{"id":6533,"date":"2026-07-12T03:18:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T03:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/duolingo-english-test\/"},"modified":"2026-07-12T14:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T14:40:13","slug":"duolingo-english-test","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/duolingo-english-test\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the Duolingo English Test? Structure, Scores &#038; Fees (2026 Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.det-art{max-width:840px;margin:0 auto;padding:8px 16px 48px;font-family:'Plus Jakarta Sans','Segoe UI',system-ui,-apple-system,sans-serif;color:#1e293b;line-height:1.75;font-size:17px}\n.det-hero{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#14532d 0%,#166534 45%,#15803d 100%);border-radius:18px;padding:36px 32px;color:#fff;margin-bottom:28px}\n.det-hero .crumb{font-size:13px;opacity:.85;margin-bottom:10px}\n.det-hero .crumb a{color:#bbf7d0;text-decoration:none}\n.det-hero h1{margin:0 0 12px;font-size:clamp(26px,4.5vw,38px);line-height:1.2;color:#fff}\n.det-hero p{margin:0;font-size:16.5px;opacity:.95}\n.det-chips{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin-top:16px}\n.det-chip{background:rgba(255,255,255,.14);border:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25);border-radius:99px;padding:4px 13px;font-size:13px}\n.det-art h2{font-size:24px;margin:38px 0 14px;color:#14532d;padding-bottom:8px;border-bottom:3px solid #86efac}\n.det-art h3{font-size:19px;margin:26px 0 10px;color:#166534}\n.det-art table{width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;margin:18px 0;font-size:15.5px}\n.det-art th{background:#14532d;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px}\n.det-art td{border-bottom:1px solid #e2e8f0;padding:9px 12px;vertical-align:top}\n.det-art tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f8fafc}\n.det-note{background:#f0fdf4;border-left:4px solid #22c55e;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:14px 18px;margin:18px 0}\n.det-warn{background:#fef2f2;border-left:4px solid #ef4444;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:14px 18px;margin:18px 0}\n.det-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#f0fdf4,#dcfce7);border:2px solid #22c55e;border-radius:14px;padding:20px 24px;margin:26px 0}\n.det-cta a{color:#15803d;font-weight:700}\n.det-art details{border:1px solid #e2e8f0;border-radius:10px;margin:10px 0;padding:0 18px;background:#fff}\n.det-art summary{font-weight:700;padding:13px 0;cursor:pointer;color:#14532d}\n.det-src{font-size:13.5px;color:#64748b;border-top:1px solid #e2e8f0;margin-top:36px;padding-top:14px}\n.det-img{width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;margin:18px 0}\n@media(max-width:640px){.det-art{font-size:16px}.det-hero{padding:26px 20px}.det-art table{font-size:14px;display:block;overflow-x:auto}}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"det-art\">\n<div class=\"det-hero\">\n<div class=\"crumb\"><a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a> &#8250; Duolingo English Test<\/div>\n<h1>What Is the Duolingo English Test? Structure, Scores &amp; Fees (2026 Guide)<\/h1>\n<p>Everything you need to know about the DET &#8212; test format, the 10&#8211;160 score scale, official fees and rules &#8212; verified against Duolingo&#8217;s official sources, updated July 2026.<\/p>\n<div class=\"det-chips\">\n    <span class=\"det-chip\">&#9201; ~1 hour<\/span><br \/>\n    <span class=\"det-chip\">&#128181; US$70<\/span><br \/>\n    <span class=\"det-chip\">&#127968; Taken at home<\/span><br \/>\n    <span class=\"det-chip\">&#128196; Results in ~48h<\/span><br \/>\n    <span class=\"det-chip\">&#127891; 6,000+ programs<\/span>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <strong>Duolingo English Test (DET)<\/strong> is an online English proficiency test you take <strong>at home<\/strong>, in <strong>about one hour<\/strong>, for <strong>US$70<\/strong> &#8212; with certified results in <strong>roughly 48 hours<\/strong>. It is accepted by more than <strong>6,000 programs worldwide<\/strong>, including <strong>all 8 Ivy League universities<\/strong> and 98 of the top 100 US universities.<\/p>\n<p>But the DET is <strong>not<\/strong> a ticket to everywhere: Australia does not accept it for student visas, and Canada does not accept it for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). This guide covers the full 2026 test structure, scoring, fees and the limitations that many prep websites won&#8217;t tell you about. Every number here comes from Duolingo&#8217;s official pages, help center, or government sources.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"det-img\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/det-overview.png\" alt=\"Duolingo English Test at a glance: US$70, about 1 hour, taken at home, results in 48 hours, 10-160 scale, 2-year validity\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-det\">What is the DET? Is it the same as the Duolingo app?