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Duolingo Test Score 2024: Validity & Score Scale

Updated on 23 July, 2024

Akansha Semwal

Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

Duolingo test scores are increasingly becoming popular among people like you who want an education abroad. Due to the pandemic, not all students and aspirants planning to study abroad could go to offline centers and take exams such as IELTS and TOEFL. As an alternative, many universities started accepting Duolingo English test scores as one of the English proficiency tests that can be taken from anywhere.

The Duolingo test score helps universities assess and compare candidates' English language proficiency for admission purposes. It is convenient for a person to take the Duolingo exam from any part of the world, as all you need is a good internet connection and some documents.

What is Duolingo Test?

The Duolingo English Test (DET) is an internet-based English proficiency assessment. It evaluates your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The difficulty adapts as you progress through the test based on your answers to previous questions.

It's accepted by over 5000 universities, and you can take it online, anytime, without traveling to a test center, so if you want to study abroad, Duolingo is one of the most convenient tests you can take. Plus, you'll receive results within 2 days, making it a convenient and affordable option for certifying your English proficiency.

The DET has now released an update that adds further subscores to the DET scorecard for test takers. The new modification took effect on July 1, 2024. In addition to integrated subscores (literacy, comprehension, conversation, and production), the DET will offer extra Individual Subscores (speaking, writing, reading, and listening). This is intended to give test takers a more thorough idea of their level of language competency.

How to Check Duolingo Test Score

Here’s a quick way to check your Duolingo test score.

  • Once you submit your exam, you will get a notification regarding your Duolingo test score within 48 hours. 
  • You will get this notification in the email with which you registered for your test. The email will have a link redirecting you to a page where you can see your Duolingo exam score.

Another way to check your Duolingo test score is to log into the Duolingo English Test Website. You can easily view your complete test history and results. If you wish to save a copy of your Duolingo scorecard, you can do that by opening the certificate from englishtest.duolingo.com, clicking on "PRINT RESULT," and saving the certificate in the form of a PDF.

Different Sections on Duolingo Scorecard

There are five sections on the Duolingo test scorecard: Overall, Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production. All of these sections assess a test taker's ability to read and listen on a scale of 10 to 160.

Duolingo Score Scale

Duolingo has a 160-point scale, with each set of scores comparable to exams like IELTS, TOEFL, and CEFR, with detailed technical nuances. The Duolingo score scale can be understood below:-

Score Description
10 – 55 The test taker can express himself in a familiar context and understand basic and straightforward information provided to them. They can comprehend basic English nuances.
60 – 85 The test taker can comprehend the main elements of a speech or writing on everyday topics such as school and job. With some hesitation, they can explain objectives, opinions, plans, and experiences.
90 – 115 The exam taker is able to speak effectively and absorb information on a variety of topics. They can easily comprehend the main themes of both concrete and abstract writing and converse with competent speakers.
120 – 160 The test taker can comprehend a wide range of difficult written and spoken language and some specialized language situations. They can comprehend implicit, metaphorical, pragmatic, and idiomatic language and utilize it effectively and flexibly in social, academic, and professional settings.

What is Good Duolingo English Test Score?

Universities happily accept students with a score of 7 or more in IELTS, 86 or more in TOEFL, and at least a B2 grade point in CEFR. So, a good Duolingo test score is 110 or above. Anything above 120 is an excellent Duolingo exam score.

Also Read:- CEFR Level in IELTS 2024: A Comprehensive Guide

Many universities also consider a 6.6 band score in IELTS and 83/120 in TOEFL. As far as the Duolingo English test is concerned, try not to go below the 120-test score.

Universities decide what test scores are needed as part of their admissions process. So, you should get the number required by the school or program you want to attend.

Simple (10–50)

  • Knows some simple English words and phrases.
  • The person can understand simple facts and talk in everyday situations.

Intermediate (55 to 80)

  • Knows the important points of a speech or piece of writing about everyday things like school and work.
  • Can talk about their hopes, experiences, opinions, and goals, but they might pause or feel awkward doing so.

Advanced (85–120)

  • Reached most communication goals, even when talking about things not yet known.
  • Knows what the main thoughts are in both concrete and abstract writing.
  • Communicates pretty easily with native speakers.

More advanced (125–160)

  • Understands a wide range of difficult written and spoken words, even in specific situations.
  • Knows how to use symbolic, pragmatic, idiomatic, and implicit language.
  • Can change how they use words and still do it well for social, academic, and professional reasons.

Duolingo English Test Subscores

The Duolingo English Test provides detailed subscores that assess your proficiency across specific skills. These subscores offer insights into how well you have performed in different aspects of the English language. Divided into four main sections, each subscore ranges from 10 to 160. This score, expressed in 5-point intervals, is in line with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the global benchmark for language competence.

1. Literacy

It evaluates your reading and writing abilities.

2. Comprehension

Comprehension tests your skills in listening and reading comprehension.

3. Conversation

It monitors your proficiency in speaking and listening during interactive tasks.

4. Production

Production assesses your capabilities in writing and speaking, focusing on their ability to generate and express language.

These subscores collectively provide a comprehensive view of your English language skills, enabling a detailed evaluation of your performance across various linguistic domains.

