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We've personally purchased and thoroughly reviewed over a dozen TOEFL prep courses on the market, to help you crush your TOEFL iBT exam on your first try and get into your dream university.
We understand that there's no one-size-fits-all solution when choosing a test prep course.
So with this in mind, our selections show the best TOEFL preparation course in specific categories based on the quality of the lessons, practice material, student support, customer policies, and price.
This review has been updated for the shortened version of the TOEFL iBT that took effect in July 2023.
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Our Top Picks
After months of rigorously reviewing several online TOEFL prep courses on the market, we found these top course providers to offer the most value.
- Best Self-Paced: Magoosh
- Best Student Support: TST Prep
- Best Practice Material: BestMyTest
Best TOEFL Prep Courses: Unbiased Video Review
You can watch our in-depth video review for a behind-the-scenes peek into the TOEFL iBT prep courses in our top picks for 2024.
In this video, our reviewer Chuky dives deeper into the performance of each of the top TOEFL prep courses from our first-hand experience using each platform.
Our Best TOEFL Prep Courses of 2024
Magoosh - Best Self-Paced
What we liked
Complaints
Price Range: $109 - $129
Access: Up to 6 months
Payment Plans: Available
Score Guarantee: +4 points
What Makes Magoosh Stand Out?
- Compared to all other self-paced-only TOEFL prep courses, Magoosh TOEFL does the best job of presenting very effective test-taking strategies for all four sections of the TOEFL iBT.
- Users of the Magoosh TOEFL course can study on the go with mobile apps that are designed for TOEFL prep.
These include the Magoosh TOEFL prep app and the Magoosh TOEFL Vocabulary Flashcards app. Both of which are available on the iOS and Android platforms. - You can pause your subscription to the course, thereby preventing any unused period of access from going to waste.
Magoosh TOEFL Course Content and Features
The course consists of a self-paced TOEFL curriculum, with all lessons delivered in a video-based format.
You will find about 100 short-form video lessons dedicated to strategies on each section of the TOEFL and over 50 short-form video lessons on English grammar.
Magoosh's practice questions bank is relatively large, with over 400 practice questions and tasks covering all four sections of the TOEFL.
Magoosh TOEFL Answer Explanation Sample
From this bank of TOEFL practice questions, users can build up to 6 full-length practice tests or generate custom practice sessions that focus on one or more sections of the TOEFL.
As for the level of student support available, Magoosh provides graded writing assessments and on-demand access to a TOEFL expert.
This expert is there to answer any questions you have related to the course material and not just questions that have to do with resolving technical issues with the platform.
How Magoosh TOEFL Performed
Magoosh is an excellent self-paced TOEFL prep course that ranks high across our performance areas.
Users of this course will find the video-based lessons and answer explanations very authentic and engaging while learning some effective TOEFL test-taking strategies.
In terms of student support, Magoosh stands above the competition with its unlimited Ask-An-Expert support feature.
Unlike other TOEFL prep course providers, the Magoosh experts here do a great job responding to questions promptly with sufficient detail.
However, Magoosh falls short of the competition with the lack of graded speaking assessments.
Reviewer Notes - what our experts thought: "A major win for the Magoosh TOEFL course is the depth of answer explanations found in the practice material. No other TOEFL course I've reviewed compares to Magoosh in this area."
Who Magoosh TOEFL Is Ideal For
With its comprehensive and engaging self-paced TOEFL lessons, Magoosh is the ideal choice for students who want to study for the TOEFL independently. The course is particularly appealing to both visual and text learners.
TST Prep - Best Student Support
TST Prep TOEFL Prep Course lesson on Writing for Academic Discussion task
What we liked
Complaints
Price Range: $37- $397
Access: Up to 12 months
Payment Plans: None
Score Guarantee: +5 points
What Makes TST Prep Stand Out?
- Offers live TOEFL classes and private 1-on-1 tutoring with a TOEFL expert
- Developed by the largest TOEFL prep content creator on YouTube
- Provides lots of high-quality free TOEFL prep resources to all users of their platform
TST Prep TOEFL Course Content and Features
The TST Prep platform was developed by Josh MacPherson, who is the creator behind the most popular TOEFL prep YouTube channel.
