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A Comprehensive Guide To Duolingo English Test: Universities, Requirements, Syllabus, Structure, Scores

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Sumeet Jain
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The Duolingo exam is an English proficiency test that assesses a person's language abilities in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. It can be used to improve your knowledge, find a job, or get admission in a foreign university, among other factors. This exam is extremely beneficial for those interested in studying abroad. It is a cost-effective option in which you do not need to travel and may take the English proficiency test from the comfort of your own home. The Duolingo test has proven to be a highly effective choice for students during the Covid-19 phase when they were not allowed to go outdoors to conduct such assessments.

A high-scoring Duolingo certificate can open doors! Its certificates are acknowledged by more than 3000 universities around the globe. Keep reading, as this blog will give you all the information about Duolingo test, including  Duolingo English test accepted countries, its requirements, syllabus, and pattern, along with lots of other things! 

Table of Contents 

  1. Overview of the Duolingo English Test 
  2. Why Take the Duolingo English Test? 
  3. Requirements for the Duolingo English Test 
  4. Duolingo Test Pattern and Time 
  5. Duolingo English Test Syllabus 
  6. Duolingo Test Results and Scores 
  7. Duolingo English Test Registration 
  8. Duolingo English Test Fees 
  9. Duolingo English Test Preparation 

Overview of the Duolingo English Test 

Just like any other exam conducted for studying abroad, such as IELTS, PTE, etc, the Duolingo English exam is a test that gives a report of your proficiency in English. You can use it in many universities which require English proficiency in various parts of the world. Famous universities accepting Duolingo test include Yale University in Connecticut, Duke University in North Carolina, Columbia University in New York, etc. 

There is no need for you to book the Duolingo English exam. It can be taken by you anywhere, anytime, with a click of the mouse. The level of difficulty of the questions is varied. With each successful response, the difficulty level of the next question automatically increases. The Duolingo exam will take one hour to complete.

 

Why take the Duolingo English test?

Only the thought of giving the test at home in your comfort zone, without having to commute anywhere, makes it a lucrative opportunity. You can get a certificate while sitting at home and by having to pay a really low amount. You can easily take Duolingo test. There are several Duolingo English test benefits which should encourage you to go ahead and take it. Some of them are:

  • It's an online test, so you can take it whenever you want from the comfort of your own home.
  • The Duolingo test is accepted by over 3000 universities worldwide and can be used to get entrance to undergraduate programmes.
  • Unlike other tests like IELTS or TOEFL, the Duolingo exam is completely free, and you can send it to as many universities as you like. 
  • When compared to other assessments, it is a shorter test with a simpler framework.
  • You can get your test result within 48 hours of submitting it. 

Suggested: Which exam is better: Duolingo vs IELTS vs TOEFL?

 

Requirements for the Duolingo English Test 

You do not need to meet any specific criteria or Duolingo test requirements in order to take the test. There are no standards in lieu of age, educational qualification, location, or any other factor, which should be fulfilled before taking the exam. 

To begin with the Duolingo English Test, the Duolingo English test requirements are as follows: 

  • A room which you feel has enough light and no disturbance
  • An internet connection with good speed and reliability
  • Your passport, or any other government ID
  • A computer or a laptop, with 
    • A camera
    • A microphone, and
    • Speakers

Note: It's important to keep in mind that while you can take the tests as many times as you want; however, you can only take it twice per 30 days. If a child under the age of 13 is attempting to take the test, parental approval is also required.

Suggested: List of UK Universities Accepting Duolingo! 

 

Duolingo Test Pattern and Time 

The Duolingo exam is a computer-based test. The time limit of the test is an hour. It is divided into two sections- Adaptive test and Video Interview

The Duolingo English test pattern is as follows:

Introduction

5 minutes

Adaptive Test

45 minutes

Video Interview

10 minutes

Therefore, it is safe to say that the Duolingo test time totals to around 60 minutes

In the introduction part, you are brought on board with the team of Duolingo, which helps you get comfortable and set up your system. The adaptive test gets more difficult with every correct answer that you give. It covers all the aspects of English fluency, which are listening, speaking, reading, and writing. You'll be presented with both text and audio-based questions.

 

Duolingo English Test Syllabus

The questions that come in the Duolingo English proficiency test aim to test an individual's listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills. These questions are creative in nature and require one's fluency in English rather than some crammed knowledge. 

