Test provides access to foreign universities

On Dec 11, 1981, the first TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test was available to Chinese mainland students in three major cities: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Hundreds of Chinese students took the test and knocked on the door to enter overseas universities and colleges.

Now, nearly 33 years later, TOEFL has become one of the most popular tests in China, with more testing centers open in second or third tiers cities. And TOEFL has now had its 50th birthday.

The history of TOEFL in China is also the history of Chinese students studying overseas.