Canada accepts TOEFL under Student Direct Stream scheme

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 6

Educational Testing Service (ETS) on Tuesday announced here that the TOEFL iBT test had been approved by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for use in Canada’s Student Direct Stream (SDS).

SDS is an expedited study permit processing programme for international students who plan to enrol in Canada’s postsecondary designated learning institutions.

Speaking about the development, Sachin Jain, country manager, ETS India and South Asia, said, “The acceptance of TOEFL for Canada’s Student Direct Stream will immensely benefit students who take advantage of this route each year. The addition of TOEFL also provides institutions in Canada with a wider choice of applicant base, making this a win-win for both test takers and institutions alike.”

The expansion to include TOEFL is a welcome change for test takers who now have the option to select which test works the best for them. Previously, only one English-language testing option — IELTS — was authorised for the SDS route.

Students can begin sending TOEFL scores as part of their SDS application beginning August 10. Given the TOEFL test scores are valid for two years, students who have taken TOEFL at a test centre within two years from date of SDS application are not required to retake the test. According to the IRCC, as long as all eligibility requirements are met, most SDS applications are processed within 20 calendar days.

The TOEFL test is already accepted by 100 per cent of Canadian universities and is also the world’s most widely accepted English-language test, used by more than 12,000 institutions in more than 160 countries worldwide.

Today’s announcement follows a recent announcement from ETS that it is enhancing the TOEFL test beginning July 2023. With a duration of one hour 56 minutes, the test will be the shortest among the three major English-language testing options currently available. In addition, test takers will experience a simplified registration process and increased score transparency.

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