Duolingo English Test (DET) 2026: Eligibility, Pattern, Registration, Exam Dates, Fees, Syllabus, Results

DET full form is Duolingo English Test. It is a popular english proficiency tests which is required to pass for studying or work in any English speaking countries. Apart from this, there are some other advantages of DET exam. Duolingo English Test evaluates your ability to read, write, speak, and listen to English language. This computer adaptive test is one of the well known study abroad exams to give after class XII. 

Yes, 100%. You take it at home. No test center. You need a computer with a camera. And good internet. You can do it at midnight. Just follow the strict rules. No looking away from screen.

Every single day. It is available 365 days a year. Anytime. But you have a limit. You can buy only three tests in 30 days. If you fail, you must wait. Don't waste attempts.

The difficulty level of DET for any student depends on the fluency and knowledge of English language. The adaptive format of Duolingo English Test increases or decreases the difficulty level of exam based on your answer for previous question. Having knowledge of test format, time management skills and good vocabulary can help you to get good score in English proficiency test. 

The DET introduced some minor changes in 2026 focusing on test security and accessibility. The core question types and the overall adaptive testing experience remain largely the same. Always check official DET website for current format details.

Full form of DET is Duolingo English Test. It is a popular English proficiency tests, helping students obtain admission abroad into a university or college of their choice through its score. It is called an adaptive test because the difficulty of the test questions changes on the basis of a candidate’s performance.

More than 5000+ universities in the world accepted by thousands of institutions across the world. The test evaluates a candidate’s English speaking skills in four domains, namely – Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. One can attempt the test within an hour and can get result within next 48 hours.

Duolingo English Test registration fee is USD 70 for one test in 2026. Also, you can pay USD 118 for a two-test package, which is USD 59 for each DET test.

You can take two tests and send the best result for university admission.

How difficult or easy would one find the Duolingo English Test and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) will depend upon individual factors such as one's familiarity with the test format and content, language skills, and background. The former evaluates a person's language skills in a duration less than that of the IELTS. Adaptive exercises appear in sequence and measure one's speaking, listening, reading and writing potential. On the contrary, IELTS takes more time to complete and is a traditional exam that evaluates one's English language proficiency in the aforementioned four areas.

All students who take the DET must complete all sections, including the Listening parts. There is no separate eligibility for individual sections. The test assesses all language skills combined to give one final score.

Duolingo English Test is available almost everywhere in the world. It is an online English proficiency test. You can take it from nearly any country. All you need is a reliable computer setup with internet.

There is no fixed or official eligibility for taking the Duolingo English Test. Any student from any background can appear for DET test. Also, there is no fixed age limit.

The DET is also more affordable than other English proficiency tests; it’s currently priced at less than ?5000. And what’s even better is you can send your scores to an unlimited number of institutions for free whereas, with IELTS and TOEFL exams one has to pay an additional fee for sending score reports to any educational institution other than what they are allowed at the time of registration. Currently, the Duolingo test is majorly used for admission to both graduate and undergraduate programmes in the US.

• Convenient: You can take the test online anywhere, anytime—no traveling to a test center  or appointment needed.
• Fast: Duolingo Test takers can get their results within two days of completing the test, and share them with anyone, immediately.
• Affordable: You can receive your score and interview for only $65*, while most other certification tests cost more than $200.

To take Duolingo at home, you need to have

• Computer with microphone, speakers and camera.
• Your camera should be at the top middle of your monitor or screen.
• A phone with a camera to record your computer during test.
• Working internet connection.

Yes, you need two cameras at the time of taking your Duolingo English Test. 

• First Camera: This camera will be your personal computer's webcam. This will tracks your face, eye movement, and general behavior.
• Secondary Camera: It can be a smartphone or tablet placed on a stable surface. To capture both your screen and keyboard.

This action is needed for credible proctoring.

There are mulitple changes announced and introduced for Duolingo English Test. Some of them are mentioned below:

1. Duolingo introduced sub scores section from July 1, 2024 to provide additional Individual Subscores (Speaking, Writing, Reading, and Listening) alongside integrated subscores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production).
2. Duolingo is going to use AI for DET test to provide a fast, high-quality, and secure language assessment to anyone.

At the time of registering for Duolingo English Test, you need to have your passport. According to the official website, no other document is valid. It means, no Adhar card or PAN card is accepted.

Yes! The Duolingo English Test is one of the popular English proficiency exams to study or work in English-speaking countries. Anyone with any educational background can take the DET test. There is no fixed eligibility for DET test takers. It is a popular alternative to IELTS, TOEFL and other English proficiency tests. 

A straightforward process, booking a Duolingo English Test (DET) is not a hard not to crack. DET is an online test which one can take from anywhere and at anytime. If you wish to appear for the exam, you will have to book a slot for the same. One can do so at the time of registration. You will obtain an email confirmation of the registration along with further instructions. One does not need to take an appointment to take the test or visit a test venue in order to take the DET as the same is online. After the registration for DET is done, one can take the test within 21 days.   

