Planning to study in Ireland and do not want to appear in IELTS or TOEFL. Duolingo English Test is well well-known alternative to prove your English skills. Check out the list of Irish universities which accept the DET score for offering admission to international students.
Ireland is an English-speaking country. To study in Ireland, international students need to prove that they are proficient in the English language. IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, and the Duolingo English Test are some of the most popular English proficiency tests accepted by Irish universities. The Duolingo English Test is gaining popularity among Indian students as it is shorter, more affordable, and provides results in just 2 days.
Additionally, test takers can take the DET from anywhere at any time. All these USPs of the DET make it an alternative to the IELTS and TOEFL exams. So, if you are planning to study in Ireland and are considering the DET, this article is for you. In this article, we are going to cover information about universities in Ireland that accept the Duolingo English Test.
- Duolingo Accepting Universities in Ireland
- Why Choose Duolingo English Test to Study in Ireland?
- Duolingo Accepted Universities in Ireland: 2025 Intake
- Duolingo English Test Score Comparison
Duolingo Accepting Universities in Ireland
The score of the Duolingo English Test is accepted for more than 5500 programs, and this number is increasing. Here is the detailed list of universities:
| Universities in Ireland | Accepted For |
|---|---|
| Trinity College Dublin | UG, PG, Other (Study Abroad, IFP) |
| Dublin Business School | UG, PG |
| University College Dublin (UCD) | UG, PG, Other |
| University College Cork (UCC) | UG, PG, Other |
| Dublin City University | UG, PG |
| National College of Ireland | UG, PG |
| Griffith College | UG, PG, Other |
| Technological University Dublin | UG, PG |
| Atlantic Technological University - St. Angelas | UG, PG |
| Atlantic Technological University - Donegal | UG, PG |
| Letterkenny Institute of Technology | UG, PG |
| IBAT College Dublin | UG, PG |
| Cork Institute of Technology | UG, PG |
| Dundalk Institute of Technology | UG, PG |
| South East Technological University - Waterford | UG, PG |
| Munster Technological University | UG, PG |
| Maynooth University | UG, PG |
| University of Galway | UG, PG |
| University of Limerick | UG, PG |
Apart from this, you can check the detailed list of universities accepting duolingo english test on the official website of Duolingo.
Why Choose Duolingo English Test to Study in Ireland?
As mentioned, Duolingo English Test is a shorter, affordable and easily accessible English Test. Many top universities in the world accept the DET score for offering admission to international students. Here are some features that make Duolingo an ideal choice over other exams:
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
- Speed: Get DET results in just 48 hours after taking the exam without paying an additional fee. You can get it even in 12 hours, but you need to pay a fee. In short, no waiting weeks for scores.
- Affordability: To take the test, Indians need to pay only USD 70 (INR 6,000) as Duolingo English Test fee. It is much cheaper than IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE.
- Home Test Convenience: Test takers can take DET at any time from anywhere. No travel, no test centre needed.
- Widely Accepted by Irish Universities: Many top universities in Ireland accept Duolingo results for UG and PG admissions in 2025.
- Secure and Innovative: DET uses AI to assess candidates' proficiency well and in a secure way.
| Feature | IELTS | TOEFL | PTE | Duolingo (DET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Format | Paper/Computer + In-person | Online or Test centre | Computer-Based | Fully Online At Home |
| Duration | 2 hrs 45 mins | 3 hrs | 2 hrs | 1 hr |
| Result Time | 3–13 days | 4–8 days | 1–5 days | 48 hours |
| Fee (Approx.) | INR 18,000 | INR 16,900 | INR 18,000 | INR 6,000 (USD 70) |
| Score Range | 0 to 9 | 0 to 120 | 10 to 90 | 10 to 160 |
| Test from Home | ❌ (Some exceptions) | ✅ (TOEFL iBT Home Edition) | ✅ (Online Option available) | Fully Online |
| Speaking Section | Live with the examiner (IELTS) | Recorded responses | AI-evaluated | AI-evaluated |
Duolingo Accepted Universities in Ireland: 2025 Intake
There are three intakes in Ireland throughout the year. International students who want to study in Ireland need to apply in these three intakes. The most popular option is the September intake in Ireland (Autumn/Fall) intake. The number of courses and universities in this intake is higher than in any other intake. It attracts the majority of applicants.
Ireland also has a January (Spring/Winter) intake ideal for those who miss the main cycle or want added flexibility. However, the programs and universities are limited. This multi-intake system helps Indian students align their application with academic, test, and visa readiness.
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Duolingo English Test Score Comparison
Here, we have mentioned a table to compare the scores of Duolingo with IELTS scores and TOEFL scores. This will give you an idea, where do you stand:
| Duolingo Score | IELTS Band | TOEFL iBT Score |
|---|---|---|
| 160 | 9.0 to 8.5 | 120 |
| 150 to 155 | 8.0 | 119 to 116 |
| 140 to 145 | 7.5 | 115 to 113 |
| 130 to 135 | 7.0 | 112 to 108 |
| 120 to 125 | 6.5 | 107 to 97 |
| 105 to 115 | 6.0 | 96 to 83 |
| 95 to 100 | 5.5 | 82 to 68 |
| 80 to 90 | 5.0 | 67 to 62 |
| 65 to 75 | 4.5 | 61 to 44 |
| 10 to 60 | Below 4.5 | Below 44 |
That's all about the topic. Duolingo English Test is a widely accepted and recognised standardised test. With growing acceptance among top Irish universities and clear score comparisons to IELTS and TOEFL, DET is an excellent alternative for proving English proficiency in 2025.
For help with university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors. The comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.
While packing for Ireland as an international students keep following points in mind:
- Weather in Ireland can vary from cold, hot or rainy so you should pack appropriate clothes.
- Passport and/or ID cards (+copies)
- Proof of health insurance (+copies)
- Point of Entry Letter (in paper & digital)
- Acceptance Letter/Email (in paper)
- Credit card and/or ATM card
- Calculator, notebook, pens and whatever you need for classes
- Your Phone, power bank etc.
- Laptop
- Adapters and all essential electronics
- Toiletries and medicines
- Raincoat and/or umbrella
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Clothes you can layer for changeable weather
Here is complete student guide on Ireland.
Ireland presents with attractive post study work opportunities to international students. The international students need to be employed after they complete their education and should stay in Ireland for more than 5 years.
The citizenship of Ireland can also be obtained through other means which include investment provided you meet certain eligibility criteria.
Here is everything you need to know about post study work permit in Ireland.
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Admission Essay Writing
Student Curriculum Vitae
National College of Ireland is one of the best public research universities in the Ireland. The National College of Ireland is among the colleges that do not publish official data on the acceptance rate. However, as per some unofficial sources including EduRank, the National College of Ireland acceptance rate is 52%. This shows that NCI is moderately selective for admissions and international students may find it comparatively tougher to get into. Please note that, the data on the acceptance rate is taken from unofficial source, therefore, it is subject to vary.