TOEFL The Test of English as a Foreign Language (or TOEFL, pronounced "toe-full" or sometimes "toffle") evaluates the potential success of an individual to use and understand Standard American English at a college level. It is required for non-native applicants at many English-speaking colleges and universities. Additionally, institutions such as government agencies, businesses, or scholarship programs may require this test. A TOEFL score is valid for two years and then is deleted from the official database. Colleges and universities usually consider only the most recent score.
The TOEFL test is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is administered worldwide. The test was first administered 1964 and has since been taken by nearly 20 million students.
TOEIC Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) measures the ability of non-native English-speaking examinees to use English in everyday work activities.
History - The ETS (Educational Testing Service) in the USA developed the TOEIC test based on its precursor, the TOEFL test, following a request from Japan's Keidanren (Japan Federation of Economic Organizations; 経団連) in conjunction with the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI; 通商産業省; 通産省), which is today's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI; 経済産業省; 経産省). The Asahi Shimbun (朝日新聞) national daily's evening edition interviewed Yasuo Kitaoka (北岡靖男) who was the central figure of the Japanese team that conceived the basic idea of the TOEIC test. In this sense the TOEIC test can be described as a US-Japanese crossbreed.
