IELTS vs PTE vs Duolingo: which test is accepted where (2026)

Your friend took the Duolingo English Test at home, got 120 and received an offer from a Canadian university in two weeks. Your cousin says only IELTS works for Australia. Both can be right. The real question is not "which test is best?" but "which test is accepted by my university and by my visa authority?"

This guide compares IELTS, PTE and Duolingo for visas and universities in our 10 destinations, using official sources checked in September 2026.

The three tests in one minute

All three tests measure reading, writing, listening and speaking. They differ in where you take them, how they are marked and, most importantly, who accepts them.

• IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is run by the British Council, IDP and Cambridge. You can take IELTS Academic on paper or on computer at a test centre, or as IELTS Online at home. The Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation with an examiner. A special version, IELTS for UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration), is taken at approved centres for UK visas.
• PTE (Pearson Test of English) is fully computer-based and marked by artificial intelligence (AI) with human checks. PTE Academic is for study. PTE Academic UKVI is the UK visa version, and PTE Core is the "everyday English" version for Canada.
• DET (Duolingo English Test) is taken online at home in about one hour. It is scored from 10 to 160 and is accepted by many universities, especially in the United States and Canada.

A simple rule runs through this whole article: universities decide admission, but governments decide visas. A test your university loves may still be useless for your visa.

Two separate questions: visa and university

Before you compare prices, split your decision into two questions.

1. Does the visa authority set its own English test? Some do (Australia, the UK below degree level, Canada after graduation). Others leave English to your university (the US, Germany, the UAE, Malta and New Zealand for student visas).
2. Does your university accept the test, at the score you have? Every university sets its own list and its own minimum. Two universities in the same city can accept different tests.

Where the visa authority sets its own rule, that rule wins. Where it does not, your university's offer letter is your evidence, and the university's list is what matters.

Think about later visas too. Many students forget that Canada's Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), Australia's Temporary Graduate visa and New Zealand's residence visas have their own English rules. If you are likely to need one of those, your first test choice can save you a second test fee later.

Visa acceptance at a glance

This table shows what each destination's immigration authority says about the three tests for a student visa. "University decides" means the government does not name a test.

The pattern is clear. IELTS is accepted, in some form, for every visa route that names a test. PTE is close behind but you must pick the right version (UKVI for UK SELT purposes, Core for Canada). Duolingo is named by only one visa authority, Ireland, and works for the UK only because UK universities can assess English themselves for degree courses.

The UK rule, explained simply

The UK causes the most confusion, so here it is step by step. For a Student visa, GOV.UK says you must prove English at CEFR level B2 for degree-level study and B1 below degree level. CEFR is the Common European Framework of Reference, a six-level scale from A1 (beginner) to C2 (near-native).

If you study at degree level or above with a Higher Education Provider, the university can decide how to check your B2 level. It may accept IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, Duolingo or its own test. If you study below degree level, the university cannot do this for you. You need a SELT from the approved list, sat at an approved centre, and awarded in the two years before you apply.

So a Bangladeshi student going straight into a master's at a university that accepts Duolingo can use Duolingo. A student starting with a foundation year below degree level should book IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI instead.

Why at-home tests are a visa risk

At-home tests are convenient: no travel to Dhaka, no waiting for a seat, and fast results. But several visa authorities want a test taken in a supervised centre. Australia's Home Affairs refuses tests delivered completely online. New Zealand requires an in-person test for residence visas. The UK accepts only SELTs taken at approved locations when a SELT is needed. Ireland and Malaysia are more flexible and accept some online tests.

This is why the format you choose matters as much as the brand. IELTS Online and PTE Academic Online may be fine for many universities and for Malaysia's EMGS, but they will not help you with an Australian Student visa.

Country by country

Tap each country for the detail, including what happens after you graduate.

Which universities accept Duolingo?

Universities decide for themselves, and the list changes. Duolingo is accepted by many universities in the United States and Canada, and by some universities in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. But many strong universities still do not list it. Here are examples we confirmed on each university's own English requirements page in September 2026.

Why "accepted" is not enough

Look at the scores, not just the test name. Trinity College Dublin asks for IELTS 6.5 or PTE 69. Middlesex University Dubai asks for IELTS 6.5 or PTE 58 for postgraduate study. Victoria University of Wellington asks for PTE 58. Pearson's own table links IELTS 6.5 to a PTE minimum of 55. So each university sets its own conversion, and a PTE score that works in Wellington may fail in Dublin.

Subscores matter too. The University of Toronto wants 120 in the Duolingo Production subscore, which is based on writing and speaking. Waterloo says it will not accept Duolingo results without subscores. Always read the small print under the headline number.

