TOEFL MyBest Scores: How Superscoring Works, Which Universities Accept It, and When to Retake

Every TOEFL iBT score report includes two sets of numbers: your scores from a single test date and your TOEFL MyBest scores. MyBest takes the highest section score you earned in Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing across every valid test attempt in the last two years and combines them into one composite total. ETS adds this automatically to every report at no extra charge. If you scored 5.0 in Reading on one attempt and 5.5 in Speaking on another, MyBest puts those two peaks together as if they came from the same day.

That sounds straightforward, but several important questions follow. Does your target university actually accept a MyBest composite? How does the system handle scores from before the January 2026 scale change? And if you are planning a retake specifically to improve your MyBest total, which section should you focus on? This article answers each of those questions in order.

Key Takeaways

• MyBest scores appear on every official TOEFL score report automatically. You do not request or pay for them separately.
• The system draws from all valid TOEFL iBT attempts within a rolling two-year window and picks the highest score per section.
• University acceptance varies. ETS maintains an official list of institutions that explicitly accept MyBest, but many universities have not stated a public policy, so direct confirmation is necessary.
• Under the new 1-6 scoring scale (effective January 21, 2026), ETS converts older 0-120 scores into the new bands before calculating MyBest.
• A retake aimed at raising one weak section will not affect the strong scores MyBest already holds from previous attempts.

What Are TOEFL MyBest Scores and How Do They Work?

MyBest scores — also called superscores — are a composite that ETS calculates by selecting your single highest score in each of the four sections from all TOEFL iBT tests you have taken within the past two years. The four highest section scores are then combined, and the overall MyBest band is the average of those four, rounded to the nearest half band on the 1-6 scale.

Here is how it works in practice. Suppose you took the TOEFL three times:

Each individual sitting produced a 4.5 overall. But MyBest picks the highest score per column: 5.0 in every section, which averages to 5.0 overall. That half-band difference can be the gap between meeting a university's minimum requirement and falling short.

Two rules govern the window:

1. Two-year validity. Each section score expires exactly two years after its test date. Once a test date falls outside the window, those section scores stop contributing to MyBest (ETS).
2. Automatic inclusion. You cannot choose which test dates to include or exclude. Every valid TOEFL iBT score in your account is part of the calculation.

For a deeper look at how long scores remain valid and what happens after expiration, see our TOEFL score validity guide.

How Does MyBest Work With the New 1-6 Scoring Scale?

On January 21, 2026, ETS transitioned the TOEFL iBT from the legacy 0-120 scale to a new 1.0-6.0 band scale aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). If you have test attempts from both before and after that date — and both are still within the two-year validity window — MyBest needs to reconcile two different scoring systems.

ETS handles this automatically. When your most recent test uses the 1-6 scale, ETS converts your older 0-120 section scores into 1-6 bands before calculating MyBest. The entire MyBest composite is then presented on the new scale. Your score report displays both sets of numbers: the single-test scores from your selected date and the MyBest composite, all on the 1-6 scale (ETS).

This conversion matters for retake planning. A Reading score of 27 on the old scale converts to approximately 5.0 on the new scale. If your post-transition Reading score is 4.5, the system will use the older 5.0 (converted) as your MyBest Reading score — assuming that older test date is still within the two-year window.

For the full conversion table and details on how the new scoring system works, see our TOEFL scoring rubrics guide.

Which Universities Accept TOEFL MyBest Scores?

This is the most important question to answer before relying on a MyBest composite for your application. University policies fall into three categories:

Explicitly accept MyBest. These institutions have confirmed to ETS that they consider MyBest scores. ETS publishes an official list on its website, updated periodically — the most recent update was June 10, 2026. The list includes universities across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania (ETS MyBest acceptance list).

Require single-sitting scores. Some institutions explicitly require that all section scores come from the same test date. These universities will look at your single-test scores on the report and ignore the MyBest line. Several selective programs, particularly in the UK — including LSE, the University of Manchester, and Imperial College London — have publicly stated that they do not accept MyBest scores.

No stated policy. Many institutions have not published a position on MyBest one way or the other. In these cases, the admissions office may default to your most recent single-sitting score, or they may consider MyBest. The only way to know is to contact the admissions office directly.

The practical step: before you plan a retake strategy around MyBest, confirm with every institution on your list whether they accept it. A higher MyBest composite is worthless if your target program requires a single-sitting total.

For minimum score requirements at popular destinations, see our TOEFL score requirements guide.

How Should You Plan Retakes to Maximize Your MyBest Score?

Since MyBest always keeps your highest section score from any valid attempt, a retake cannot hurt your MyBest composite. Even if your next test produces a lower overall score, MyBest will still use the higher individual section scores from your previous attempts. This makes the retake calculation simpler than most test-takers assume.

Which Section Should You Retake For?

Focus your preparation on the section where you scored lowest relative to your target. That section has the most room to improve your MyBest composite.

