Exam prep
IELTS vs TOEFL: which English test should a Nigerian student take?
Both prove your English. They differ in who prefers them, how the speaking test works, and which suits the way you perform under pressure. Here is how to choose.
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- By Mindgrid Academy team
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- Reviewed by Mindgrid Academy exam-prep tutors
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In this guide
Every year a lot of Nigerian applicants ask the same question with the same anxiety behind it: "Which one is easier?" The honest answer is that neither is easier. IELTS and TOEFL measure the same skills at the same level, and the difference that matters is not difficulty but fit: who accepts which, how each test is delivered, and which format suits the way you perform under pressure. This guide walks through those differences and ends with a simple way to decide.
Start with who is asking
The first filter is not about you; it is about the institution. Open the admissions or visa page of every organisation on your list and write down which tests it accepts and the minimum score for each.
| Destination or purpose | Typical position |
|---|---|
| United States universities | Historically TOEFL-first; nearly all now accept IELTS too |
| United Kingdom universities | IELTS-first; most also accept TOEFL for admission |
| UK visa routes requiring a Secure English Language Test | Only tests on the approved list count; check which |
| Canada (study and immigration) | IELTS widely used; TOEFL accepted by universities, immigration rules name specific tests |
| Australia and New Zealand | IELTS-first; TOEFL and others accepted by many institutions |
| Professional registration (nursing, medicine, engineering) | The body names the tests it accepts and often sets high minimums |
If every organisation on your list accepts both, your choice is free and the rest of this guide decides it. If one organisation names a single test, that settles it, because you want one score that works everywhere you are applying.
How the two tests are delivered
IELTS comes in paper and computer versions, both taken at a test centre. Its Speaking paper is a live, face-to-face interview with an examiner, in three parts, lasting 11 to 14 minutes. Listening is heard once; Reading has three long passages; Writing has a data-description task and an essay. The Academic version is the one universities ask for.
TOEFL iBT is taken on a computer, at an authorised centre or (where ETS supports it) at home. Its Speaking section is recorded: you answer into a microphone and the responses are scored afterwards. The test is built around integrated tasks that combine skills, for example reading a passage, listening to a lecture on it, then speaking or writing a summary. ETS revised the format and score reporting in 2026, so the current structure and section timings should be checked on the official site before you prepare.
Scoring
IELTS reports a band from 0 to 9 per paper, in half bands, and an overall band that is the average. Requirements are usually stated as "overall X, no paper below Y".
TOEFL reports a score per section and an overall total; ETS updated the reporting scale in 2026. Requirements are usually stated as an overall minimum, sometimes with section minimums.
Institutions publish their minimum for each test side by side. There is no official conversion that every university uses, so do not rely on a conversion table you found online; use the institution's own figures.
Format differences that actually change your result
These are the differences our tutors see decide results, in rough order of importance.
The speaking test. This is the biggest one. IELTS is a conversation with a person who reacts to you; TOEFL is a timed response into a microphone with no feedback. Some candidates relax with a human in the room and go blank facing a screen; others are the reverse. If you do not know which you are, record yourself answering a timed prompt, then have a friend interview you for ten minutes, and notice which produced the better English.
Integrated tasks. TOEFL's writing and speaking ask you to summarise what you read and heard. If you take good notes and can paraphrase quickly, that structure helps you, because the content is given to you. If you prefer to argue from your own ideas, IELTS Writing Task 2 is more comfortable.
Reading length and style. IELTS Reading has three long passages and question types such as true/false/not given and matching headings that need a specific technique. TOEFL Reading has academic passages with questions that lean on vocabulary and inference. Nigerian candidates who read widely tend to do well on either; the technique for IELTS question types has to be learned.
Listening once. Both play audio once. IELTS lets you read the questions before each part; TOEFL expects note-taking during a lecture and questions afterwards. Note-taking is a trainable skill, but it has to be trained.
Paper option. Only IELTS offers a paper test. If you genuinely read and plan better on paper, that is a real consideration.
Handwriting versus typing. IELTS on paper means handwritten essays; TOEFL means typed. If you type slowly, prepare for that or choose computer-delivered IELTS.
Availability and cost in Nigeria
Both tests are available in Nigeria with the most dates in Lagos and Abuja and some sittings in other cities. IELTS is run by the British Council and IDP; TOEFL by ETS through authorised centres. Fees are set by the providers, change over time, and are shown at booking, so compare them on the official sites on the day you decide rather than trusting a figure from last year. Both registrations are done by you, on the official site, with your own identification; nobody needs to register on your behalf.
Results for computer-delivered IELTS and for TOEFL are typically released within days to a couple of weeks; paper IELTS takes longer. Both are generally accepted for two years from the test date.
The other tests, briefly
The Duolingo English Test and PTE Academic are accepted by a growing number of universities, cost less and are quicker to sit. Their acceptance for visas and professional registration is narrower. They are worth considering only when every institution on your list accepts them; otherwise you risk needing a second test later.
A simple way to decide
- List every organisation you are applying to and the tests each accepts. If any names a single test, take that one.
- If all accept both, pick by the speaking format. Live interview (IELTS) or recorded responses (TOEFL): choose the one in which you speak better, tested with a real timed prompt, not a guess.
- Then check the practical details. Paper option, typing speed, note-taking confidence, the next available date near you, and the fee on the day.
- Commit, and prepare for one. Splitting preparation between two formats costs marks on both.
Preparing once you have chosen
Whichever test you choose, the plan is the same shape: a full timed diagnostic, section-by-section strategy, marked writing and scored speaking, then full-length mocks before you book. Mindgrid runs eight-week live cohorts and self-paced courses for both IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT, with original practice material reviewed by people and nothing copied from the exam boards. Speaking practice with a mentor can be booked separately on the mentorship marketplace, and the Practice Centre sells timed practice on a 30-day pass for anyone preparing alone.
The short version
Check who accepts what. If both are accepted, choose the speaking format you perform better in. Confirm the current structure, dates and fees on the official site, register there yourself, and then give one test eight focused weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Is one test easier than the other?
No. They test the same skills at the same level; what differs is the format. People who talk comfortably to a stranger tend to prefer the IELTS live interview; people who freeze in interviews but speak fluently into a microphone tend to prefer TOEFL. Sit a free official practice section of each and see which feels more natural.
Can I use IELTS for the United States and TOEFL for the UK?
Mostly, yes. The large majority of US universities accept IELTS, and many UK universities accept TOEFL for admission. The exceptions are specific routes: some UK visa categories require a test from an approved list, and some professional bodies name one test. Check the exact page of the institution or authority before you book.
How long are the results valid?
Both are generally accepted for two years from the test date. The institution you apply to may apply its own rule, so confirm with them.
Are both available in Nigeria?
Yes. IELTS is run in Nigeria by the British Council and IDP with paper and computer options; TOEFL iBT is run by ETS at authorised centres and, where supported, as a home edition. Lagos and Abuja have the most dates for both. Check the official sites for current centres and dates.
What about the Duolingo English Test or PTE?
Both are accepted by a growing number of universities and are cheaper and quicker to sit. Their acceptance is narrower than IELTS or TOEFL, especially for visas and professional registration, so only choose one if every institution on your list accepts it.
Should I prepare for both?
No. Decide first, then prepare for one. The skills overlap, but the formats, timing and marking are different enough that splitting your preparation costs you marks on both.