GMAT & TOEFL FAQ

GMAT (www.mba.com)

Note these HBS and MIT policies regarding candidates applying with the GMAT Focus:

• HBS: Note on the GMAT Focus: Writing is an essential component of the MBA program. Therefore, to be admitted to HBS all students must have an official writing assessment. You can satisfy this with a valid GRE, GMAT 10th Edition, or English language test score. If you only submitted the GMAT Focus, which lacks a writing section, HBS will contact you at the interview stage about taking the separate GMAC Business Writing Assessment. If you wish to take the GMAC Business Writing Assessment before knowing your interview status, you will be able to do so beginning July 2024. Because the written application has opportunities to showcase your writing abilities (e.g. essays, short answers), you will not be at a disadvantage if you do not include the GMAC Business Writing Assessment before you are invited to interview.
• MIT: The Admissions Committee is also interested in assessing the writing abilities of anyone who is admitted to MIT Sloan’s MBA program. For anyone who submits a GMAT (Focus Edition) or is granted a test waiver, the Admissions Committee may require that you take the GMAC Business Writing Assessment. If you took the GMAT (10th Edition) or the GRE and have a valid AWA score, that will satisfy this requirement. If the Admissions Committee requires you to take the GMAT Business Writing Assessment, we will contact you after interview invitations are sent.

How to Send Your Score

Included in your GMAT registration is the option to send your Official Score Report to up to five (5) programs for free within a 48-hour period. After this period, or if you want to send your score to more programs, you can send additional score reports for a fee.

Sending Your Score to Up to Five Programs (for Free)

Whether you take the exam at a test center or online, you have the flexibility and control to review your Official Score before deciding whether you want to send it to schools. You will receive an email notification once your Official Score Report is available in your mba.com account. If you would like to send your score to schools, you can search for and select the programs you wish to send your score report. You must send your (up to 5) free score reports within 48 hours of your Official Score being made available on mba.com.

Please Note:

Each Official Score Report you send to a program will only contain the Total and Section Scores from a single exam. No other exam scores from previous exams will be sent.
Exam scores canceled due to a testing issue or policy violation will remain part of your Official Score Report.
Once your Official Score Report has been sent to a program, that action cannot be cancelled or undone.

Sending Your Score to Additional Programs (for a Fee)

You can send your Official Score Report to as many additional programs as you like, as long as your score is no more than five years old. Additional score reports can be purchased for via your mba.com account. Score reporting fees are non-refundable.

If you have scores older than five years but less than 10 years, you may ask to send these scores to programs as long as you have not taken a GMAT exam within the past five years.

Can I apply without GMAT score?

Several programs offer GMAT waiver.

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TOEFL (http://www.ets.org/toefl/)

TOEFL update: ETS updated the TOEFL iBT test on January 21, 2026. Some detailed questions, school scores and codes below describe an earlier version and require review. For current test content, dates and requirements, consult ETS’s current test information and each school directly.

The test of English as a foreign language is required by most programs for applicants whose native language is not English. There are some cases where the TOEFL requirement may be waived (for example, if the applicant received a degree from an institution whose official language of instruction is English) – check the school website or the school page on Aringo website (click on the school name and go to the bottom to see TOEFL requirements).

The TOEFL® test measures the ability of non-native English speakers to use and understand the English language as it is heard, spoken, read and written in the university classroom.

The TOEFL iBT measures reading, listening, speaking and writing. ETS offers the test at authorized test centers and as a Home Edition, subject to availability and eligibility. See ETS’s current test content and testing options.

Do I have a choice of which format to take?

The format of the test depends on your testing location, the capabilities of the testing center and any accommodations required for special needs.

When can I register for the test?

Seats fill up quickly, so register early. We recommend that you register three to four months before your desired test date to reserve your seat. Your test date should be two to three months before your earliest admissions application deadline.

Can I take the test in one day?
Yes. ETS advises allowing approximately two hours for the current TOEFL iBT; timing and item counts can vary as the test adapts. Check ETS’s current test overview and test-day instructions.

Can I retake the test?

Yes, you can retake the test as many times as you wish. There is no passing or failing test score — score requirements are set by each higher education institution or agency.

What Does the TOEFL iBT Test Cost?
Test registration fees vary by location and may be subject to taxes. Check the current ETS fee schedule for your testing location and any additional service fees.

