Duolingo English Test: Duolingo, Inc. conducts the Duolingo English Test (DET). It is an English proficiency test that students take to study, work, and migrate to English-speaking countries like the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. This exam tests the English proficiency of the test taker in all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. The Duolingo English Test 2025 is not only accessible online, but it is also computer adaptive, which means that the difficulty of the Duolingo test questions changes based on the candidate's responses. No question is likely to repeat itself, making it a unique experience for the candidate. This exam is acceptable at over 6,000 universities globally, including prestigious institutions in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Moreover, the DET test scores are determined by the grading engine, which is trained to comprehend language skills the same way as human experts do. The exam duration is one hour, and the Duolingo results are available in 2 days. Duolingo scores can be shared with a maximum of four institutions without any additional cost.
Duolingo, Inc., the conducting body of DET, has not specified any particular date for the exam. All candidates can take the exam anytime from the convenience of their home or anywhere in the world. The Duolingo English Test 2025 is conducted on all days of the week. This benefits the applicants as they can take the test at their convenience.
July 1, 2025: Duolingo has announced new question types that will be introduced from July 1st, 2025. Some questions are also removed from the exam. To make the DET exam more related to real-world scenarios, faster, and fairer, these changes will be implemented. The new types of questions Duolingo English Test 2025 include:
Interactive Speaking: This question will have sessions with 6 to 8 questions, each designed to build on the previous one. Candidates will have 35 seconds to record their responses.
The questions that are removed from the Duolingo English Test 2025 are Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak. The reason behind the removal of these questions is to maintain the one hour duration of the DET exam. In addition, the minimum response time for the following questions has been removed.
In order to enhance its security measures, the Duolingo English Test (DET) has introduced a new two-camera system. So, now the Duolingo test is even more secure with the two-camera system, where your smartphone can be used as a secondary camera. Learn more about the two-camera system for the Duolingo English Test here.
| Full Exam Name | Duolingo English Test |
| Short Exam Name | DET |
| Conducting Body | Duolingo |
| Exam Level | International Level Exam |
| Languages | English |
| Mode Of Application | online |
| Mode Of Exam | online |
| Participating Colleges | 199 |
| Exam Duration | 1 Hour |
According to Duolingo, there are no academic criteria for attempting the Duolingo English Test. Candidates need not prove their academic qualifications to take the Duolingo exam. Anyone from anywhere can register, make payments, and can appear for the test. However, a few of the requirements are mentioned below.
Duolingo Eligibility Criteria 2025
Criteria | Details |
Duolingo Age Requirement | There is no age limit for the test takers, however, if the individuals are below the age of 13, they must submit a parental consent. |
Identification | All test takers must have a valid, government-issued photo ID such as a passport, driver’s license, or a national ID. |
Candidates can register for the Duolingo English test online. After the submission of Duolingo application form on the official website, test takers can take the test any time in the next 21 days. Below are the detailed steps for the Duolingo English registration process.
Step 1: Visit the official website of Duolingo - englishtest.duolingo.com.
Step 2: Sign up using your email ID.
Step 3: Click on Purchase a Test and select either 1 test or 2 tests and add to cart.
Step 4: Purchase the Duolingo exam and pay the Duolingo exam fees.
Step 5: Now candidates can book the slot for the Duolingo exam within 21 days and appear in the Duolingo English Test.
The Duolingo English Test evaluates the English-speaking ability of the test takers. Duolingo exam pattern is divided into 2 sections: Adaptive test and Writing & Speaking Sample. Along with this, students are provided with an introduction and onboarding on how to attempt the test. A detailed overview of Duolingo English test structure is mentioned below:
Duolingo English Test Exam pattern
Section | Skills tested | Duration |
Introduction and onboarding | Ensure your computer’s camera, speakers, and microphone are functioning properly. Submit your government-issued photo ID. Review the test rules and requirements to avoid breaking any rules. | 5 mins |
Adaptive test | Measures your English skills through a series of different question types such as Read and Complete, Read and Select, Listen and Select etc. | 45 minutes |
Writing and Speaking Sample | You will be given a prompt and asked to respond at length | 10 minutes |
Duolingo English Test duration: The Duolingo test lasts for one hour in total. It is split into two sections - the adaptive section which takes 45 minutes and the Speaking and Writing Section which takes just 10 minutes.
July 1, 2025: Duolingo has announced new question types that will be introduced from July 1st, 2025. Some questions are also removed from the exam. To make the DET exam more related to real-world scenarios, faster, and fairer, these changes will be implemented. The new types of questions Duolingo English Test 2025 include:
Listen and Complete: Candidate will listen to a short audio and will be required to answer three to four fill-in-the-blank questions.
Interactive Speaking: This question will have sessions with 6 to 8 questions, each designed to build on the previous one. Candidates will have 35 seconds to record their responses.
The questions that are removed from the Duolingo English Test 2025 are Read Aloud and Listen, Then Speak. The reason behind the removal of this question is to maintain the one hour duration of the DET exam. In addition, the minimum response time for the following questions has been removed.
Listen, Then Speak
Speak About the Photo
Read, Then Speak
Writing Sample
Speaking Sample
Interactive Writing
The following table elaborates on the type of DET exam questions.
