Universities worldwide expanded acceptance of the Duolingo English Test (DET) across the 2024–2025 cycle, offering study abroad applicants a faster, at-home alternative to IELTS and TOEFL for Fall 2025–26 admissions. Acceptance lists now include thousands of programs across the US, UK, Canada, Europe and Australia, with leading US institutions and Ivy League graduate programs setting benchmarks typically at 120+ on DET’s 10–160 scale.
Growing adoption in US and UK
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US universities have integrated DET into admissions to expand access while maintaining proficiency standards, with many selective programs citing ranges from 100–130+ for 2025 entry.
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UK schools increasingly list DET alongside IELTS/PTE, with common thresholds between 105–135 depending on course level and selectivity.
Benchmarks and timelines
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Competitive programs frequently set minimums near 120–130, aligning with advanced proficiency expectations for graduate engineering, business, and STEM tracks in 2025 admissions.
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Institutions advise applicants to confirm program-level policies and target test windows aligned to September/Fall intakes, given score validity and rolling updates to accepted tests.
Policy signals from institutions
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Select European business schools have formally approved DET for 2024/25 with explicit score floors (for example, overall 130 with sectional minimums), indicating structured parity with legacy tests in defined programs.
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Official DET lists continue to update as departments adopt or refine criteria; applicants are urged to verify acceptance status directly with programs before submission.
What this means for students
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For first-time test takers and tier-2/3 city applicants, DET reduces travel and scheduling barriers while remaining widely recognized by global universities for international admissions in 2025–26.
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Students should map target program cut-offs, plan for 120+ where competitiveness is high, and keep a backup score (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE) if a short-list includes programs that do not yet accept DET.
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