Tran Khanh Ly, a 12th-grade student at Thach That High School in Hanoi, was among the first Vietnamese candidates to take the revamped exam. Her goal is to use the TOEFL iBT certificate to convert her English score for the national university entrance exam in 2026.

Khanh Ly described the updated version as “full of surprises” due to changes in its structure. However, she acknowledged that the adjustments allow for a more accurate and comprehensive measurement of academic language ability, enabling the test to better capture candidates' potential and proficiency.

"Among the four sections, I found Listening and Speaking to be the most practical. These skills are crucial for communication and can open doors to future career opportunities," she said.

Le Quynh Trang, a training expert at IIG Vietnam - the authorized provider of the TOEFL exam - explained that starting January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT structure has been updated with several key changes.

Specifically, the exam now applies an adaptive question model for the Reading and Listening sections. All candidates begin with Module 1 of equal difficulty, but Module 2 will vary in complexity depending on each candidate's performance. This adaptive approach is designed to provide a more precise evaluation of English proficiency.

Additionally, the question formats have been revised to better reflect real-world academic interactions - such as reading campus notices, writing emails, engaging in online discussions, or participating in mock interviews. These changes aim to align the test more closely with the demands of modern academic environments.

According to Trang, the most notable change lies in the scoring system. Starting in January 2026, TOEFL iBT scores will shift from the traditional 0–120 scale to a simplified 1–6 scale. During the two-year transition period, test score reports will display both the old and new scales. Afterward, only the 1–6 scale will be used. This scale corresponds to the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Trang believes the new exam structure will influence how academic English is taught in the future. She emphasized that teaching academic English will need to go beyond listening, reading, writing, and presenting academic content. It must also include verbal and written communication skills that allow learners to navigate academic settings effectively.

"Therefore, students must invest more effort in building a solid foundation in academic English from the outset. With a strong base, they’ll be able to maintain steady progress throughout their academic and professional journeys," Trang said.

The TOEFL iBT exam is developed by the US-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is designed specifically for non-native English speakers. It assesses all four language skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - in an academic context. In Vietnam, the exam currently costs about USD 195, with results typically released three days after testing.

Thuy Nga