Duolingo

The Duolingo English Test is taken online from home on a computer with a webcam, rather than at a test centre. It is adaptive: the difficulty of each question adjusts to how you are performing, which is how it produces a reliable result in a fraction of the time a traditional test takes.

It is considerably cheaper and faster than centre-based tests and can usually be booked at short notice, which makes it useful for students working towards a close admission deadline. Results are typically returned within a couple of days and can be sent to institutions at no additional cost.

Acceptance has grown quickly but is not universal, and the important trap is this: an institution may accept it for admission while the same country's visa authority does not. Confirm both before you rely on it.

The test combines an adaptive graded section with a recorded writing and speaking sample that institutions receive alongside the score.

• Adaptive section — a mix of short task types covering reading, writing, listening and speaking: completing missing letters in a text, typing sentences from dictation, reading aloud, identifying real words from invented ones, describing images, and writing or speaking on a prompt.
• Writing and speaking sample — a longer written response and a recorded video response, sent to institutions with the score report.
• Proctoring — the whole session is recorded and reviewed afterwards. The rules are strict: your face stays visible, your eyes stay on the screen, nobody else is in the room, and no notes or second devices are allowed.

The Duolingo English Test reports an overall score from 10 to 160, in five-point increments.

• Four subscores are reported alongside the overall score — Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production — on the same 10–160 scale.
• Institutions set their own minimum overall score, and some also set minimum subscores.
• Results are usually available within roughly two days and can be sent to an unlimited number of institutions without an additional fee.

Because the test is adaptive, there is no fixed number of questions to answer correctly for a given score — performance on harder items counts for more.

• Confirm first that both your institution and your destination's visa route accept this test. That check comes before any preparation.
• Take the official practice test to get used to the adaptive format and the unusual task types.
• Test your webcam, microphone, internet connection and room lighting well before the session, not on the day.
• Sit in a quiet room alone, with a clear desk. A rule violation can invalidate the result after you have already paid for it.
• Keep your eyes on the screen throughout. Looking away repeatedly is one of the most common reasons a test is flagged.
• Practise typing sentences from dictation and reading aloud fluently — both appear repeatedly and both improve quickly.
• Use the full time on the writing and speaking sample. Institutions watch and read it, so it is worth treating as part of your application.