For a student in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali or Barranquilla, the hardest part of applying abroad is often not the application — it is proving English in time. The Duolingo English Test answers that: one computer-adaptive exam of about an hour, reported on the 10–160 scale with four subscores and valid for two years.
You can send your score to unlimited institutions, which suits the way Colombian students apply — several universities, a scholarship application and an exchange office, all at once.
Teachero is an online academy specialised in the Duolingo English Test. Classes are live and taught fully in English by certified instructors who work with international English exams, and every lesson is recorded, so the time difference with Colombia never takes a class away from you.
- Score10–160 in 5-point steps, four subscores, unlimited score sends
- Validity2 years
- Accepted by6,000+ institutions, strongest in the USA, Canada, Spain, Ireland and the UK
- Typical targets95–105 many bachelor’s, 110–120 most universities, 120–130 competitive
- Visa caveatNot accepted for the Australian subclass 500 student visa
- TeachingLive online classes in English with certified instructors, lessons recorded for review
- CorrectionPersonal Speaking and Writing correction, WhatsApp support between sessions
Where Colombian students apply — and what those universities publish
The usual destinations are the United States, Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Australia. Named examples with published DET requirements:
- Arizona State University (USA) — 95 for general undergraduate programmes, 100 Nursing, 105 higher-requirement Engineering, 120 Cronkite journalism.
- University of Toronto (Canada) — 120 overall, with 120 required in Production.
- IE University (Spain) — minimum 130 on its published language requirements, worth knowing if Spain is on your list, where much of the programme may be taught in Spanish.
- Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) — 120 with 100 in each subscore, 130 with 110 for higher-band courses.
- UK universities — the IELTS-to-DET mapping most of them publish is set out in DET score requirements at UK universities.
Acceptance is decided per programme, not per country. Before you commit to a test, email the admissions office: “Do you accept the Duolingo English Test, and what overall and subscore minimum do you require?” Keep the reply.
Scholarships and local use
Inside Colombia, undergraduate teaching is in Spanish and the DET is not a standard admission requirement. It becomes relevant in two places: the oficina de relaciones internacionales when you apply for an exchange or double degree, and postgraduate applications abroad.
For funded routes — ICETEX-administered awards, Fulbright Colombia, and university-run scholarships — the accepted-test list belongs to the convocatoria and to the receiving university, and some funders still specify TOEFL or IELTS by name. Read the current terms before you assume the DET will be accepted, and if the programme is silent, ask in writing. It is a five-minute email that can protect a whole application cycle.
The score you actually need
| Where you are applying | Typical DET target |
|---|---|
| Many bachelor’s programmes | 95–105 |
| Most universities, undergraduate and taught masters | 110–120 |
| Competitive and graduate programmes | 120–130 |
Read the subscore line as carefully as the overall number: Toronto’s 120 in Production and Trinity’s 100-in-each are exactly the conditions students miss. We build the target backwards from your programme’s requirement, then add a sensible margin.
What the test actually asks you to do
One adaptive exam of about an hour mixes roughly fifteen question types, and the engine keeps raising the difficulty while you keep answering well. Knowing what each task rewards is most of the preparation:
- Read and Complete and Read and Select — precise grammar, spelling and vocabulary work that builds Literacy; these are method tasks, not guessing games.
- Listen and Type and Read Aloud — short, high-frequency items that move Comprehension and Conversation faster than anything else on the exam.
- Interactive Reading and Interactive Writing — longer sets where pacing decides the outcome: run out of time on the last screen and the whole set suffers.
- Speak About the Photo, Listen Then Speak and Read Then Speak — spoken tasks graded on how long you keep going, how clearly you structure the answer and how varied your language is. Stopping after twenty seconds is the most common self-inflicted loss.
- Writing Sample and Speaking Sample — the longer pieces that shape your Production subscore and are also sent to the institutions you choose.
Your overall score is reported on the 10–160 scale with four subscores — Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production — and universities frequently set a floor in each. That is why our classes drill the tasks that move your weakest subscore rather than the ones you already enjoy.
