Chapter 1
Overview
The Duolingo English Test is one of the English proficiency examinations that institutions throughout the world accept. Many universities in the United States have begun to accept the Duolingo test in order to enroll overseas students. This test gained popularity when institutes were unable to provide IELTS and TOEFL exams due to the global lockdown. For its simplicity, the test has been favoured by students and educators worldwide since then. This post will provide all of the relevant information regarding universities in the United States that accept the Duolingo test.
What is the Duolingo Test?
The Duolingo English Test is a cutting-edge language competence assessment tool built for today’s worldwide students and institutions. Applicants who need to demonstrate English language proficiency can take the test, which is available online at any time and from any location. It assesses all four language skills, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking, just like the traditional study abroad tests IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE.
The test is adaptive, which implies that the level of difficulty increases with each correct answer and decreases if your answer is incorrect. Even though the test lasts only about an hour, with only a few questions, it can quickly assess the test taker’s ability.
They can take the exam from home, and there is no need for an appointment because applicants can take it whenever and wherever they like. It also contains an improved portion where applicants can take a 10-minute video interview and record their responses to open-ended questions.
Why Duolingo English Test?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when students are unable to take the English Language Proficiency examinations in the test centre, Duolingo allows them to take the exam from the comfort of their own homes. Despite the fact that not all institutions recognise Duolingo test scores.
The Duolingo exam is now used mostly for entrance to undergraduate institutions in the United States. Thousands of programmes accept the IELTS and TOEFL tests. Furthermore, with Duolingo, one can transmit results to as many educational institutions as one likes for free, while with IELTS and TOEFL exams, one must pay an additional charge for sending score records to any educational institution other than those permitted at the time of enrollment.
Requirements for Duolingo Test
- A Valid ID: Passport, Drivers license, or any other Government ID.
- Well Lit Room: The room where you take the exam must be well-lit and free of noise or distractions.
- Computer: A computer with strong internet access, a front-facing webcam, a microphone, and a browser that is supported (Chrome, Opera)
Structure of Duolingo Test :
The Duolingo English Test consists of 3 parts:
Test Setup
During this stage, the Duolingo platform will assist you in configuring your laptop or computer for the test. After you buy the test, the platform will walk you through the process of installing the app. You have to log in and confirm if your camera and microphone are functioning correctly to take the test.
You have to snap a picture of your proof of identity, documents and agree to the test security measures. Duolingo will provide guidelines for each stage.
Adaptive Test
The following section of the exam is an adaptive examination in which you will be evaluated on your speaking, writing, listening, and reading abilities. This phase will take 45 minutes to complete. When you finish the test, you will be given a score between 10 and 160.
Writing and Speaking Test
This is the final section of the exam, where Duolingo will assess your speaking and writing abilities. This phase lasts for 10 minutes. You must answer a specific question in detail in the next speaking or interview portion of the test. As with the last section, you must complete it within the time limit stated by the timer.
Duolingo Scores Break-up :
The DET score ranges from 10 to 160. There are four levels of difficulty: basic, intermediate, upper-intermediate, and advanced. Let’s look at the score breakdown.
|
Score Range |
Description |
|
10-55 |
Basic |
|
60-85 |
Intermediate |
|
90-115 |
Upper-Intermediate |
|
125-160 |
Advanced |
Duolingo Test Advantages and Disadvantages :
Advantages
- A less expensive test at $49 USD
- You can take the test from the comfort of your own home.
- You can take the test whenever you like.
- The examination does not last long.
- Objectivity
- Lots of chances
Disadvantages
- There isn’t as much self-study practise.
- Technical requirements may be restrictive.
- Speaking tasks are brief and do not allow you much time to respond.
- Ungraded Portions result in an undetermined ultimate score.
Chapter 2
Universities in The USA That Accept Duolingo :
Here is a list of universities in the USA that accept Duolingo:
#1. Yale University :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
Yale University is a private research institution and a part of the Ivy League, a group of America’s most prominent institutions of higher learning. Yale University was established in 1701 by English Puritans in New Haven, Connecticut.
Undergraduates study liberal arts, which allows them to analyse and learn across subjects before committing to a major. Yale undergraduates are structured into a social structure of residential colleges, allowing them to experience the coherence and intimacy of a small school while yet benefiting from the cultural and scholarly resources of a major university.
#2. Harvard University :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 125
Harvard University was the very first institution of higher learning to be established in the modern paradigm. As America’s first university, its reputation was cemented as the only location to obtain a degree. Only the upper crust of society could manage to attend university at the time. As a result, the university’s reputation as an elite institution has endured to the present day.
#3. Cornell University :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
Cornell University is a private research institution located in New York. The aim of Cornell University is to discover, conserve, and distribute knowledge, teach the next generation of world citizens, and foster a culture of broad inquiry within and outside the Cornell community.
