Duolingo English Test
Duolingo
Complete guide to passing the Duolingo English Test exam on your first attempt.
$59
N/A (score-based)
2 years
Global
Duolingo
Study abroad (growing acceptance)
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Complete Overview
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a computer-adaptive English proficiency exam taken at home in about one hour on your own computer, scored from 10 to 160, and priced at 70 US dollars per test on Duolingo's own published figure. It is taken by applicants to universities and graduate programmes that accept it in place of IELTS or TOEFL, and Duolingo reported in August 2025 that more than 6,500 programmes and institutions now accept the result. The session has three stages that Duolingo describes in its help centre: introduction and onboarding, the adaptive test, and a Writing Sample plus Speaking Sample that are forwarded to the institutions you send your result to. Onboarding is heavier than most candidates expect. You submit a government photo ID, scan both ears with your phone to prove you are not wearing earbuds, perform a 360-degree scan of the room, scan the area behind your screen, and then position the phone so it records your head, shoulders, screen and keyboard for the whole test. Duolingo's own setup guidance now describes the phone connecting through the Duolingo English Test app, while the help centre still documents the QR-code browser route, so expect either. The adaptive engine varies both question difficulty and test length according to its confidence in your score, so no two sittings contain the same number of items. Duolingo's published frequency table lists 13 question types, and adding the stated ranges gives roughly 73 to 91 individual prompts per sitting. Scoring changed on 1 July 2024. Certified results now carry four individual subscores for reading, writing, listening and speaking, plus four integrated subscores for literacy, comprehension, conversation and production, all on the same 10 to 160 scale. Duolingo states that the average of the four individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5, equals the overall score, and that each integrated subscore is the average of the two individual subscores that make it up. Literacy, for instance, is the average of reading and writing. The test content changed again on 1 July 2025: Interactive Speaking was added as a simulated conversation of 6 to 8 questions with 35 seconds per answer, Listen, Then Speak was withdrawn, and Read Aloud was removed to keep the test the same length. Interactive Listening was expanded so that each conversation now opens with 3 to 4 Listen and Complete items. There is no pass or fail. Each institution sets its own minimum, and Duolingo's externally validated CEFR alignment places 60 to 95 at B1, 100 to 125 at B2, 130 to 150 at C1 and 155 to 160 at C2. Results arrive within two days as standard, or within 12 hours if you buy the Faster Results option, and they stay valid for two years. The rules that cost most candidates a result are administrative rather than linguistic: no writing materials, no headphones, no second screen, no virtual machine, no predictive text or proofreading software, no other programs open, and nobody else in the room.
Why Get Duolingo English Test Certified?
70 US dollars per test on Duolingo's own published price, against test fees for IELTS and TOEFL that run several times higher in most markets.
About one hour from start to finish, taken at home, with no test centre booking and no fixed test date.
More than 6,500 programmes and institutions accepted the result as of Duolingo's August 2025 announcement.
Results arrive within two days as standard and within 12 hours if you buy Faster Results, against the multi-week turnaround of a rescheduled centre-based test.
You may purchase three tests in any rolling 30-day period, so a disappointing score can be answered quickly rather than a month later.
The result carries eight subscores, four individual and four integrated, so an institution with a per-skill minimum can read your speaking or writing directly rather than inferring it.
Duolingo's CEFR alignment was validated in 2023 by ACS Ventures with Dr Anthony Green of CRELLA at the University of Bedfordshire, under a methodology reviewed by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
About 60 minutes
Questions
Variable, because the test is adaptive. Adding the ranges in Duolingo's published question frequency table gives roughly 73 to 91 individual prompts per sitting.
Passing Score
None. The Duolingo English Test does not pass or fail candidates. Each institution sets its own minimum on the 10 to 160 scale, and many also set minimums on individual subscores.
Question Types
- Read and Select, 15 to 18 items, 5 seconds each, deciding whether a written word is a real English word
- Fill in the Blanks, 6 to 9 items, 20 seconds each, completing one unfinished word in a sentence
- Read and Complete, 3 to 6 items, 3 minutes each, typing the missing letters across a whole passage
- Listen and Type, 6 to 9 items, 1 minute each, transcribing a spoken passage with up to three plays
- Interactive Reading, 2 sets of 6 questions, 7 or 8 minutes per set, including Complete the Sentences
- Interactive Listening, 2 sets of 8 to 10 questions, 6 minutes 30 seconds per conversation plus 75 seconds to summarise it
- Write About the Photo, 3 items
- Interactive Writing, 1 set of 2 questions
- Speak About the Photo, 1 item
- Read, Then Speak, 1 item
- Interactive Speaking, 1 set of 6 to 8 questions, 35 seconds per answer, questions chosen from your previous answers
- Writing Sample, 1 item, shared with institutions that receive your result
- Speaking Sample, 1 item, shared with institutions that receive your result
Delivery Method
Online from your own computer using the DET desktop app, with a smartphone as a second camera. Setup requires ID submission, an ear scan, a 360-degree room scan, a scan of the area behind the screen, and the phone positioned to record your head, shoulders, screen and keyboard throughout.