<\/h2>\n<p>The Duolingo English Test is made by Duolingo, Inc. (Pittsburgh, USA) &#8212; the same company behind the famous language-learning app, but it is a <strong>completely separate product<\/strong>: a proctored, high-stakes academic English test used for university admissions. Its official site is <em>englishtest.duolingo.com<\/em>, not the green-owl app.<\/p>\n<p>Three things make the DET different from traditional tests:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Taken at home, no appointment needed.<\/strong> All you need is a computer with a camera and microphone, a smartphone set up as a secondary camera, stable internet, and a quiet private room. Buy the test and take it any time, day or night.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Computer-adaptive.<\/strong> Question difficulty adjusts to your answers &#8212; do well, and the next questions get harder. No two tests are identical, and even the number of questions varies from person to person.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. AI scoring with human review.<\/strong> Responses are scored by AI models, but every certified result is also reviewed by human proctors before it is released.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"acceptance\">Who accepts the DET &#8212; and who does NOT?<\/h2>\n<p>Read this section carefully before you pay for anything.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where the DET is strongest: the United States.<\/strong> More than <strong>3,100 US universities<\/strong> accept it, including all 8 Ivy League schools and 98 of the US News top 100. The F-1 student visa itself has no separate English-test requirement &#8212; if your university accepts the DET, that is normally all you need. Globally, over 6,000 programs accept it, and since 2026 the DET is also recognized in GMAC&#8217;s admissions standards for graduate management education.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Canada: admission only.<\/strong> Over 300 Canadian institutions accept the DET for admission, and a study permit application can work with a DET-based admission <em>if<\/em> your institution accepts it &#8212; but the visa officer always has full discretion. More importantly: since <strong>November 1, 2024, the PGWP (Post-Graduation Work Permit) only accepts IELTS General, CELPIP-General, or PTE Core &#8212; the DET is not on the list<\/strong>. If your plan is to work in Canada after graduating, you will need another test later.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Australia: NOT accepted for student visas.<\/strong> The Department of Home Affairs only accepts tests taken at a secure test centre (IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, etc.) and explicitly excludes at-home online tests. An Australian university may issue you an offer based on the DET, but that offer cannot replace the visa English requirement.<\/p>\n<p><strong>UK: not a SELT.<\/strong> The DET cannot be used where a Secure English Language Test is legally required. Some universities accept it for degree-level study under self-assessment &#8212; check each university individually.<\/p>\n<div class=\"det-cta\">&#128073; Full country-by-country breakdown with official sources: <a href=\"\/duolingo-english-test-australia-canada\/\">Is the Duolingo English Test Accepted in Australia and Canada? The Honest Answer<\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"structure\">DET test structure in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>The test has three parts and runs about one hour in a single, uninterrupted sitting:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Part 1 &#8212; Setup and onboarding (~5 min):<\/strong> camera\/microphone\/speaker checks, government photo ID (use your passport), setting up your phone as a secondary camera plus a room scan (a requirement tightened in January 2026), and reviewing the test rules.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Part 2 &#8212; The adaptive test (~45 min):<\/strong> the graded section, made up of the question types below.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Part 3 &#8212; Video Interview + Writing Sample (~10 min):<\/strong> ungraded, but <strong>sent to institutions together with your scores<\/strong> &#8212; treat it as a mini admissions interview.<\/p>\n<h3>All question types (official numbers from Duolingo)<\/h3>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<th>Question type<\/th>\n<th>How many per test<\/th>\n<th>Time<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Read and Select<\/strong> &#8212; is this a real English word?