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Duolingo-Accepting UK Universities: Comprehensive Guide
- Lovish Rawal
- August 17, 2022
- 10:24 am
- No Comments
Applying to a UK university? You’ll need to prove English proficiency.
You must have heard of TOEFL and IELTS. These tests are expensive, long and hard. Have you wished for a simpler alternative?
Read this article to learn about DET. DET stands for the Duolingo English Test. This English proficiency test is relatively new and Universities only started accepting its scores in 2021. The Duolingo test pattern is much simpler.
You can take the Duolingo English Test as a backup test if you are not confident about scoring well on TOEFL and IELTS. Or, if you are applying to Duolingo-accepting UK universities, you don’t have to put yourself through TOEFL or IELTS at all.
This article answers 3 main questions.
This article answers 3 main questions.
- What is the Duolingo test pattern?
- Is Duolingo accepted for a UK visa?
- How to undertake the Duolingo test?
- Which are the main Duolingo-accepting UK universities?
TOEFL vs IELTS vs Duolingo test pattern
TOEFL | IELTS | DET | |
Marks | 120 | The test is marked using band scores, 1 – 9. Each section is marked and the marks are converted into bands. | 160 |
Desired score | 80-90 | A score of 7 or higher, is expected in all top ranking colleges | 130 |
Time | 3-3.35 hours | 2 hours and 45 minutes | 45 minutes + 10 minutes interview |
Medium of test | Held online at authorized centers but you have to be physically present | Held online at authorized centers but you have to be physically present | Online, can be taken from home |
Frequency | >50 times a year | 48 times a year | All year round. There is no limit to taking the Duolingo exam, however, one cannot take it more than twice in a period of 30 days. |
Sections | 4 sections that are required in a classroom: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. | 6 sections that are required in a classroom: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. | One section, questions have varying difficulty |
Validity | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
Cost | In India TOEFL costs $190 The cost of practice test is $44.95 and the guide is priced at $29.92. | Around $190 | $49 |
Basic of the Duolingo test pattern
Of course, the test remains the same, whether you want to use the score to apply to a Duolingo-accepting UK. university, or any other university. As per the Duolingo test pattern, there are two sections.- The adaptive exam
- Video interview
Duolingo test pattern: The adaptive exam
This section will focus on your reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities. This graded part will last 45 minutes. In this one segment, all question types are mixed and are distributed at random throughout the exam. The test provider will assign individual results for the Duolingo Adaptive test. Note – The Duolingo adaptive test has rules and restrictions that must be followed in order to avoid disqualification.Important things to keep in mind:
- The DET can be taken multiple times. However, don’t expect to see the same question again. Duolingo claims that “one in a thousand tests will see a question repeated, thus ensuring that each candidate applying for the test will have a unique experience.”
- The difficulty of the questions change dynamically in the section.
- Since there are no separate sections, a reading question might follow a writing one. Hence, you have to plan your time accordingly.
- There is no set number of questions.
- The test will automatically end when 160 marks worth questions have been asked.
Duolingo test pattern – Video Interview
The second part of the Duolingo test pattern is the video interview. You will have to write down your responses to prompted open-ended questions. You may be asked to describe a situation or a picture, or you may be given the opportunity to select a topic and talk for a short period of time. You should be well-prepared for all types of questions.Guidelines should be kept in mind while giving the interview.
- Make sure to be in the video frame.
- Check if your camera and microphone are working well.
- You should be audible.
- Remove any distractions from the background.
How to undertake the Duolingo test?
It’s natural to ask ‘How to undertake the Duolingo test?’ This section covers how to undertake the Duolingo test. To undertake the duolingo test you computer must have:- Windows or macOS
- A front-facing camera
- A microphone
- Speakers
- Your passport, driver’s license or government ID
- A quiet, well-lit room
- 60 minutes of free time
- A reliable internet connection
After this you can purchase the test and take it anytime in the text 21 days. Before you take the test, you have to fill out a short survey. Understanding your test score as per the Duolingo test pattern
The four scores are:
- Literacy – Ability to read and write
- Comprehension – Ability to listen and read
- Conversation – Ability to speak and listen
- Production – Ability to write and speak
Here is how scores in duolingo correlate to score in IELTS and TOEFL
| DET | TOEFL | IELTS |
| 160 | 120 | 8.5-9 |
| 130 | 98-103 | 7 |
| 100 | 65-69 | 5.5 |
| 85 | 47-52 | 5 |
| 10-60 | 0-23 | 0-4 |
Acceptance of DET
TOEFL and IELTS are usually taken because they are accepted worldwide. Which brings us to the question, how commonly is DET accepted? DET is accepted in many universities in the UK. The next question you must have is, ‘Is Duolingo accepted for UK visa?’ Well, yes and no. DET will be accepted for the UK student visa if your university accepts it. In total, 64 universities in the UK accept DET. (This list is updated as on 31 July 2022.)- University of Surrey – Undergraduate
- University of Roehampton – Undergraduate
- University of Stirling
- London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA)
- University of Westminster – Undergraduate Admissions
- University of Bath
- University of Lincoln – Pre-sessional, Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- Birmingham City University – Pre-Sessional English
- University of the West of Scotland – Undergraduate
- University of Chichester
- Sheffield Hallam University — Pre-sessional courses
- Plymouth College of Art
- University of Huddersfield – China Campus – Undergraduate
- Aston University – Undergraduate
- International College Portsmouth
- UCFB – Undergraduate
- Glasgow Caledonian University – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- SAE Institute – UK
- ARU London
- University of Reading
- Imperial College London – Undergraduate
- London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) – Undergraduate
- University of Kent – Undergraduate
- University of Plymouth International College
- Buckinghamshire New University
- University of Leicester – Undergraduate
- Bangor University Undergraduate
- University of Exeter
- Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
- New College of the Humanities, London
- University of Strathclyde – Undergraduate
- Queen’s University Belfast
- Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
- University of South Wales – Undergraduate
- London South Bank University – Undergraduate
- Plymouth College of Art – Pre-Degree
- Solent University Southampton – Undergraduate
- Navitas Pathway Colleges
- University of Portsmouth – Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Online Pre-Sessional Programs
- ARU College – Undergraduate
- Anglia Ruskin University
- University of Bristol – Undergraduate
- University of Leicester Study Abroad
- University of Sussex
- University of York
- University of West London
- Cardiff Metropolitan University – Undergraduate
- Bath Spa University – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- University of Plymouth – All Online Pre-sessional programmes
- RED Academy London
- SOAS University of London
- University of Aberdeen
- Loughborough University – Undergraduate
- Royal Agricultural University
- University of Bolton
- University of The West of England, Bristol
- Brunel University London
- Birkbeck, University of London – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- Newbold College of Higher Education
- University of Warwick – Undergraduate
- University of East Anglia
- Leeds Beckett University
- Gower College Swansea
You have learnt how to undertake the Duolingo test, is Duolingo accepted for UK visa and Duolingo test pattern. Now, let’s move on.
TOEFL, IELTS and DET are the three standard tests that most colleges should accept. By far, TOEFL is the most widely accepted. We advise you to take all three or at least two different tests, if your finances allow. This will ensure that even if you do badly on one test, you have the scores from a backup test that can save you. In case you do badly on all the tests there is no reason to panic. You can take all these tests as many times as you want to achieve your dream score.
Mastering the Duolingo test pattern and getting a good score is only the beginning. There are many other important stages of your application process. With SelectRight, you can access a carefully curated directory of unbiased industry experts. Get help with various aspects of your application like SOP review, application review, and more.