More than 6,000 institutions accept the Duolingo English Test, but “accepted” is decided one university at a time — and sometimes one department at a time. The short version for 2026: acceptance is deep and reliable in the USA, Canada and Ireland, wide but uneven in the UK, limited in Australia and blocked for the student visa, and rare at public universities in Germany and the Netherlands, where private and applied-sciences institutions are the exception.
Every score in the tables below was taken from the institution’s own English language requirements page in September 2026. We have deliberately left out universities that appear on third-party “Duolingo accepted” lists but publish no DET row themselves — those lists are where students lose an entire intake.
Two rules before you read on. First, the subscore minimums reject more applicants than the overall score does: 120 overall with Writing 105 fails a requirement of “120 with 110 in each”. Second, admission and immigration are different questions. A university can accept your DET while the immigration authority does not.
- Institutions accepting DET6,000+ worldwide
- Strongest regionsUSA, Canada, Ireland, UK
- Most common threshold120 overall, often with 110 in each subscore
- AustraliaSome universities accept for admission; NOT accepted for the subclass 500 student visa
- UKNot a SELT; degree-level admission usually fine via the university’s own assessment
- CanadaSDS discontinued Nov 2024 — regular study permit; the institution decides English evidence
- Score validity2 years
- Score scale10–160 in 5-point steps, with 4 subscores
United States — the deepest acceptance, and the widest range of thresholds
US universities were the DET’s first market and remain the most reliable. What surprises students is the spread: an entry-level threshold can be 105 while a top research university recommends 135 for the same degree level.
| University | Published DET requirement | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | 105 overall | Graduate |
| University of Minnesota (Graduate School) | 115 overall, with 115 in Writing and Reading (rising to 120 from Fall 2027) | Graduate |
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Graduate College) | 135 for full status; 115 for limited status | Graduate |
| MIT (Office of Graduate Education) | 135 recommended; department minimums supersede it | Graduate |
Three American habits to note. Departments override the university minimum — Illinois and MIT both say so explicitly. Some institutions publish a lower “conditional” or “limited status” threshold that admits you with an English requirement attached. And many US universities now require the score to have been taken within a stated window (for example, from January 2024 onward for a 2026–27 entry), so an old certificate can be rejected even inside the two-year validity.
Visa caveat: the F-1 visa has no central English test requirement. The university’s admission decision is what matters, and the I-20 follows from it. There is no separate DET hurdle at the consulate.
United Kingdom — wide acceptance, but a real list of refusals
The UK is the country where third-party lists do the most damage, because several well-known universities explicitly do not accept the DET. Our full breakdown, with the accepting and the refusing list side by side, is in DET score requirements at UK universities. In summary:
| University | Undergraduate | Postgraduate | Subscore rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Hertfordshire | 105 (= IELTS 6.0) | 120 (= IELTS 6.5 with 5.5) | No band below 95 |
| Sheffield Hallam University | 105 | 120; 130 for IELTS 7.0 courses | Reading 100; other bands 95 |
| University of York | 105 | 120; 130 for IELTS 7.0 courses | 95 / 105 / 120 in each, by band |
| University of Sussex | 110 (Standard) | 120 (High); 130 (Advanced) | 105 / 110 / 120 in each component |
| University of Southampton | Band C: 120 | Band E: 120; Bands G–I: 130 | Individual subscores, e.g. Writing 130 at Band E |
Universities that publicly do not accept it include Nottingham Trent, the University of East London, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester, Greenwich and Coventry. Leeds, Glasgow and Sheffield publish no DET row at all.
Visa caveat: the DET is not an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT). For degree-level study at a Student Route sponsor, this is usually not a problem — the university assesses your English itself and states it on the CAS. For pre-degree courses, or where the Home Office requires a SELT, you will need IELTS for UKVI or another approved test.
Canada — broad acceptance at high thresholds
Canadian universities accept the DET widely, but they set the bar higher than the US average, and several require a specific Production or Writing subscore.
| University | Published DET requirement | Level |
|---|---|---|
| University of Toronto | 120 overall with 120 in Production (tests taken from 1 July 2024) | Undergraduate |
| University of British Columbia | 125 overall; Reading 115, Listening 115, Writing 120, Speaking 120 — in one sitting | Undergraduate |
| University of Windsor (Graduate Studies) | 120 overall | Graduate |
UBC’s wording matters: scores cannot be combined across attempts, so a 125 overall built from your best Reading in March and your best Speaking in May is not accepted. Toronto’s 120-in-Production rule is the single most common reason a Canadian offer is refused at 120 overall.
Visa caveat: the Student Direct Stream was discontinued in November 2024, so there is no longer an SDS language test list to satisfy. Applications go through the regular study permit, where IRCC does not itself impose an English test — your designated learning institution decides what English evidence it accepts, and your letter of acceptance carries it.
