Duolingo English Test
A low-cost, at-home English proficiency test accepted by over 6,000 institutions worldwide (including most US universities) as an alternative to IELTS and TOEFL. Results are certified within 48 hours and score sharing is free and unlimited.
Eligibility
Anyone aged 13 or above may take it (under-18s need guardian consent), with no educational criteria and no attempt limit beyond fair-use rules. You need a government-issue photo ID (passport, Aadhaar or driving licence), a quiet room, and a computer with webcam, microphone and stable internet. Current security rules are strict, including a smartphone-based second-camera setup showing your workspace; rule violations lead to uncertified results.
Age limit: 13+ (guardian consent required if under 18)
Exam pattern
A roughly 60-minute computer-adaptive test taken at home under AI-plus-human proctoring, followed by an unscored video interview and writing sample that are sent to institutions. Question difficulty adjusts to your answers, so it is shorter than rival tests. Since July 2025 the speaking assessment uses Interactive Speaking (six conversational prompts) instead of read-aloud tasks, alongside Interactive Reading, Interactive Listening (including 'Listen and Complete') and integrated writing tasks. Scored 10-160 in 5-point steps with eight subscores — Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking plus integrated Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production. Certified results arrive within 48 hours and are valid for two years.
Syllabus at a glance
No fixed syllabus — it measures general and academic English through adaptive item types: fill-in-the-blank reading, real-vs-fake word recognition, dictation, listen-and-complete, conversational speaking prompts, picture description and short essays. Because it is adaptive, questions span beginner to advanced within one sitting.
Upcoming dates
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Test availability | Anytime, 24/7, year-round from home | confirmed |
| Certified results | Within 48 hours of completing the test | confirmed |
| Purchase validity | Take the test within 21 days of buying it | confirmed |
Expected dates follow the usual calendar; confirm on the official notification before planning.
Free prep material
Standard books
- The Official Guide to the Duolingo English Test — Duolingo (free PDF)
- English Grammar in Use — Raymond Murphy
- English Vocabulary in Use (Upper-Intermediate) — Michael McCarthy and Felicity O'Dell
- Word Power Made Easy — Norman Lewis
How toppers play it
- Take the free official practice test repeatedly until your estimated range sits comfortably above your target — it is unlimited and mirrors the adaptive engine.
- Speed matters: most items allow under a minute, so drill dictation, fill-in-the-blank and real-vs-fake word items against the clock.
- For Interactive Speaking, practise answering conversational prompts within 35 seconds — rehearsed monologues score worse than natural, responsive answers.
- Follow the proctoring rules exactly (eyes on screen, no headphones, empty desk, second camera positioned correctly); most failed attempts are rule violations, not English problems.
- Universities see all eight subscores plus your video interview — buy the two-test bundle so a weak subscore can be improved cheaply, and check each university's subscore minimums, not just the overall 10-160 figure.