TOEFL formally known as "Test of English as a Foreign Language" was developed to measure the English language proficiency of non-native English language speakers wishing to enroll in U.S. universities. TOEFL has become an admission requirement for non-native English speakers at many English-speaking colleges and universities. Government agencies, licensing bodies, businesses, and other institutions may also mandate this test. An adequate TOEFL score is often a criteria for awarding a scholarship.

TOEFL is a trademark of ETS (Educational Testing Service), a private non-profit organization, which designs and administers the tests. The scores are valid for two years; then they are no longer reported.