The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a fast, affordable, online English test accepted by 5,000+ universities. Here is everything Nepali students need to know, including whether it works for Australia and UK visas.
Reviewed by the finduni team · Last verified 15 September 2026 · Sources: Duolingo: Scoring Guide for Teachers, GOV.UK: Secure English Language Tests, Home Affairs: English language requirements, GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
What changed in this update: Corrected the claim that Duolingo is approved for the UK student visa: it is not a UK SELT. Score equivalents now follow Duolingo's official table, and an unverified table of Australian university scores was removed.
The Duolingo English Test is a computer-adaptive English proficiency test you can take from home. It is accepted by over 5,000 universities worldwide as an alternative to IELTS and PTE.
| Purpose | Duolingo Accepted? | What to Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Student Visa (Subclass 500) | ✗ Not accepted | IELTS or PTE Academic |
| University admission (most AU universities) | ✓ Many accept it | Check your university's policy |
| University admission (Go8 universities) | Varies by institution | Verify on university website |
Even if a university accepts Duolingo for admission, you will still need a separate IELTS or PTE test for your visa application. Most Nepali students choose IELTS or PTE for both admission and visa to avoid sitting two tests.
🦉 Book Duolingo Test →| Purpose | Duolingo Accepted? | What to Use Instead |
|---|---|---|
| UK Student Visa (Student Route) | Only if your university assesses English itself (degree level) | IELTS for UKVI / PTE Academic UKVI or another approved SELT |
| UK university admission | ✓ Some universities accept | Check your university's policy |
| Feature | Duolingo English Test | IELTS Academic | PTE Academic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Nepal) | NPR 10,500 | NPR 35,000 | NPR 33,000 |
| Test location | Online/home | Test center | Test center |
| Duration | ~1 hour | 2h 45min | ~2 hours |
| Results | 48 hours | Check with the test centre | 5 days |
| Australia visa | ✗ Not accepted | ✅ Accepted | ✅ Accepted |
| UK visa | Not a SELT. Degree level only, where the university assesses English itself | Not a SELT (IELTS for UKVI is). Degree level only, where the university assesses English itself | Not a SELT (PTE Academic UKVI is). Degree level only, where the university assesses English itself |
| University admission | ✅ 5,000+ unis | ✅ All unis | ✅ All unis |
Create a free account using your email address.
Upload a clear photo of your passport (recommended for international applications).
Pay NPR 10,500 through finduni.ai by eSewa or Khalti QR (or pay Duolingo directly in USD with an international debit/credit card or PayPal).
Choose any time within 21 days. The test is available 24/7 and taken from home.
Sit in a quiet room, use a laptop with a working camera and microphone. The test takes about 1 hour.
Results are typically available within 48 hours. Share your score report directly to universities from the Duolingo portal.
Minimum Duolingo scores vary by university and course, so check the university's official entry requirements page, and remember that Duolingo is not accepted for the Australian student visa.
Duolingo's official score comparison gives the most likely IELTS score for each DET score. It is not a guaranteed equivalent.
| Duolingo (DET) | IELTS | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| 160 | 8.5-9 | C2 |
| 155 | 8 | C2 |
| 150 | 8 | C1 |
| 145 | 7.5 | C1 |
| 140 | 7.5 | C1 |
| 135 | 7 | C1 |
| 130 | 7 | C1 |
| 125 | 6.5 | B2 |
| 120 | 6.5 | B2 |
| 115 | 6 | B2 |
| 110 | 6 | B2 |
| 105 | 6 | B2 |
| 100 | 5.5 | B2 |
| 95 | 5.5 | B1 |
| 90 | 5 | B1 |
| 85 | 5 | B1 |
| 80 | 5 | B1 |
| 75 | 4.5 | B1 |
| 70 | 4.5 | B1 |
| 65 | 4.5 | B1 |
| 60 | 4 | B1 |
| 10-55 | 0-4 | A1-A2 |
Source: Duolingo, Scoring Guide for Teachers.