Duolingo English Test

What Is the Duolingo English Test?

The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test you take on your own computer at home, whenever you are ready. It takes about one hour, adapts to your level as you go and reports a score from 10 to 160.

Universities use it as evidence of English ability for admission, alongside or instead of tests like the TOEFL and IELTS. The test is run by Duolingo, the company behind the language-learning app, but the certified test is a separate product with its own security and scoring.

Try every question type before you book with our free Duolingo English Test practice.

The Duolingo English Proficiency Test Explained

The Duolingo English proficiency test is computer-adaptive: after each answer, the next question is chosen to match your level. Strong answers bring harder questions, and harder questions give access to higher scores. Because of this, there is no fixed number of questions.

The test is proctored remotely. Your camera, microphone and screen are recorded during the session, and the recording is reviewed before your result is certified.

Where the English Proficiency Test on Duolingo Is Accepted

The English proficiency test from Duolingo is accepted by over 6,500 programs and institutions worldwide, according to Duolingo, including many US universities and colleges. Acceptance and minimum scores vary by school and even by program, so always check the admissions page of every institution on your list. Compare it with other options in our guide to each English proficiency test.

Duolingo English Test Format: How Many Questions

The Duolingo English Test has no fixed number of questions, because it is adaptive and the number of items depends on your answers. The session lasts about one hour in three stages.

Read and Complete

Read and Complete shows a short paragraph in which some words are missing their final letters. You type the missing letters to complete each word. It tests vocabulary, spelling and grammar together, because the completed word must fit the sentence.

Listen and Type

In Listen and Type, you hear a short sentence and type exactly what you heard. Spelling, punctuation of word endings and small words like articles all count. It is one of the most direct listening tasks on the test.

Writing Questions

Writing questions include Write About the Photo, where you describe an image in a few sentences; Read, Then Write, where you respond to a written prompt; and Interactive Writing, where you answer a prompt and then a follow-up question. Answers are judged on content, vocabulary range, grammar and how well you develop your ideas.

Speaking Questions

Speaking questions include Read Aloud, Listen, Then Speak, Read, Then Speak and Speak About the Photo. You see or hear a prompt, prepare briefly and then speak for a set time. Responses are judged on fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and whether you answer the prompt fully.

Duolingo English Test Scoring: What Is a Good Score?

A good score on the Duolingo English Test is one that meets or exceeds the minimum set by the institutions you are applying to. Scores range from 10 to 160, and each school publishes its own requirement, sometimes with higher minimums for competitive programs.

Your result includes an overall score and four subscores: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The overall score is the average of the four subscores, rounded to the nearest 5. Results usually arrive within 48 hours and are valid for 2 years.

There is no pass or fail. If you need to compare a Duolingo score with IELTS or TOEFL requirements, use each school’s own published minimums; for TOEFL and IELTS, our TOEFL to IELTS conversion shows the official ETS comparison.

Duolingo English Test Registration and Fees

You register for the Duolingo English Test on the official Duolingo English Test website, create an account, pay the fee and take the test whenever you are ready — there is no appointment to book. The Duolingo English proficiency test cost is $70 for one test.

Eligible students can apply for a fee waiver through the Duolingo Access Program. Sending your results to institutions is included, so you do not pay per school.

How Many Times Can You Take the Duolingo English Test?

You can take the Duolingo English Test more than once, and Duolingo limits the number of certified attempts within a set period. Check the current limit on the official Duolingo English Test site before planning a retake. Each attempt costs the full fee.

How to Prepare for the Duolingo English Test

You can practice for the Duolingo English Test for free by learning every question type, then practicing under time limits. Because the test is adaptive and fast, familiarity with each task saves time and stress on test day.

A three-week plan works for most candidates:

Plan your sessions with the study planner for exams and count down to the day you plan to test with the exam countdown timer.

Duolingo English Test Sample Questions With Answers

A typical Read and Complete question shows “They can sol__ simple puzzles” and asks you to complete the word. The answer is “solve”: after “can,” you need a base-form verb, and “solid” or “solar” do not fit. Duolingo English test sample questions with answers like this teach you to check grammar as well as meaning.