The learning platform offers a diverse line up of TOEFL prep programs including video-based self-paced courses, live classes, and private tutoring.
Content on all their TOEFL prep programs have been updated for the shortened TOEFL iBT.
Their self-paced course consists of of over 20 hours of video-based TOEFL lessons, over 1,000 TOEFL practice questions, and 20 full-length practice tests.
There are also tons of free supplementary TOEFL prep resources.
How TST Prep TOEFL Performed
In the area of lesson quality, TST Prep stands out for producing bite sized video lessons that are highly engaging.
The video lessons are created by Josh MacPherson, who I found to be a very knowledgeable and engaging instructor.
TST Prep TOEFL Prep Course video lesson on the Speaking section
Students using the Emergency TOEFL course will be pleased to find a curation of the most important topics to master when preparing for the TOEFL iBT on a time crunch.
This contrasts with courses like Magoosh and BestMyTest, which have a large bank of video lessons that could overwhelm students looking to prepare for the TOEFL in a hurry.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of TST Prep's learning material are the innovative TOEFL prep strategies on the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT.
This AI-assisted TOEFL prep approach equips students with better techniques to boost their scores across all sections of the TOEFL iBT.
In the area of student support, TST Prep beats every other TOEFL prep course in our review, as the platform has been designed to cater to a wide demographic of learning styles.
Similar to Magoosh, self-paced learners can benefit from TST Prep's unlimited email support.
But unlike Magoosh and BestMyTest, students have access to live TOEFL classes and personalized tutoring.
For the more subjectively scored Speaking and Writing sections of the TOEFL, TST Prep provides detailed speaking and writing assessments from a TOEFL expert.
Reviewer Notes - what our experts thought: "TST Prep stands out for teaching unique and innovative TOEFL prep strategies, such as how to leverage AI tools in your prep to boost your score on each section of the TOEFL iBT"
Who TST Prep TOEFL Is Ideal For
TST Prep TOEFL is an excellent option for someone who desires a human touch in their TOEFL prep. So, if you're a student who likes to learn in a group setting or you want the personal attention of 1-on-1 tutoring, TST Prep has you covered.
BestMyTest - Best Practice Material
What we liked
Complaints
Price Range: $39 - $219
Access: Up to 12 months
Payment Plans: None
Score Guarantee: +7 points
What Makes BestMyTest Stand Out?
- No other TOEFL prep course has as many high-quality TOEFL practice questions and full-length practice tests as BestMyTest.
- Offers a flexible access period anywhere between 1 - 6 months.
- Has the most realistic full-length practice test experience of any TOEFL prep course.
BestMyTest TOEFL Course Content and Features
The BestMyTest TOEFL course packages provide access to a comprehensive library of TOEFL lessons that cover helpful strategies for all four sections of the TOEFL and supplementary lessons on grammar and vocabulary development.
With over 2,000 TOEFL practice questions from which you can build up to 16 full-length practice tests, BestMyTest has the largest pool of practice questions and full-length practice tests than any other TOEFL prep course.
BestMyTest TOEFL Lessons Overview
In addition, there is also a set of 4 simulated practice tests containing unique TOEFL questions. So, you won't have to look elsewhere for supplementary practice material.
For the student support features, the course includes graded speaking and writing assessments, and grammar corrections for written essays.
Students also get limited access to an online instructor who can answer questions related to the TOEFL material via the platform.
How BestMyTest TOEFL Performed
Where BestMyTest performed best is in the quality of their TOEFL practice material.
The questions you'll find on all sections of the TOEFL in this course are very similar in difficulty level and format to those found on the actual TOEFL iBT exam.
In addition, the full-length practice test experience mimics the real TOEFL iBT environment very well, as you'll find buttons and functionalities in the practice tests that are identical to those on the actual TOEFL iBT.
Another area where BestMyTest TOEFL does a good job is in student support.
When we asked for feedback on the speaking and writing practice tasks, we were pleased with how detailed the score reports were.
What was more impressive is that in the speaking assessment, you will get a voice recording from a TOEFL instructor pointing out your pronunciation mistakes and suggesting improvements to your speech.