<\/td>\n<td>15&#8211;18<\/td>\n<td>5 seconds per word<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Fill in the Blanks<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>6&#8211;9<\/td>\n<td>&#8212;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Read and Complete<\/strong> &#8212; restore missing letters in a passage<\/td>\n<td>3&#8211;6<\/td>\n<td>3 minutes per passage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Listen and Type<\/strong> &#8212; type the sentence you hear (up to 3 plays)<\/td>\n<td>6&#8211;9<\/td>\n<td>1 minute per sentence<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Interactive Reading<\/strong> &#8212; multi-step reading sets<\/td>\n<td>2 sets &#215; 6 questions<\/td>\n<td>~7&#8211;8 min per set<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Interactive Listening<\/strong> &#8212; simulated conversation + summary<\/td>\n<td>2 sets &#215; 8&#8211;10 questions<\/td>\n<td>6:30 per set + 75s summary<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Write About the Photo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>3<\/td>\n<td>~1 min each<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Interactive Writing<\/strong> &#8212; two-part task with AI follow-up<\/td>\n<td>1 set &#215; 2 questions<\/td>\n<td>~8 min<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Speak About the Photo<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>30&#8211;90 s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Read, Then Speak<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1<\/td>\n<td>30&#8211;90 s<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Interactive Speaking<\/strong> &#8212; adaptive AI conversation<\/td>\n<td>1 set &#215; 6&#8211;8 turns<\/td>\n<td>35 s per turn, no prep time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Writing Sample + Speaking Sample<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>1 + 1<\/td>\n<td>&#8212;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The headline feature of the 2026 test is <strong>Interactive Speaking<\/strong> (launched June 30, 2025): you hold a real conversation with an animated character, and the AI asks <strong>follow-up questions based on what you actually said<\/strong> &#8212; 35 seconds per turn, no preparation time. Memorized answers are close to useless here.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"scoring\">The 10&#8211;160 scale and 8 subscores<\/h2>\n<p>The DET is scored on a <strong>10&#8211;160 scale<\/strong> in 5-point increments. Your score report contains <strong>8 subscores<\/strong>: four individual skills (Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening) and four integrated scores (Production, Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation &#8212; each the average of a pair of skills).<\/p>\n<p>Scores are valid for <strong>2 years<\/strong> &#8212; after that you can no longer share the result, and institutions lose access to the certificate.<\/p>\n<p>Quick conversion anchors from the official concordance: <strong>DET 120 &#8776; IELTS 7.0<\/strong> &#8212; the classic &#8220;competitive&#8221; bar for US applications; DET 105&#8211;115 &#8776; IELTS 6.5 &#8212; a common university minimum.<\/p>\n<div class=\"det-cta\">&#128073; Full official conversion charts, including skill-by-skill conversion: <a href=\"\/det-ielts-toefl-score-conversion\/\">DET to IELTS &amp; TOEFL Score Conversion (Official 2026 Charts)<\/a><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"fees\">Fees and purchase rules (2026)<\/h2>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<th>Rule<\/th>\n<th>Detail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Single test<\/td>\n<td><strong>US$70<\/strong> &#8212; same price worldwide. (Many websites still say $65 &#8212; that price is outdated.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2-test bundle<\/td>\n<td>Discounted (~US$118 &#8212; check the exact price on the purchase page). The second test gets an extra 21 days after your first result.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Deadline to take the test<\/td>\n<td><strong>21 days from the purchase date &#8212; no extensions.<\/strong> Unused credits expire. (Many articles claim 90 days &#8212; that is wrong.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Attempts per purchase<\/td>\n<td>3 attempts to <em>complete and upload<\/em> the test (covers technical failures &#8212; not 3 scored tests).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Purchase limit<\/td>\n<td>Maximum 3 tests in any 30-day period.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Score sending<\/td>\n<td><strong>Free and unlimited<\/strong> &#8212; unlike TOEFL\/IELTS per-report fees.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Free practice test<\/td>\n<td>Unlimited attempts with an estimated score range at englishtest.duolingo.com\/practice.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"registration\">Registration, taking the test at home, and results<\/h2>\n<p>The whole process fits in four steps:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Create an account<\/strong> at englishtest.duolingo.com &#8212; your name must exactly match your passport.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Buy the test<\/strong> (US$70) &#8212; remember the 21-day rule.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Prepare your room:<\/strong> alone in a quiet, well-lit private room; computer with camera, microphone and speakers (<strong>no headphones allowed<\/strong>); phone mounted as a secondary camera plus a room scan; stable internet; passport at hand.