Duolingo to CEFR Converter

The Duolingo English Test (DET) reports a 10 to 160 score in 5-point increments. Per Duolingo concordance research: 160 = C2; 140 to 155 = C1; 120 to 135 = B2; 95 to 115 = B1; 70 to 90 = A2; below 70 = A1. The mapping was published by Duolingo and validated against IELTS and TOEFL iBT score concordance studies. The DET overall is the average of four sub-scores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, Production), each on the same 10 to 160 scale.

Yes, at over 5,800 universities worldwide that accept the DET. This includes Yale, Columbia, Duke, NYU, Imperial College London, University of Toronto, ETH Zurich, and most large public and private universities in North America, Australia, and the UK. The DET became broadly accepted from 2020 onward (initially as a pandemic-era at-home alternative to TOEFL and IELTS). However, acceptance is not universal: some Ivy League programs, some specialised European universities, and most German Studienkollegs still require IELTS or TOEFL. Always check the specific university.

No, mostly not. UK Home Office (UKVI), Canadian IRCC, Australian DHA, and US Department of State do NOT accept the DET for visa English requirements. UKVI requires a Secure English Language Test (SELT); IRCC requires CELPIP, IELTS GT, PTE Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada; Australian DHA requires IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or Cambridge. The DET is for university admission English requirements only, not for visa English requirements (which are usually separate from the academic admission and require an in-person test centre).

Per Duolingo concordance research: 160 = CEFR C2 (Mastery). 140 to 155 = CEFR C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency). 120 to 135 = CEFR B2 (Vantage). 95 to 115 = CEFR B1 (Threshold). 70 to 90 = CEFR A2 (Waystage). Below 70 = CEFR A1 (Breakthrough). The mapping is overall-only; per-skill DET sub-scores follow the same scale but represent component skills (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, Production).

DET scores are valid for 2 years from the test date for university admission, in line with IELTS and TOEFL. Universities apply their own validity (most commonly 2 years). The CEFR level itself does not expire, but most institutions require a recent test because language proficiency can fade. The DET cert is delivered electronically; you send your result directly to universities through Duolingo, no separate score-report mailing required.

The DET is fully online, taken at home with AI-only proctoring (camera, screen recording, automated review), and completes in about 1 hour. IELTS and TOEFL require in-person test centres with trained proctors, human raters for Speaking and Writing, and dedicated exam slots. The DET cost is roughly $59 to $65 in 2026 vs $245 to $300 for IELTS or TOEFL. Results are delivered in 2 calendar days vs 3 to 13 days for traditional tests. The trade-off is narrower acceptance: many universities accept the DET, but visa programs do not.

The DET uses adaptive item selection and AI scoring; the test gets harder or easier as you respond, so two test-takers see different items. Duolingo publishes psychometric evidence (test-retest reliability, concordance with IELTS and TOEFL) consistent with traditional tests for an overall score, though item-by-item granularity is less transparent than IELTS or TOEFL. For most universities, the DET is treated as equivalent to a CEFR-converted IELTS or TOEFL score. For high-stakes admission decisions or specific PhD programs, some institutions still require IELTS or TOEFL specifically.

For US, Canadian, UK, or Australian university admission with no visa-related English requirement: DET is the cheapest and fastest option, accepted at 5,800+ universities. For applications that combine university admission AND a visa English requirement: take a recognised in-person test (IELTS for UKVI, TOEFL iBT for the US, IELTS Academic or PTE Academic for Australia) so one test covers both. For high-end programs (some Ivy League PhDs, German Studienkollegs, specialised European universities): TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic, since DET acceptance is narrower at the very top end.