How the three tests compare

Here are the practical differences for a student in Bangladesh.

A few practical points from the official pages:

• Duolingo says the whole process takes about an hour: 5 minutes for setup and ID checks, 45 minutes of scored questions and 10 minutes of writing and speaking samples. You get 21 days to take a test after you buy it, and you can buy up to three tests in any 30-day period.
• PTE results can be shared with as many institutions as you like for free from your myPTE account.
• IDP Bangladesh says the IELTS fee is the same for Academic and General Training, and for paper and computer.

Duolingo describes itself as "a fraction of the cost of other tests", but it does not show the price on its public pages. Check the current price in your account before you pay, and remember that a cheaper test is not cheaper if you have to take a second test for your visa.

Which format suits your skills?

Beyond acceptance, think honestly about how you perform. Many Bangladeshi students speak well in conversation but feel nervous talking to a computer. For them, the IELTS Speaking test with a real examiner can feel more natural. Others type fast, prefer short questions and like knowing that a machine marks every answer in the same way. For them, PTE may suit better.

Duolingo is short, about one hour. It needs a quiet room, a working camera and microphone, and a stable internet connection for the whole test. Duolingo's Help Center explains that a test can be cancelled if you leave full-screen mode, click on another window or lose access to your camera or microphone. If your home internet or power supply is unreliable, a test centre may be the safer choice.

Whichever test you choose, take an official practice test first. A practice score tells you far more than a friend's opinion about which test is "easier".

Score equivalences: what the official tables say

Test owners publish "concordance" tables that link their scores to IELTS. These are not university or visa rules. They only show how scores compare on average.

Two things stand out. First, Pearson's current table matches Australia's new visa minimums: IELTS 6.0 and PTE 47. Second, Duolingo's own table puts IELTS 6.5 at 120–125, which is why many universities ask for 120 or 125. Duolingo also warns that its TOEFL comparison uses the old 0–120 TOEFL scale, not the new 1–6 scale introduced in January 2026.

Want a rough idea of your own level before you pay for any test? Try our free English level check.

Which test should you choose?

Use this simple logic.

1. If your visa authority names a test, start there. For Australia, pick IELTS or PTE Academic at a centre. For UK study below degree level, pick IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI. For Malaysia, pick a test on the EMGS list.
2. If you might need a visa test later, pick one your visa authority accepts. Planning Canada's PGWP? You will need IELTS General Training, PTE Core, CELPIP or a French test, less than two years old. Hoping for New Zealand residence one day? An in-person IELTS or PTE Academic keeps that door open.
3. If only universities decide, compare your shortlist. For a US, Canadian or Irish shortlist where every university takes Duolingo, it can be the fastest and cheapest choice.
4. If your list is mixed, choose the test everyone accepts. In practice, that is usually IELTS Academic, often at a centre, and sometimes PTE Academic.

Three quick examples

Which test suits you?

Tick each statement that is true for you. The more you tick, the safer Duolingo is. If you tick few, choose IELTS or PTE.

Your step-by-step plan

1. 1
   10–12 months beforeShortlist universities and check English pages

   For each course, note the accepted tests, the overall score and every subscore. Look for words like "in one sitting" or "test centre only".

2. 2
   Same weekCheck the official visa page

   Find out whether your visa names a test, and whether it accepts at-home tests. Check later visas too, such as the PGWP or Australia's 485.

3. 3
   9–10 months beforeCheck your level

   Take our free English level check and an official practice test for your chosen exam.

4. 4
   8–9 months beforePrepare for the format

   IELTS has a face-to-face Speaking test. PTE and Duolingo use a microphone and computer scoring. Practise under real timing.

5. 5
   7–8 months beforeBook the right version

   Choose IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI only if you need a SELT. Choose IELTS General Training or PTE Core for Canadian work permits.

6. 6
   Results daySend results the official way

   Use the test owner's sending system or e-delivery. Many universities will not accept a screenshot or PDF alone.

For your full document list, see our country checklists.

Myths and a quick quiz

What to do next

1. List your universities and visa route, including any work permit or residence visa you may need later.
2. Check each university's English page and write down the accepted tests, scores and subscores.
3. Check the official visa page for your destination, using the links in this guide.
4. Find your level with our free English level check, then prepare with our IELTS guide.
5. Book the right version: IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI for a UK SELT, IELTS General Training or PTE Core for Canadian work permits.
6. If you missed one IELTS band by a small margin, read our guide to IELTS One Skill Retake before you pay for a full test.

If your list mixes countries and you are not sure which test covers everything, talk to a Luminous counsellor. We will check each university's English rule with you before you spend money on a test.