What Is ETS and Which Tests Does It Offer?

Updated

ETS is a global education and talent solutions organization that develops and delivers assessments, including the TOEFL®, GRE®, TOEIC®, and Praxis® test families. It also provides assessment services and research for institutions, governments, and credentialing bodies. If you are looking for a specific exam, start from the assessment product pages on ets.org and follow the registration link for that test.

What ETS does

ETS describes itself as advancing the science of measurement to build benchmarks for fair and valid skill assessment. Its work falls into three areas:

  • Assessment products — standardized tests taken by individuals, such as TOEFL and GRE.
  • Solutions for organizations — secure assessments and advisory services for institutions, governments, credentialing bodies, and employers.
  • Research — the ETS Research Institute works on measurement science, responsible use of AI, policy research, and skills in demand.

This distinction matters: some ETS-branded tests are ones you register for as an individual, while other ETS work is custom assessment and advisory services delivered to organizations. The two are listed in different parts of the site.

The main ETS test families

Test family Purpose Tests listed on ets.org
TOEFL® English language proficiency TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL ITP, TOEFL Primary, TOEFL Junior
GRE® Graduate admissions GRE General Test, GRE Subject Tests
TOEIC® Workplace English TOEIC Listening & Reading, TOEIC Speaking & Writing, TOEIC Bridge
Praxis® Teacher certification Praxis Core, Praxis Subject

Each family has its own product page with test details and a registration entry point. Note that some tests within a family serve different audiences — for example, TOEFL Primary and TOEFL Junior are aimed at younger learners, and TOEFL ITP is typically administered through institutions rather than registered for individually. Check the specific test page before assuming you can register on your own.

How to find and register for a test

  1. Identify the test you need. Confirm which test your school, employer, licensing body, or institution requires — for example, a graduate program may specify the GRE General Test, while a teaching license may require a Praxis test.
  2. Open the test's page on ets.org. The site organizes products by category (English language proficiency, graduate admissions, teacher certification), so navigate from the relevant category rather than searching the whole site.
  3. Use the registration link on that page. The site lists "REGISTER" links next to TOEFL iBT, TOEIC Listening & Reading, GRE General Test, Praxis Core, and Praxis Subject. Registration details, fees, and test dates are handled on the test-specific pages, not on the ETS homepage.
  4. Check regional settings. The site has a region selector (United States, China, India, Japan, Korea, and others). Availability, pricing, and registration routes can differ by region, so set your location before registering.

What to verify before you register: the exact test version your institution accepts, whether the test is delivered at a test center or another format, and the score-reporting options for your destination. These details live on the individual test pages.

ETS tests vs. ETS solutions for organizations

If you are an individual test-taker, you want the assessment product pages. If you represent a school, government agency, employer, or credentialing body, ETS lists separate solutions — including certification and licensure, government assessment, K–12 assessments, talent and workforce, and higher education tools such as FUTURENAV and COMPASS. These are not tests you register for personally; they are programs ETS develops or delivers on an organization's behalf.

A practical way to tell them apart: individual tests have a public registration link and a published test-day experience. Organizational solutions are described in terms of institutional partnerships and typically require contacting ETS rather than signing up online.

Where to start

  • Individual test-taker: go to the assessment products section and choose your test family (TOEFL, GRE, TOEIC, or Praxis), then the specific test.
  • Institution or employer: review the solutions pages for your sector and use the contact route listed there.
  • Researcher or policymaker: the ETS Research Institute pages cover measurement science, AI research, and policy work.

The ETS homepage is a gateway, not a registration page — the details you need to act on are one level down, on the page for your specific test or solution.