A typical speaking prompt asks you to describe a photo for a set time. A strong answer names what you see, adds detail about people, setting and actions, and finishes with a sentence about what might happen next.

Where Can I Practice the Duolingo English Test?

You can practice the Duolingo English Test on our free Duolingo English Test practice page, which covers every question type with explanations, and on the official practice test on the Duolingo English Test website. Practicing on a computer is closest to the real test, although our practice also works on mobile.

Duolingo English Test Day Checklist: How Long the Test Takes

The Duolingo English Test takes about one hour: about 5 minutes of setup, a 45-minute adaptive graded section and a 10-minute writing and speaking sample. Use this checklist before you start:

• Use a computer with a working webcam, microphone and speakers; phones and tablets are not allowed for the certified test.
• Have your valid government-issued photo ID ready.
• Sit alone in a quiet, well-lit room with nothing on your desk.
• Keep your face and ears visible; do not wear headphones or earbuds.
• Close all other programs and do not look away from the screen for long periods.
• Allow a little extra time beyond the hour so you are not rushed.

Duolingo English Test vs TOEFL

The Duolingo English Test is shorter, cheaper and taken at home on demand, while the TOEFL iBT is a longer test from ETS that can be taken at a test center or at home. Both are accepted by many US universities, but not every school accepts both.

Duolingo English Test vs TOEFL iBT

The Duolingo English Test and the TOEFL iBT are both adaptive, but in different ways. The Duolingo test adapts throughout the graded section, while the TOEFL iBT adapts in two stages within Reading and Listening. TOEFL tasks are closer to university coursework; Duolingo tasks are short and varied. Read our TOEFL guide for the full format.

Duolingo English Test vs IELTS

The Duolingo English Test takes about 1 hour at home, while IELTS takes about 2 hours 45 minutes at a test center or, for IELTS Academic, online at home. Duolingo reports one score from 10 to 160; IELTS reports bands from 0 to 9 for each section and overall. Many universities accept both, so compare each program’s minimum score before you choose.

Duolingo English Test vs SAT

The Duolingo English Test and the SAT test measure different things. The Duolingo test proves your English proficiency for admission, while the SAT is a college admission test of reading, writing and math that many US colleges use alongside grades. International applicants may need both, so check each school’s requirements.

If you are still choosing an English test, compare the Duolingo test with the PTE exam and IELTS too.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is the Duolingo English Test Hard?

The Duolingo English Test is not designed to be hard or easy: it is adaptive, so questions get harder when you answer well and easier when you struggle. That means everyone ends up working near the edge of their ability. Most people find the speed and unfamiliar task types the main challenge, which practice fixes quickly.

Is the Duolingo English Test Easy?

It can feel easier than longer exams because it takes about an hour, runs from home and uses short tasks. But the adaptive design keeps raising the difficulty as long as you answer correctly, so reaching a high score still takes strong English. Treat it as a serious test and practice every question type.

How Often Can You Take the Duolingo English Test?

You can take the Duolingo English Test more than once, but Duolingo limits how many certified attempts you can take within a set period. The current rule is listed on the official Duolingo English Test website. Each attempt costs the full fee, so prepare between attempts.

How Much Is the Duolingo English Proficiency Test?

The Duolingo English proficiency test costs $70 for one test. Eligible students can apply for a fee waiver through the Duolingo Access Program. The fee includes sending your results to as many institutions as you like, which is one reason the test is popular with applicants to several schools.

Is the Duolingo English Proficiency Test Free?

The certified test is not free; it costs $70, though eligible students may get a fee waiver through the Duolingo Access Program. Duolingo offers free practice tests on its website, and our free Duolingo English Test practice covers every question type with explanations.

What Is a Duolingo English Test Sample?

The Writing and Speaking Sample is the ungraded final part of the Duolingo English Test, lasting about 10 minutes. You record a short video answer and write a short response, and both are shared with the institutions that receive your results. A sample test can also mean an unofficial practice test that shows the question types.