The letters “TOEFL” stand for “Test Of English as a Foreign Language.” The purpose of the test is to evaluate the English proficiency of nonnative speakers of English who wish to study in colleges and universities where English is the language of instruction. TOEFL scores are used by more than 2.400 institutions in the United States and Canada. For many of these institutions, you must send in your TOEFL score with your application. TOEFL scores also might be requested for employment in some companies where advanced English –Language skills are needed.