
Opportunities to sit IELTS are also limited. The Duolingo English Test, however, is entirely web-based, meaning you don’t have to attend an exam centre - you can complete the entire test from the comfort of your own home.

IELTS is a traditional in-person exam, which requires you to attend a specific exam centre. The main differences between the Duolingo English Test and IELTS concern location, availability and price. As above, the Duolingo English Test is designed to be a more accessible and affordable alternative to accreditations like IELTS. No, the Duolingo English Test is not the same as IELTS. You can then forward this to your institution of choice. After you’ve completed the test, you can expect to receive your certificate within 48 hours. The Duolingo English Test is also much shorter than the traditional examinations, lasting only 60 minutes. So long as you have the basic materials (which we’ll look at shortly) and enough to purchase the test, you’re good to go. The main draw of the Duolingo English Test is that it can be completed anywhere, anytime, and costs a fraction of some of the more traditional certifications. However, these methods are often expensive and not always accessible to those from lower-income backgrounds.ĭuolingo recognised this problem, and launched the Duolingo English Test in 2016.

The Duolingo English Test gives non-native English speakers the opportunity to certify that they can speak English.īefore the Duolingo English Test, certifications like TOEFL and IELTS were the go-to ways of proving to schools, universities and employers that you could speak English.
