- ETS launches the newest addition to the TOEFL(R) Family of Assessments, 
available August 2021

ETS announced today the introduction of a brand-new English-language 
proficiency assessment, the TOEFL(R) Essentials(TM) test. The TOEFL Essentials 
test becomes the second high-stakes English-language proficiency test within 
the TOEFL(R) Family of Assessments — joining alongside the TOEFL iBT(R) test 
launched more than 15 years ago. In addition, TOEFL Essentials is the first 
English-language test that offers the ideal combination of the convenient, 
affordable access students want and the quality institutions trust. 
Registration will open to test takers on Thursday, June 17 for administrations 
beginning on Saturday, Aug. 21. 

The TOEFL Essentials test is a versatile four-skills (listening, reading, 
speaking and writing) English-language test designed for university admissions 
and other high-stakes decisions. It measures a combination of academic and 
general English skills — those that are needed for the classroom setting and 
beyond (e.g., internships and interviews). In addition, the test provides 
institutions with expanded insights through writing and speaking samples from 
the test, additional measures of foundational skills and a unique Personal 
Video Statement — a short, unscored, video recording which provides an 
opportunity for applicants to showcase their unique personalities.

Key facts to highlight about the test include:

    -- Content: 50% academic, 50% general English 
    -- Format: multistage adaptive format with short, fast-paced tasks that 
       adjust based on skill level 
    -- Length: about 1-1/2 hours long 
    -- Location: at home with best-in-class human proctored security provided 
       by ProctorU(R), similar to the established TOEFL iBT(R) Home Edition 
       model 
    -- Features: instant Reading and Listening scores upon test completion, 
       MyBest(R) scores and free, unlimited score reports 
    -- Price: varies by location; between 100–120 USD 
    -- Scoring: Speaking and Writing sections scored by human raters to ensure 
       accuracy and fairness 

The TOEFL Essentials test and the TOEFL iBT test are similar in that they are 
high-quality, valid and reliable four-skills English-language tests for 
high-stakes decisions. They have distinct differences, however, in approach to 
skills measurement, design and test-taking experience — and as such, can both 
be used as standalone measures of English-language proficiency by institutions 
within their portfolio of accepted tests. 

"While the TOEFL iBT test has cemented its place as the gold standard in the 
international admissions space, we are expanding the portfolio with the 
innovative and versatile TOEFL Essentials test to allow students to choose a 
TOEFL test that best meets their testing style and preferences," said Srikant 
Gopal, Executive Director of the TOEFL Program. "Both the TOEFL Essentials test 
and the TOEFL iBT test can help students get to where they want to go, and we 
are thrilled to continue the TOEFL heritage of quality and fairness to help 
advance the educational journeys of students around the world."

In the next few weeks, ETS will be publishing the TOEFL Essentials research 
design framework, details pertaining to the score scale, score comparison 
tables and score requirement recommendations so that institutions can make 
informed decisions about acceptance and set score requirements based on their 
individualized needs. In a recent survey of nearly 250 institutions around the 
world, 95% indicated they would be likely to accept the TOEFL Essentials test, 
and 90% consider the test to be beneficial in attracting new applicants to 
their program.

To date, several universities have already indicated their acceptance.

"The past year drove our institution to consider convenient options for 
English-language testing but concerns over validity and reliability made us 
cautious," said Bryan Boudreau, Coordinator for International Student 
Engagement, Office of Admission, Bob Jones University (South Carolina, USA). 
"We have come to trust the TOEFL brand with many decades of proven student 
success. We were delighted to see this new option that combines convenience 
with reliability. Our academic faculty were highly enthusiastic and agreed 
TOEFL Essentials will provide what they need to support student success."

According to Raffi Muroy, Director of International Admission at Suffolk 
University (Massachusetts, USA), "We at Suffolk value access and opportunity — 
it's part of our core mission and our goal statement — so anything that is able 
to provide access and opportunity for applicants to be able to pursue higher 
education is something that we admire tremendously. We trust TOEFL and ETS and 
believe this is an excellent move by them to provide students with valuable 
options."

To learn more about the test, including information on registration, test prep, 
scores, FAQs and more, please visit www.ets.org/toefl/essentials.

About ETS

At ETS, we advance quality and equity in education for people worldwide by 
creating assessments based on rigorous research. ETS serves individuals, 
educational institutions and government agencies by providing customized 
solutions for teacher certification, English language learning, and elementary, 
secondary and postsecondary education, and by conducting education research, 
analysis and policy studies. Founded as a nonprofit in 1947, ETS develops, 
administers and scores more than 50 million tests annually — including the 
TOEFL(R) and TOEIC(R) tests, the GRE(R) tests and The Praxis Series(R) 
assessments — in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

SOURCE  ETS

CONTACT: Stephanie Winters, 1-609-359-5789, mediacontacts@ets.org