DET Question Type | Description | Frequency of Question |
Read and Select | Select the correct English words | 15 - 18 times |
Read and Complete | Fill in the missing letters in a sentence | 3 - 6 times |
Title the passage | Provide a topic for the passage | 2 times |
Fill in the Blanks | Complete the given spaces with the correct English word. | 6 - 9 times |
Listen and respond | Listen to a particular situation and select the best response | 10 times |
Listen and Type | Write the statement that you hear | 6 - 9 times |
Write About the Photo | Describe the image shown | 3 times |
Highlight the answer | Identify the right sentence in a passage | 4 times |
Speak About the Photo | Talk about what you see on the screen | 1 time |
Identify the Idea | Summarise the passage with one sentence | 2 times |
Read, then Speak | Read about a particular topic and initiate conversation | 1 time |
Interactive Writing | Write about the given topic and provide follow-up questions | 1 time |
Complete the sentences | Vocabulary to select the best option for each missing word | 2 times |
Complete the passage | Provide the correct vocabulary to complete a passage | 2 times |
Summarise the conversation | Write a summary of the conversation | 2 times |
| Listen and Complete | Listen to a short audio and answer fill-in-the-blanks | - |
| Interactive Speaking | Record responses on the prompts. | - |
Duolingo practice test free is available on the official website of DET, englishtest.duolingo.com. Students preparing for the Duolingo English Test can check the Duolingo English test practice to understand their preparation level. Through the DET mock test candidates will be able to analyse the DET syllabus, exam pattern, and can check their performance before the actual exam. Below are details steps on how to download the free Duolingo test.
Along with the Duolingo practice test free, DET also provides two paid DET Mock tests. Students can purchase the same from the official website by logging into the portal using their registered email. The Duolingo mock test fee is mentioned below.
Duolingo Practice Test Fee
| Mock test | DET mock test fee |
| Duolingo practice test 1 | USD 55 |
| Duolingo practice test 2 | USD 110 |
Appearing for the Duolingo English test can be stressful, but if one is prepared, it can be made a little easier. The Duolingo test is specifically designed to accurately evaluate a test taker's overall skill in English. Furthermore, the DET official website provides a free Duolingo practice test that allows the applicant to become familiar with the question types that appear in the actual exam.
This Duolingo English test practice can be repeated numerous times, giving the test taker a realistic test experience that corresponds to the live test. Candidates can practice the Duolingo mock test at any time online using a laptop at home, however, the Duolingo practice test timeline may differ from the original exam timeline. To prepare well for the Duolingo English test, follow the steps mentioned below:
Familiarise yourself with the test structure, which comprises reading, writing, speaking, and listening sections.
Use recognised practice tests, such as Duolingo, to enhance your general language abilities.
Listen to English podcasts, articles, and videos to increase your vocabulary.
Interact with fluent speakers or use language exchange platforms.
Write essays, emails, or diary entries to improve your writing skills.
To enhance your speed and accuracy, practice answering questions under a time constraint.
A Duolingo test taker’s proficiency is reported as a holistic score on a scale from 10 to 160 in 5-point increments. The Duolingo English Test score scale is aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), an international standard of language proficiency. One can find both the overall test score and the subscores on the Duolingo score report.
The admissions requirements vary between educational institutions. Hence, it is advisable to check the university's website to learn about its admissions requirements. The table below shows how the DET score stacks up against the IELTS result and TOEFL results:
Duolingo Score 2025
Duolingo English Test | TOEFL iBT | IELTS Academic |
160 | 120 | 8.5-9 |
155 | 119 | 8 |
150 | 117-118 | |
145 | 113-116 | 7.5 |
140 | 109-112 | |
135 | 104-108 | 7 |
130 | 98-103 | |
125 | 93-97 | 6.5 |
120 | 87-92 | |
115 | 82-86 | 6 |
110 | 76-81 | |
105 | 70-75 | |
100 | 65-69 | 5.5 |
95 | 59-64 | |
90 | 53-58 | 5 |
85 | 47-52 | |
80 | 41-46 | |
75 | 35-40 | 4.5 |
70 | 30-34 | |
65 | 24-29 | |
60-10 | 0-23 | 0-4 |
Duolingo English Test scores remain valid for a period of 2 years. Upon receiving the scores, candidates have the option to directly send them to Duolingo accepting educational institutions from the results page. There is no restriction on the number of score reports that can be sent, and this service is provided free of charge.
Relevant Links:
Official Website Link Click HereFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an English proficiency test designed by Duolingo, the renowned language learning platform. This affordable and convenient test enables universities to assess the English skills of non-native speakers.
The Duolingo English Test fee is USD 59 (Rs. 5,225). For those interested in taking the test, there is an option to purchase a test bundle, allowing test takers to attempt two tests. The test bundle is available at a discounted price of USD 55 each, totalling USD 110.
In theory, all these tests aim to assess a test-takers English proficiency equally. Referring to the scoring table above, one can observe that the score spans multiple exams, indicating that regardless of which test the test takers choose, the result will accurately represent their current English proficiency. Therefore, it is a misconception to believe that one exam is easier than the other. This shows that neither the TOEFL nor the Duolingo English Test is easier than the other, but the latter offers a more user-friendly test experience. The DET offers shorter reading passages and takes just an hour compared to TOEFL which takes around three hours to complete.
The Duolingo score is based on a scale of 10-160. Achieving a score of 120 or higher on the Duolingo English Test is considered commendable.
The Duolingo English Test score is widely accepted in the universities of USA.
The Duolingo English Test is recognized for visa purposes in the United States and Ireland. It is accepted for the UK student visa as well.
The Duolingo score is valid for a period of two years. Even after the expiration, a test taker will still be able to view their expired result on the homepage, but the ability to share the result or access the certificate will no longer be available.
There are no limitations on the number of attempts for the Duolingo English Test; however, it is important to note that test takers cannot take the test more than three times within a 30-day period.
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