- Duolingo's help centre states that the number of test questions varies, because the engine administers more or fewer questions according to its confidence in your score. Questions are drawn from a very large pool, so repeat items across sittings are unlikely.
How scoring works
Score scale
10 to 160 overall, reported in increments of 5. The four individual subscores (reading, writing, listening, speaking) and the four integrated subscores (literacy, comprehension, conversation, production) all use the same 10 to 160 scale.
Score needed to pass
None. There is no pass mark; each institution sets its own minimum. Duolingo's externally validated CEFR alignment places 60 to 95 at B1, 100 to 125 at B2, 130 to 150 at C1 and 155 to 160 at C2.
Roughly what that means raw
Duolingo publishes concordance tables mapping DET scores to IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT. The subscore tables were built from official score reports collected between 2024 and 2025, covering 1,943 IELTS Academic test takers and 948 TOEFL iBT test takers, all TOEFL reports using the historical 0 to 120 scale. Duolingo warns that averaging the subscore concordances does not always match the overall concordance.
When results arrive
Within two days of completing the test as standard, or within 12 hours if Faster Results was purchased. An email notification arrives when the result is released. Once a test enters review, Duolingo states it cannot be expedited.
How the scale is built
The test is computer-adaptive in both difficulty and length: item difficulty shifts with your performance and the engine stops when it is confident in your score, so the number of prompts differs between candidates. Duolingo states the overall score is the average of the four individual subscores rounded to the nearest 5, and each integrated subscore is the average of its two component individual subscores. Missing responses on Read and Select are marked incorrect. Duolingo does publish a penalty rule for the rest: a wrong answer costs no more than a skipped one, partial credit applies, a blank and an incorrect response score identically on Read and Complete, and on Listen and Type a missing word costs more than a mistyped one. Answer every prompt.
Pacing and time budget
Variable, because the test is adaptive. Adding the ranges in Duolingo's published question frequency table gives roughly 73 to 91 individual prompts per sitting. questions in 60 minutes gives you There is no single per-question budget. Each type carries its own published timer: 5 seconds per Read and Select word, 20 seconds per Fill in the Blanks item, 3 minutes per Read and Complete passage, 1 minute per Listen and Type, 7 or 8 minutes for a six-question Interactive Reading set, 6 minutes 30 seconds per Interactive Listening conversation plus 75 seconds to summarise it, and 35 seconds per Interactive Speaking answer. per question.
5
No questions yet. Onboarding should be finished: equipment checked, government ID submitted, both ears scanned, the 360-degree room scan and behind-the-screen scan done, and the phone positioned to record your screen and keyboard.
15
The short-timer block: all 15 to 18 Read and Select words, the 6 to 9 Fill in the Blanks items, and the first Read and Complete passages.
35
The Listen and Type items and both Interactive Reading sets, with the first Interactive Listening conversation under way or complete.
50
Both Interactive Listening conversations including their 75-second summaries, the three Write About the Photo prompts, the Interactive Writing pair, and the Interactive Speaking set.
60
Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak, the Writing Sample and the Speaking Sample all submitted, and the test uploaded.
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| 5 | No questions yet. Onboarding should be finished: equipment checked, government ID submitted, both ears scanned, the 360-degree room scan and behind-the-screen scan done, and the phone positioned to record your screen and keyboard. |
| 15 | The short-timer block: all 15 to 18 Read and Select words, the 6 to 9 Fill in the Blanks items, and the first Read and Complete passages. |
| 35 | The Listen and Type items and both Interactive Reading sets, with the first Interactive Listening conversation under way or complete. |
| 50 | Both Interactive Listening conversations including their 75-second summaries, the three Write About the Photo prompts, the Interactive Writing pair, and the Interactive Speaking set. |
| 60 | Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak, the Writing Sample and the Speaking Sample all submitted, and the test uploaded. |
- Every published duration is a ceiling, not a target. Read and Complete allows 3 minutes per passage and Interactive Reading allows 7 or 8 minutes for six blanks. Most candidates submit well inside those limits, which is how the whole session stays near an hour.
- Read and Select gives 5 seconds per word and a missing response scores zero, so click YES or NO on every item. Use TAB to move between the buttons and ENTER to select rather than reaching for the mouse.
- On Listen and Type, type first and replay afterwards to check. You have three plays and one minute, and reversing the order wastes both.
- Interactive Listening runs one 6 minute 30 second timer across Listen and Complete and Listen and Respond. The scenario audio can be replayed without limit but the clock keeps running, and the Listen and Respond line plays only once. Duolingo notes most test takers spend less of that budget on Listen and Complete.
