The Netherlands leads the EF English Proficiency Index 2025 with a score of 624, followed by Croatia and Austria. These results compare adult English test performance across participating countries and regions. They do not rank every country in the world or show how well every resident speaks English.
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This guide uses the EF English Proficiency Index 2025, published by EF Education First, the latest edition available when checked on 15 September 2026. Below, you can compare the top 20 countries, understand the score bands, and learn what the results mean for your own study or work goals.
Top 20 Countries in the English Proficiency Rankings
The table shows the first 20 countries in the 2025 index. A higher score indicates stronger performance within this dataset; it is not the percentage of residents who speak English.
| Rank | Country | EF EPI score | Proficiency band |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Netherlands | 624 | Very high |
| 2 | Croatia | 617 | Very high |
| 3 | Austria | 616 | Very high |
| 4 | Germany | 615 | Very high |
| 5 | Norway | 613 | Very high |
| 6 | Portugal | 612 | Very high |
| 7 | Denmark | 611 | Very high |
| 8 | Sweden | 609 | Very high |
| 9 | Belgium | 608 | Very high |
| 10 | Slovakia | 606 | Very high |
| 11 | Romania | 605 | Very high |
| 12 | Finland | 603 | Very high |
| 13 | South Africa | 602 | Very high |
| 13 | Zimbabwe | 602 | Very high |
| 15 | Poland | 600 | Very high |
| 16 | Latvia | 598 | High |
| 17 | North Macedonia | 595 | High |
| 18 | Bulgaria | 594 | High |
| 19 | Kenya | 593 | High |
| 20 | Greece | 592 | High |
What Do the Proficiency Bands Mean?
EF groups scores into five bands. These categories make broad comparisons easier, but a small difference near a boundary should be read carefully: scores of 598 and 600 fall into different bands despite being only two points apart.
| EF EPI score | Band |
|---|---|
| 600 and above | Very high |
| 550 to 599 | High |
| 500 to 549 | Moderate |
| 450 to 499 | Low |
| Below 450 | Very low |
A national band is not your personal English level. For example, living in a country rated “Very high” does not establish that you can write an academic essay or lead a meeting in English. Those abilities need to be assessed through your own performance.
How Are the Rankings Calculated?
The 2025 edition covers 123 countries and regions and draws on 2.2 million adult test takers. The new test data comes from 2024, so the report year and testing year are different. EF introduced speaking and writing results in the 2025 edition alongside reading and listening. See the official 2025 release.
According to EF’s methodology, a national score combines the previous calendar year’s average test score with the two preceding published index scores. This three-year calculation reduces annual fluctuations. A country needs at least 400 test takers to be included.
Participants choose to take an online test; they are not a random sample of all residents. The sample favours younger adults and people interested in language learning, and excludes people without internet access. These limitations matter when using a country average to describe an entire population.
Country Results Beyond the Top 20
The top of the table gives only part of the picture. Individual country profiles offer more detail, including separate skills and, where available, regional or city results.
Malaysia: 24th, with 581 points
Malaysia’s profile places it in the High band. Its separate reading score is 596 and speaking score is 534, illustrating why an overall result should not be treated as a speaking-only score.
Argentina: 26th, with 575 points
Argentina’s profile also places it in the High band. Its published reading score is 592, compared with 489 for speaking. For a learner preparing for interviews, that distinction is a reminder to practise spoken responses as well as reading.
Thailand: 116th, with 402 points
Thailand’s 2025 result falls in the Very low band. This describes the index result, not the ability of each Thai student, colleague, or tourism professional you might meet.
EF notes that the separate skill scores do not simply average to the national score. Use the published overall score for the country ranking and the skill results to explore the profile in more detail.
English Proficiency Is Different from English-Speaking Population
“Which country speaks English best?” can mean several different things. It may refer to average test performance, the number of English speakers, or how easy it is to use English in daily life. Each question needs different evidence.
The EF EPI is not a census of English speakers. You cannot multiply a country’s population by its EPI score to calculate speaker numbers, or use the index to determine how many people speak English as a first language. Population comparisons require census or survey data with clear definitions and dates.
Similarly, the absence of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, or New Zealand from this ranking is not evidence of low proficiency. This table is a comparison of the countries included in EF’s index, not a complete league table of English-speaking destinations.
How to Use the Rankings for Study, Work, or Travel
For studying abroad
Use the country result as background, then check the language of instruction for your specific course. Read the university’s current requirements for accepted tests, minimum results, and individual skills. A country’s position cannot establish whether you meet a programme’s entry requirements.
For international work
Focus on what the role requires you to do in English. A support role might involve explaining a problem clearly, while a research role might require detailed technical writing. Assess those tasks directly instead of assuming that a national average predicts an applicant’s ability.
For travel or relocation
Check the places and services you will actually use, such as accommodation, transport, workplaces, and local administration. A national score cannot guarantee English-language service at a particular address. Learning useful local-language phrases can also make everyday interactions easier.
Turn the Comparison into a Personal Learning Plan
Your country’s result can prompt curiosity, but your next step should come from your own needs. Start by identifying a task you find difficult, then practise it and review the result.
For example, if you understand a written work update but struggle to explain it aloud, read a short update and record a one-minute summary. Listen back for missing information, unclear wording, and pauses. Repeat the task with a new update after practising the phrases you needed.
If you want a starting point, try our English level test and explore the B2 English level guide. Treat any result in the context of the skills the test assesses. GET results and EF country scores come from different assessments and should not be directly converted or compared.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are these 2026 English proficiency rankings?
No. This article was checked in September 2026, but the latest EF edition available at that time was 2025. The edition is stated explicitly so that an article update date is not confused with the date of a new dataset.
Why is Singapore missing from the top 20?
Singapore does not appear in the published 2025 ranking. A position from an older edition should not be carried into the current table. Its absence does not show that its English proficiency suddenly declined.
Does a higher rank mean everyone speaks better English?
No. A rank summarises a country’s index result, while individuals can perform very differently. It cannot tell you whether a particular person can handle a presentation, conversation, or writing task.
Can the rankings explain why a country improved?
A change in score does not establish its cause. Teaching, opportunities to use English, and changes in who takes the test are factors to investigate, but the ranking alone cannot prove that a particular education policy or learning tool produced the change.
Where can I see all participating countries?
Use the official EF EPI country list for the complete ranking and country profiles. Keep the edition, score, and band together whenever you compare results.
