American universities accept both TOEFL iBT and IELTS Academic - the question is never acceptance, it is which test lets YOU score higher with less pain.
Both run about two hours. Everything else differs.
Format face-off
TOEFL is fully computer-based with integrated tasks (read, listen, then speak or write) and academic lecture content throughout. IELTS mixes human-evaluated speaking with paper or computer options and everyday-context sections.
Choose TOEFL if you...
Type comfortably, handle academic lectures well, and prefer integrated, predictable task types. TOEFL's note-taking-heavy style rewards systematic preparers - and most US departments publish clear TOEFL cutoffs (often 80-100, 100+ for funded roles).
Choose IELTS if you...
Speak better to a person than a microphone, want the option of paper-based testing, or are also considering the UK, Canada, or Australia - IELTS keeps every door open with one score.
Scores that unlock funding
For teaching and research assistantships, departments look past the total at section floors - commonly Speaking 22-26 on TOEFL or 7.0+ on IELTS. Target these floors explicitly, not just the overall.
Decide with data, not guesswork
A timed diagnostic of each test settles this in one afternoon. Walk into our centre, attempt both formats, and leave with a trainer-scored recommendation and target scores mapped to your universities.