Australia — accepted by some universities, never for the student visa
This is the country where the DET fails most often, and it fails for an immigration reason rather than an academic one.
| University | Position in 2026 |
|---|---|
| University of Canberra | Accepts: 95 (Foundation), 105 undergraduate with 110 in all components, 120 postgraduate with 110 in all components — with an explicit visa restriction |
| Monash University | Not listed among accepted tests; other tests assessed case by case on application |
| Adelaide University | Not listed; accepted tests are IELTS, PTE, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1/C2 and OET, and only when sat under approved supervision |
The University of Canberra states the trap plainly: the DET “cannot be used to meet the English proficiency requirements to obtain a student visa” and is accepted only for applicants eligible for streamlined applications as determined by the Department of Home Affairs. In practice, if you need a subclass 500 student visa and your visa application requires an English test, the DET will not satisfy it. Plan on IELTS, PTE or TOEFL for Australia unless your case is a genuine exception confirmed in writing.
Ireland — the most consistent country in Europe
Ireland is where the DET behaves most like a first-class test: the main universities publish it, at a consistent level, for both undergraduate and postgraduate entry.
| University | Published DET requirement |
|---|---|
| Trinity College Dublin | Band B: 120 overall with 100 in each subscore. Band C: 130 overall with 110 in each |
| Dublin City University | 120 overall with at least 110 in each of Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening (UG and PG) |
| TU Dublin | 120 overall with at least 110 in each subscore; some programmes higher |
Two Irish requirements catch people out. The score must be issued within two years of the course start date, not of your application. And you must share the result with the named institution through your Duolingo account and provide the verification link — a PDF of your certificate is not evidence.
Visa caveat: Ireland’s student immigration permission relies on the offer from a recognised programme, so a DET accepted by the university generally carries through. Confirm with the institution if your programme is below degree level.
Germany and the Netherlands — check before you pay
These two countries are the biggest gap between what blogs claim and what universities publish. Public research universities in both mostly list IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge only.
| Institution | Country | Position in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin School of Business and Innovation | Germany | Accepts: DET 105 as the B2 equivalent for master’s entry |
| VU Amsterdam | Netherlands | Does not accept: only IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge CAE/CPE and the VU’s own test |
The pattern across both countries: private universities, business schools and universities of applied sciences that teach in English and recruit internationally are the ones publishing a DET score, usually in the 105–120 range as an IELTS 6.0–6.5 equivalent. Large public universities — and especially their selective master’s programmes — typically do not. If a Dutch or German programme is your target, email admissions and keep the reply before you book the test. Students already living in Europe will find the regional picture in our Europe page and Germany page.
How to verify your own university in five minutes
- Search the university’s site for “English language requirements” — not the DET’s directory, and not a study-abroad blog.
- Find the DET row. If there is no DET row, treat the answer as no until admissions says otherwise in writing.
- Read the subscore line, not just the overall number.
- Check the date window — some universities only accept tests taken after a stated date.
- Check your programme page separately; departments override university minimums.
Then email: “Do you accept the Duolingo English Test for entry to [course] in [intake], and what overall and component scores do you require?” Keep the reply. One email can protect an entire intake.
Once you know your number, the work is aiming five points above it. Our standard course, intensive course and private course all end with full mock tests so you book the real test from a position of evidence, not hope. Start from the worldwide hub to find the page for your country.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries accept the Duolingo English Test most widely?
The USA, Canada and Ireland are the most consistent, followed by the UK, where acceptance is wide but several named universities refuse it. Australia accepts it at some universities for admission only, and public universities in Germany and the Netherlands mostly do not publish a DET score.
What DET score do most universities ask for?
120 overall is the most common threshold, very often with 110 in each subscore. Entry-level and foundation routes can sit at 95–105, and competitive graduate programmes ask for 125–135.
Can I use the Duolingo English Test for an Australian student visa?
No. It is not accepted for the subclass 500 student visa. Some Australian universities accept it for admission only, and the University of Canberra states this restriction explicitly on its own page.
Is the DET enough for a UK student visa?
It is not an approved Secure English Language Test. For degree-level study at a licensed sponsor the university normally assesses your English itself and states it on the CAS, which is usually sufficient. Below degree level, or where a SELT is required, you will need IELTS for UKVI or another approved test.
Does the DET still work for Canada after SDS ended?
Yes. The Student Direct Stream was discontinued in November 2024, so there is no SDS test list any more. You apply through the regular study permit, and your designated learning institution decides which English evidence it accepts.
Why was my 120 rejected when the university asks for 120?
Almost always a subscore. Toronto requires 120 in Production at an overall 120; DCU and TU Dublin require 110 in every subscore; Southampton can require Writing 130 at an overall 120. Read the component line before you book.
Are third-party lists of Duolingo accepted universities reliable?
No. Many are copied from earlier intakes and include universities that have since stopped accepting the test, or never did. Only the institution’s own English language requirements page, or an email from admissions, counts.
How long is my score valid, and how do I send it to universities?
Two years from the test date, and you can send your results to institutions from your Duolingo account. Some universities additionally require the test to have been taken after a specific date, so check that window.
Send us your programme link on WhatsApp (+20 105 578 5572) and we will check the DET requirement with you before you book, and build the plan around it.
Last updated: September 2026