Ellie Lee & Jade Koh

For many years, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) has been one of the most widely recognized English proficiency tests for university admissions. However, in recent years, it has faced increasing competition from the Duolingo English Test, which gained significant popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Duolingo’s test is both more affordable, costing only $59, and more convenient, as it takes just one hour to complete. In contrast, the TOEFL iBT costs $255 in the U.S. and previously required three hours.

To remain competitive, ETS, the organization that administers TOEFL, announced several changes in 2023. Beginning in July, the TOEFL iBT would be reduced to two hours. The reading section would be shortened to two passages with 10 questions each, the writing section would feature a more concise task, and unscored experimental questions would be eliminated to make the exam more efficient.

Despite these modifications, TOEFL remains more costly and time-consuming than Duolingo, which is now widely accepted by U.S. universities. ETS argues that TOEFL maintains higher standards of reliability, security, and fairness, while Duolingo contends that its test is equally effective and more accessible to students worldwide.

Additionally, ETS introduced the TOEFL Essentials Test in 2021, a 90-minute alternative to the iBT. However, it has not significantly slowed Duolingo’s growing popularity. As competition in the English proficiency testing market continues to increase, TOEFL is adapting, but it remains uncertain whether these changes will be sufficient to maintain its dominance.

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