ETS在近日在其官方网站上发布了一份官方申明,在此申明中ETS宣称将在全球范围内引入全新的新托福收费体系结构。网上还明确提到,中国香港和澳门地区将要实行的新托福考试费用为140美元,而欧洲实行新托福考试的国家费用为170美元,中国大陆新托福考试预计将于8月实行,具体费用还没有明确。但上海新东方专家预测,新托福在中国大陆的收费将和香港相等,即为140美元。
此官方申明中,ETS对此做出了这样的解释:引入新托福(TOEFL Internet-based test)的重要目的之一在于能够最大可能地促进考试场地的建设,从而极大地增加学生参加新托福考试的机会,进而尽可能地减少学生参加考试的各种成本和花费,例如交通费用等。而国际学生进入到美国大学学习的一个重要障碍就是资金的问题,而这里面又包括了入学标准考试(如TOEFL、GRE)的费用问题。有些时候这些资金问题甚至比其他问题所带来的阻碍作用还要显得严重。
正是基于这样的认识,ETS准备在全球引入有差别的考试费用体系。也就是说,以后全球各地参加新托福考试的费用是不一样的,而这样费用的不同,主要是反映了考试当地的经济发展水平:即当地经济发展水平越高,人们对考试费用的敏感性较弱,相应的收费会高一些;而如果当地经济发展水平较低,人们对考试费用的敏感性较强,相应的收费也会随之低一些。不过ETS在其官方申明中也指出,这样的有差别收费体系仅仅局限于2006年6月30日之后的新托福考试,在此之前的新托福考试和老托福考试(包括computer-based and paper-based versions)仍然维持140美元的全球统一收费标准。并且此类有差别体系也不会,至少目前不可能同时推广到诸如GRE此类的标准考试当中。
原文如下:
ETS Introduces New Pricing Structure for TOEFL? iBT
ETS is committed to providing applicants with access to TOEFL? testing worldwide. One of the goals of the new TOEFL Internet-based test is to significantly increase the number of testing locations where examinees can take the test, thereby reducing or eliminating travel time and costs.
Financial accessibility is another important goal. Students planning to study abroad sometimes face considerable financial obstacles in pursuing an international education, including admission testing, tuition, textbooks, and housing. In some areas, students have more financial challenges than others.
ETS is introducing a "differential pricing" structure for TOEFL iBT test fees. TOEFL iBT test fees will vary by country, based on where the test is administered. While ETS is aligning TOEFL iBT test fees more closely to administration costs, every attempt is being made to remain sensitive to local economies. In some countries, the fee will be increased, and in others, the fee will remain unchanged. The new test fee structure only applies to TOEFL iBT tests taken after June 30, 2006, regardless of the registration date.
Select the country where the test will be administered to view the test fee. The 2006-07 test fee for the computer-based and paper-based versions of the TOEFL test will remain at the current price of $140.