Duolingo-Accepting UK Universities: Comprehensive Guide

Applying to a UK university? You’ll need to prove English proficiency. 

You must have heard of TOEFL and IELTS. These tests are expensive, long and hard. Have you wished for a simpler alternative?

Read this article to learn about DET. DET stands for the Duolingo English Test. This English proficiency test is relatively new and Universities only started accepting its scores in 2021. The Duolingo test pattern is much simpler. 

You can take the Duolingo English Test as a backup test if you are not confident about scoring well on TOEFL and IELTS. Or, if you are applying to Duolingo-accepting UK universities, you don’t have to put yourself through TOEFL or IELTS at all. 

This article answers 3 main questions.

• What is the Duolingo test pattern?
• Is Duolingo accepted for a UK visa?
• How to undertake the Duolingo test?
• Which are the main Duolingo-accepting UK universities?

TOEFL vs IELTS vs Duolingo test pattern

Basic of the Duolingo test pattern

Of course, the test remains the same, whether you want to use the score to apply to a Duolingo-accepting UK university, or any other university. 

As per the Duolingo test pattern, there are two sections. 

• The adaptive exam 
• Video interview 

The exam takes 60 minutes in total. There is a five minute introduction that walks candidates through the rapid setup of the test and explains its guidelines. 

To maintain the test’s lucidity, the Duolingo exam format was developed and created utilizing data forensics and artificial intelligence.

Like IELTS and TOEFL, the Duolingo English test evaluates your proficiency in all areas, including Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing.

Duolingo test pattern: The adaptive exam

This section will focus on your reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities. This graded part will last 45 minutes.

In this one segment, all question types are mixed and are distributed at random throughout the exam. 

The test provider will assign individual results for the Duolingo Adaptive test.

Note –  The Duolingo adaptive test has rules and restrictions that must be followed in order to avoid disqualification.

Important things to keep in mind:

• The DET can be taken multiple times. However, don’t expect to see the same question again. Duolingo claims that “one in a thousand tests will see a question repeated, thus ensuring that each candidate applying for the test will have a unique experience.”

• The difficulty of the questions change dynamically in the section. 

• Since there are no separate sections, a reading question might follow a writing one. Hence, you have to plan your time accordingly.

• There is no set number of questions. 

• The test will automatically end when 160 marks worth questions have been asked. 

Duolingo test pattern – Video Interview

The second part of the Duolingo test pattern is the video interview. 

You will have to write down your responses to prompted open-ended questions. 

You may be asked to describe a situation or a picture, or you may be given the opportunity to select a topic and talk for a short period of time. 

You should be well-prepared for all types of questions.  

Guidelines should be kept in mind while giving the interview.

• Make sure to be in the video frame.

• Check if your camera and microphone are working well.

• You should be audible.

• Remove any distractions from the background.

One of the biggest advantages of taking the DET is that you get your results within 48 hours of completing the test and you can share it with your Duolingo-accepting UK university immediately.

Are you anxious about doing well on the test? We understand. Doing it all by yourself can be hard. But you don’t have to.

Get help. 

Create an account with SelectRight. Attend educational webinars. Ask experts. Ask university alumni. You get real answers, from real people. 

How to undertake the Duolingo test?

It’s natural to ask ‘How to undertake the Duolingo test?’ This section covers how to undertake the Duolingo test.

To undertake the duolingo test you computer must have:

• Windows or macOS

• A front-facing camera

• A microphone

• Speakers

You should also have:

• Your passport, driver’s license or government ID

• A quiet, well-lit room

• 60 minutes of free time

• A reliable internet connection

Note: You cannot take this test from your phone. 

You can create an account on duolingo English test for free. Take the free practice test which is only 15 mins. 

After this you can purchase the test and take it anytime in the text 21 days. Before you take the test, you have to fill out a short survey.

