Duolingo English Test – Complete Guide 2026
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a fast, affordable, online English proficiency exam accepted by over 5,700 institutions worldwide. Learn how Linguistic Academy supports your DET journey — Writing, Listening, Reading, and Speaking preparation.
What Is the Duolingo English Test?
The Duolingo English Test (DET) is a computer-adaptive English proficiency exam that can be taken remotely from home. It evaluates reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills through a series of interactive question types. The test takes approximately 60 minutes to complete and costs $70 USD, making it one of the most accessible and cost-effective options for demonstrating English proficiency.
2026 Test Format
The DET is divided into three parts: a 5-minute introduction and ID verification, a 45-minute adaptive graded section where question difficulty adjusts in real-time based on your performance, and a 10-minute unscored writing and speaking sample that universities may review. Question types include Read and Select, Fill in the Blanks, Interactive Listening, Interactive Speaking, Write About the Photo, Speak About the Photo, and Interactive Writing. As of July 2025, Interactive Speaking replaced Read Aloud and Listen Then Speak to better simulate authentic conversations.
Scoring
The DET uses a 10–160 scoring scale, reported in 5-point increments. Your score report includes an overall score plus eight subscores: four individual (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) and four integrated (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, Production). Most undergraduate programs require 105–120, while competitive graduate programs often ask for 120 or higher. Results are available within 48 hours. The test uses AI scoring with human review for quality assurance.
Acceptance
The DET is accepted by over 5,700 institutions across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and more. This includes universities such as Yale, Columbia, Imperial College London, and NYU. Always check your target program's specific score requirements before applying.
How Linguistic Academy Helps
We provide full support across all sections of the Duolingo English Test. For the Writing module, we cover Interactive Writing, Write About the Photo, and written summaries. For Listening, we cover Listen and Type and Interactive Listening comprehension. For Reading, we cover Read and Select, Fill in the Blanks, and Interactive Reading tasks. For the Speaking module, we provide structured preparation covering Interactive Speaking and Speak About the Photo to help you deliver natural, confident responses. Our team understands the adaptive format and prepares you for the full range of question types.
Aiming for a specific DET score? Contact us to check availability.
Get Started