Sourced from ETS
TOEFL Band 5: What It Means (2026 Format)
Written by the Reach120 research teamReviewed
An overall 5 aligns with CEFR C1 and corresponds to 95–106 on the previous 0–120 scale. ETS pairs it with IELTS 7.0.
Band 5 at a glance
- CEFR
- C1
- Previous 0–120 scale
- 95–106
- ETS publishes 95+.
- IELTS pairing
- 7.0
Source: ETS — TOEFL iBT score scale update (for institutions), read 2026-08-06.
If an institution still lists a 0–120 requirement
ETS's own guidance for institutions rewriting a legacy requirement pairs a previous 100 requirement with a 5 requirement under the new scale.
This is ETS's own requirement-rewriting recommendation for institutions, not a statement about what any specific program requires or what a test taker is qualified for — confirm the current requirement with the institution itself.
Common questions
- What CEFR level is a TOEFL band 5?
- ETS aligns TOEFL band 5 with CEFR C1.
- What is band 5 on the previous 0–120 scale?
- ETS states the transition-period comparable score for band 5 is 95+ on the 0–120 scale (published range 95–106); the score report shows the midpoint, about 101.