As for the quality of the TOEFL lessons, BestMyTest performs well in this area with a comprehensive library of text-based lessons that cover the different question types and tasks that appear on the TOEFL.
However, unlike other text-based courses, BestMyTest tries to make the lessons interactive by presenting the information in the form of an ongoing text message between a student and a TOEFL tutor.
This delivery style is quite unconventional and may be unappealing to many users who prefer to learn by reading blocks of text or watching video lessons.
Reviewer Notes - what our experts thought: "I liked that when using the vocabulary mode, you can quickly learn the definition of words in the practice material for all 4 TOEFL sections."
Who BestMyTest TOEFL Is Ideal For
Given the quality and quantity of their TOEFL practice material, BestMyTest is an ideal choice for "practice-test warriors." These are test-takers who want to focus on building their endurance for the 3-hour long TOEFL by completing several full-length practice tests.
Other Good TOEFL Preparation Courses
Prepscholar
The Prepscholar course platform consists of over 100 hours of text-based TOEFL lessons and more than 600 practice questions and tasks.
There are also supplementary resources such as an interactive TOEFL vocabulary course and mini-guides on the admission process for U.S. universities.
Compared to other TOEFL course providers, Prepscholar's self-paced TOEFL coursework is not one-size-fits-all.
They understand that each student preparing for the TOEFL has unique needs and deserves to learn in a personalized manner.
PrepScholar TOEFL Answer Explanations Sample
So, instead of giving users on-demand access to their entire library of TOEFL lessons and practice questions, they use an algorithm to suggest lessons and practice drills based on your measured skill level.
As a result, each user follows a learning pathway different from another user.
As for the student support available, users of this course receive graded speaking and writing assessments.
Prepscholar also provides unlimited email support concerning technical issues you might encounter.
However, there is no on-demand access to an instructor that can answer questions related to their TOEFL course material.
E2Language
The structure of the E2language TOEFL curriculum is similar to TST prep as it has both a self-paced component and a live online class component.
The self-paced course material contains about 50 on-demand video lessons that cover the questions found in all sections of the TOEFL iBT and lessons on grammar and vocabulary building.
In addition, students can practice with over 600 practice questions across all four sections of the TOEFL iBT.
E2Language TOEFL course speaking assessment report
The live online classes consist of a sequence of 7 topics that are covered every week.
These topics include TOEFL Writing, TOEFL Reading, Spelling, TOEFL Speaking, Pronunciation, TOEFL listening, and Grammar.
The instructor will focus on teaching a subtopic within any of these seven major topics during each live class.
This way, the lessons in a given class vary from one week to the next.
See our comprehensive E2Language TOEFL review for more detail.
TOEFL Test Preparation: The Insider's Guide (On edX)
This TOEFL course is made by ETS - the makers of the TOEFL iBT exam, as you can tell by the title "The Insider's Guide."
As you can expect, the course has been modified slightly for the shortened TOEFL iBT exam.
It is available on the edX platform as a 6-week video-based course that can be completed in two learning tracks - a 100% free track or a $49 paid track.
Both tracks provide access to the same TOEFL coursework and a limited amount of student support.
The main difference between the two tracks is that students who complete the course using the paid track receive a certification of completion endorsed by ETS.
The course material is split into six learning modules covering all sections of the TOEFL and supplementary information such as tips for succeeding on the day of your TOEFL exam.
There are about 50 video lessons and 33 practice questions across all four sections of the TOEFL iBT.
In terms of student support, users only get an automated scoring of 4 speaking tasks and two writing tasks.
edX TOEFL course new video lesson on Writing for an Academic Discussion task
One would expect this course to be one of our top picks for the best TOEFL prep courses.
After all, it is the only TOEFL course on the market endorsed by ETS.
However, we found the course to be satisfactory in only the area of lesson quality. In all other areas, the course underperforms.
As a free resource, the edX TOEFL course might be a good option for audio/visual learners with a strong mastery of academic English who just want an introduction to the TOEFL iBT.
We wouldn't recommend this course to students who wish to boost their TOEFL scores significantly.
See our full review of the edX TOEFL Prep Course for more details.