It is super simple. Go to the Duolingo English Test website. Make an account with your email. You need a passport or ID. Click buy. The fee is $59. Pay with a card. You can start the test immediately. No waiting lines.

Yes, you can appear for the Duolingo English Test every month. According to the rules of Duolingo, you can appear for English test 3 times in 30 days. No test taker can attempt more than 3 times in one month span. This is the only limit on appearance in Duolingo English Test.

No, there are no scheduled or fixed dates for taking Duolingo like others. You can take Duolingo anytime from anywhere there is no problem. You can register and take exam on spot on your laptop.

There is no fixed date and time for Duolingo English Test. Student can take this English proficiency test 24*7. So, you have option to take the test according to your preffered time.  After completeing the test, you will get your score card in just 48 hours or less than that.

After buying DET test, you can take it immediately or within 90 days. There is no waiting period. You can start the exam whenever your schedule and environment are fully ready for the 60-minute session.

It is very fast. Total time is 1 hour. Setup takes 5 minutes. The graded test is 45 minutes. Then the video interview. It is over before you get tired. Quick and intense.

Yes, there are many universities in USA accept a score of Duolingo English Test to access the English proficiency of a student. Other than admission, the Duolingo score is accepted for offering via. So, if you are planning to study in USA then Duolingo English Test is a perfect alternative to IELTS and other traditional exams.

No science books needed. Topics are general. Like hobbies, family, or travel. Maybe talk about a favorite movie. It is about your life. Just know common words. Be ready to explain your opinions.

DET test does not have a formal fixed syllabus. It assesses your overall command of English, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. It uses adaptive technology so the questions change based on your performance level.

You can not attempt DET on your mobile phone or a tablet. Test requires a desktop or laptop computer with a functioning camera and microphone hardware. This is a strict hardware requirement.

Duolingo English Test Results Time is 48 hours. After completeing this one hour test, you will receive the Duolingo score in just two days. Note that, if you need your result early then you can buy a Duolingo test with fater result. Here, you will receive your results within 12 hours of completing the test.

Once you obtain your Duolingo English Test score, the same will remain valid for a period of two years. This is standard, most high stakes tests have a two year validity period. Your expired result will still be visible on your homepage after two years but you won't be able to share it or see its certificate. Please note that the test score's validity may also depend on the specific requirements which a university would have set. It may be possible that a few institutions accept old scores, whereas some may need you to be holding current scores.

Preparing in one month is certainly possible. Since DET test is adaptive, focus on practicing all skill types daily and getting used to specific format and timing of questions. Quick preparation works well for this test.

The best way is to take the free practice test on the official website. It gives you an estimated score. You should also read English news and listen to podcasts to improve your skills. work on your typing speed because the writing section is timed. Practice describing random photos in your house to get ready for the speaking tasks.

Hardness is really subjective, honestly. The DET is much shorter and more flexible, but the questions adapt to become quite difficult. IELTS is longer and more traditional. It just depends on what test format you find easier.

Student who are appearing in the Duolingo English test should know where they stand in comparison to other English proficiency exams like IELTS. Here we have mentioned a table of comaprison where you can compare Duolingo English test score and IELTS English test score.

The major difference between the Duolingo English Test and other English proficiency exams is DET uses an adaptive algorithm. It adjusts difficulty of questions based on your performance. You will not face same question even if you appeared for the test multiple times. IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE Academic use a fixed format, where all test-takers receive the same questions in the same order.

Unlike other exams, the format of DET test is shorter and students can take this online only.

If you have not started your Duolingo English Test only then you can request for fee refund. Log in to your DET account and raise the refund request withtin 21 days of purchaging the test. Remember, after the DET test is started or the 21 days window passes, you can not ask for refund.

When you apply for admission in any university with your DET score, the admission committee needs no verification. As Duolingo itself share the scorecard of your test directly to the university through its secure portal. This is to ensure authenticity and prevent tampering.

Yes, you can send your certified Duolingo English Test score report to as many universities as you wish. It is free of charge.

Yes, Duolingo offers official practice questions on it's official website. Also, you can find other free resources it's YouTube channels. Also, you can commuincate with other test takers on plateforms like reddit and quora. This will help you to have an idea of new pattern.

Yes, one question type has been removed, and another has been replaced after the new change in the Duolingo English Test. The Read Aloud question type is being removed from the test to maintain the current test length. To maintain the test duration, updated Interactive Speaking will replace the Listen, Then Speak question type.

There is no limit on replaying audios in DET Interactive Listening. You can replay scenario audio as many times as you like. You will find the replay option at the top of the page. Once you are ready start answering the questions. 

Duolingo continuously fine-tunes all its question types. While the Listen and Respond format remains, they may update the types of audio prompts or response expectations slightly. Always review the latest official practice materials.

This section is like a conversation. You need to listen carefully to the prompt. Yoy have to keep your answer open-ended, not just yes or no. Give detailed answers. Talk like that, you are talking to a real person.