwide, with the exception of Mainland China due to the unique language considerations there. They primarily use Mandarin, which has a distinct registration process tailored to their needs, informed Chihane.

As part of TOEFL’s ongoing efforts to enhance the test experience, this update builds on recent improvements over the past three years, including the introduction of the shortened test (less than 2 hours), MyBest® scores, and the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, all aimed at making the test more accessible, particularly in India, where demand for international education is rising. ETS also introduced additional support for Indian students, like cashback offers on test fees, merit scholarships, and the TOEFL TestReady platform, which offers personalised study plans and feedback. The additional support includes “test fee cashback in partnership with HDFC Credila, merit scholarships based on TOEFL scores, and the TOEFL TestReady platform, which uses AI to offer personalised study plans and feedback. Additionally, ETS has launched the TOEFL Official Beginner’s Guide, specially curated for Indian students, providing free full-length practice tests, sample responses, answer keys, and audio files to ensure they are well-prepared for the TOEFL iBT® test,” read an official statement by ETS.