The following are the types of questions that typically appear on the Duolingo Exam, and are suited to be included in the Duolingo English test syllabus:

  • Fill in the missing words or letters
  • Readout loud the sentence given on the screen 
  • Write a description of a given image or topic
  • Identify the correct pronunciation of the words by hearing
  • Identify the words which are the words of the Real English
  • Type what you hear
  • Write an answer in about 50 words
  • Respond to an audio question by speaking

As far as the video interview is concerned, it is a 10-minute test, where you are given a topic, such as a situation or an image on which you have to speak and record yourself while doing so. In this test, aspects such as your fluency in English and your level of speaking and understanding of English are judged. You need to make sure that your audio and video are clear and speak fluently in the interview test. 

Read: Duolingo Accepting Universities in US 

 

Duolingo Test Results and Scores 

The Duolingo English test results are given to you within 48 hours of completing the test, and the Duolingo English test validity is 2 years upon the date you receive your results. Your Duolingo English test scores are available on the Duolingo exam website, where you can have access to it by entering your login credentials. 

A result is a number or a score, which ranges from 10 to 160. According to the Duolingo scoring system, there are four ranges that determine your proficiency. Based on your score, the following conclusions are made about your proficiency level in English:

  • 10-55: You can identify basic English phrases and words.

 

  • 60-85: You can adapt to the main features and aspects as per your work-related or education-related content. You can talk about your basic details without stuttering.

 

  • 90-115: You can communicate about any topic given to you, whether you are well-versed with it or not. You can understand and talk about abstract as well as solid topics. 

 

  • 120-160: You are apt in writing as well as speaking English. You can understand all kinds of phrases, whether they are pragmatic, idiomatic, or figurative. 

Suggested: Everything You Need to Know about Duolingo Test Scores! 

 

Duolingo English Test Registration 

It is quite easy to register yourself with the Duolingo English language test. All you need to do is install the Duolingo app on your PC or visit the official site of Duolingo. The steps involved in Duolingo English test registration and taking the test after that are mentioned below:

  • Open the official website of Duolingo
  • Click on the button "take the test," which is visible in orange on the screen. 
  • You will be redirected to the app. Download it and install it on your PC.
  • Make sure that you adhere to all the requirements for the exam, such as sitting in a well-lit room with no disturbance, with your computer's front camera and microphone on. 
  • The app will ask you to check your microphone, speaker, and camera. Do as instructed. 
  • Upload all the documents required by Duolingo to register for the test. 
  • Please create an account with all your information in it. Choose why you want to take the test. 
  • Your Duolingo account will be created. Now moving on to the payment process, you will need to pay 3,605 INR to take the test. 

After following all the steps, you can give the test. You will first be given 5 minutes to set up your system, read the instructions and get onboard. After that, the test will begin. Although you are given 60 minutes to complete the test, you can finish it before that as well. Once your account has been created, you can use it to book Duolingo test, and take it as many times as you want. You only need to pay the fee and get on with the test. 

 

Duolingo English Test Fees

The Duolingo Exam fees is 3,605 INR in India. However, there is no additional charge for mailing the results to universities. Duolingo allows you to send your results to as many universities as you want without paying any extra fees. 

You can conveniently pay the fee with a credit card or using your Paypal account to pay the Duolingo English test fee. You must take the test within 90 days of paying the money, or your test period will expire.

This pricing is far lower than those of other examinations such as IELTS (which costs 13,250 in India) and TOEFL (which costs 13,860 in India). Also, you cannot send test results to more than four universities for free after the TOEFL test and five universities after the IELTS test. In this case, Duolingo allows you to send the scorecard of your exam to unlimited universities. 

 

Duolingo English Test Preparation 

There are numerous free mock tests available on the official website of Duolingo. However, you need to develop a test preparation strategy for the Duolingo English exam to make sure that you clear the test on the first go. The following steps may be considered helpful to facilitate your Duolingo English test preparation:

  • Read thoroughly about the Duolingo test.
  • Take as many mock tests as possible to have an idea about the exam structure and what the real exam would look like. 
  • Get handy with the Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) type of testing. 
  • Read about the types of questions that come in Duolingo. 
  • Download the official guide for the Duolingo test.
  • Practice as many speaking exercises as you can. 

 

Practice is the only way you can be thorough with the Duolingo test. The higher the level of practice, the more chances you will have of clearing the exam. 

Suggested: How to Prepare for the Duolingo Test? 

Therefore, we can see that there are many universities that accept Duolingo test, and the Duolingo test comes with many benefits. Your English proficiency can be assessed while sitting at home, and you can send your applications to as many universities or firms you wish to. Substantial spending does not deplete your pocket, and you are given the opportunity to make significantly more than you anticipated. For more information about Duolingo test, you can even contact our Yocket Counsellors

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Duolingo English Test 

What are some Duolingo test accepted countries? 

How many universities accept the Duolingo English exam? 

How much does the Duolingo English exam cost? 

What does my Duolingo score of 100 signify? 

What is the Duolingo test pattern? 

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