If you're wondering how your IELTS band compares to a TOEFL score or which test to take for a university or visa requirement, the honest answer is: it depends on when you're checking, because TOEFL's scoring system changed in 2026. Here's the most current, officially sourced conversion data available, explained by MIE English Academy.
Important: TOEFL's Scoring Scale Changed in 2026
Before looking at any conversion table, you need to know this: starting January 21, 2026, ETS moved the TOEFL iBT from its familiar 0–120 scale to a new 1–6 banded scale (in 0.5 increments), designed to align more directly with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference).
Your overall TOEFL score is now the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half-band, not a sum of points like before.
ETS has built in a two-year transition window, through January 2028, during which score reports show both the new banded score and its old 0–120 equivalent, so universities that haven't updated their published requirements yet can still interpret your result correctly.
In practice, that means both conversion tables below are still useful: the new one if you're taking (or already took) the redesigned test, and the legacy one if you're comparing against an older TOEFL score or a university page that still lists 0–120 requirements.
IELTS to TOEFL Conversion (New 1–6 Scale, Effective 2026 Onward)
This table comes from ETS's official April 2026 research report, based on a joint concordance study conducted with the IELTS partners (British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment).
| IELTS Overall Band | TOEFL Reading | TOEFL Listening | TOEFL Writing | TOEFL Speaking | TOEFL Overall |
| 9.0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 8.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 8.0 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 7.5 | 5 | 5 | 5.5 | 5 | 5.5 |
| 7.0 | 4.5 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 6.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4 | 4.5 |
| 6.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 5.5 | 3.5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 5.0 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 2 |
| 4.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Quick read: IELTS 6.5 (a common university cut-off) lines up with a TOEFL overall band of about 4.5 on the new scale, which also corresponds to CEFR level B2, the same level IELTS itself claims for a 6.5.
IELTS to TOEFL Conversion (Legacy 0–120 Scale)
Still relevant if you're comparing against a TOEFL score from before January 2026, or a university page that hasn't updated its published requirement. This table is drawn from ETS's own score-comparison materials, based on a study of 1,153 test-takers who sat both exams.
| IELTS Overall Band | TOEFL iBT (0–120) |
| 9.0 | 118–120 |
| 8.5 | 115–117 |
| 8.0 | 110–114 |
| 7.5 | 102–109 |
| 7.0 | 94–101 |
| 6.5 | 79–93 |
| 6.0 | 60–78 |
| 5.5 | 46–59 |
| 5.0 | 35–45 |
| 4.5 | 32–34 |
| ≤4.0 | 0–31 |
Section-Level Conversion (Reading & Listening, Legacy Scale)
Section scores rarely convert as cleanly as the overall score, since the two tests weight skills differently. ETS's own comparison tables show:
| IELTS Band | TOEFL Reading (0–30) | TOEFL Listening (0–30) |
| 9.0 | 30 | 30 |
| 8.0 | 29 | 28 |
| 7.0 | 24 | 24 |
| 6.5 | 19 | 20 |
| 6.0 | 13 | 12 |
| 5.5 | 8 | 7 |
| 5.0 | 4 | 4 |
Why These Numbers Don't Convert Perfectly?
A few structural differences explain why conversion is always approximate rather than exact:
- Different skills tested the same way. IELTS Reading uses varied formats, True/False/Not Given, matching, gap-fill, while TOEFL Reading leans on longer academic passages with mostly multiple-choice questions, so the two tests reward slightly different reading strategies.
- Different accents and listening styles. TOEFL Listening centers on North American academic lecture style, while IELTS Listening spans a broader mix of accents and everyday plus academic contexts.
- TOEFL's new test is shorter and adaptive. The 2026 redesign introduced multi-stage adaptive testing in Reading and Listening, along with new task types, so even the underlying test experience isn't a direct match to IELTS anymore.
Because of this, ETS explicitly advises institutions not to treat these tables as the sole basis for setting score cut-offs; they're a well-researched approximation, not a mathematical equivalence.
IELTS vs TOEFL: Which Test Should You Take?
| IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT (2026+) | |
| Duration | ~2 hours 45 minutes | ~90 minutes |
| Scoring | 0–9 bands | 1–6 bands (+ legacy 0–120 shown during transition) |
| Speaking format | Face-to-face or video with a live examiner | Recorded responses |
| Best fit for | UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland visas; most global universities | US universities; institutions preferring CEFR-aligned reporting |
If your target institution accepts both, the choice often comes down to test format comfort, a live speaking interview (IELTS) versus a recorded-response format (TOEFL), rather than which test is "easier."
How MIE English Academy Helps You Hit Your Target Score
Whichever test you choose, the preparation principle is the same: know your target band in both systems before you start studying, so you're not guessing what "good enough" looks like. At MIE English Academy, we help students:
- Confirm the exact IELTS or TOEFL score their university, employer, or visa route requires, checked against current official requirements, not outdated blog tables
- Run a diagnostic assessment to see how far your current level sits from that target, in both scoring systems
- Build a study plan focused on the specific section(s) holding your overall score back, whichever test you sit
Not sure which test or which score you actually need? Book a free consultation with MIE English Academy, and we'll map your goal to the right test and target band before you register.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IELTS 6.5 in TOEFL?
On the new 2026 TOEFL banded scale, IELTS 6.5 corresponds to an overall TOEFL band of about 4.5. On the legacy 0–120 scale, it corresponds to roughly 79–93.
What is IELTS 7.0 in TOEFL?
IELTS 7.0 maps to a TOEFL overall band of about 5 on the new scale, or roughly 94–101 on the legacy 0–120 scale.
Did TOEFL's scoring system really change in 2026?
Yes. As of January 21, 2026, TOEFL iBT scores are reported on a new 1–6 banded scale instead of the previous 0–120 scale, with a two-year transition period during which both scores appear on score reports.
Is IELTS harder than TOEFL, or vice versa?
Neither test is objectively "harder". They test similar skills through different formats. Most test-takers do better on whichever format suits their strengths: IELTS's live speaking interview versus TOEFL's recorded responses, for instance.
Can I use these conversion tables for university admission?
Use them as a planning guide, but always confirm your target institution's actual accepted score directly. ETS itself cautions against using conversion tables as the sole basis for score decisions, and some universities set their own equivalencies.