Reviewed by the finduni team · Last verified 15 September 2026 · Sources: Home Affairs: English language requirements, Home Affairs: Student visa (subclass 500), GOV.UK: Secure English Language Tests, GOV.UK: Student visa, knowledge of English
What changed in this update: Corrected the claim that Duolingo is accepted for the Australian Student visa, and added the current PTE minimums from Home Affairs.
PTE Academic vs the Duolingo English Test for Australia: visa acceptance, cost, format, and which one suits Nepali students in 2026.
- PTE Academic is on the Home Affairs list of approved English tests for the Australian student visa (Subclass 500). The Duolingo English Test is not accepted for the Australian Student visa (subclass 500). Some Australian institutions accept it for admission.
- PTE Academic costs NPR 33,000 through finduni.ai and is taken at a Pearson-authorised test centre.
- The Duolingo English Test costs NPR 10,500 through finduni.ai and is taken online from home.
- You need an accepted test such as PTE for the visa itself; Duolingo only helps where a university accepts it for admission and you also hold a visa-accepted test.
- Always check your specific university's acceptance list before booking either test.
Can you use PTE or Duolingo for an Australia student visa?
No, only PTE. PTE Academic is an accepted English test for the Australian subclass 500 student visa and is recognised by virtually all Australian universities. For tests taken on or after 7 August 2025 the visa minimum is PTE 47, or 39 with at least 10 weeks of ELICOS, or a Foundation or eligible Pathway program, or 31 with at least 20 weeks of ELICOS. The Duolingo English Test is not accepted for the Australian Student visa (subclass 500). Some Australian institutions accept it for admission, but you would still need a visa-accepted test such as PTE or IELTS.
The most important rule before booking: check your offer letter or your chosen university's website, and remember the visa has its own list. University acceptance of Duolingo is not universal, and the minimum score required varies by course.
PTE vs Duolingo: cost comparison
Cost is where these two tests differ most dramatically.
The Duolingo English Test is the lowest-cost mainstream English test available to Nepali students. Through finduni.ai it costs NPR 10,500, the official price, paid in NPR by QR instead of needing an international card. There is no separate centre fee.
PTE Academic through finduni.ai costs NPR 33,000, compared with the official Nepal price of NPR 36,500, a saving of NPR 3,500.
In pure cost terms, Duolingo is several times cheaper than PTE. For a student watching every rupee, that gap is significant, but cost is only one factor.
PTE vs Duolingo: format and where you take the test
PTE Academic is a computer-based test taken at an official Pearson VUE test centre. It runs for around 2 hours and uses AI-based scoring of all four skills, speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Speaking is recorded through a microphone, not a face-to-face interview. Results are typically returned quickly, often within a few days.
The Duolingo English Test is taken entirely online on your own computer at home, with no fixed centre and no fixed date, you book and sit it when you are ready. It is shorter, about 1 hour, and uses adaptive questions plus a video interview section. Because it is taken at home, it requires a quiet room, a working webcam and microphone, and a stable internet connection, and the session is recorded and proctored remotely. Results usually arrive within about two days.
PTE vs Duolingo: scoring
The two tests use different scales, so you cannot compare scores directly. PTE Academic is scored from 10 to 90. The Duolingo English Test is scored from 10 to 160. Each university sets its own minimum on each scale, so what matters is meeting the specific number your course asks for, not comparing one test's number to the other's.
Which test should a Nepali student choose?
Consider the Duolingo English Test only if: your target university and course accept Duolingo for admission at the score you need, and you understand it will not satisfy the student visa. Because the visa needs a separate accepted test, most Nepali students applying to Australia are better served by taking PTE or IELTS once for both admission and visa.
Choose PTE Academic if: you need one test for both admission and the student visa, you prefer a controlled, distraction-free test-centre environment over testing at home, you do not have a reliable quiet space and strong internet at home, or you simply feel more confident with a longer, centre-based exam.
For the Australian student visa, the choice is between visa-accepted tests such as PTE and IELTS, not Duolingo. Let the university requirement decide first, then weigh cost and convenience.
What about IELTS?
IELTS Academic remains the most widely accepted English test of all and is worth considering alongside PTE and Duolingo, especially if you are applying to multiple universities or are unsure of every institution's policy.Through finduni.ai, IELTS Academic computer-delivered is NPR 35,000.