How We Chose Our TOEFL Course Picks
Our test prep experts have reviewed dozens of TOEFL prep resources based on first-hand experience using TOEFL prep courses and books over several months.
To give a strong recommendation for each TOEFL prep course, we tested all the features available in each course and rated each course on a scale of 5 in several performance areas.
These performance areas include lesson quality, practice material quality, student support, and customer policies.
When curating our list of the best TOEFL prep courses of 2024, we're looking for the cream of the crop.
The TOEFL prep courses that make our top picks have an overall score of at least 3.5 out of 5.
Why You Can Trust Our Reviews
At Sojourning Scholar, we purchase and review dozens of test prep resources to make a strong recommendation for our readers.
To put together our top TOEFL course picks, our experts performed in-depth reviews of courses from 13 different TOEFL prep course providers.
Our top picks reflect the courses that ranked the highest in areas vital to your overall satisfaction as a buyer.
Note that our course rankings are subject to change, as course providers tend to improve the quality of their prep course offerings over time.
How we evaluated these TOEFL preparation courses
- Lesson quality: The curriculum in a TOEFL prep course should contain helpful test-taking strategies and skill-building lessons that are proven to boost scores on all sections of the TOEFL iBT.
In addition, the content should be presented in a way that's engaging to students with different learning preferences. - Quality of practice material: The TOEFL practice questions and practice test experience in a TOEFL course should be of a similar difficulty level and format to those found on the actual TOEFL iBT exam.
More importantly, there should be detailed answer explanations to these practice questions for students to have a well-rounded learning experience. - Quality of student support: Given the subjective scoring of the TOEFL iBT, a good TOEFL course should provide expert feedback to students on the speaking and writing sections of the course material.
Furthermore, there should be on-demand access to a tutor for questions related to the course material. - User experience: With most online activity occurring on mobile devices, the user interface of a good online course must be easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile devices.
TOEFL courses that perform well in this area go a step further by offering mobile apps dedicated to TOEFL prep. - Customer policies: A good test prep company champions the success and satisfaction of its students/customers.
How strongly a test prep company does that can be observed in terms of their score improvement guarantee, availability of free trials, and refund policy.
How to Choose the Right TOEFL Prep Course for You
Choosing the best TOEFL prep course is based partly on what you, the buyer, want in your purchase. It's rare to find a single course that is best suited to every type of student.
So, our selections show the best in specific categories that we believe are very important for a high TOEFL score.
Here are some essential factors you should consider when looking for a TOEFL prep course.
Learning style preference
Do you learn best when the contents are presented in an audio/visual form, or do you prefer learning by reading/writing text?
If you identify as an audio/visual learner, a video-based TOEFL prep course will be your best choice.
On the flip side, if you understand and retain information best when it is presented in the form of a text, you should look for TOEFL prep courses that are primarily text-based.
It's also essential to identify your preferred language learning style.
For non-native English speakers, your preferred learning style for the TOEFL might differ from your preferred learning style when the content is in your native language.
For example, you might be someone who learned the English language primarily through reading and writing.
Which is the dominant teaching mode in many countries where English as a Second Language is taught.
Since your English foundation was dominant in the text format, you will find it much easier to learn English-based content by reading and writing than listening/watching.
Although you might be an audio/visual learner when the content is in your native language.
So, as you answer this question, you should consider your learning style preference when the learning material is in your native language and in a second or third learned language.
Learning environment preference
Another key consideration is choosing a learning environment where you're adequately motivated.
If you're a self-motivated learner, TOEFL prep courses designed in a self-study format, where you complete the course at your own time and pace, are a great choice.
But if you're a student who struggles with holding yourself accountable, studying with a self-paced TOEFL course won't be the best fit.
Maybe you're the type of student who thrives in a group learning environment or a learning environment where you get the attention and support of a teacher, or you enjoy the social interaction with other students.
Your best bet will be to go with a TOEFL prep course with a live class component or one that offers 1-on-1 tutoring with a TOEFL expert instructor.
Test prep duration
How long are you willing to commit to your TOEFL prep?
If you're someone who needs more time to prepare for the TOEFL, you should consider a TOEFL prep course with a longer access period, say between 3 - 6 months.
