TOEFL in Kuwait 2026

1. Which TOEFL: iBT or ITP?

Two different tests share the TOEFL name in Kuwait, and booking the wrong one is the most expensive mistake on this page.

• TOEFL ITP is a paper-based institutional test scored from 310 to 677. In Kuwait the one people search for is the ITP that Amideast runs for Kuwait University, which Amideast describes as reserved for Kuwait University College of Graduate Studies only. Its 550 requirement is on this scale.
• TOEFL iBT is the internationally recognised test, scored 0 to 120 on the old scale and on 1 to 6 bands since January 2026. It is the one universities abroad, the American University of Kuwait and the Ministry of Higher Education work with.

The practical rule: an ITP result from the Kuwait University session is for that college. If your plans include study outside Kuwait or a scholarship, you are looking at the iBT. The MOHE rule below says only "TOEFL" and asks for at least 47, a score that exists on the iBT's 0 to 120 scale and not on the ITP's 310 to 677.

How the ITP is built and scored is covered in our TOEFL ITP guide.

2. Kuwait University

Undergraduate admission

Kuwait University's admission rules say that the results of TOEFL, TOEFL iBT or IELTS can be substituted for the Academic Aptitude Test when the equivalent grade-point average is calculated, provided they are submitted before the end of the submission period. The same results can be used to be exempted from remedial courses. The equivalent score is calculated under the decisions of the university's committee of Scientific Affairs.

Students with TOEFL, TOEFL iBT or IELTS results hand them in at the admission and registration hall before the submission period closes. Applications are not accepted after the dates announced by the Office of Admission and Registration.

We could not find a published table converting TOEFL scores to Kuwait University's aptitude-test scale. If a particular conversion decides whether you apply with a TOEFL score or sit the aptitude test, ask the Deanship of Admission and Registration before you book.

College of Graduate Studies

The College of Graduate Studies asks applicants to submit language proficiency results, such as a TOEFL score of at least 550. That is an ITP-scale figure.

Amideast Kuwait runs the ITP session for the college. Its published rules for that session:

• Your passport number and Civil ID number are required at registration.
• To cancel, give at least three working days' notice; KD 10 is deducted and the rest refunded.
• You can sit it at most twice a month and eight times a calendar year. Retesting more often gets scores cancelled and the fees forfeited.
• Score reports are generally ready for pickup from the Amideast office two working days after the test, and are not shared electronically.

3. MOHE scholarships abroad: TOEFL 47 or IELTS 5.5

The Ministry of Higher Education's annual scholarship plan for 2026/2027 lists these registration conditions, among others:

• Kuwaiti nationality, aged 16 to 23, holding the secondary school certificate and not already holding a bachelor's degree.
• IELTS Academic of at least 5.5 overall and at least 5.5 in every section, or a TOEFL score of at least 47.
• The test must be taken at an approved centre inside Kuwait only.

There is one exception. Students whose secondary certificate was obtained outside Kuwait may use an IELTS or TOEFL result taken at a centre approved by the Kuwaiti cultural office or embassy, in the same country where they obtained that certificate.

The Ministry publishes these conditions on its Arabic service page for the scholarship plan. Read the current version there before you register for a test, because a result from the wrong centre does not count however good it is.

4. American University of Kuwait placement

The American University of Kuwait is English-medium and evaluates applicants partly on the TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic or its own placement test. Its published TOEFL iBT placement bands:

A score in the foundation bands does not stop admission; it decides where your English courses start. Transfer students are exempt if the required English credits transfer.

5. What it costs in Kuwait

• TOEFL iBT: ETS lists the registration fee for Kuwait at US$340.
• TOEFL ITP for Kuwait University: Amideast's registration link lists it as KD 65 (US$218), with KD 10 kept if you cancel in time.

ETS charges the iBT in US dollars and adds its own fees for rescheduling, express registration and extra score reports. Those charges are the same worldwide and are set out in our TOEFL fees guide; the step-by-step booking process is in our eligibility and registration guide.

6. Kuwaiti requirements and the 1 to 6 band scale

Every iBT figure on this page, the MOHE 47 and the AUK bands, is written on the 0 to 120 scale. Since 21 January 2026 the TOEFL iBT reports on a 1 to 6 band scale instead.

ETS says that for a two-year transition period after January 2026, score reports also carry a comparable overall score on the 0 to 120 scale. So a requirement stated as an overall iBT score can still be read straight from your report. What the transition does not give you is a section score on the old 0 to 30 scale; if a requirement names one, ask the institution how it reads the new report.

The Kuwait University graduate figure of 550 is untouched by this, because it is an ITP score. To see how a band lines up with CEFR and the old total, use our TOEFL score calculator or the band scores and CEFR levels guide.

7. Questions people actually ask

Can I use the TOEFL for Kuwait University admission?

Yes, for undergraduate admission. Kuwait University says TOEFL, TOEFL iBT or IELTS results can be substituted for its Academic Aptitude Test, with the equivalent calculated under the decisions of its committee of Scientific Affairs, and can also be used for exemption from remedial courses. Results must be handed in at the admission and registration hall before the submission period ends. We could not find a published TOEFL conversion table, so ask the Deanship of Admission and Registration how your score will be converted before you book.

What TOEFL score does the Kuwait University College of Graduate Studies ask for?

The College of Graduate Studies asks applicants for language proficiency results such as a TOEFL score of at least 550. That figure is on the TOEFL ITP scale, which runs from 310 to 677, not on the 0 to 120 iBT scale. Amideast Kuwait runs a TOEFL ITP that it describes as reserved for Kuwait University College of Graduate Studies only.

What English score do MOHE scholarships abroad require?

For the Ministry of Higher Education's 2026/2027 scholarship plan, applicants need IELTS Academic of at least 5.5 overall and at least 5.5 in every section, or a TOEFL score of at least 47. The test must be taken at an approved centre inside Kuwait. Students whose secondary certificate is from outside Kuwait may use a result from a centre approved by the Kuwaiti cultural office or embassy in the country where they obtained that certificate.

How much does the TOEFL cost in Kuwait?

ETS lists the TOEFL iBT registration fee for Kuwait at US$340. The Kuwait University TOEFL ITP booked through Amideast is listed in Amideast's registration link as KD 65 (US$218), with a KD 10 deduction if you cancel at least three working days ahead. Fees change, so confirm the amount when you register.

How often can I retake the TOEFL ITP at Kuwait University?

Amideast's retest policy allows the TOEFL ITP a maximum of twice a month and up to eight times in a calendar year. Taking it more often gets scores cancelled and the fees forfeited. Score reports are collected from the Amideast office, generally two working days after the test, and are not sent electronically.

Does the new 1 to 6 TOEFL score scale affect Kuwaiti requirements?

From 21 January 2026 the TOEFL iBT reports scores on a 1 to 6 band scale, while Kuwaiti requirements such as the MOHE minimum of 47 and the American University of Kuwait placement ranges are written on the old 0 to 120 scale. ETS says that for a two-year transition period score reports also carry a comparable overall score on the 0 to 120 scale, so an overall requirement can still be read from one report. If a requirement names a section score or no scale at all, ask the institution which it means.