IELTS vs TOEFL: Which One Should You Take for Scholarships?

The short answer

• Applying primarily to UK, Australia, or Commonwealth scholarships? → IELTS Academic
• Applying primarily to US universities or Fulbright? → TOEFL iBT
• Applying to Germany, Netherlands, or Nordic countries? → Either works — pick the one you'll score better on.
• Applying to Chevening? → IELTS or TOEFL, but you don't need to submit until your UK university offer.

Score equivalence table

Test format differences

Which is easier?

Neither. They test the same skills at the same difficulty; they use different formats.

• If you're more comfortable speaking to a person than a microphone → IELTS.
• If you prefer multiple-choice reading questions to descriptive-writing tasks → TOEFL.
• If your accent is non-North-American and you're worried about being understood by AI → IELTS (human speaking examiner).

Common mistakes

• Taking the wrong version. IELTS General Training is for immigration; IELTS Academic is for university. Take Academic.
• Not booking early enough. Popular test centers are booked 6-8 weeks out.
• Overspending on prep courses. Free official practice tests + 4 weeks of self-study is enough for most people to add 0.5-1.0 to their score.

The 4-week self-study plan

• Week 1: Take a full-length free official practice test. Identify your weakest section.
• Week 2: Drill your weakest section for 45 minutes/day.
• Week 3: Take a second full test under real conditions. Compare.
• Week 4: Focus on band-boundary items (question types where you consistently lose ~1 point).

Retaking

If you scored below 6.5 on IELTS or below 90 on TOEFL, retake — most scholarships won't shortlist you at that level. If you scored within 0.5 band of your target, retake if you have the time and money; it's often the fastest way to jump a whole scholarship tier.

Next step

Once you have your score, run our match quiz — we filter every scholarship by minimum English test requirement so you only see the ones you're eligible for.