New TOEFL (2026) results, score review and Home Edition: the questions test takers ask after the test

The 2026 TOEFL has run since 21 January 2026. The questions below come from r/ToeflAdvice threads we read in October 2026, about waiting for results, score review and the Home Edition. Wording is lightly edited. A number from Reddit is one person's report, and we say so. ETS's own figures are marked.

How long do 2026 TOEFL scores take, and what does "administrative review" mean?

ETS says scores are available online 3 days after the test, as cited in our results guide. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report 48 to 84 hours, with three days the most common. "Administrative review" is a status label that our pages do not define. Some posters saw it and still had their scores within days.

What to do

• Check your ETS account first, then your email, including spam.
• If scores are still missing after the published three days, contact ETS support. Keep your confirmation email and your test date ready.
• Plan application deadlines with a margin. See the results timing for every exam.

Why does the review banner say 2–4 weeks when people get scores in 2–3 days?

We cannot say, and we found no ETS explanation. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report a banner of 2 to 4 weeks that cleared in 48 to 72 hours. Do not plan around the banner alone. ETS publishes 3 days as the normal wait, so if you are well past that, contact ETS support in writing.

It said my scores were delayed due to administrative review (2-4 weeks), but I got them after 72 hours.

A test taker on r/ToeflAdvice.

What we can say

• The banner figure and the actual wait disagree in the reports we read. Most of them resolved in 1 to 3 days.
• We do not know what triggers the label. Do not trust a thread that claims to.

Why do all 6s show 118 and not 120?

ETS's concordance gives band 6 overall as 114 or more on the old scale. That is a floor, not one number. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report all-6 results shown as 118, and one asked whether 120 is attainable. ETS has not explained the 118 on our pages, so treat it as a widely repeated report, not a rule.

I've seen people get all 6's but they didn't get 120. Is 120 even attainable?

A test taker on r/ToeflAdvice.

What the sources say

• On our score conversion page, ETS's table shows band 6 as 114+, band 5.5 as 107+ and band 4.5 as 86+. Each is a minimum.

The old figure is shown for the overall score only, until January 2028. For how bands are averaged, see how the new TOEFL is scored.

Which score do I send a university, the 1–6 band or the 0–120 figure?

Send what your institution asks for. ETS reports a 1 to 6 band for each section and overall, and shows the old 0 to 120 figure for the overall score only, until January 2028. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report that many admissions pages still list 0 to 120 cut-offs. Check the institution's current page, or ask admissions in writing.

What to do

• Find out whether the rule is overall, per section, or both. A per-section floor can be the binding rule.
• If the page asks for 0 to 120, use the overall figure on your report. Our conversion table shows the matching band.
• If it asks for a legacy section score, ask the institution which band it accepts.

Is the $80 score review worth it, and what changed for people who tried it?

Our pages do not describe a TOEFL score review, so check ets.org for current rules and fees. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice name a fee of $80. Posters who shared results report rises: one had Speaking go from 4.5 to 5.5 and the overall from 100 to 110. They chose to post, so they may not be typical.

What students report:

• One poster asked for a Speaking review and wrote that Speaking went from 4.5 to 5.5 in one day and the overall from 100 to 110. They said the $80 was refunded.

How to think about it

• We found no report of a review that left a score unchanged or lowered it. That does not mean it never happens. People post good news more than bad.
• ETS data on our pages puts a section's measurement error at about 0.35 band. A half-band move can sit inside that noise.
• Read ETS's own page for the fee, the deadline and whether a refund applies before you pay.

Why was my Home Edition test cancelled, and can I appeal?

We cannot tell you why a given test was cancelled. More than ten posts on r/ToeflAdvice report Home Edition scores cancelled for irregularities, with no evidence shown and no refund. Three tie it to text matching published sources or other test takers' answers. That is a report, not ETS policy. Our pages describe no appeal process, so contact ETS in writing.

my score is CANCELLED for irregularities. No proof, no refund.