- Interactive Speaking gives 35 seconds per answer and picks the next question from what you just said, so a thin answer produces a thin follow-up. Give one concrete detail in the first ten seconds.
Where the marks are
Reading
25%
Four question types feed it and Read and Select alone contributes 15 to 18 prompts. Vocabulary breadth and fast context reading move this subscore more than any grammar study will.
Listening
25%
Carried by 6 to 9 Listen and Type transcriptions and two Interactive Listening conversations. First-pass comprehension matters because the Listen and Respond audio plays only once.
Writing
25%
Built from three Write About the Photo prompts, an Interactive Writing pair and the Writing Sample. Unaided typing accuracy counts, since predictive text and proofreading tools must be disabled.
Speaking
25%
Driven by the 6 to 8 question Interactive Speaking set at 35 seconds per answer, plus Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak and the Speaking Sample that institutions listen to.
Interactive Listening conversations
not published
Two conversations, each with 3 to 4 Listen and Complete items and 5 to 6 Listen and Respond items under a single 6 minute 30 second timer, then a 75-second summary. The heaviest single time block on the test.
Interactive Reading sets
not published
Two sets of six questions at 7 or 8 minutes each. Complete the Sentences requires choosing the best word for each blank, so collocation knowledge separates candidates who are otherwise grammatically accurate.
Read and Select word judgements
not published
The highest-volume item type at 15 to 18 prompts and 5 seconds each. Distractors are invented words built to look real, and any unanswered item is scored as incorrect.
Writing Sample and Speaking Sample
not published
Both are forwarded to every institution that receives your result, so they function as unscripted application material on top of whatever they contribute to the writing and speaking subscores.
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 25% | Four question types feed it and Read and Select alone contributes 15 to 18 prompts. Vocabulary breadth and fast context reading move this subscore more than any grammar study will. |
| Listening | 25% | Carried by 6 to 9 Listen and Type transcriptions and two Interactive Listening conversations. First-pass comprehension matters because the Listen and Respond audio plays only once. |
| Writing | 25% | Built from three Write About the Photo prompts, an Interactive Writing pair and the Writing Sample. Unaided typing accuracy counts, since predictive text and proofreading tools must be disabled. |
| Speaking | 25% | Driven by the 6 to 8 question Interactive Speaking set at 35 seconds per answer, plus Speak About the Photo, Read Then Speak and the Speaking Sample that institutions listen to. |
| Interactive Listening conversations | not published | Two conversations, each with 3 to 4 Listen and Complete items and 5 to 6 Listen and Respond items under a single 6 minute 30 second timer, then a 75-second summary. The heaviest single time block on the test. |
| Interactive Reading sets | not published | Two sets of six questions at 7 or 8 minutes each. Complete the Sentences requires choosing the best word for each blank, so collocation knowledge separates candidates who are otherwise grammatically accurate. |
| Read and Select word judgements | not published | The highest-volume item type at 15 to 18 prompts and 5 seconds each. Distractors are invented words built to look real, and any unanswered item is scored as incorrect. |
| Writing Sample and Speaking Sample | not published | Both are forwarded to every institution that receives your result, so they function as unscripted application material on top of whatever they contribute to the writing and speaking subscores. |
The numbers
70 US dollars for a single test, with a discounted two-test bundle
Test fee
Source: Duolingo English Test blog, How to prepare for the Duolingo English Test, and the help centre article on test bundles
10 to 160 overall, reported in increments of 5, with four individual and four integrated subscores
Score scale
Source: Duolingo English Test help centre, Subscore Update: July 2024
B1 at 60 to 95, B2 at 100 to 125, C1 at 130 to 150, C2 at 155 to 160
CEFR alignment
Source: Duolingo English Test blog, Is the Duolingo English Test aligned with the CEFR, reporting the 2023 external validation by ACS Ventures with Dr Anthony Green of CRELLA, reviewed by the Chartered Institute of Linguists
More than 6,500 programmes and institutions
Institutional acceptance
Source: Duolingo English Test blog, Why more colleges and universities are accepting the Duolingo English Test, August 2025
1,943 IELTS Academic test takers and 948 TOEFL iBT test takers, score reports collected 2024 to 2025
Concordance study samples
Source: Duolingo English Test help centre, Additional Details for Score Comparison Tables
Within two days as standard, within 12 hours with Faster Results
Result turnaround
Source: Duolingo English Test help centre, How long does it take to receive my results
If you fail
Wait before retaking
You must wait for your result before starting a new test. Standard results arrive within two days of completing the test, or within 12 hours with Faster Results, so the practical minimum gap is that turnaround.
Attempt limit
Three test purchases in any rolling 30-day period. Separately, each purchased credit gives three attempts to complete and upload a test, and any time you begin a test it counts as one of those attempts.
