Your TOEFL score report in 2026: what it shows and how to get the PDF

1. The short answer

• Official scores reach your ETS account 3 days after the test. The downloadable PDF follows a day or so later.
• The report shows each section and an overall score as "x of 6", plus, for the overall, a comparable score out of 120 and a CEFR level.
• It also shows your MyBest scores, your best result in each section across your valid test dates.
• The PDF is your copy, not the institution's. Universities usually want the official report sent by ETS, and they can verify scores with ETS.

2. When you get your score report

ETS shows the exact date your official scores will be ready at the end of the test. Note that ETS's own pages do not agree on how long after your scores the PDF appears; plan on a day or two.

3. How to download the PDF

Sign in to your ETS account, the one you registered with. ETS says your scores are there 3 days after the test and that you can download a PDF copy of your score report from the same account. ETS suggests keeping a copy: scores are valid for 2 years, and after that ETS will not report them.

If you asked for a paper copy before the test, it arrives by post on top of the PDF.

4. What is on the first page

This is the layout of ETS's sample test taker score report, which ETS publishes on its score page with the note that actual reports may vary slightly:

The first page also carries three notes from ETS: a total score is not reported when one or more sections were not administered; expired scores are not used in MyBest; and section scores from tests taken before 21 January 2026 are reported using the concordant 1 to 6 scale.

5. How to read the scores

In ETS's sample, every section reads 4.5 of 6, and the overall score reads 4.5 of 6, 90 of 120, CEFR: B2. Three numbers describe the same result:

• The band (4.5 of 6) is the score on the scale ETS has used since 21 January 2026, in half-band steps. The overall band is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band.
• The score out of 120 is there for institutions that still set requirements on the old 0 to 120 scale. ETS's advice is to compare that number with the school's requirement; you do not need to convert anything yourself.
• The CEFR level places the result on the European framework. Page 2 of the report lists which band matches which level; our TOEFL score calculator shows the same mapping and the 0 to 120 ranges.

What the numbers mean for your applications is covered in our guide to a good TOEFL score and the 1 to 6 scoring guide.

6. What is on the second page

Page 2 holds three things: the CEFR comparison table, a key to the department codes next to each institution on page 1, and a note to score users. The department codes on ETS's sample mean:

The note to score users says the PDF was downloaded and printed by the test taker, that ETS cannot guarantee it has not been altered, and that scores more than two years old cannot be reported or validated. It gives ETS's Score Verification Service phone numbers for institutions that want to check.

7. PDF, paper and official reports: which one institutions use

Institutions receive official TOEFL scores from ETS, not from you. ETS tells them they can verify scores online by entering your appointment number and date of birth, and that paper reports it mails carry security features such as heat-sensitive ink and a silver bar that stops photocopying.

So the PDF is for your own records and for an application form that asks you to upload a copy. Where a university needs the official score, it has to come from ETS: the four free reports you choose before the test, or additional reports ordered later. Choosing recipients, costs and timing are in our score reporting guide.

One trade-off to know before test day: ETS says that if you choose any institution to receive your scores, you will not be able to request a review of your Writing or Speaking scores.

8. Questions people actually ask

When can I download my TOEFL score report PDF?

ETS posts your official scores in your ETS account 3 days after the test. The PDF is ready shortly after that: ETS says 1 day after your electronic scores on one page and 24 to 48 hours on another. You download it from your ETS account.

Is the TOEFL PDF score report official?

It is your own copy. ETS prints on it that it is a PDF score report downloaded and printed by the test taker, and that ETS cannot guarantee it has not been altered. Institutions are told to verify the scores with ETS, and most will want an official report sent by ETS.

What does 4.5 of 6 and 90 of 120 mean on a TOEFL score report?

Since 21 January 2026 every score is on a 1 to 6 scale in half bands, so 4.5 of 6 is the band. For the overall score the report also prints a comparable score on the old 0 to 120 scale, 90 of 120 in ETS's sample, and the CEFR level, B2 in the same sample.

What is the appointment number on a TOEFL score report?

It is the number of your test appointment, printed on the first page of the report. ETS says institutions can verify TOEFL iBT scores online by entering the test taker's appointment number and date of birth.

What are MyBest scores on the score report?

MyBest scores are your highest score in each section from all your valid test dates, shown in their own box with the date each score comes from. ETS's sample notes that expired scores are not included in MyBest calculations.

Why does my score report have no total score?

ETS says a total score is not reported when one or more sections were not administered. In that case only the sections you took are scored.

Can I get a paper TOEFL score report?

Yes, if you request it before the test. ETS mails it 11 to 15 days after the test date, and in 75 countries and territories you can pay for express delivery, usually 2 to 5 business days after your scores are confirmed.