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TOEFL Score Policies

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TOEFL Score Policies

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TOEFL Score Policies: The TOEFL General Test and TOEFL Subject Tests have primarily been designed to assess academic knowledge and skills relevant to graduate study. The TOEFL Tests are measures with known statistical properties and high-quality technical characteristics. Thus, the scores from these tests, when used properly, can improve graduate admissions and fellowship selection processes.

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TOEFL Score Policies - Score Cancellation by the Test-Taker in Computer-Delivered TOEFL General Test
  • At the end of the test, test-takers will be given the option to report(view) or cancel their scores. If test takers choose to report their scores, those scores will become a part of reportable history and cannot be canceled. Although test takers have the option to cancel their scores, the test takers should consider very carefully before doing so because the score reporting choices available with the ScoreSelect option allow test takers to report only the scores that they feel reflect their personal best.

  • Test-Takers cannot cancel their score for one section of the test and have the scores for the remaining sections reported.

  • Scores will be reported to TOEFL score recipients only upon the request of the test-taker.

  • Canceled scores will not be available for review online and are also not reported to any score recipients. No refund will be made.

  • Canceled scores are not added to the test-takers' reportable history. Anyone who wishes to take the test again, must reregister and submit another test payment
  • ETS or its authorized representative(s) may share test takers' score data with institutions or agencies for verification purposes.

  • TOEFL test score data or writing and speaking responses that are not individually identified may be used at any time for informational, research, statistical or training purposes. Information retained in TOEFL records is the same as the information in the score posting and on the official score reports.

  • Official score reports will be sent only to those institutions or agencies chosen by the test taker when he or she registered to test, on a Score Report Request Form submitted at a later date, or otherwise authorized by the test taker.

  • Test takers who provide their TOEFL registration numbers to an entity (for example, government immigration offices) are deemed to have authorized the release of their TOEFL score data to that entity. Do not provide your registration number to anyone unless you want to grant them access to your score data.

  • Entities must contract with ETS for access, but once they do that, they can use the information you provided to access your scores. Review specific Terms and Conditions of the TOEFL Online Score Verification Service (PDF).

  • ETS' goal is to report valid scores that reflect the test taker's own unaided abilities. To that end, ETS reserves the right to share any and all information in its possession about a test taker and the terms and conditions of test-taking with appropriate parties, including:

    • any entity contracted with ETS and recognized as an authorized user of TOEFL test scores. This includes, without limitation, any entity to which ETS reports scores at the test taker's request.

    • any government agency responsible for administration or enforcement of U.S. criminal and/or immigration laws.

  • Information subject to release to appropriate parties includes — but is not limited to — test-taker identifying information, information concerning the conduct and findings of any test security investigation, and information regarding the test center where the test was taken.
ETS shall at all times protect your personal information with operational, administrative, technical and physical security safeguards. Unless your photograph or other biometric samples taken on the day of the test or during the check-in or registration process are being used in connection with a test security investigation, ETS shall retain them for a maximum of 3 years unless local regulations limit retention.
We will keep your information as needed to meet the following requirements:
  • To protect against fraud, theft, and misrepresentation by unauthorized test takers

  • For the purpose of identity verification

  • To maintain integrity of the testing process
Language specialists prepare TOEFL test questions. These specialists follow careful, standardized procedures developed to ensure that all test material is of consistent high quality. Each question is reviewed by several members of the ETS staff.
The TOEFL Committee of Examiners, an independent group of professionals in the fields of linguistics, language testing and language teaching that reports to the TOEFL Board, establishes overall guidelines for the test content and specifications.
After test questions have been reviewed and revised as appropriate, they are selectively administered in trial situations and assembled into tests. The tests are then reviewed according to established ETS and TOEFL program procedures to ensure that all possible versions of the test are free of cultural bias. Statistical analyses of individual questions ensure that all items provide appropriate measurement information.
Although ETS employs extensive quality control checks throughout the development of test questions and the preparation of final tests, typographical errors or flaws in questions may occasionally occur. If you suspect a problem and want to question a test item for any reason, notify the test administrator before you leave the test site.
You may also write to: MS 42N-208, TOEFL Test Question Inquiries Educational Testing Service Rosedale Road Princeton, NJ 08541-­0001, USA
Or send a fax to +1-609-683-2600 as soon as possible after taking the test.
Please include:
  • the test name

  • the test section

  • the test date

  • the name of the center where the test was taken

  • the number of the test item being questioned, if possible
If you have a complaint about the testing facilities or the test center staff, email TOEFL@ets.org no later than 5 days after your test date. Be sure to include the name you used when you registered, your registration number, the date of the test, the name of the test center, and the city and country in which you tested.
ETS and the TOEFL program strive to report scores that accurately reflect the performance and independent work of every test taker. ETS standards in this regard have 2 primary goals: giving all test takers an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and preventing any test taker from gaining an unfair advantage over others. These standards are of the utmost importance to ETS and those who rely on the validity of ETS test scores. Therefore, ETS reserves the right to cancel any test score when, in its sole judgment, there is substantial evidence that the score is invalid. Scores may be canceled as a result of test-taker behavior or irregularities that affect testing integrity.
Fraudulent or unethical testing behavior will not be tolerated. ETS may use statistical or other professional evaluation methods as evidence that a test taker did not complete the test independently, or that pre-knowledge of test questions or answers occurred. If ETS believes that a test taker may have gained an unfair advantage by sharing or obtaining test questions, topics or answers before, during or after the test, or that a test was completed, in whole or in part, by someone or with the assistance of someone other than the registered test taker, ETS reserves the right to cancel the test taker's test appointment in advance, hold or cancel the test taker's scores, and/or ban the test taker from future testing.
Please contact ETS as soon as possible to report any conduct you observe at or in connection with a test administration that may be in conflict with the above policies, whether or not the conduct leads to an invalid score. The identity of any person making such a report will be held in confidence.
Phone: +1-609-406-5430 Fax: +1-609-406-0709 Email: reportcheating@toefl.org

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