Retake fee
70 US dollars per test, with a discounted two-test bundle. Retakes forced by a technical error, including a room scan that fails to capture the environment, cost nothing while attempts remain on the credit. A Rule Violation that does not block your account also allows a free retake while attempts remain.
Credits expire 21 days after purchase and Duolingo states the expiry cannot be extended. Bundle credits give 21 days for the first test and a further 21 days from the first result for the second. Two Rule Violations on the same credit expire that credit even if only two attempts were used, and Duolingo does not accept an appeal in that case. Possible Misconduct expires the credit immediately but is appealable. Evident Misconduct, such as an impersonator sitting the test, permanently blocks the account. A pattern of Rule Violations or Possible Misconduct across multiple tests within 365 days can suspend the account for one year from the earliest broken rule, during which you may not test on any account. An ID problem is handled differently: you resubmit a valid ID to get your result and do not retake the test.
Exam Domains & Topics
One of four individual subscores. Duolingo states that the average of the four individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5, equals the overall score, so reading carries a quarter of the result. It also feeds the literacy and comprehension integrated subscores.
Key Topics to Master:
- Read and Select: judging in 5 seconds whether a written string is a real English word, with plausible non-words as distractors
- Fill in the Blanks: completing one unfinished word in a sentence in 20 seconds using context clues
- Read and Complete: restoring missing letters across a passage in 3 minutes
- Interactive Reading, Complete the Sentences: choosing the best word for each of six blanks in a passage, with 7 or 8 minutes for the whole set
- Vocabulary breadth, since Read and Select alone accounts for 15 to 18 of the prompts in a sitting
- Reading for gist quickly enough to leave time to verify answers inside the set timer
One of four individual subscores, worth a quarter of the overall score. It feeds the comprehension and conversation integrated subscores.
Key Topics to Master:
- Listen and Type: transcribing a spoken utterance or short passage in 1 minute with up to three plays
- Interactive Listening, Listen and Complete: 3 to 4 fill-in-the-blank questions about a spoken scenario, added on 1 July 2025
- Interactive Listening, Listen and Respond: 5 to 6 questions inside a conversation, where the speaker's line plays only once
- Summarize the Conversation: a 75-second summarisation task closing each Interactive Listening conversation
- Managing a single 6 minute 30 second timer that covers Listen and Complete and Listen and Respond together
- Handling unlimited replays of the scenario audio while the timer continues to run
One of four individual subscores, worth a quarter of the overall score. It feeds the literacy and production integrated subscores, and it produces the Writing Sample that institutions read alongside your number.
Key Topics to Master:
- Write About the Photo: three prompts describing an image
- Interactive Writing: one set of two linked questions
- Writing Sample: one extended response that is shared with every institution you send the result to
- Typing accuracy without autocorrect, since predictive text and proofreading software must be disabled
- Paraphrasing rather than reproducing wording, which the Interactive Listening guidance explicitly permits
- Answering the question without padding, since Duolingo warns against adding irrelevant information
One of four individual subscores, worth a quarter of the overall score. It feeds the conversation and production integrated subscores, and it produces the Speaking Sample sent to institutions.
Key Topics to Master:
- Interactive Speaking: 6 to 8 questions in a simulated conversation with an animated character, 35 seconds per answer, added 1 July 2025
- Adaptive follow-ups, since Duolingo states the next question is selected from what you said in previous answers
- Speak About the Photo: one spoken description of an image
- Read, Then Speak: one prompt combining a written stimulus with a spoken response
- Speaking Sample: one extended spoken response shared with institutions
- Recording clearly with the built-in microphone, because headphones and earbuds must be removed before the ear scan
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Take the free practice test at englishtest.duolingo.com/practice and note which question types feel unfamiliar
- 2Read the Duolingo help centre Test Structure article and copy out the question frequency table so you know how many of each type to expect
- 3Read the two 1 July 2025 test update articles covering Interactive Speaking and the expanded Interactive Listening, and delete any older prep material that still teaches Read Aloud or Listen, Then Speak
- 4Read the Test Policies, Rules, and Requirements article end to end and list every item you will need to remove from your desk
- 5Watch the official video walkthrough linked from the Test Structure article
- 1Drill real-versus-invented word judgements at 5 seconds each, which is the exact per-item timer Duolingo publishes
- 2Build a list of English affixes and roots, since the distractors in this item type are non-words built to look plausible
- 3Practise answering every item even when unsure, because Duolingo states that missing responses are marked incorrect
- 4Add Fill in the Blanks practice at the published 20-second timer, reading the whole sentence before attacking the unfinished word
- 5Track how many of the 15 to 18 Read and Select items you get through comfortably inside the timer
- 1Practise Read and Complete passages against the published 3-minute limit, reading the whole passage before filling any blank
- 2Practise Complete the Sentences sets of six blanks against the 7 or 8 minute limit Duolingo publishes for the whole set
