Germany is the most nuanced DET country in Europe. Acceptance is real but selective: it exists mainly in English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programmes, at private universities, and at a growing number of public universities that list Duolingo alongside TOEFL and IELTS. It is not a blanket yes. Before you commit to anything, open your programme’s own admission page and search for the word Duolingo — and if it is not there, email the international office and ask directly.
Where it is accepted, DET is by far the easiest option for an Arabic speaker living in Germany: one adaptive hour, scored 10–160 across four subscores, valid for two years, with the Writing and Speaking samples sent to the institutions you choose.
Teachero’s live course runs on Zoom at a steady pace: more days, fewer hours a day. Our certified instructors teach in English, and the rounds welcome Arabic speakers and international students alike, with Arabic-language support available for Arabic speakers who want it; every lecture is uploaded the same day as a lesson recording you can review. Schedules are set per round; message us on WhatsApp for the next round’s details.
- Course formatLive on Zoom at a steady pace, with lesson recordings you can review
- PaymentVisa / Mastercard from Germany, or InstaPay inside Egypt
- Score scale10–160 in steps of 5, with 4 subscores; valid 2 years
- German acceptanceSelective — mainly English-taught programmes and private universities
- Typical scores90–120 for most listed programmes; 120–135 for competitive ones
- Check firstSearch your programme page for Duolingo, or ask the International Office / uni-assist
Which German universities accept the Duolingo English Test?
Published DET requirements from German institutions vary widely by programme, which is exactly why you must check yours rather than trust a list. Institutions and programmes that have published DET requirements include:
| Institution | Reported DET requirement |
|---|---|
| Technische Universität Berlin (selected programmes) | 90 for some; 135 with 125+ subscores for the MSc Innovation Management, Entrepreneurship & Sustainability |
| Constructor University (Bremen) | 110 |
| Heidelberg University | 120 |
| Freie Universität Berlin | 120 |
| Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin | 100–120 depending on programme |
| Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München | 105–115 |
| University of Mannheim | 115+ |
Read that table as evidence of a pattern, not as a promise: the same university may accept DET for one English-taught master’s and refuse it for the department next door. Private and international universities (Constructor, IU International, SRH, EBS, Jacobs-lineage institutions) are generally the most open; large public universities are inconsistent; and German-taught programmes will ask you for German proof (TestDaF, DSH, telc) instead — DET is irrelevant there. Always verify on Duolingo’s official accepting-institutions directory and on the programme page itself, and if you are unsure, write to the International Office and keep the reply.
uni-assist, Studienkolleg and the German student visa
Three practical points that catch Arabic-speaking applicants in Germany.
- uni-assist. Many universities process international applications through uni-assist, which checks that your documents match what the university specified. uni-assist does not decide whether DET is acceptable — the university does. So confirm acceptance with the university first, then submit the DET certificate through uni-assist the way the programme’s checklist asks.
- Studienkolleg and foundation routes. If your school certificate is not directly recognised for German university entry, you may need a Studienkolleg year, which is usually taught in German — in that case German proficiency, not English, is your real requirement.
- The student visa / residence permit. Germany does not publish a government list of approved English tests the way the UK and Australia do. The German mission abroad and the local Ausländerbehörde look at your admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid), your blocked account and your health insurance. In practice, if the university admitted you on a DET score, the language question is settled by that admission. Confirm anything visa-specific with the German mission handling your case, not with us.
Choosing your target score for Germany’s universities
Germany is the one country where the first question is not “what score?” but “does this programme take the DET at all?”. Once that is answered in writing, set the number like this.
| Where you are applying | Aim for | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Private and international universities | 110–120 | An even profile across subscores |
| Public universities, English-taught bachelor’s | 115–125 | Literacy and Comprehension comfortable |
| English-taught master’s (Heidelberg, FU Berlin, Mannheim) | 125–130 | Production under the clock |
| Competitive master’s with subscore floors (e.g. TU Berlin) | 135+, with every subscore at 125 or above | The weakest subscore, not the average |
The German pattern worth remembering is that when a programme does publish a DET requirement, it often publishes a subscore floor with it — an overall 135 with no subscore under 125, for example. That is a much harder target than the overall number suggests, because a single weak skill fails it outright. Plan five points above the overall minimum and treat the subscore floor as the real requirement.
Send us the programme link on WhatsApp and we will read the admission page with you before you commit to a date.
Schedule and recordings
Classes are live on Zoom, and every lecture is uploaded the same day as a lesson recording you can review, so you can follow from wherever you are in the world. We send the exact schedule of the next round on WhatsApp. If a round clashes with a lab, a Seminar or a Nebenjob shift, the intensive course covers the same material in fewer days with more hours a day, and the private 1-on-1 course runs on your own schedule.