What are TOEFL test scores like?
For tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, ETS reports four section scores and an overall score on a 1–6 scale in half-point increments. During the two-year transition, reports also include a comparable overall score on the 0–120 scale. Check ETS score guidance and each school’s current requirements.

In addition to your scores, your official score record also includes performance feedback that is a reflection of your performance level and a description of the kinds of tasks that test takers within the reported score range can typically do.

There is no passing or failing TOEFL score; individual higher education institutions and agencies set their own score requirements. TOEFL scores are valid for two years after the test date and there is no limit to the number of times you can take the test.

When should I start preparing for the test?

Start preparing for the test at least eight weeks before your test date.

What is the best way to prepare for the TOEFL test?

Practicing your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills as much as possible will help you feel prepared and confident on test day.

When do I take the test?

Plan to take the TOEFL test two to three months before your earliest application deadline so your scores arrive at your institutions in time. Find application deadlines by checking the institution's website.

What is the Reading section like?
Reading includes tasks such as completing words, reading everyday material and reading an academic passage. See the current ETS section overview for task details and timing.

What is the Listening section like?
Listening includes short responses, conversations, announcements and an academic talk. See the current ETS section overview for task details and timing.

What is the Speaking section like?
Speaking includes listen-and-repeat and interview tasks. See the current ETS section overview for task details and timing.

What is the Writing section like?
Writing includes sentence building, an email and an academic discussion. See the current ETS section overview for task details and timing.

What do I need to bring on test day?

There are only two important things you need to bring with you on test day:

– An acceptable, valid ID with your name, recent photo and signature. Requirements for a valid ID vary; see identification requirements for more details.
– Your registration confirmation, including your registration number.

How many score reports are included in my test fee?

Your test fee includes:
• one examinee score report for you
• up to four official score reports to the destinations (institutions or agencies) selected when you register; ETS will send the official score reports directly to these destinations

What is on my score report?

Your examinee score report includes scores for each test section, a total score and performance feedback about what test takers typically achieve at your score level.

Can I order additional official score reports?
Yes. You can order additional reports through your ETS account; fees apply. Check ETS’s current service fees and score-reporting guidance.

How and when do I get my scores?
For TOEFL iBT tests taken on or after January 21, 2026, ETS says scores are generally posted to your ETS account approximately three days after the test. Check the current ETS information bulletin for exceptions and the expected date displayed at the end of your test.

How soon do score recipients get my scores?
Delivery time varies by the recipient’s delivery method. Check ETS score-reporting guidance and confirm receipt with each institution.

How long are scores valid?

ETS reports scores for two years after the test date.

Will score recipients accept scores from previous tests?

Check with each score recipient directly.

Does the TOEFL test have cumulative score reporting?
ETS reports the scores from a selected test date together with MyBest scores, which combine the highest section scores from valid test dates. Each institution decides whether to accept MyBest scores; check directly with the institution. See ETS score-reporting guidance.

Is there a minimum score required?

Some programs require a minimum TOEFL score (check the school website or the school page on Aringo website (click on the school name and go to the bottom to see TOEFL requirements)). For example:

Historical examples on the older 0–120 scale, not current admission requirements. Verify current minimums and score scales with each school before applying.

Stanford – require minimum IBT score of 100
Harvard – 109
Chicago – 104
Berkeley – 68
INSEAD – 105
UCLA – 87
Queen's – 100
Cambridge – 110
IESE – 100
Cornell – 100

Are there any substitutes for the TOEFL?

Yes – there are other English tests which some programs accept as a substitute for the TOEFL – PTE, IELTS, TOEIC.

Should I already have my score when I submit my application?

Yes. You should report your score unofficially on the application, and later arrange that the official score will be sent directly to the school by the testing agency.

Are there programs which don't require the test?

Requirements vary by programme and applicant. MIT Sloan does not accept TOEFL or IELTS for its MBA and assesses English during interviews; Yale SOM says international MBA applicants do not need to submit an English proficiency test. RSM sets English-language requirements and exemptions that depend on the applicant. See our overview of MBA English test requirements, and always check the school’s current admissions guidance before applying.

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GMAT/GRE & TOEFL/IELTS Codes