
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an English language proficiency test developed and launched by Duolingo in 2016. DET is meant to assess the English language skills of aspirants studying abroad. It is an online, adaptive test accepted by over 4,500 institutions worldwide for admissions and visa applications.
| Conducting Body | Duolingo |
| Mode | Online |
| Exam Fee | Rs 5,161 |
| Scoring | Bands 10-160 |
| Accepting Countries | UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, etc. |
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Validity | 2 Years |

Recognised by 4,500+ universities worldwide, including top universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe

The Duolingo English Test is much cheaper than other English language proficiency tests. Just $59 (INR 5,161) per application

Get your Duolingo English Test score within 24 to 48 hours, making it one of the quickest English proficiency tests available

Send your DET score to as many universities as you want for free. Select your preferred institutions and your scores will be sent directly to them
The Duolingo exam assesses the test taker’s proficiency in English across four key skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening. The evaluation of these skills can be completed in just 1 hour.
The adaptive test is an AI-powered assessment that evaluates a candidate’s reading and listening skills. This section automatically adjusts the difficulty of questions based on answers.
35-40 Questions (may vary) – 45 minutes
The video interview and writing sample part of the Duolingo English Test allows you to showcase your communication and writing skills. This section is not scored, but universities receive these responses as part of your test report
2 Parts – 10-15 minutes
The Duolingo English Test can be attempted on-demand, 24/7. Test takers need to have a stable internet connection and system requirements.
The Duolingo English Test (DET) score ranges from 10 to 160, with 5-point increments. The scores reflect your English proficiency level, similar to other test
| Duolingo Score | Proficiency Level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 120-160 | Expert level | With this Duolingo score, you show exceptional English skills. You can easily handle complex topics in speaking, writing, listening, and reading |
| 90-115 | Very good | This score proves you have very good English skills. You can communicate well in most everyday and academic situations |
| 60-85 | Good | This Duolingo score shows you have good English skills. You can manage simple conversations but may struggle with harder topics |
| 10-55 | Competent | This score shows basic English ability — you understand simple phrases but struggle with longer sentences and complex ideas |
The Duolingo English Test is a short and online test, while TOEFL and IELTS are longer and taken at centers. Duolingo gives scores matching CEFR levels like A1 to C2. A score of 120 is like IELTS 7.0. It is cheaper and faster than other tests.
| DET Score | CEFR Level | IELTS Band | TOEFL Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | C2 | 8.5-9.0 | 115-120 |
| 150-155 | C1 | 8.0 | 110-114 |
| 140-145 | C1 | 7.5 | 102-109 |
| 130-135 | C1 | 7.0 | 94-101 |
| 120-125 | B2 | 6.5 | 79-93 |
| 105-115 | B2 | 6.0 | 60-78 |
| 95-100 | B2 | 5.5 | 46-59 |
| 80-90 | B1 | 5.0 | 35-45 |
| 65-75 | B1 | 4.5 | 32-34 |
| 10-60 | A1-A2 | 0.0-4.0 | 0-31 |
The difficulty level of the test depends on the student’s ability and skills to demonstrate in the English language. Some students might find the adaptive section tricky, while others might need help in the video interaction session. Hence, it depends on the student’s proficiency level rather than the test.
There are no limits on DET attempts; you can appear for the exam as many times as you want.
Duolingo English Test (DET) is accepted worldwide across 100+ countries and in more than 4,500 institutes, including colleges, universities, and organisations.
The Duolingo English Test score remains valid for 2 years.
You can apply for the Duolingo English Test by visiting the official website of Duolingo.
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