- 3Use the tab and arrow-key navigation Duolingo documents, since mouse work costs seconds you do not have
- 4Finish each Interactive Reading set with a full read-through of the passage as a check, which the official tips recommend when time allows
- 5Read one academic-register article a day and note collocations, because both item types reward knowing which word fits, not merely which is grammatical
- 1Practise transcription against the published 1-minute timer with a maximum of three plays
- 2Adopt the official sequence: type first, then replay to check what you wrote, rather than replaying before you type
- 3Work on numbers, dates and proper nouns, which are the usual transcription failure points
- 4Practise with a range of accents rather than one, since the item pool is large
- 5Type without autocorrect switched on, matching the exam condition that predictive text and proofreading tools must be disabled
- 1Run full conversations under one 6 minute 30 second timer that covers Listen and Complete and Listen and Respond together
- 2Decide in advance how much of that budget goes to the 3 to 4 Listen and Complete items, remembering Duolingo's note that most test takers spend less time there than on Listen and Respond
- 3Practise paraphrasing answers, which Duolingo explicitly permits, rather than trying to reproduce exact wording
- 4Rehearse the 75-second Summarize the Conversation task separately, since it has its own timer
- 5Train yourself to accept that the Listen and Respond audio plays only once while the scenario audio can be replayed without limit
- 1Record answers to conversational prompts at exactly 35 seconds and listen back for filler and dead air
- 2Practise giving a specific, content-bearing first answer, since Duolingo states the next question is selected from what you said before
- 3Build a routine opening sentence that buys thinking time without wasting more than three seconds
- 4Practise speaking into a laptop microphone at conversational volume with no headset, matching exam conditions
- 5Do six to eight linked answers in one unbroken run, which is the shape of the real Interactive Speaking set
- 1Write three photo descriptions back to back to build the habit of naming what is present rather than speculating
- 2Practise the two-part Interactive Writing set so the second response builds on the first
- 3Draft several Writing Samples on academic topics, remembering an admissions officer reads this text, not just the score
- 4Write with spellcheck and grammar tools switched off
- 5Cut padding ruthlessly, since Duolingo's guidance warns against adding irrelevant information
- 1Record photo descriptions and self-mark for pronunciation clarity rather than accent
- 2Practise Read, Then Speak so you can convert written input into fluent speech without reading aloud from the screen
- 3Record Speaking Samples on topics you would be asked at interview, since institutions listen to this file
- 4Check your microphone using the help centre article on making sure your microphone records your voice clearly
- 5Test in the exact room, chair and lighting you plan to use on the day
- 1Take the free practice test twice more, back to back with a break, and compare the estimated scores
- 2Time a complete run at about 60 minutes including a rehearsed five-minute setup
- 3Rehearse the ear scan, the 360-degree room scan and the behind-the-screen scan with your actual phone
- 4Check the phone charges fully, that Do Not Disturb is on, and that no contact is set to bypass Do Not Disturb
- 5Confirm your computer is not a virtual machine and that no second screen is attached
- 1Buy the test only when you intend to sit within 21 days, because an unused credit expires and the expiry cannot be extended
- 2Decide whether the Faster Results option is worth it for your deadline, since it cuts turnaround from two days to 12 hours and is non-refundable
- 3Check your government ID shows full date of birth, a recent photo, a valid expiry date, country of issuance and your full legal name
- 4Enter your name exactly as printed on the ID, including every middle name and surname
- 5Clear the room, close every other program, remove paper, headphones, extra devices and glasses for the ear scan, and start
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Best Study Resources
Duolingo English Test practice test, englishtest.duolingo.com/practice
Official practice testThe only free official simulation. It can be taken more than once and returns an estimated score. Duolingo's own preparation guidance calls it the best way to reduce uncertainty before test day.
Free
Duolingo English Test help centre, Test Structure article
Official documentationCarries the three-stage session description and the question order and frequency table listing all 13 question types with how many of each appear. This is the document to plan your preparation against.
Free
Duolingo English Test help centre, question type articles
Official documentationSeparate pages for Read and Select, Fill in the Blanks, Read and Complete, Listen and Type and Interactive Reading, each giving the exact timer, the subscores the item feeds, and keyboard shortcuts.
Free
Duolingo English Test help centre, Test Policies, Rules, and Requirements
Official policy pageThe full list of what invalidates a result: notes, headphones, extra screens, virtual machines, predictive text, other programs, and anyone else in the room. Read it before the practice test, not after.
Free
Duolingo English Test 2025 test update articles
Official change noticesTwo help centre articles describing the 1 July 2025 changes: Interactive Speaking replacing Listen, Then Speak, the removal of Read Aloud, and the expansion of Interactive Listening with Listen and Complete.
Free
Duolingo English Test scores page, englishtest.duolingo.com/scores
Official scoring referenceSets out the 10 to 160 scale, the four individual and four integrated subscores, and the concordance tables against IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT.