A test taker on r/ToeflAdvice, about a Home Edition sitting on 27 August 2026.

What the threads say

• Three posts say ETS cancelled scores for text "found in published sources or other test takers' responses". Readers link that wording to templates. That link is their guess.
• The replies we read offered no appeal route. They suggested a bank chargeback or switching to IELTS.

What to do

• Keep every email, receipt and your test date.
• Write to ETS support and ask for the reason and the appeal steps in writing.
• Read which exams can be taken at home and who accepts them before you book.
• Do not copy template sentences. Our Writing page covers why that question is open.

Should I take the Home Edition or go to a test centre?

Take the one your institution and visa authority accept. ETS calls Home Edition the same test, monitored online by a human proctor. Our at-home guide says Australia and the UK refuse at-home results for visas. Test takers report problems in both settings, from microphone faults to noisy speaking rooms, but we cannot measure how common either is.

What our at-home guide says (ETS and government sources, checked 16 October 2026):

• ETS describes Home Edition as the same test, "monitored online by a human proctor", offered 24 hours a day, 4 days a week. Register at least 24 hours before your appointment.
• Australia's Home Affairs does not accept tests delivered completely online, and names TOEFL iBT Home Edition.
• UK visa rules need a test sat at an approved test location.
• ETS says nearly all universities that use TOEFL accept both versions equally. Ask yours.

What test takers report

• Home Edition: a microphone indicator that stayed dead, a frozen screen with a silent proctor for about ten minutes, and a check-in that took close to an hour. Each is a single report.

If a visa or licensing body will read the score, pick the test centre and confirm the rule first.

How much does the test cost and how often can I retake?

ETS sets the fee by country and publishes it on ets.org, and our pages do not state one. Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report about $250 to $300 per sitting, and $351.50 with Express Registration. ETS's retake tips, cited in our results guide, say not more than once in any 3-day period. Results stay valid for 2 years.

Compare this with every other exam in our validity and retakes guide. The fee, any late-registration charge and refund rules are on ETS's site, so read them for your country before you book.

How many days do people actually prepare for the new format?

Test takers on r/ToeflAdvice report anything from 1 hour to 7 weeks. In the posts we read, five days came up most, about eight times, then two and three days. One poster who scored 118 wrote 1 hour. These are self-reports from people who chose to post, so do not copy them. Your own gap decides how long you need.

I only prepared for about five days... 4-5 hours a day, mostly getting familiar with the new format.

A test taker on r/ToeflAdvice.

How to read this

• The most common advice was to learn the format. That matches what our new TOEFL guide lists: 12 task types and no integrated tasks.
• A mock test shows your weakest section faster than a guess. Our TOEFL practice test runs all four sections in order.

Does MyBest work with the new scale?

Yes, on our scoring guide: MyBest takes your highest band in each section across any sitting in the last two years and averages those four bests. Acceptance is not universal. A test taker on r/ToeflAdvice reported that the US pharmacy route does not accept MyBest. Check the institution or board's current page before you rely on it.

What our guide says

• Many institutions accept it alongside a single sitting's overall. Acceptance is not universal.
• If a programme needs one-sitting scores, MyBest does not change what one sitting must reach.

What to do

• Ask whether the requirement is a single sitting, a MyBest score or either.
• If MyBest is not accepted, a retake has to clear every section in one sitting.
• Read the MyBest section of the scoring guide first.

Practise this on ScoreFluent

ScoreFluent is an AI English coach for seven exam families. It turns each answer into clear feedback and the next thing to practise. For TOEFL, there are adaptive mock tests: Reading and Listening start with a router and move you to a Lower or Upper module, as in the real exam, then Writing and Speaking run linearly. Your result is a band range, and practice scores are estimates. Start at the TOEFL hub or run a full TOEFL mock.

This page was written by the ScoreFluent team from questions students asked in public. ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to ETS. Practice scores are estimates, not official results.