Booking and payment
The standard course runs live on Zoom plus corrected homework, personal Speaking and Writing correction, full mock tests, and WhatsApp support; the private 1-on-1 course runs on your own schedule. Class times are set per round — message us on WhatsApp for the next round’s details.
Paying from Germany works with any Visa or Mastercard, including most Girocard-linked debit cards that carry one of those logos, after you message us on WhatsApp. SEPA transfer is not available for this payment, but if your card is refused, message us on WhatsApp and we will send alternative international transfer options. The Duolingo exam itself is booked separately with Duolingo.
Why Arabic-language support is the edge in Germany
Arab students in Germany are in an unusual position: you are often learning German at the same time as proving your English. Your attention is split, your days are full of B1 and B2 German coursework, and a class delivered entirely in a third language simply adds to the load. Having the strategy explained in Arabic when it matters removes that completely.
It also fixes the right problems. Arabic speakers lose DET marks in specific, repeatable places: Speaking answers that dry up after forty seconds because the idea was formed in Arabic then translated live; Writing that strings coordinated clauses together instead of developing one argument; dropped articles and shifted prepositions under time pressure; Read Aloud rushed because the eye is trained to read for gist; Summarize the Conversation answers that report the topic instead of the content. Add the German-specific interference that shows up after a year here — word order borrowed from German, and Anglicised German vocabulary — and you have a profile no generic class is looking for.
Our certified instructors teach every session in English, switching into Arabic exactly where strategy, timing, scoring logic or your own errors call for it; all exam terms (Read Aloud, Interactive Writing, Speak About the Photo, Summarize the Conversation) stay in English. Full content details are shared with enrolled students. Most students reach their target with focused, structured preparation.
For parents paying from Egypt or the Gulf for a student in Germany
Germany is popular with Arab families precisely because tuition at public universities is low — which makes the English requirement the real bottleneck, and the one worth handling properly.
- Pay from your own country. InstaPay or a local card from Egypt; Visa or Mastercard from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain or Jordan after you message us on WhatsApp. Ask on WhatsApp about international transfer options; we confirm enrolment to you directly.
- Check acceptance before anything else. This is the German-specific warning: many programmes do not take DET at all. Send us the programme link on WhatsApp and our instructors will look at the admission page with you first.
- One teaching team, reachable. Our certified instructors teach the whole course. You can ask them what score the programme requires and whether one round is realistic.
- You always know where things stand. We send the exact schedule of each round on WhatsApp, and every lecture is uploaded the same day as a lesson recording.
- Watch the subscore floor. German programmes that accept the DET often add a minimum on every subscore; we will point that out on the admission page so nobody plans against the wrong number.
Read next: the complete DET guide, universities accepting DET, the question types and DET vs IELTS vs TOEFL.
Frequently asked questions
Do German universities accept the Duolingo English Test?
Some do, mainly for English-taught programmes and at private or international universities — reported examples include TU Berlin, Heidelberg, FU Berlin, LMU Munich, Mannheim and Constructor University. Acceptance is programme-by-programme, so always check the admission page.
What DET score do German programmes ask for?
Published requirements range from about 90 to 120 for most listed programmes, with competitive master’s such as some TU Berlin courses asking 135 with 125+ subscores.
Does uni-assist accept Duolingo?
uni-assist only checks that your documents match what the university asked for — it is the university that decides whether DET counts. Confirm with the International Office, then submit the certificate as the checklist requires.
Can I use DET for a German student visa?
Germany has no government list of approved English tests for students; the residence permit rests on your admission letter, blocked account and insurance. If the university admitted you on a DET score, the language question is settled by that admission — confirm details with the German mission handling your case.
When do the classes run?
The standard course runs live on Zoom at a steady pace: more days, fewer hours a day. Class times are set per round and we send the exact schedule on WhatsApp; every lecture is also uploaded the same day as a lesson recording you can review.
Why do German programmes list subscore minimums so often?
Because English-taught degrees want a balanced profile rather than a high average. Treat the subscore floor as the real requirement — a strong overall score with one weak skill fails it outright.
How long is my DET score valid in Germany?
Two years, which usually covers both the winter and summer intake cycles — but check whether your programme asks for a score issued within a shorter window.
Do I still need German?
For German-taught programmes and most Studienkolleg routes, yes — you will need TestDaF, DSH or telc. DET only proves English, for English-taught programmes.
Join the next round — a new one starts almost every week. Message us on WhatsApp or send us the programme link on WhatsApp first.
Last updated: September 2026