Free
Duolingo English Test blog, CEFR alignment post
Official research summaryReports the 2023 external validation run with ACS Ventures and Dr Anthony Green of CRELLA, reviewed by the Chartered Institute of Linguists, and the resulting CEFR bands of 60 to 95 for B1, 100 to 125 for B2, 130 to 150 for C1 and 155 to 160 for C2.
Free
Duolingo English Test official YouTube channel
VideoHosts the video walkthrough that the Test Structure article recommends, plus item-type explainers. Useful for seeing the onboarding scans before you face them under time pressure.
Free
Duolingo English Test Access Program
Fee waiver programmeDuolingo's programme providing free test codes through partner organisations, including support for applicants with refugee or asylum status. Requests are handled through partner institutions rather than directly by candidates.
Free for eligible candidates
Duolingo English Test accommodations form, englishtest.duolingo.com/accommodations
Official accommodations requestLog in, complete the form, attach supporting documentation, and a supervisor replies to your account email within three business days. Submit before you buy a credit, because credits expire in 21 days.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Wearing headphones or earbuds to hear the audio better
Duolingo requires you to remove headphones and earbuds, and the setup includes a phone-camera scan of both ears specifically to confirm none are in use. Practise every listening item on laptop speakers so exam audio is not a shock.
Leaving a second monitor, tablet or spare phone in the testing area
The rules require removing extra screens and devices from the testing area and using only one keyboard, one mouse and one phone. The 360-degree room scan is how this is checked, and a scan that fails to capture the room invalidates the result as a technical error.
Leaving autocorrect, Grammarly or a smart keyboard switched on
Duolingo requires you to disable software with predictive text, proofreading, typing suggestions or reference functions and to use a standard input method. Practise typing without these tools so your unaided accuracy is what you rehearse.
Keeping paper and a pen nearby to take notes during Interactive Listening
Pencils, pens, paper and notepads are prohibited outright, and the rules also forbid taking notes. Build the habit of holding a conversation in memory during practice rather than writing it down.
Skipping Read and Select words you are unsure about
Duolingo states plainly that missing responses are marked incorrect. With only 5 seconds per word and 15 to 18 of them per sitting, always click YES or NO rather than letting the timer expire.
Expecting the Listen and Respond audio to replay
Only the scenario audio has unlimited replays. Duolingo confirms that the speaker's line in Listen and Respond plays once. Rehearse first-pass comprehension rather than a listen-twice strategy.
Padding Listen and Complete answers with extra detail
Duolingo says you should write just enough to answer and not add irrelevant information, and that minor spelling, punctuation and grammar errors are fine as long as meaning is unchanged. Paraphrasing is allowed and sometimes required.
Buying the test weeks before you plan to sit it
A credit expires 21 days from the purchase date and Duolingo states the expiry cannot be extended. With a two-test bundle you get 21 days for the first test and a further 21 days from the first result for the second.
Assuming you can retake in three days
You must wait for your result before starting a new test, and you may purchase only three tests in any rolling 30-day period. Standard results take up to two days, so a same-week retake depends on your result arriving first.
Preparing from material that still teaches Read Aloud or Listen, Then Speak
Both were changed on 1 July 2025: Interactive Speaking replaced Listen, Then Speak and Read Aloud was removed to keep the test length constant. Any course or app still drilling those types is out of date.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Charge your phone to full, switch on Do Not Disturb, and check that no contact is set to bypass it. The phone runs a 360-degree room scan, an ear scan and then records your screen and keyboard for the whole session.
- 2
Take your glasses off and remove clip-on or magnetic earrings before the ear scan. Duolingo says you may put your glasses back on once the scan is finished, and that candidates wearing a religious head covering proceed as normal without showing their ears.
- 3
Have the ID ready and check it carries all five required elements: full date of birth, a recent photo of your face, a valid expiry date, the country of issuance and your full legal name. Photocopies, handwritten IDs and photos of an ID on a phone screen are rejected.
- 4
Type your name exactly as printed on the ID, middle names and every additional surname included. A mismatch is an ID problem, and while Duolingo lets you resubmit an ID without retaking the test, it delays your result.
- 5
Sit in a room alone with the door closed and do not speak to anyone. Interacting with another person during the session is an explicit rule violation.
- 6
Close every other program before you start, including browsers, Skype or Discord, streaming software and any remote desktop tool. Clicking on another window or leaving fullscreen cancels the test.
- 7
Do not look away from the screen except while typing. That is the wording of Duolingo's own rule, and it is the behaviour proctors review.
- 8
Answer every Read and Select word inside its 5 seconds. A skipped item is scored as wrong, so a guess is strictly better than silence.
- 9
On Listen and Type, type your transcription first, then use your remaining replays to check it. You get three plays in total and one minute for the item.