Quick Tip: To determine your starting TOEFL scores, you can take a free full-length practice test from ETS - the makers of the TOEFL exam.
On the other hand, if you're confident in your abilities and only need a short time to prepare for the TOEFL, then the length of the access period may not be as important.
Support needed
As you prepare for the TOEFL speaking and writing sections, it's best to receive independent feedback on your responses.
Ideally, this should be from someone familiar with the scoring of these sections.
If you struggle with the TOEFL speaking/writing, you will need more student support than someone strong in these sections.
So, choose a TOEFL course that provides graded speaking/writing assessments or 1-on-1 coaching with an expert TOEFL tutor.
Practice material requirement
When it comes to test prep, some students follow a strategy that's heavily focused on practice tests. We fondly call these types "practice-test warriors."
For these students, completing several full-length practice tests - while observing score increases - is a crucial confidence builder.
While for other test-takers, improving section-specific skills is more important.
If you're the "Practice Test Warrior" type, it's essential to choose a TOEFL course with an extensive library of practice questions and simulated full-length practice tests comparable to those on the actual TOEFL iBT.
In contrast, if you're not a practice-test warrior, a course with fewer TOEFL practice questions and full-length practice tests may suffice.
As long as the practice questions in the course are comparable to those on the actual TOEFL iBT exam.
Budget
Before investing in a TOEFL prep course, it's natural to consider the size of your budget in relation to your target score goals.
For some, getting a high TOEFL score is an absolute necessity to achieve their dreams of immigrating to a Western country for better career opportunities or admission into a highly-competitive university.
In which case, their budget is large enough for a premium TOEFL prep course with several student support features.
While others only need to get a good or a satisfactory TOEFL score to achieve their goals.
In this case, a budget TOEFL prep course with fewer support features may be more appealing than a more expensive premium TOEFL prep course.
As you consider the price of a TOEFL prep course, you should also look for customer policies such as money-back refunds and TOEFL score increase guarantees from the course provider.
Many premium TOEFL prep courses offer score increase guarantees as high as +15 points.
Students who complete these premium courses and don't see an increase in their official TOEFL iBT score can get a full refund of their purchase.
In contrast, low-priced TOEFL prep courses are typically sold with no score improvement guarantees.
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Everything you must know as a prospective international student, from choosing your school to your first day of classes!
FAQs
Is one month enough for TOEFL preparation?
The best way to estimate your prep time is to complete a diagnostic TOEFL test when you begin your prep.
One month of TOEFL preparation should be enough if you're not far away from your target TOEFL score. If you need to improve your TOEFL score by a lot, one month may not be sufficient.
How do you self-study for TOEFL?
Self-studying for the TOEFL is best done using high-quality TOEFL prep courses or TOEFL prep books.
How can I study for TOEFL in 2 weeks?
Your best strategy will be to start by quickly assessing your scores based on a diagnostic TOEFL iBT exam and spending more study time in sections of the TOEFL where you're weak using quality prep resources.
What should I look for when buying a TOEFL prep course?
When shopping for a TOEFL prep course, you should keep in mind that there is no single best TOEFL prep course for every student.
So, it's important to consider what your needs are and how each TOEFL prep course can satisfy those needs.
For example, you might be a learner who retains information best when it's in the audio/visual format.
If this is the case, your best bet is to choose a TOEFL prep course that's entirely video-based.
Do I need a TOEFL prep course to get a high TOEFL score?
No you don't. Some students, especially those who are very self-motivated and prefer to learn by reading, can prepare effectively for the TOEFL by using a great TOEFL prep book.
TOEFL Prep courses are an excellent option for those students who need a bit more structure and guidance in their prep.
Should I buy a TOEFL prep course or get the help of a tutor?
Working exclusively with a TOEFL tutor might be essential if you're the type of student who needs a high level of support during your prep.
However, the downside of working with a TOEFL tutor is the high cost you'll accrue during your prep, as most good tutors charge high hourly rates.
In comparison, TOEFL prep courses strike a fine balance between cost and student support.
And are appropriate for TOEFL test-takers who need some guidance, but not to the extent that they need to work exclusively with a TOEFL tutor.
