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The Duolingo Test, simply put, is an English language proficiency test to assess your ability to read, write, speak, and listen in English. The test comprises multiple-choice and open-ended questions, followed by video interviews to determine your language proficiency and enhance your visa eligibility and university admission.
A certificate of English proficiency is a prerequisite to gaining admission into a university of your choice and pursuing higher education abroad. Now, you might have doubts regarding the basis of assessment of these tests and to what end these tests determine your ability to comprehend and communicate in the English language.
Here, we'll have you updated on the objectives, duration, and syllabus of the Duolingo English Test (DET) and why you should take it if you're desirous of pursuing higher education in the UK.
DET is simple, easy and hassle-free. All you need is a well-lit room and a computer system with a good internet connection, speakers, microphones, and a front camera.
The Duolingo English Test has three segments, each to assess the different aspects of English proficiency and understanding.
The test takes an hour to complete, and you get your results in 48 hours. As simple as that.
Before taking the test, understand what the test entails by watching a three-minute video of the test pattern on the Duolingo website. This walkthrough will give insights into how the test works, the kind of questions you'd have to prepare for, and how to register for the DET.
You can take a sample test at the Duolingo website (which would take around 8 mins to complete) to get a better idea of the difficulty levels and the question types to enable you to prepare better for the actual test.
Here's how Duolingo Test works:
The difficulty level of the questions increases with every correct response and vice versa with every incorrect response. So, if you find the questions becoming more challenging as you progress with the test, it only means that you've been answering correctly. Every DET has a different set of questions, here are some common types of questions asked:
DET requires you to speak about any given topic for 2-3 mins to assess your English speaking and pronunciation. The best way to ensure you're prepared for the exercise is to prepare a random topic and record yourself speaking about it for 2-3 mins. By doing so, you'll know the areas you need to improve to make your speech comprehensible and coherent.
The best way to learn is through practising speaking regularly and writing your thoughts down to improve vocabulary and diction. Here are some tips to easily train yourself by tweaking your routine to learn new things.
Also, keep in mind the following things while taking the test:
IELTS and TOEFL are considerably more recognized than Duolingo, which is a more recent assessment. But all these three tests are just as valid for studying abroad in countries like the USA, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and Australia.
Here's a comparative assessment of these three tests in terms of the syllabus, mode of exam, fee, etc., to help you get a clear picture of the proficiency expected and the evaluation metrics.
Duolingo |
IELTS |
TOEFL |
|
Nature |
Duolingo is an American educational technology company which produces apps for language learning, and provides English language certification |
The International English Language Test (IELTS) is one of the most widely accepted and well-recognized English proficiency tests. It is jointly owned and conducted by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English |
Introduced in 1964, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is the oldest English proficiency test managed by ETS. |
Mode of examination |
Computer-based |
Both computer and paper-based |
Both computer and paper-based |
Exam Fees (USD) |
$49 |
$149 |
$185 |
Duration |
45 minutes |
164 minutes |
206 minutes |
Results Declaration |
48 hours |
3-5 days in case of computer-based test, 13 days for paper-based test |
8 days |
Sections |
2 (adaptive testing and video interviews) |
4 (listening, reading, writing and speaking) |
4 (listening, reading, writing and speaking) |
Assessment metrics |
Score (10-160) |
Bands (0-9) |
Score (0-120) |
Many top universities in the UK consider the Duolingo test at par with IELTS and TOEFL. So, if you're planning to pursue higher education in the UK, start preparing for the DET right away because acing this 60-minute test could just make your study abroad dreams come true.
Here are a few of our partner universities in the UK that accept the Duolingo English Test.
Here's a comparative analysis of the partner universities in the UK against the minimum Duolingo scores for pursuing higher education in these universities.
Universities |
Popular Courses |
Duolingo Scores |
The University of Leeds |
Media and Communication, Biomedical and Sports Sciences, Food Science and Nutrition, History and Humanities |
105-110 |
Liverpool John Moores University |
Computer Science, Architecture, Engineering, Chemistry, Sport and Exercise sciences |
100-109 |
The University of Birmingham |
Creative Writing Chemical Engineering Materials technology Physiotherapy Tourism, Transport, Travel & Heritage Studies |
90-99 |
The University of Bristol |
Computer Science Economics Psychology Law Medicine |
100, with a minimum of 90 in all other components |
The University of Westminster |
Accounting and Finance Architecture, Interiors and Urban Design Art and Design Film and Television |
100, with a minimum of 90 in all other components for an IELTS equivalent of 6 (with a minimum of 5.5 in writing) |
Queen's University Belfast |
Actuarial Science and Risk Management Aerospace Engineering Peace and Justice, Information Technology, Food Security |
95-100 (with a minimum of 85 in each language subskill) |
The University of Lincoln |
Public Administration and Social Service Professions Communication, Journalism |
An overall score of 100 with no sub-score below 90 |
The Queen Mary University of London |
Computer & Data Science, Linguistics, Global Health & Development |
85-90 |
Manchester Metropolitan University |
Philosophy and Religious Studies Social and Cultural Courses Psychology Sports Science |
85-90 |
AECC Global Indonesia is your one-stop educational assistant for all your academic and career needs. From admission counselling to virtual internships, we help aspiring students achieve their academic and career objectives by helping them choose the right course and paving the way for a successful career abroad.
At AECC Global, it's not just about higher education and career services, we help you develop holistically by giving guidance on Personality Assessment Test (PAT) and language assessment tests like IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo, etc., to ensure you meet your academic objectives.
If you're interested in studying in the UK, please know that you're only Duolingo English Test away from enrolling into the university of your dreams. Get in touch with our expert counsellors at AECC Global for further guidance and support to study in the UK.
Yes, Duolingo costs comparatively cheaper than tests like IELTS and TOEFL. You need to pay only $49 for the DET, and the results are valid for up to 2 years.
The minimum score is 10 and the other scores are 15, 20-25, 30-40, 40-50, 55-60, 65-70, 75-80, 85-90, 95-100, 105-110 and 115-120. The highest band (115-120) is equivalent to IELTS 7.0
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