Duolingo English Test Course for Students in Iran — Online with Certified Instructors

What the restriction actually says — and what it does not

Read it precisely, because the wording decides your options.

• The test is unavailable in Iran — nobody can sit it from inside the country.
• It is also unavailable to users presenting Iranian government-issued identification, which is why Iranians abroad have been affected too. Registration requires a valid photo ID, and that is where the restriction bites.
• It is a sanctions-driven restriction, not a comment on any student. Policies of this kind have changed before, in both directions.

We will not advise anyone to work around it, and you should be suspicious of any agency that offers to. If you hold a second nationality and a non-Iranian government ID, the sensible step is to ask Duolingo support directly, in writing, whether you are eligible — not to guess, and not to commit first and hope. Check the status page yourself before making any plan: it is the one source that governs.

The English requirement has not gone away

Universities still need evidence of English. What changes is which exam you can realistically reach:

• Testing outside Iran. Iranian students have long travelled to Turkey, Armenia, Georgia or the UAE for exams. Availability and ID rules differ by test and by country, so confirm with the test provider and the centre before you book travel.
• University-run assessments. Many universities accept their own online interview or in-house English assessment, especially at postgraduate level. Ask admissions directly — this is the route most often overlooked.
• Previous English-medium study. Some universities waive the test if your degree was taught in English. Get the waiver confirmed in writing before you rely on it.

In all three cases the English you need is the same English, which is why preparation is not wasted while the testing picture settles.

Where Iranian students apply, and what those universities publish

The common destinations are Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada and Australia, along with the UK and US where visas allow. For reference, these are the kinds of published DET minimums you will meet if and when the test becomes available to you again:

• University of Toronto — 120 overall with 120 in Production.
• Trinity College Dublin — 120 with 100 in each subscore; 130 with 110 for higher-band courses.
• Arizona State University — from 95 for general undergraduate programmes up to 120 for some schools.
• IE University (Spain) — minimum 130.

For Turkey specifically, acceptance is genuinely mixed — some private universities accept the DET and some refuse it outright — so check the university’s accepted-exams table before anything else. Our page on the DET in Turkey explains that pattern in detail, and UK score requirements are set out separately.

Visa rules that apply whatever test you take

• Australia: the DET is not accepted for the subclass 500 student visa, even with an academic offer.
• Canada: the SDS stream ended in November 2024; under the regular study permit the designated learning institution decides the English evidence.
• United Kingdom: the DET is not a UKVI SELT; degree-level admission normally relies on the university’s own assessment, while below-degree courses need a SELT.
• Europe: no English test on the visa itself — the university’s admission requirement governs.

Separately, sanctions and consular processing affect Iranian applicants in ways that have nothing to do with English. Plan your timeline with that in mind, and keep every confirmation in writing.

Preparing now, from Iran

Our classes are delivered online and taught fully in English by certified instructors specialised in international English exams. From Iran the practical points are these: every lesson is recorded, so a live session missed for any reason is never lost; Speaking and Writing are corrected personally, which is the part self-study cannot replace; and full mock tests come before any real exam.

Choose the shape that fits you — the standard course (more days, fewer hours a day), the intensive course (fewer days, more hours a day), or a private one-to-one course built around your level and your week. Most students writing to us from Iran take the private course, because it lets us shape the work around whichever exam route turns out to be open to you.

If your route ends up being an IELTS or a university interview rather than the DET, say so at the start and we will tell you honestly whether our course is the right fit before you commit to anything.

Paying from Iran

International sanctions mean Iranian bank cards do not work for payments abroad, and Iranian-issued cards will not process on international checkout pages. That is a banking reality, not a policy of ours. Two things that do work:

• A relative or friend outside Iran can pay for your course with a Visa or Mastercard from their own country — we only need to know which student the payment is for.
• Message us on WhatsApp at +20 105 578 5572 and we will go through the options with you directly before you commit to anything.

Course schedules are set per round — ask on WhatsApp for the next round’s details and we will contact you.