- 10
Treat the Writing Sample and Speaking Sample as part of your application, not an afterthought. Duolingo sends both files to every institution that receives your result.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Undergraduate applicant to an English-medium university
The largest group of DET candidates. Undergraduate admissions offices typically set an overall minimum on the 10 to 160 scale and sometimes a floor on individual subscores such as speaking.
1,543 dollars median usual weekly earnings for bachelor's degree holders aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Master's programme applicant
Taught postgraduate programmes usually require a higher overall score than undergraduate entry, and business schools including Harvard Business School, Kellogg, Wharton and Chicago Booth accept the DET.
1,840 dollars median usual weekly earnings for master's degree holders aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Doctoral and research programme applicant
Research admissions often care about the writing and speaking subscores specifically, because supervision and teaching duties depend on them. The Writing Sample and Speaking Sample give a committee direct evidence.
2,278 dollars median usual weekly earnings for doctoral degree holders aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Professional degree applicant in law, medicine, dentistry or pharmacy
Programmes leading to licensure tend to set the highest language thresholds and are the most likely to require per-skill minimums rather than an overall figure alone.
2,363 dollars median usual weekly earnings for professional degree holders aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Community college or associate degree pathway applicant
Two-year and pathway programmes commonly accept lower DET scores, which makes the test a practical route for applicants sitting near the B1 band of 60 to 95.
1,099 dollars median usual weekly earnings for associate degree holders aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Employment or visa applicant needing documented English
Some governments and employers accept the DET for language evidence, but acceptance is narrower here than in university admissions. Confirm with the specific authority before paying, since Duolingo does not guarantee visa acceptance.
1,221 dollars median usual weekly earnings across all education levels for full-time wage and salary workers aged 25 and over, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2024
Prerequisites & Requirements
- No academic prerequisite. There is no required qualification, course or prior test.
- A government-issued photo ID showing full date of birth, a recent photo of your face, a valid expiration date, the country of issuance and your full legal name. Duolingo also accepts official stamped UNHCR asylum-seeker or refugee certificates carrying a photo, name and date of birth.
- Handwritten IDs, photocopies, digital images of an ID on a phone, and damaged or tampered documents are refused.
- A desktop or laptop computer running the DET desktop app, with a working camera, speakers and microphone. Virtual machines are not permitted.
- A smartphone, fully charged, for the QR code, ear scan, 360-degree room scan and the recording of your screen and keyboard during the test. Either the Duolingo English Test app or the QR-code browser route will connect it.
- A private room where you are alone, with no extra screens, devices, paper, notes, headphones or earbuds.
- 70 US dollars per test on Duolingo's published price, with a discounted two-test bundle available. A credit expires 21 days after purchase and the expiry cannot be extended.
- One account per person. Accounts may not be shared, and each test taker must test on their own account.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Duolingo English Test cost?
70 US dollars for a single test, on Duolingo's own published figure. A two-test bundle is sold at a discounted per-test price, and bundle purchases are not refundable. The Faster Results add-on, which cuts turnaround from two days to 12 hours, is priced separately and is also non-refundable. Duolingo charges the same fee worldwide rather than setting regional prices, which is one reason the test is cheaper than centre-based alternatives in most markets.
How is the test scored?
On a 10 to 160 scale, reported in increments of 5. Since 1 July 2024 a certified result also carries four individual subscores for reading, writing, listening and speaking, and four integrated subscores for literacy, comprehension, conversation and production. Duolingo states that the average of the four individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5, equals the overall score, and that each integrated subscore is the average of the two individual subscores that compose it.
What score do I need to pass?
There is no pass mark. Every institution sets its own threshold, and many set subscore minimums as well as an overall one. For orientation, Duolingo's externally validated CEFR alignment places a DET score of 60 to 95 at B1, 100 to 125 at B2, 130 to 150 at C1 and 155 to 160 at C2. Check the exact requirement on your target programme's admissions page rather than relying on a general table.
How quickly can I retake the test, and is there a waiting period?
You must wait until your result is released before starting a new test, and standard results arrive within two days. Beyond that, Duolingo caps purchases at three tests in any rolling 30-day period. To check whether you can buy another, count the tests you have purchased in the previous 30 days.
What happens if I fail to complete the test or something goes wrong?
Each credit gives you three attempts to complete and upload a test, and any time you begin a test it counts as an attempt. If a technical error stops your test from being uploaded or certified, you may retake at no extra cost provided attempts remain on the credit. A failed room scan is treated as a technical error in the same way.
What happens if I break a rule?
Duolingo separates outcomes by severity. A Rule Violation lets you test again at no extra cost if attempts remain, but two Rule Violations on the same credit expire that credit even if you have used only two attempts, and you cannot appeal in that case. Possible Misconduct expires the credit immediately and is appealable. Evident Misconduct, such as an impersonator sitting the test, permanently blocks the account. A pattern of violations across 365 days can trigger a one-year account suspension.
How long are Duolingo English Test results valid?
