The Duolingo test, taken from home in about an hour.

A short adaptive English test sat online at home, accepted by a growing list of universities and considerably cheaper than the centre-based alternatives.

5,900+
institutions accept it: About 1 hour
test duration: 10–160
score scale: 2 years
validity: At home
fully online

KEY TAKEAWAYS

What this page covers

The Duolingo English Test is taken online from home and takes about an hour in total.
The fee is US$70, roughly ৳8,300 — substantially cheaper than IELTS or PTE.
Scores run from 10 to 160 in five-point steps and stay valid for two years.
Acceptance is wide but not universal, and visa authorities may not accept it even when a university does.
The adaptive section adjusts difficulty as you answer, so the test is shorter than its rivals.
Proctoring rules are strict, and breaking them invalidates the result without a refund.

ABOUT THE TEST

Cheap and fast, but acceptance is not universal.

The Duolingo English Test is adaptive, short and taken at home, which makes it attractive when budget or timing is tight. The catch is acceptance: a great many universities take it, but plenty still do not, and some accept it for admission while requiring IELTS for the visa. Confirm both before you book.

01Check acceptance twiceUniversity and visa authority can have different rules.
02Adaptive difficultyQuestions get harder as you answer correctly.
03Strict proctoringRules on environment and eye movement are enforced.

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Students throwing graduation caps into the air

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What the Duolingo test measures

The test is adaptive: each question is chosen based on how you answered the last one, which is how it measures your level in forty-five minutes rather than three hours. The graded section is followed by a short video interview and writing sample that are not scored but are sent to universities alongside your result.

Its appeal is cost and convenience. Its risk is acceptance. A great many universities take it, but plenty still do not, and some accept it for admission while the visa authority for that country does not. Confirm both before you pay.

Exam pattern

One adaptive graded section, then an unscored sample sent with your score report.

Part	Time	What it includes
Adaptive section	About 45 minutes	Reading, writing, listening and speaking items that adjust in difficulty
Video interview	About 10 minutes	An unscored spoken response sent to institutions
Writing sample	Included above	An unscored written piece sent to institutions

How scoring works

One overall score plus four subscores, reported on a scale that maps loosely onto IELTS bands.

Component	Detail
Overall score	10 to 160, in five-point increments
Subscores	Literacy, comprehension, conversation and production
Typical requirement	Most universities publish a minimum between 105 and 125
Validity	Two years from the test date

Fees and what is included

Pricing is the same worldwide, with no country-specific rate.

Fee type	Amount
Single test	US$70 (roughly ৳8,300 before bank charges)
Two-test bundle	US$120, if you want a planned second attempt
Score sending	Unlimited institutions at no extra charge
Test window	21 days to sit the test after purchase

Prices are set by Duolingo in US dollars and may change. Confirm on the official Duolingo English Test site before purchasing.

Booking and proctoring rules

There is no appointment and no test centre — you sit it when you are ready, provided you do so within twenty-one days of purchase. Certified results usually arrive within two days.

The proctoring rules invalidate more tests than students expect. A quiet room, a clear desk, no second screen, eyes on the screen throughout, and no speaking to anyone. A test flagged for a rule breach is not refunded, which erases the cost advantage entirely.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

Which universities accept the Duolingo test?

Thousands do, including many well-known institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia — but acceptance is per-university, not per-country, and it changes. Before you buy the test we check your exact shortlist against the current accepted-test list for each institution, and separately check whether the visa authority for that destination accepts it. Those two answers are not always the same, and the visa one is the expensive mistake.

Is it accepted for student visas?