Duolingo English Test Score Validity

Once the results are out, the Duolingo test score is valid for two years. The Duolingo test score is valid for two years once the results have arrived. As discussed earlier, a test taker may get their result within 48 hours via their email, or they can directly check on the Duolingo English website.

You can also send your results to the university directly from the Duolingo English Test Website.

Comparison of Duolingo English Test Results to IELTS

This comparison examines the relationship between Duolingo English Test scores and IELTS scores, providing insights into their equivalency and potential interchangeability for language proficiency evaluation.

Duolingo Test Score IELTS Academic Score
160 8.5-9
150-155 8
140-145 7.5
130-135 7
120-125 6.5
105-115 6
95-100 5.5
80-90 5
65-75 4.5
60 4
10-55 0-4

DET 2024 Results

Once you complete the Duolingo test, you'll get your scores quickly - usually within 48 hours. They'll email you your results so you can check how you did right away and share those scores with anyone you want.

Your Duolingo scores are also posted on their official website. That way, you can see your score and even look back at your test history. It's handy if you've taken the test more than once and want to compare how you've been doing over time.

Download these guides to read Offline

Duolingo Syllabus
Duolingo test pattern

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FAQs on Duolingo Test Score

What is a good Duolingo score?

A good score in Duolingo is anywhere around 120 or even more. It is usually taken as a good score in the Duolingo English Test (DET) globally at leading universities and educational institutions. Anything around 115-120 is also acceptable at most universities. However, you should aim for nothing less than 120 if possible.

Practice beforehand, and you can achieve it with sincere preparation on your end. However, always check whether your selected institution takes Duolingo English Test scores or not.

Is 115 a good Duolingo score?

Duolingo 115 is actually considered a really good score. Why is this so? The DET (Duolingo English Test), if compared with the IELTS, has corresponding scores to the latter’s bands. A score between 115 and 120 indicates IELTS 7.0 in relative comparison.

Hence, it indicates a good command over English and will get you admission into most universities. A score between 105-100 is equivalent to 6.5 in IELTS.

What is the passing score for the Duolingo English Test?

There is no such passing score for the Duolingo English Test. The minimum score is 10, and the others are 15, 20-25, 30-40, 40-50, 55-60, 65-70, 75-80, 85-90, 95-100, 105-110, and 115-120.

The highest band corresponds to IELTS 7.0. The highest possible scores in Duolingo are also 125-130, 135-140, 145-150 and 155-160. The last one is equivalent to a dream score of 9.0 in IELTS, indicating supreme proficiency in the English language.

How do I get a good score on the Duolingo test?

You should adopt a proper strategy to score more marks in your Duolingo English Test (DET). Make sure that you are learning new words and enhancing your vocabulary. Keep practicing them and understanding their meanings deeply.

Focus on listening to English podcasts, videos, audio tracks, television shows, and the like. Start reading through passages and try to note all grammatical structures and other elements. Try to catch accents as much as possible and practice your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

What is the highest score on the Duolingo English test?

The highest score band is 155-160. This equates to a staggering IELTS 9.0 band score as well. This indicates mastery over the English language, akin to being a native writer and speaker.

Getting this score, while not impossible, is really difficult and requires you to have great command over the language, phrases, figures of speech, grammar, pronunciation, spelling, and listening and picking up accents. The other high score bands include 145-150, 135-140, and 125-130.

What is the production score in the Duolingo exam?

The Duolingo scores are given between 10 and 160. The production section is a key component of this vital examination. This has marks being given between 10 and 160 as well. The score earned in this section is referred to as the production score.

It basically assesses the ability of the candidate to describe a photograph suitably. You can keep practicing before the examination with a variety of such photographs online.

Is Duolingo easier than IELTS?

It would be wrong to assume that the Duolingo test is easier than its counterparts, IELTS or TOEFL, as it is designed to check the language proficiency of the test takers.

Is 120 a good score on the Duolingo English Test?

Most universities around the world ask for 120 or above as the recommended score.

Can I get admission with a 100 score in Duolingo?

Yes, you can get admission with a score of 100 in Duolingo at many universities around the world. Yet, it is better to check the requirements of the institution you're applying to and aim for a score accordingly.

Is 150 a good Duolingo score?

Yes, 150 is a good Duolingo score. In fact, most of the top universities, like Pennsylvania State University, the University of Colorado, Harvard University, New York University, and the University of Pittsburgh, accept students with such a score.

How much does the Duolingo test cost?

The Duolingo English test is quite affordable and priced at $65. The Duolingo English test scores are made available in 48 hours to the test takers at the mailing address used at the time of registration for the test.

Is Duolingo accepted in the USA?

Yes, Duolingo is accepted in most countries, including the USA.

Akansha Semwal

Study Abroad Expert

Akansha Semwal is a content marketer at upGrad and has also worked as a social media marketer & sub-editor. Experienced in creating impressive Statement of Purpose, Essays, and LOR, she knows how to captivate the attention of Admissions Committee. Her research-driven;study-abroad articles helps aspirants to make the prudent decision. She holds a bachelor's & master's degree in Literature from the University of Delhi.

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The above tips are the Author's experiences. upGrad does not guarantee scores or admissions.