They Both Test English. But They Are Not the Same Exam.

Every year, thousands of Nigerian students spend weeks studying for the wrong exam. Not because they are not working hard, but because nobody explained the difference clearly enough at the start.

IELTS and TOEFL both test your ability to read, write, listen to, and speak English. Both are widely accepted at universities around the world. But they are built differently, they feel different to sit, and the right choice depends entirely on where you are going and what you are applying for.

The Key Differences

IELTS is a paper-based exam in most Nigerian test centres. It includes a face-to-face speaking test with a real examiner. The listening section uses a range of international English accents. Scores are reported on a band scale from 0 to 9.

TOEFL iBT is entirely computer-based. The speaking section requires you to speak into a microphone and your responses are recorded and scored remotely. The exam uses American English throughout. Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 120.

That difference in format matters more than people realise. Some students perform significantly better in a face-to-face speaking format. Others find the computer-based structure less stressful. Knowing which type of test suits your personality and learning style is the first question to ask.

Which Exam Is Accepted Where

For UK universities, IELTS is almost universally the preferred exam. Many UK institutions and the UK Home Office prefer IELTS Academic and specify minimum band scores for each component.

For US universities, both IELTS and TOEFL are widely accepted, but TOEFL has historically been the dominant exam and many American institutions are more familiar with interpreting TOEFL scores.

For Canadian universities, both are accepted. However, for Canadian immigration purposes, IELTS General Training is the standard requirement for most immigration programmes.

For Australian universities and immigration, IELTS is the primary choice.

Which Is Easier

This is the question everyone wants answered, and the honest answer is that it depends on you. Neither exam is objectively easier. What matters is which format plays to your strengths.

If you are a strong face-to-face communicator, IELTS speaking may feel more natural. If you are comfortable with computers and American English, TOEFL may suit you better. If you have time, doing a practice test for both before committing can save you weeks of preparation time.

The Score Equivalents

IELTS 6.0 is approximately equal to TOEFL 79

IELTS 6.5 is approximately equal to TOEFL 90

IELTS 7.0 is approximately equal to TOEFL 100

IELTS 7.5 is approximately equal to TOEFL 110

IELTS 8.0 is approximately equal to TOEFL 114

Most universities that accept both exams publish minimum score requirements for each, so you can check directly whether your target institution prefers one over the other.

Our Recommendation

If you are applying to UK universities or Canadian immigration, take IELTS. If you are applying to US universities and the institution has no preference, take whichever exam format you perform better on in practice tests. If you are still unsure, do one practice test for each and let your performance guide your decision rather than anyone else's opinion.