Two years. After that you can no longer share the result or view your certificate, and institutions lose the ability to view the expired certificate. There is no renewal, recertification or continuing-education route: the only way to hold a current result after two years is to sit the test again and pay again.
What identification is accepted?
A government-issued photo ID carrying your full date of birth, a recent photo of your face, a valid expiration date, the country of issuance and your full legal name. Duolingo also accepts official, stamped UNHCR asylum-seeker or refugee certificates that include a photo, name and date of birth. Which document types are accepted varies by country of issuance, and Duolingo publishes a country-by-country table covering passports, driving licences and national photo IDs.
What exactly happens during the online proctoring setup?
Four things before any English is tested. You check camera, speakers and microphone; you submit your government photo ID; you scan both ears with your phone camera to confirm no earbuds, touching the phone to each ear as instructed; and you perform a 360-degree scan of the room followed by a scan of the area behind your screen. Then you position the phone so it records your head, shoulders, screen and keyboard for the whole session.
Can I use a pen and paper, a dictionary or a calculator?
No. Duolingo prohibits pencils, pens, paper, notepads and any other writing materials, and instructs you to remove them from the testing area before starting. The rules also forbid reading answers from other sources or recording questions. There is no calculator on the test because there is no numerical section.
Can I wear headphones or use an external microphone?
Headphones and earbuds must be removed, which is precisely what the ear scan checks. Use your computer's built-in speakers and microphone and practise with them, because audio quality on laptop speakers is different from what you may be used to in preparation.
How long do results take, and can I speed them up?
Within two days of completing the test as standard. If you purchase the Faster Results option, turnaround drops to 12 hours. Duolingo states that faster results receive the same level of human proctoring and AI scoring, that they do not guarantee a certified result, and that once a test has entered review the result cannot be expedited. You get an email when the result is available.
Are accommodations available for a disability?
Yes. Log in at englishtest.duolingo.com, go to englishtest.duolingo.com/accommodations, complete the request form, specify the condition where prompted and attach any supporting documentation. A supervisor replies to your account email within three business days. Submit the request before buying a credit, since an unused credit expires 21 days after purchase.
How many questions are on the test?
It varies, because the test is adaptive. Duolingo states the engine administers more or fewer questions according to its confidence in your score. Adding the ranges in Duolingo's published frequency table gives roughly 73 to 91 individual prompts, spread across 13 question types, in about an hour.
What changed on 1 July 2025?
Two things. Interactive Speaking was added: a simulated conversation of 6 to 8 questions with an animated character, 35 seconds per answer, where each question is chosen from what you said before. It replaced Listen, Then Speak, and Read Aloud was removed to keep the overall test length the same. Separately, each Interactive Listening conversation now opens with 3 to 4 Listen and Complete fill-in-the-blank items inside the same 6 minute 30 second timer.
Do institutions see anything besides my score?
Yes. The Writing Sample and Speaking Sample produced in the third stage of the test are shared with every institution that receives your result, alongside the overall score and the eight subscores. Admissions readers therefore see unedited samples of your English, so treat those two prompts as part of your application rather than as filler.
Which universities accept the Duolingo English Test?
Duolingo reported in August 2025 that more than 6,500 programmes and institutions accept it, including all eight Ivy League universities in the United States, Harvard Business School, Kellogg, Wharton and Chicago Booth, plus the University of Toronto, Imperial College London, the University of Western Australia and Trinity College Dublin. Duolingo also cautions that acceptance can vary by programme within one university and that policies are reviewed periodically.
How does the DET compare with IELTS Academic and TOEFL iBT?
Duolingo publishes concordance tables against both. It states that the subscore concordances were built from official score reports collected between 2024 and 2025, with 1,943 IELTS Academic test takers and 948 TOEFL iBT test takers, and that all TOEFL data used the historical 0 to 120 reporting scale rather than the newer 1 to 6 scale. Duolingo also warns that averaging the subscore concordances does not always reproduce the overall concordance.
How long do I have to sit the test after I pay?
21 days from the original purchase date. Unused credits expire and Duolingo states the expiry date cannot be extended. With a two-test bundle you have 21 days to take the first test, then a further 21 days from receiving the first result to take the second.
What is an Unofficial Result?
A score that cannot be shared. Duolingo applies the label when a result on the account has been decertified, when rule violations are detected after certification, or when the certification has expired at the two-year mark. If one result is decertified, any other certified results on the account that have not yet been shared also become Unofficial, though results already shared with institutions remain valid.
Success Stories
“Took DET for my Columbia application. The convenience of testing from home and getting results in 2 days was incredible.”
Wei L.
International Student
“After struggling to book TOEFL appointments, DET was a lifesaver. Studied for 3 weeks and got the score I needed for Duke.”
Maria S.
Graduate Applicant
“Used DET for my work visa application. The affordable cost and quick results made it perfect for my tight timeline.”
Ahmed K.
Professional
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