After six months of rolling out a significantly updated test experience, TOEFL iBT is witnessing growing momentum in the UAE, a market where English as the everyday language of business, education, and daily life is much more than an academic requirement.
One Common Language
The UAE is home to over 200 nationalities. English is the default common currency, the medium people use to close deals, attend lectures, and collaborate at work. In the private sector, it is the preferred language, with multinational companies, regional headquarters, and fast-growing startups all conducting business in English. That reality makes a globally recognized English proficiency credential essential for students planning their next step, whether that’s a degree abroad or a career at home.
In the UAE, TOEFL now operates 18 test centers, with 6 more set to open. Test registrations in the country have grown by more than 100%.
The TOEFL Experience
The brand evolution has also included more digestible, research-driven content designed to help both test takers and institutions better understand the intentional, research-backed design and development behind the test.
The new updates are designed to make the TOEFL experience fairer and more accessible for students, without compromising the academic integrity and reliability trusted by institutions for over six decades.
Since its launch, test takers using the TOEFL iBT Home Edition saw immediate improvements to the support and structure of the at-home testing experience, with broader refinements to test adaptivity, turnaround time and score reporting.
“Our goal has been, and continues to be, aligning the TOEFL experience with the students taking it and the future they are preparing for,” said Omar Chihane, Global General Manager of TOEFL at ETS.
He added: “Demand for TOEFL among students applying to universities within the UAE is roughly 50% higher than among those pursuing studies abroad, presenting a significant opportunity for growth domestically over the next year.”
“In the UAE and the region, students don’t think in terms of a single destination. They apply to the U.S., the U.K., Europe, Australia, and multiple other destinations. A test accepted by over 13,000 institutions in more than 160 countries removes one layer of complexity from an already demanding process. That matters here more than almost anywhere else.”
The UAE Value Proposition
Unlike most countries, where test takers tend to share a common first language, the UAE’s student population is genuinely multinational. A classroom in Dubai or Abu Dhabi might include students from India, Egypt, Pakistan, the Philippines, the U.K., and Jordan, all communicating in English as their shared language.
This means students here aren’t learning English in isolation. They’re already using it in their everyday interactions. What they need is a credential that reflects real-world communication, not rote memorization, and one that is recognized globally regardless of which destination they choose.
Designed with exactly this in mind, the updated TOEFL iBT has received positive student feedback since its launch. Feedback has consistently pointed to the improved test feeling closer to how English is actually used, in discussions, in lectures, and in group work, less artificial and more practical.
Connecting with Students in their Hangouts
Over the past year, TOEFL has invested in reaching students through the channels and formats they actually use:
- The global “Learn It. Take It. Review It.”creator campaign: A 25-creator international influencer activation spanning multiple regions and student audiences that coincides with the test launch.
- Student-led content showcase:Elevating preparation journeys, test-day experiences, destination ambitions, and campus life.
- “You Speak World”:An original TOEFL anthem and music video celebrating global student ambition, mobility, and connection, supported by an international dance and social media stitch competition that encouraged students and creators worldwide to engage with the campaign and share their own TOEFL journeys.
- “Future Me Calling”:A neuromarketing and brand psychology-informed study playlist designed to boost focus, motivation, and productive study habits.
- Tina:TOEFL’s Chief Student Ambassador, created in-house to connect with and support students around the world in their English-learning and study abroad journeys. Through social-first content, Tina helps learners navigate test preparation, access resources and study support, discover helpful tips and insights, and engage with a global community of students pursuing international education opportunities.
Prep Done Right Pays Dividends
According to ETS research, 18% of students who used official TOEFL preparation materials reported higher than expected scores, compared to 12–14% of those who didn’t. It’s a straightforward finding: students who prepare with the right materials tend to feel more confident and perform better.
English Fluency for Transformative Economic Outcomes
The UAE’s push toward a knowledge-based economy, with robust investments in AI, technology, and innovation, has made English proficiency a baseline expectation in the workforce.
The 2026 ETS Human Progress Report found that workers worldwide now place greater value on adaptability and future-ready skills. In the Gulf, where governments are actively attracting global talent and building new industries from the ground up, these trends carry particular weight. English is no longer a nice-to-have, but a working requirement.
TOEFL iBT sits at the intersection of academic readiness and professional relevance, a credential that serves students when it matters.
The TOEFL iBT test is accepted across 13,000+ institutions in over 160 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more, visit www.ets.org/toefl and follow TOEFL on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