#4. NYU Stern School of Business :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
Foreign students at the Stern School of Business can choose from over 30 programmes at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. The business school offers five types of MBA programmes, including a dual degree. In addition, students at the Stern School of Business can undertake executive education, certificate courses, and online programmes.
The school, formerly known as the School of Accounting, Commerce, and Finance, is a division of New York University. International students from over 47 nations attend the programme.
#5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
TMIT is a private research institution located in Cambridge. MIT has been attributed with the first synthetic chemistry of penicillin, the development of sonar, the finding of quarks, and the development of magnetic core memory, which facilitated the development of digital computers.
#6. University of California Berkeley :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 115
Berkeley, a public research university, is recognized as one of the most prominent state institutions in the United States. It was created in 1868 and is part of the University of California System.
Berkeley sprang from a state constitution vision of a university that would “give even more than California’s wealth to the pride and pleasure of succeeding generations.”
Berkeley’s colors, blue and gold, were selected in 1873, with blue signifying not just the California skies and ocean, but also the Yale alumni who helped build the college, and gold symbolizing the “Golden State” of California.
#7. University of Pennsylvania :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
The University of Pennsylvania was established in 1740. It is a private university. It has a total undergrad enlistment of 9,872 students, an urban establishment, and a campus scale of 299 acres. The academic calendar is semester-based. It has ranked #8 in National Universities in the Best Colleges 2022 edition. Tuition and fees total $61,710. The Penn Quakers play in the Ivy League in much more than 25 NCAA Division I sports, and are known for their outstanding basketball and lacrosse teams.
#8. Johns Hopkins University :
Minimum Duolingo Score Required: 120
Johns Hopkins University, established in 1876, is a private university. It has a net undergraduate enrollment of 6,331, is located in an urban area, and covers 140 acres. The academic schedule is semester-based. Johns Hopkins University is ranked #9 in National Universities in the Best Colleges 2022 version. Tuition & fees total $58,720.
Countries That Accept Duolingo Test :
Duolingo English Test is growing increasingly popular on a global scale. Its affordable and pleasant format has aided in its recognition and acceptance by a number of international universities. There are almost 3,000 higher education institutions worldwide that accept Duolingo English Test scores for undergraduate and graduate applications. Some of the nations where top colleges accept Duolingo English Test scores are listed below.
- USA
- UK
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Germany
How to Prepare for DET?
Take a look at our key tips for this test below:
Take a Look at The Duolingo Test Walkthrough
The ideal starting place for organising yourself. Before you begin studying, familiarise yourself with the exam by viewing a fast video tour on the Duolingo test website. In this 3-minute video, you’ll quickly learn how the exam works.
Duolingo conducts a rigorous approach and has created multiple sets of regulations for candidates because the test can be taken online. While the invigilators record and review the entire test experience. Invigilators also ensure that there is no noise or that no one is in your room throughout the test. Aside from that, candidates are not permitted to wear earphones while interacting with others. During the exam, candidates are not permitted to use a smartphone or any other device. Please follow all of the regulations or you will have to retake the test.
Take a Duolingo Practise Test
The website includes a free Duolingo sample test that takes about 8 minutes to complete. This is the easiest approach to familiarise yourself with the test by answering some sample questions and receiving an estimate of your performance!
Do Speaking Exercises
In the Duolingo Test, you will be required to speak for 1 to 3 minutes about a specified topic, as demonstrated above. This is a difficult task for many native English speakers, let alone overseas students!
But don’t worry, it’s just a matter of getting used to hearing your own voice and understanding how to rapidly prepare what you’re going to say. Now, how can you become ready for this?
Take any subject, absolutely any subject! It might be a political scenario, your favourite TV show, a favourite meal, an environmental crisis, or anything else.
Consider what you could say about it, what difficulties it would encounter, and then videotape yourself speaking out loud about it.
It may appear clunky and awkward at first, but with practise, you’ll become much more relaxed, and the words will come a lot more rapidly!
Get The Test Official Guide
We always recommend purchasing an official study guide for any test! After all, the creators of the test are the finest ones to steer you in the right way with useful hints and success strategy comments.
So, how do you obtain the official Duolingo English Test guide? It’s simple; once you’ve created an account, simply go to the website and download it!
Don’t Leave Anything for The Day Before The Test
You will need a lot of time to prepare for the test. We’d recommend starting at least one month before your probable exam date.
This way, you won’t have to stress yourself or work under duress, and your brain will have enough time to assimilate any new knowledge. If you don’t feel ready yet, don’t stress, you may take the test whenever you’re ready because there’s no need to schedule ahead of time!
Conclusion :
You must prepare yourself well for the Duolingo test. You should work on all areas of reading and listening. You may practise by listening to English podcasts, reading articles from leading publications and newspapers, and conversing in English with native English speakers.
You can also take a practise test to familiarise yourself with the types of questions you will encounter on the real test. Duolingo’s website offers a free sample test. You may take the test as many times as you wish.