Understanding your test score as per the Duolingo test pattern

The four scores are:

• Literacy – Ability to read and write

• Comprehension – Ability to listen and read

• Conversation – Ability to speak and listen

• Production – Ability to write and speak

Here is how scores in duolingo correlate to score in IELTS and TOEFL

Acceptance of DET

TOEFL and IELTS are usually taken because they are accepted worldwide. Which brings us to the question, how commonly is DET accepted?

DET is accepted in many universities in the UK. The next question you must have is, ‘Is Duolingo accepted for UK visa?’

Well, yes and no. DET will be accepted for the UK student visa if your university accepts it. 

In total, 64 universities in the UK accept DET. (This list is updated as on 31 July 2022.)

1. University of Surrey – Undergraduate
2. University of Roehampton – Undergraduate
3. University of Stirling
4. London College of Contemporary Arts (LCCA)
5. University of Westminster – Undergraduate Admissions
6. University of Bath
7. University of Lincoln – Pre-sessional, Undergraduate and Postgraduate
8. Birmingham City University – Pre-Sessional English
9. University of the West of Scotland – Undergraduate
10. University of Chichester
11. Sheffield Hallam University — Pre-sessional courses
12. Plymouth College of Art
13. University of Huddersfield – China Campus – Undergraduate
14. Aston University – Undergraduate
15. International College Portsmouth
16. UCFB – Undergraduate
17. Glasgow Caledonian University – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
18. SAE Institute – UK
19. ARU London
20. University of Reading
21. Imperial College London – Undergraduate
22. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) – Undergraduate
23. University of Kent – Undergraduate
24. University of Plymouth International College
25. Buckinghamshire New University
26. University of Leicester – Undergraduate
27. Bangor University Undergraduate
28. University of Exeter
29. Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
30. New College of the Humanities, London
31. University of Strathclyde – Undergraduate
32. Queen’s University Belfast
33. Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)
34. University of South Wales – Undergraduate
35. London South Bank University – Undergraduate
36. Plymouth College of Art – Pre-Degree
37. Solent University Southampton – Undergraduate
38. Navitas Pathway Colleges
39. University of Portsmouth – Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Online Pre-Sessional Programs
40. ARU College – Undergraduate
41. Anglia Ruskin University
42. University of Bristol – Undergraduate
43. University of Leicester Study Abroad
44. University of Sussex
45. University of York
46. University of Southampton – Undergraduate
47. University of West London
48. Cardiff Metropolitan University – Undergraduate
49. Bath Spa University – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
50. University of Plymouth – All Online Pre-sessional programmes
51. RED Academy London
52. SOAS University of London
53. University of Aberdeen
54. Loughborough University – Undergraduate
55. Royal Agricultural University
56. University of Bolton
57. University of The West of England, Bristol
58. Brunel University London
59. Birkbeck, University of London – Undergraduate and Postgraduate
60. Newbold College of Higher Education
61. University of Warwick – Undergraduate
62. University of East Anglia
63. Leeds Beckett University
64. Gower College Swansea

If you have been accepted into any of the above Duolingo-accepting UK universities, you can get a student visa with qualifying scores in DET. 

So many options! We know how puzzling it can be. If you are unsure about which of these Duolingo-accepting UK universities you should apply to, get expert help. We recommend creating an account at SelectRight. The university finder widget will help you get a complete download of programs from the top 500 universities. Once you have all that information with you, making a choice becomes easier. 

You have learnt how to undertake the Duolingo test, is Duolingo accepted for UK visa and Duolingo test pattern. Now, let’s move on. 

TOEFL, IELTS and DET are the three standard tests that most colleges should accept. By far, TOEFL is the most widely accepted. We advise you to take all three or at least two different tests, if your finances allow. This will ensure that even if you do badly on one test, you have the scores from a backup test that can save you. In case you do badly on all the tests there is no reason to panic. You can take all these tests as many times as you want to achieve your dream score. 

Mastering the Duolingo test pattern and getting a good score is only the beginning. There are many other important stages of your application process. With SelectRight, you can access a carefully curated directory of unbiased industry experts. Get help with various aspects of your application like SOP review, application review, and more.