What is the TOEFL ITP?
The TOEFL ITP, short for Institutional Testing Program, is a paper-based English proficiency test from ETS. Institutions administer it on their own site to measure the English level of their students, most often for placement into the right class, for progress checks, for exit requirements, or for scholarship and exchange screening. It reuses retired TOEFL questions, so the content feels familiar, but the way it is used is different: an ITP score is an internal measure, not an official admissions score.
Because it is paper-based and does not include Speaking or Writing, the ITP is faster and much cheaper to run than the TOEFL iBT, which is why it is popular for large groups. It is widely used across Latin America and Asia, and the price is set by the institution that administers it rather than by a fixed global fee.
TOEFL ITP vs TOEFL iBT
This is the difference most people are really asking about. The two tests share the TOEFL name and some question styles, but they are built for different jobs and are not interchangeable.
The short version: if a university is asking you for a TOEFL score to admit you, they mean the iBT. If your own school or language centre is testing your English to place you or pass you, that is usually the ITP. Because the scales and the skills tested differ, there is no official ETS table that converts an ITP score into an iBT score. If you need an iBT result, prepare for that test directly and estimate a band from section scores with the TOEFL score calculator.
TOEFL ITP format and sections
TOEFL ITP Level 1 has around 140 multiple-choice questions and takes about 115 minutes. There are three sections, each reported as its own scaled score:
- Listening Comprehension (scaled 31 to 68): short conversations, longer conversations, and talks, testing how well you follow spoken academic English.
- Structure and Written Expression (scaled 31 to 68): grammar and usage, split between completing sentences and spotting errors. This is the section that replaces a separate writing test.
- Reading Comprehension (scaled 31 to 67): academic passages with questions on main ideas, detail, inference, and vocabulary.
There is no Speaking or Writing section, and the whole test is answered on paper. The reading and listening skills it measures overlap closely with the TOEFL iBT, which is why iBT practice material transfers well to ITP preparation.
TOEFL ITP scores and CEFR levels
Your TOEFL ITP Level 1 total runs from 310 to 677. It is worked out from the three section scaled scores: add them, divide by three, then multiply by ten. ETS maps the total to four CEFR levels, which is the most useful way to read the result because CEFR is comparable across tests.
A good target depends on what you need the score for, but many programs treat 543, the start of B2, as a working minimum, and competitive uses often look for 627 or higher, which is C1. To turn your three section scores into a total and see the CEFR level instantly, use our TOEFL ITP score calculator. The scores shown here are the official ETS cut scores; always confirm the exact number your institution asks for.
TOEFL ITP Level 1 vs Level 2
Almost every score people ask about is Level 1, the standard version described above, aimed at intermediate to advanced learners and used for most university-level placement. There is also a Level 2, built for younger or lower-proficiency students at a pre-intermediate stage. It uses shorter sections and a lower score range. If you are preparing for institutional testing at a college or university, you are almost certainly taking Level 1, so focus your preparation there.
How to practice for the TOEFL ITP
Because the ITP total weights all three sections equally, the fastest gains come from your weakest section, and one section point is worth just over three total points. The reading and listening the ITP tests are very close to the TOEFL iBT, so iBT practice transfers directly, and the grammar rewarded in the Structure section is the same grammar iBT writing rewards.
- Sharpen comprehension with free TOEFL reading practice and TOEFL listening practice, which map closely to the ITP Reading and Listening sections.
- Work out your total and CEFR level from your section scores with the TOEFL ITP score calculator.
- If you also need the iBT for admission, sit a free full-length TOEFL mock and read the TOEFL scoring guide to see how bands and CEFR line up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL ITP?
The iBT is the test used for university admission worldwide, with four sections including Speaking and Writing, scored 0 to 120. The ITP is a paper-based test institutions use for placement and progress, with three sections and no Speaking or Writing, scored 310 to 677. They are not interchangeable, and there is no official conversion between them.
What is a good TOEFL ITP score?
On the ETS CEFR mapping, a total of 543 or higher reaches B2, the level many programs treat as a working minimum, and 627 or higher reaches C1. Since the ITP is used for internal placement, each institution sets its own cutoff, so always check the exact number you need.
How is the TOEFL ITP scored?
Level 1 gives you three section scaled scores: Listening (31 to 68), Structure and Written Expression (31 to 68), and Reading (31 to 67). The total is the three added together, divided by three, and multiplied by ten, giving a score from 310 to 677. Our TOEFL ITP score calculator does this for you and shows the CEFR level.
Can I use the TOEFL ITP for university admission?
Usually not. Most universities require the TOEFL iBT for admission. The ITP is mainly used for placement, progress, and some scholarship or exchange screening. Always confirm which test and score your specific program accepts before you rely on an ITP result.
Is the TOEFL ITP easier than the iBT?
It is shorter and has no Speaking or Writing, which many people find less demanding, but it still tests reading, listening, and grammar at a real academic level. If Speaking and Writing are your weak areas, the ITP will feel easier, but it also cannot prove those skills to a university.