If you're an international student aiming to study in an English-speaking country, you know how important it is to excel in the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). However, the cost of taking the TOEFL can be a significant barrier for many. That's where TOEFL fee waivers come in. These waivers can significantly reduce or even eliminate the test fee, making it more accessible for students from low-income backgrounds.
In this blog, we'll guide you through everything you need to know about TOEFL fee waivers: what they are, who qualifies for them, and how to apply. For further help regarding your journey to a college abroad, you can book a free one-on-one consultation call with our experts who have helped over 10000+ students get into colleges abroad.
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TOEFL Fee Reduction Services
The TOEFL Fee Reduction Service is designed to help high school seniors in the United States who need financial assistance and are applying to colleges or universities requiring TOEFL scores. This service provides a substantial discount on the exam fee, making it more accessible for students from low-income backgrounds. Specifically, it offers a 50% reduction on the test fee for eligible students.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the TOEFL fee reduction, students must meet the following criteria:
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Are non-native English speakers planning to attend college?
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Be in their senior year of high school.
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Have attended high school in the United States.
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Come from families that receive public assistance or live in federally subsidized public housing.
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Have been admitted to programs for economically disadvantaged students, such as Upward Bound.
Note: Foreign exchange students are not eligible for TOEFL fee reduction vouchers.
The financial need is assessed based on the total annual family income, with specific thresholds depending on the number of dependents in the family. Here are the income limits:
|
Number of Dependents |
Family Income |
|
1 |
$ 23,606 |
|
2 |
$ 31,894 |
|
3 |
$ 40,182 |
|
4 |
$ 48,470 |
|
5 |
$ 56,758 |
|
6 |
$ 65,046 |
Application Procedures
Students seeking a fee reduction voucher must follow these steps:
For Online Registration:
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Create an account on the TOEFL registration system.
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Choose a check or postal money order for 50% of the test fee, payable to ETS-TOEFL iBT.
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Write their name on the front of the check or postal money order.
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Submit the check or money order to their school counselor.
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Receive the fee reduction voucher number in their ETS account.
For Phone or Mail Registration:
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Obtain a Student Profile Form from their school counselor.
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Complete the Student Profile Form.
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Choose a check or postal money order for 50% of the current test fee, payable to ETS-TOEFL or ETS-TOEFL iBT.
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Write their name on the front of the check or postal money order.
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Submit the check, money order, and Student Profile Form to their school counselor.
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Receive the voucher number via email.
Suggested: Colleges Accepting TOEFL Score Between 100 to 110
Things to Know Before Applying for TOEFL Fee Reduction
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Applications for the TOEFL Fee Reduction Services are open throughout the year until vouchers run out.
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With the fee reduction, you can send your TOEFL scores to up to four institutions for free. Make sure to select these institutions before the test day.
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You can select, add, or delete score recipients online until 10 PM (local time) the night before your test. Changes cannot be made on the test day.
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Other fees, such as rescheduling the test or requesting additional score reports, are not covered by the fee reduction and must be paid separately.
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Fee reduction vouchers are non-transferable and cannot be given to another candidate.
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Your school counselor must verify your eligibility and help process your application.
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Prepare and provide necessary documents like proof of income and public assistance records to support your application.
TOEFL iBT Voucher Services
To help students manage the costs of taking the TOEFL test, ETS offers vouchers. These vouchers are unique codes that students can use as payment during registration. The TOEFL Fee Waiver iBT Voucher Service is available to institutions and agencies that want to cover the TOEFL iBT test fees for students or provide local registration services. Institutions typically purchase these vouchers and give them to students, allowing them to take the TOEFL test for free.
There is no extra charge for this service; institutions only pay for the test fees. Once ETS receives a completed request form and payment, they send the vouchers to the designated addresses within three weeks. These vouchers are valid for up to 12 months from the date of issuance and are distributed to students by the institutions or agencies. Students can then use the vouchers when registering for the TOEFL test.
Fee Waiver in India
There is no TOEFL exam fee waiver available in India. This means that students in India must cover the cost of the TOEFL test themselves.Details about the TOEFL test fees, including registration costs, score reporting, and other related expenses are below:
|
Particulars |
TOEFL Exam Cost |
TOEFL Fees in INR |
|
Registration |
It depends on the location |
Depends on location |
|
TOEFL Home Edition |
It depends on the location |
Depends on location |
|
Late fee TOEFL registration |
$40 |
INR 3300 |
|
TOEFL reschedule fee |
$60 |
INR 5000 |
|
TOEFL cancel refund |
$20 |
INR 1666 |
|
Additional score reports (per institution) |
$20 each |
INR 1666 |
|
Speaking or Writing Section score review |
$80 |
INR 6600 |
|
Speaking and Writing Section score review |
$160 |
INR 13330 |
|
Returned payment |
$30 |
INR 2,500 |
From the Desk of Yocket
There are ways to obtain scholarships for students abroad but there is no fee waiver for TOEFL in India hence it is suggested to plan your finances accordingly. Despite that Yocket Premium is here to help! With an average of 12000 dollars in scholarships obtained for every student who applied we are well-equipped to help you out.