DET, IELTS or TOEFL from Colombia?
Once acceptance is settled, the three exams differ mainly in shape.
| Duolingo English Test | IELTS | TOEFL iBT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Computer-adaptive, about an hour | Fixed sections, around three hours | Fixed sections, around two hours |
| Speaking | Recorded answers to on-screen prompts | Face-to-face interview | Recorded answers |
| Scoring | 10–160 overall plus four subscores | Bands 0–9 per skill | 0–120 across four sections |
| Score sending | Unlimited | Limited free reports | Limited free reports |
| Retakes | Up to 3 certified tests per 30 days | Rebook a sitting | Rebook a sitting |
The cases where you still want IELTS or TOEFL: an Australian student visa, a UK visa route requiring a SELT, a funder that names those exams, or a university that does not list Duolingo. Otherwise the DET does the same job with a shorter format, and a re-sit is a matter of days rather than the next available Saturday.
Visa points to check first
- Australia: the DET is not valid for the subclass 500 student visa, even with an academic offer.
- Canada: SDS ended in November 2024; under the regular study permit the designated learning institution decides the English evidence.
- United Kingdom: not a UKVI SELT — degree-level admission usually runs on the university’s own assessment, but a pre-sessional or below-degree course at a private college normally needs a SELT.
- United States and Schengen: no English test on the visa itself; the university’s requirement governs.
Background in our complete DET guide.
How the course works from Colombia
Choose the format by how close your deadline is: the standard course (more days, fewer hours a day), the intensive course (fewer days, more hours a day), or a private tailored course built one-to-one around your level and your week — the option most Colombian students take, because it removes the time-zone question entirely.
Every course includes live online classes taught in English by certified instructors, lesson recordings you can review afterwards, personal Speaking and Writing correction, full mock tests before the real exam, and WhatsApp support between sessions.
Paying by card from Colombia
Card payment (Visa or Mastercard) works from Colombia, and other options are available on WhatsApp. Colombian cards are frequently blocked for international online purchases by default — enable “compras por internet en el exterior” in your bank’s app and check the card’s international limit before you try.
Schedules are set per round — message us on WhatsApp at +20 105 578 5572 for the next round, or message us on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Duolingo English Test accepted by universities Colombians apply to?
Widely, in the USA, Canada, Ireland, the UK and much of Europe. Arizona State, the University of Toronto, Trinity College Dublin and IE University all publish DET minimums. Confirm your own programme’s policy in writing.
DET, IELTS or TOEFL for my application from Colombia?
Where your universities publish a Duolingo band, the DET is usually the simpler exam to prepare for: one adaptive hour, an overall 10–160 score, four subscores and unlimited score sending. IELTS or TOEFL is still needed for a UK SELT route, an Australian student visa, a funder that names them, and universities that do not list Duolingo.
Do scholarships accept the DET?
It depends on the convocatoria. ICETEX-administered awards, Fulbright Colombia and university scholarships publish their own accepted-test lists, and some still name TOEFL or IELTS. Check the current terms before you book anything.
Can I prepare from outside Bogotá or Medellín?
Yes. Our classes are fully online and the DET is accepted by the same institutions wherever in Colombia you apply from, so your city changes nothing about the preparation or the application.
What is a good target score?
95–105 for many bachelor’s programmes, 110–120 for most universities, 120–130 for competitive and graduate programmes — plus the subscore minimum, with a sensible margin on top.
My card was declined. Why?
Almost always because international online purchases are disabled on Colombian cards by default, or the international limit is too low. Enable it in your bank app and retry; message us on WhatsApp if it still fails.
Can I re-sit if the score is low?
Yes — up to three certified tests in any 30 days. That is one reason the DET suits tight application deadlines.
How do classes work with the time difference?
Classes are live, and every lesson is recorded, so nothing is lost if you cannot attend one. Many Colombian students take the private one-to-one course and set the schedule themselves.
Tell us your deadline and your target universities on WhatsApp — we will confirm whether the DET is accepted for them and put you in the next round.
Last updated: September 2026