From Vietnam, healthcare is the strongest route abroad — and nurse or health-practitioner registration uses IELTS or OET, NOT TOEFL. TOEFL is for university study. Here's the honest split for Japan.
Coming from Vietnam: TOEFL for study, IELTS/OET for registration
✓TOEFL is accepted for university admission (new 1–6 scale).
✓Healthcare registration (e.g. NMC, AHPRA, NMBI) uses IELTS Academic or OET, not TOEFL — confirm with the regulator.
✓Credentials: MOET (Ministry of Education and Training) — certified English translation.
⚠️ TOEFL changed on 21 January 2026
TOEFL changed completely on 21 January 2026 — a new 1.0–6.0 band scale, adaptive Reading and Listening, new Speaking and Writing tasks, about 90 minutes, results in ~72 hours. Any prep from before January 2026 is obsolete. And during the 2026–2028 transition some universities still list old 0–120 requirements — check both.
How the new TOEFL score works
Your overall TOEFL score is now the AVERAGE of the four sections (Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing), each scored 1.0–6.0 in half-band steps — not the old 0–120 sum. The scale is CEFR-aligned.
Band 6.0C2 (mastery)
Band 5.0–5.5C1 (advanced)
Band 4.0–4.5B2 (upper-intermediate) — common university target
Band 3.0–3.5B1 (intermediate)
The TOEFL score you need for Japan
Japanese universities — especially English-taught (Global/G30-type) programmes — are a major TOEFL market and widely accept it for admission (commonly ~80+ on the retiring 0–120 scale / ~4.5+ on the new 1–6 scale; set per university). Confirm both during the transition. (Japanese universities)
Study (university):TOEFL is one of the most-used admission tests for Japan, especially for English-taught programmes — set per university.
Visa:The student visa follows university admission; there is no separate standardised English test for the visa.
TOEFL requirements change and vary by university, programme and visa route — always confirm the current figure with the official body before you rely on it. This page is honest guidance, not immigration advice.
How AlmiTOEFL helps
✓Built for the NEW (Jan 2026) TOEFL — the 1–6 band scale, adaptive Reading/Listening and the new Speaking and Writing tasks. Old-format prep is obsolete; ours isn't.
✓Honest guidance and AI-scored practice — no inflated band promises, and we send you to the official source for the live requirement.
✓Original practice material, written from scratch — never copied from ETS.
TOEFL for Japan — common questions
What TOEFL score do I need for Japan?
Japanese universities — especially English-taught (Global/G30-type) programmes — are a major TOEFL market and widely accept it for admission (commonly ~80+ on the retiring 0–120 scale / ~4.5+ on the new 1–6 scale; set per university). Confirm both during the transition. (Japanese universities). Many universities and visa authorities are still updating their thresholds during the 2026–2028 transition — confirm the current figure (and which scale, new 1–6 or old 0–120) on the official source before you rely on it.
Is the new TOEFL 1–6 score the same as the old 0–120?
No. Since 21 January 2026 the overall TOEFL score is the AVERAGE of the four sections on a 1.0–6.0 scale — not the old 0–120 sum. Both may appear on reports during the 2026–2028 transition; there is no exact one-to-one conversion, so check which scale your institution requires.
Can I use TOEFL for Japan?
Study (university): TOEFL is one of the most-used admission tests for Japan, especially for English-taught programmes — set per university. Visa: The student visa follows university admission; there is no separate standardised English test for the visa.
AlmiTOEFL — practice for the new format is launching
AI-scored practice built for the 21 Jan 2026 TOEFL is on the way. In the meantime, here's honest, sourced guidance — and our sister products if your route needs a different test.
Always confirm. TOEFL requirements change and vary by university, programme and visa route — always confirm the current figure with the official body before you rely on it. This page is honest guidance, not immigration advice.
