Is TOEFL still commonly required in 2026?

TOEFL usage among IMFS students has declined significantly — from 79% of students pre-COVID (2017–2018) to 17% in Fall 2026. IELTS has grown correspondingly, from 11% to 39%. However, the IMFS 495-university database shows TOEFL requirements for 463 universities, primarily in USA and Canada. Source: IMFS Admissions Intelligence Dataset v2026.1.

IMFS Insights · Benchmark · TOEFL · INS-003

TOEFL Score Target for Studying Abroad — Insights from 2,700+ Records (2017–2026)

Question: What TOEFL score should Indian students target for studying abroad? Dataset: IMFS Admissions Intelligence Dataset v2026.1 · 2,700+ TOEFL records · 13 cohorts · 2017–2026 Analysis: Descriptive observational · Inference: Non-causal Release: IMFS-INS-003-v1.0 · Published 13 June 2026 Analysis: Descriptive observational · Inference: Non-causal

Prepared by IMFS Insights Team · Executive review: Inderjit Singh Matta, CEO — IMFS · 4 min read

2,700+TOEFL records
2017–2026

86Avg university
requirement

98.4Avg observed
IMFS student score

+12.1Point gap

What IMFS data shows — observed TOEFL score ranges

Based on 2,700+ observed TOEFL scores among IMFS students (2017–2026). Data observations, not admission thresholds.

What the data shows	TOEFL range	Share of IMFS students
Below the observed IMFS average — meets many requirements	80–92	18%
Range covering the majority of IMFS TOEFL records	90–109	68%
Strong score — above recent cohort averages	100+	48%
Competitive for selective programs	110+	14%

Observed outcomes in IMFS sample dataset (2017–2026, 2,700+ records). Not an admission threshold or guarantee. Full methodology →

The TOEFL competitiveness gap

The average TOEFL requirement across 463 universities in the IMFS database is 86.3. Across 2,700+ IMFS student TOEFL records (2017–2026), the observed mean is 98.4 — 12.1 points above the requirement average.

Key finding · IMFS-INS-003

+12.1 pts above the university requirement average (86) · 463 universities · 2,700+ IMFS records

The same gap pattern seen in GRE (+13.5) and IELTS (+0.48 bands) holds for TOEFL. IMFS students consistently score above the published minimum.

What this does not mean

A TOEFL score of 98 does not guarantee admission.
TOEFL requirements vary by program — department-level thresholds may differ from university-level averages.
Some universities specify minimum section scores in addition to total score.
Universities that accept both TOEFL and IELTS may have different minimum thresholds for each.
University requirements evolve over time. Benchmarks in this dataset reflect March 2026 data and may have changed since publication.

TOEFL milestone — recent cohorts crossed 100

Recent finding

above 100 IMFS TOEFL mean in Fall 2025 (100.4) and Fall 2026 (100.5)

The 9-year average (2017–2026) is 98.4. The most recent two cohorts have crossed 100 for the first time in the dataset. 100 is not a universal requirement threshold, but it is commonly viewed as a strong English proficiency benchmark by admissions evaluators — a psychological marker above the standard 80–90 requirement range at most US universities.

Cohort	n	Mean	Median	100+ share
Fall 2017	543	97.4	98	43%
Fall 2018	519	98.5	98	47%
Fall 2020	117	96.7	98	40%
Fall 2021	506	98.5	99	50%
Fall 2022	347	99.3	101	54%
Fall 2023	219	98.5	98	46%
Fall 2024	188	99.4	99	48%
Fall 2025	132	100.4	101	56%
Fall 2026	86	100.5	100	53%
All cohorts	2,700+	98.4	99	49%

TOEFL mean score by cohort — trend 2017–2026

Spring cohorts (2018, 2020, 2022) had smaller TOEFL samples and are excluded from this table. Early cohorts (2017–2018) have the largest sample sizes and pull the 9-year average slightly below 100. TOEFL usage declined from 79% of IMFS students pre-COVID to 17% in Fall 2026. Note on the 100 threshold: 100 is not a universal published requirement, but it is widely viewed as a strong English proficiency benchmark in graduate admissions — an informal marker that signals strong readiness across all four TOEFL sections.

The unexpected finding

Smaller pool, same strength TOEFL usage: 79% pre-COVID → 17% Fall 2026 · Mean scores: above 97 in every single cohort

Despite a 62 percentage point drop in usage, TOEFL mean scores never fell below 97 in any cohort in the dataset. Students who continue to sit TOEFL score consistently well. In Fall 2026, the mean reached 100.5. The TOEFL pool has become smaller and stronger simultaneously.

TOEFL scores by field of study — IMFS student data

Observed average TOEFL scores among IMFS students grouped by desired field of study. Fields with fewer than 30 IMFS TOEFL records excluded.

Field of study	n (IMFS)	Avg TOEFL
Chemical Engineering	49	103.1
Biological Sciences	46	101.4
Pharmaceutical Sciences	55	99.8
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	159	99.3
Computer Science	1,144	99.1
Engineering Management	82	97.5
Electrical and Computer Engineering	324	97.4
Industrial Engineering	97	97.1
Management Information Systems	408	96.7
Civil Engineering	94	95.1

Source: IMFS Admissions Intelligence Dataset v2026.1. Observed scores — not program-specific requirements.

Quick answers — common TOEFL questions

Question	What IMFS data shows
Is TOEFL 90 enough for MS in USA?	90 exceeds the average requirement of 86.3 in the IMFS database. 81% of IMFS TOEFL students scored 90 or above. Selective programs commonly require 100+.
Is TOEFL 100 a good score?	100 is above the 9-year IMFS mean of 98.4. 48% of IMFS students scored 100 or above. Recent cohorts (Fall 2025: 100.4, Fall 2026: 100.5) averaged above 100.
Should I give TOEFL or IELTS?	This dataset does not contain data on which choice leads to better outcomes. IELTS is required at most European universities; TOEFL is widely accepted in USA and Canada.
Is TOEFL required in 2026?	17% of IMFS students gave TOEFL in Fall 2026. TOEFL requirements remain for 463 universities in the IMFS database, primarily USA and Canada.

Findings describe observed outcomes in IMFS records and are not intended to represent all Indian applicants.

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