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Take the ~1-hour test and get results in about 48 hours.<\/strong> The entire session is recorded and reviewed by human proctors before certification. Rule violations mean no result.<\/p>\n<div class=\"det-warn\"><strong>&#9888;&#65039; Because it&#8217;s taken at home, the DET has very strict proctoring rules<\/strong> &#8212; and this is where many test takers lose their $70. Read the rules before test day: <a href=\"\/duolingo-english-test-mistakes\/\">12 Mistakes That Can Get Your DET Invalidated<\/a>.<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"right-for-you\">Is the DET right for you?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Choose the DET if:<\/strong> your destination is the <strong>US<\/strong> (or a Canadian institution for admission only), you need results fast (48h vs. waiting for an IELTS slot), your budget is tight ($70 vs. $200+ for IELTS\/TOEFL), and your target school is on the official acceptance list.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t choose the DET if:<\/strong> you are going to <strong>Australia<\/strong> (the visa won&#8217;t accept it), your Canada plan includes <strong>PGWP or permanent residency<\/strong> (you&#8217;ll need IELTS-G\/CELPIP\/PTE Core &#8212; see our <a href=\"\/celpip\/\">free CELPIP practice hub<\/a>), or your program explicitly requires IELTS\/TOEFL.<\/p>\n<p>Final rule: <strong>always check the admission page of the university you&#8217;re applying to<\/strong> before buying any test &#8212; the official lookup tool is at englishtest.duolingo.com\/test_takers\/accepting_institutions.<\/p>\n<div class=\"det-cta\">&#127919; <strong>Ready to feel the format?<\/strong> Try our <a href=\"\/det-mini-practice-test\/\">free DET mini practice test<\/a> &#8212; 18 original questions (Read &amp; Complete, Read &amp; Select, Listen &amp; Type) with the real test&#8217;s official timing. No signup.<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details>\n<summary>How much does the Duolingo English Test cost, and how fast are results?<\/summary>\n<p>US$70 per test, with certified results in roughly 48 hours. A discounted 2-test bundle (~US$118) is also available.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>How long are DET scores valid?<\/summary>\n<p>Two years from your test date. After that, you can no longer share the result and institutions lose access to it.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What is DET 120 in IELTS?<\/summary>\n<p>According to the official concordance, DET 120 &#8776; IELTS 7.0. See our full conversion guide for the complete charts, including skill-by-skill conversion.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>What do I need to take the DET at home?<\/summary>\n<p>A computer with camera, microphone and speakers; a smartphone as a secondary camera (with a room scan); stable internet; your passport; and a quiet private room for about one hour. Headphones are not allowed.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details>\n<summary>Is the DET accepted in Australia or Canada?<\/summary>\n<p>Australia: no &#8212; student visas do not accept at-home tests. Canada: yes for admission if your institution accepts it, but not for the PGWP. See our detailed Australia &amp; Canada guide.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<div class=\"det-src\">Sources: englishtest.duolingo.com (official site, blog &amp; help center at testcenter.zendesk.com &#8212; articles 39104891663245, 360011075571, 360012468631), canada.ca, immi.homeaffairs.gov.au. Accessed July 2026. AllEnglish4U only publishes numbers verified against official sources.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[\n{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much does the Duolingo English Test cost, and how fast are results?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"US$70 per test, with certified results in roughly 48 hours. A discounted 2-test bundle (~US$118) is also available.\"}},\n{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How long are DET scores valid?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Two years from your test date. 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Structure, Scores &amp; Fees (2026 Guide) Everything you need to know about the DET &#8212; test format, the 10&#8211;160 score scale, official fees and rules &#8212; verified against Duolingo&#8217;s official sources, updated July 2026. &#9201; ~1 hour &#128181; US$70 &#127968; Taken at home &#128196; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-with-title","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6533","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6533"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6626,"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6533\/revisions\/6626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allenglish4u.com\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}