Suppose your current MyBest looks like this: Reading 5.0, Listening 5.0, Speaking 4.0, Writing 5.0, Overall 4.5. Your target university requires a 5.0 overall. You need Speaking to reach 5.0, because that is the only section pulling your average below the threshold. There is no reason to worry about Reading, Listening, or Writing on your retake — MyBest already holds your 5.0 in those sections regardless of what happens on the next test.

How Many Retakes Does It Take?

You can retake the TOEFL as many times as you want, with a minimum three-day gap between attempts. Each retake requires paying the full test fee, which ranges from approximately $200 to $300 depending on your location. There is no reduced retake fee and no option to retake a single section — you sit the entire test each time.

This is where the cost adds up. Three retakes at $250 each costs $750 total. Before booking multiple attempts, consider whether focused preparation on your weak section would be more effective than simply repeating the test and hoping for a better result. You can build targeted practice habits with our free practice questions:

• Try a free Listen and Repeat question →
• Try a free Take an Interview question →
• Try a free Write an Email question →

For detailed preparation planning, our TOEFL study plan guide walks through 30-, 60-, and 90-day timelines.

Does Your Retake Score Replace the Old One?

No. Every TOEFL attempt stays in your account as a separate record. MyBest draws from all of them. If your retake Speaking score drops from 4.0 to 3.5, your MyBest Speaking remains 4.0 from the earlier attempt. You cannot accidentally make your MyBest worse by retaking the test. This is a fundamental difference from retake systems where the new score replaces the old one.

How Does TOEFL MyBest Compare to IELTS One Skill Retake?

Both TOEFL and IELTS offer mechanisms to improve a weak section score without requiring a perfect performance on every section in a single sitting. But the mechanics differ in important ways.

The biggest practical difference is risk. With TOEFL MyBest, you never lose ground — every attempt can only add to or maintain your composite. With IELTS One Skill Retake, you are gambling: if your retake score is lower than your original, the lower score goes on your new Test Report Form.

On the other hand, IELTS One Skill Retake lets you sit only the section you need to improve, which takes far less time than sitting through all four TOEFL sections again. For a test-taker who is confident they can improve a specific section, the IELTS approach is faster and may cost less than multiple full TOEFL retakes.

For a full comparison between the two exams beyond retake features, see our TOEFL vs IELTS guide.

What Are Common Misconceptions About MyBest Scores?

"MyBest is my best single test score." It is not. MyBest combines the best section scores from different test dates. Your best single-test score and your MyBest score are two different numbers on the same report.

"I can choose which test dates to include." You cannot. ETS includes every valid test date in the calculation automatically. There is no opt-out mechanism.

"All universities accept MyBest." They do not. Each institution decides independently. Applying with a MyBest total to a university that requires single-sitting scores means the admissions office will use your lower single-test score instead.

"MyBest costs extra." It does not. The MyBest composite appears on every standard score report at no additional charge.

"Taking the test again can hurt my MyBest." It cannot. MyBest only uses the highest score per section. A lower score on a retake has no effect on your MyBest composite.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need to Request MyBest Scores Separately?

No. MyBest scores are calculated automatically and included on every official TOEFL iBT score report. You do not need to select them, enable them, or pay for them. When an institution receives your score report, they see both your single-test scores and your MyBest composite.

How Long Do MyBest Scores Stay Valid?

MyBest draws from test dates within a rolling two-year window. As individual test dates pass the two-year mark, those section scores drop out of the MyBest calculation. If you have only one valid test date remaining, your MyBest scores and your single-test scores will be identical. For details on score expiration and timing your test before deadlines, see our score validity guide.

Can I Send Only My MyBest Score Without the Single-Test Score?

No. Every TOEFL score report includes both the scores from your selected test date and your MyBest composite. You cannot send one without the other. The institution receiving your report will see both sets of numbers and apply whichever policy they have in place.

What Happens to MyBest If I Took Tests on Both the Old and New Scoring Scales?

ETS converts your older 0-120 section scores into the 1-6 band system before calculating MyBest. The conversion happens automatically. Your score report presents the MyBest composite entirely on the 1-6 scale, regardless of which scale your individual test dates originally used. For the full conversion table, see our scoring rubrics article.

Is There a Minimum Number of Tests Needed for MyBest?

No. MyBest appears on your score report even if you have taken only one test. In that case, your MyBest scores are identical to your single-test scores. The feature becomes useful starting from your second test, when MyBest can pick the higher score in any section where your performance improved.

What Should You Do Next?

Start by checking whether your target institutions accept MyBest scores using the ETS acceptance list. If they do, identify which section is pulling your overall score below the required minimum and focus your preparation there. If they do not, your retake strategy should aim for a single-sitting score that meets the requirement on its own.

Either way, practicing the specific question types in your weak section will help more than repeating full tests. Start with free practice to identify where your errors concentrate:

• Try a free Read an Academic Passage question →
• Try a free Listen to a Conversation question →
• Try a free Write for an Academic Discussion question →

For a complete overview of test fees, registration, and scheduling, see our TOEFL exam fee guide.