Duolingo English Test preparation: format, price, scores and rules

The short answer

The DET is an adaptive English test that you take at home on a Windows or Mac computer, in about one hour. It cost USD 70 on 25 October 2026 (the price shown to a visitor in Israel), reports an overall score from 10 to 160, and sends results within 2 days. Results are valid for 2 years. Before you pay, check that your university or programme accepts it, and set up your computer and phone exactly as the rules require.

The test is separate from the Duolingo language app.

What the test looks like

First comes onboarding: a camera, speaker and microphone check, your government-issued photo ID, setting up your phone so its camera records your computer, and the rules. Then the adaptive test begins. The questions get harder or easier depending on your answers, so the number of each type varies. Duolingo's official question table gives these ranges:

The test ends with the Writing Sample (you write about a topic for 5 minutes) and the Speaking Sample (you speak at length on a written prompt, with a 3-minute timer). Both count towards your subscores, and both are shared with the institutions that receive your results; the Speaking Sample is sent as a video.

Changes from 1 July 2025: Interactive Speaking (6 to 8 questions in a simulated conversation, 35 seconds each) replaced Listen, Then Speak, and Read Aloud was removed. Interactive Listening was expanded: each conversation now starts with a scenario you hear, followed by Listen and Complete and Listen and Respond questions and a short summary. Prep material that still shows Read Aloud is out of date.

At-home rules that catch people out

• The right computer. A laptop or desktop with Windows 10 or later, or macOS 10.15 or later, running the DET desktop app. Chromebooks, ChromeOS, Linux, iPads and other tablets are not supported, and a phone cannot be the test device.
• Your phone records your computer. You set up its camera during onboarding. A new DET mobile app is being rolled out to help with this; it does not replace the desktop app.
• One quiet hour. Duolingo says you need about one hour of uninterrupted time.
• Every start counts. One purchase gives you three attempts to complete and upload a test, and starting a test uses an attempt.
• Rule violations are costly. Two on the same purchase make it expire, and a pattern of violations can lead to a one-year suspension.
• Use it within 21 days. A purchased test must be taken within 21 days.

Duolingo's official help centre has the full rules and a page for each question type.

Price and what you get

On 25 October 2026 the test cost USD 70 on englishtest.duolingo.com for a visitor in Israel. The checkout has a tax line, and we could not confirm whether the price varies by country. Faster Results (within 12 hours) "typically costs $39", says its help centre. A two-test bundle is discounted; we could not confirm its price. Payment is by major credit card, or Alipay in China.

Scores and the CEFR

You get an overall score from 10 to 160 in steps of 5, four individual subscores (Speaking, Writing, Reading, Listening) and four integrated subscores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, Production). The overall score is the average of the four individual subscores, rounded to the nearest 5. For example, Speaking 115, Writing 105, Reading 125 and Listening 120 average 116.25, which gives an overall 115.

Duolingo publishes a CEFR table, but labels it provisional: "CEFR alignment studies are ongoing, and future tables may reflect changes as research develops."

Duolingo's own comparison table puts a DET score of 160 at IELTS 8.5 to 9, 120 at IELTS 6.5 and 100 at IELTS 5.5. Its TOEFL comparisons still use the old 0 to 120 TOEFL scale.

Results, retakes and validity

• Results: within 2 days of finishing, or within 12 hours with Faster Results.
• Retakes: up to three tests in any 30-day period, and you must wait for the result of a submitted test before taking another. Old advice saying "two tests in 30 days" is out of date.
• Validity: 2 years. After that you can no longer share your result or view your certificate.

Who accepts it

Duolingo's website says the test is accepted by 6,500+ institutions, including top US universities. Its main use is university admission. Acceptance is decided by each institution, and sometimes by each programme, so read the requirement on the admissions page and note the score it asks for. If you need a test for a visa, check the government's official list of approved tests before you choose the DET. If your institution accepts several tests, compare the options in our guide to choosing an English exam.

How to prepare

1. Take the free practice test. The official practice test takes about 45 minutes, gives an estimated score range, and can be repeated as often as you like once you have a free account.
2. Learn every question type. Read the official help centre article for each type, so that no set of directions is new on test day.
3. Rehearse the setup. Install the app on the computer you will use, test the camera and microphone, and practise placing your phone.
4. Practise speaking to a timer. Record yourself describing photos and answering everyday questions, then listen back for long pauses and repeated words.
5. Practise typing. Several tasks are typed, including the 5-minute Writing Sample. Accuracy matters as much as speed.
6. Get feedback on speaking and writing. A tutor can listen to your recordings and mark your writing. On italki, which states USD 4 to 10 for a 30-minute lesson, you can book single sessions; on Preply tutors set prices from USD 3 to 100 per 50 minutes, billed every 28 days (prices on 25 October 2026).

Worked example: structuring a "Read, Then Speak" answer

As its name says, Read, Then Speak gives you a prompt to read and then asks you to speak about it. The Speaking Sample at the end works in a similar way: you speak at length on a written prompt, with a 3-minute timer. For both, a simple four-part structure stops you running out of things to say:

1. Point: answer the question in one sentence.
2. Picture: two concrete details (who, what, when).
3. Reason: why, with "because" and one example.
4. Wrap-up: one closing sentence, ideally personal.

Why this structure works

• It answers every part of the prompt: what people do there and why the place is popular.
• Signposts keep you organised: "I think it's popular for two reasons. First ... Second ..."
• It shows range without forcing it: present simple for habits, "whatever their budget", "compared with", "clear my head".
• It is flexible: if time is left, add an example to the Reason step. A memorised script rarely fits the prompt; a structure does.

Mistakes to avoid

• Testing on an unsupported device, or without the desktop app.
• Starting without an undisturbed hour: every start uses an attempt.
• Buying early and missing the 21-day window.
• Rushing the Writing and Speaking Samples, which count and are seen by institutions.
• Paying before checking that your institution accepts the DET.

Related guides

• Other tests your institution may accept: IELTS, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge English exams.
• Planning your study time: the 4-week and 12-week plans on our exam preparation hub.