IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo English Test: which do universities accept?

For most international students, the English test is the first real hurdle on the way to a scholarship. Before anyone reads your motivation letter, a university needs proof that you can study in English, and that usually means a score from one of three tests: IELTS, TOEFL or the Duolingo English Test.

All three are widely recognised, all three report scores that last two years, and all three can be taken without leaving home in some form. But they are not interchangeable. They differ in length, in how they are scored, in how fast results arrive and, most importantly, in which universities accept them.

Here is how IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo compare, based on each test owner’s official information as of October 30, 2026, and how to choose the right one.

The short answer

Check your university first. The right test is the one your chosen university and scholarship accept, at the score they ask for. If several are accepted, IELTS and TOEFL are recognised most widely, while the Duolingo English Test is the shortest and is taken entirely online.

IELTS vs TOEFL vs Duolingo at a glance

	IELTS Academic	TOEFL iBT	Duolingo English Test
Length	2 hours 45 minutes	About 2 hours (about 90 minutes of questions)	About 1 hour
Score scale	Bands 0 to 9	1 to 6 (since January 2026)	10 to 160
Where	Test centre or online	Test centre or at home	Online only, at home
Results	1 to 2 days on computer	3 days	Within 2 days
Scores valid	2 years	2 years	2 years
Recognised by	Over 13,500 organisations	13,500+ institutions in 160+ countries	Thousands of universities in over 100 countries
Free practice	Yes	Yes	Yes

Recognition figures are the test owners’ own claims (IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo).

IELTS Academic

IELTS has four parts. Listening takes 30 minutes, Reading and Writing take 60 minutes each, and the Speaking test, a conversation with an examiner, lasts 11 to 14 minutes. The first three are done on the same day without breaks; Speaking is on the same day or up to seven days before or after (British Council).

• Scores: each skill gets a band from 0 to 9, in whole and half bands. Your overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band (IELTS).
• How you take it: at a test centre, on computer or on paper, or remotely as IELTS Online (IELTS).
• Results: usually 1 to 2 days on computer, up to 13 days on paper, and usually 6 to 8 days for IELTS Online (IELTS).
• Validity: 2 years from the test date, although each organisation can set its own rules (IDP).
• Price: varies by country; check the price for your test centre on your test provider’s website.

Best for: students who prefer to speak with a real examiner, and who want a choice of test centre or online delivery.

TOEFL iBT

TOEFL changed in January 2026. The updated test has about 90 minutes of questions, and ETS advises allowing about two hours in total. The test is adaptive, so the questions and timing can vary with your level (ETS).

• Scores: since January 21, 2026, scores run from 1 to 6 in half-point steps, aligned to the CEFR, the international scale of language levels. For two years, score reports also show a comparable score on the old 0 to 120 scale (ETS).
• How you take it: at a test centre or with the TOEFL iBT Home Edition, which is supervised online by a person (ETS).
• Results: official scores appear in your ETS account 3 days after the test.
• Validity: 2 years.
• Price: charged in US dollars and different in each country; ETS lists the fee for your location on its fees page.

Best for: students who prefer a fully computer-based test, at a centre or at home.

Watch out for the new scale. Some universities now list two TOEFL minimums: one for tests taken before January 21, 2026 (out of 120) and one for tests taken after (out of 6). Make sure you are reading the right one.

Duolingo English Test

The Duolingo English Test (DET) takes about an hour: a short setup, around 45 minutes of adaptive questions, and about 10 minutes of writing and speaking samples. You take it on your own computer, at any time, with no test centre (Duolingo official guide).

• Scores: an overall score from 10 to 160 in steps of 5, aligned to the CEFR, with subscores for listening, speaking, reading and writing.
• Results: within 2 days, or within 12 hours if you pay for faster results.
• Validity: 2 years.
• Price: shown on the official Duolingo English Test website; Duolingo describes it as a fraction of the price of other tests.

Best for: students whose universities accept it and who want a short test they can take from home at short notice.

The catch: not every university accepts it, and some courses need a different test. Heriot-Watt, for example, does not accept it for its one-year foundation program, where a UK visa-approved test is required.

Which test do universities accept? Three examples

Requirements differ from one university to the next, and sometimes from one course to the next. Here is what three official admissions pages said on October 30, 2026:

• Heriot-Watt University (UK) accepts all three. For undergraduate entry it lists IELTS 6.0, TOEFL 4 overall (or 79 for tests taken before January 21, 2026) and DET 120. It does not accept DET for its one-year foundation program (Heriot-Watt).
• Brown University (US) accepts TOEFL, IELTS and DET among others, with minimum scores, expected in most cases, of TOEFL 5.5 (or 105 for tests before January 2026), IELTS 8.0 and DET 130 (Brown).
• University of Oxford (UK) lists several tests for undergraduate entry, including IELTS and TOEFL iBT. The Duolingo English Test is not among them (Oxford).

The lesson: a test accepted by one university may not be accepted by another. Check every university on your list before you book.

How to choose

1. List every university and scholarship you will apply to. Write down which tests each one accepts and the minimum score, including any minimum for each skill.
2. Pick the test accepted by all of them. If none is accepted everywhere, choose the one accepted by your first choices.
3. Check the visa route. For some countries and courses, the visa rules decide which test you need, not the university.
4. Plan your timing. Leave time for a retake before your earliest deadline, and remember scores last two years.
5. Take a free practice test from the official provider to see where you stand: IELTS, TOEFL and the Duolingo English Test all offer free practice.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Duolingo English Test accepted everywhere?

No. Duolingo says it is recognised by thousands of universities in more than 100 countries, but some universities, including Oxford for undergraduate entry, do not list it. Always check the university’s own requirements page.

Is IELTS or TOEFL easier?

Neither is officially easier; they test the same skills in different ways. IELTS Speaking is a conversation with a person, while TOEFL is completed on a computer. Take a free practice test of each and see which format suits you.

How long are English test scores valid?

Two years for all three tests, but universities can set their own rules. Heriot-Watt, for example, asks for results within two years of the course start.

Can I take IELTS or TOEFL at home?

Yes. IELTS Online and the TOEFL iBT Home Edition can both be taken at home under online supervision. Check that your university accepts the at-home version before you book.

Do scholarships ask for a separate English test?

Usually the scholarship follows the university’s English requirement, but some set their own. Read the scholarship’s official rules as well as the university’s.

Next steps

Once you know your test, find scholarships to apply for on our Scholarships page, or start with our Top 10 fully funded scholarships for international students. Then read how to write a scholarship motivation letter.