TL;DR – What You Need to Know
- Global reach: 6,000+ universities and programmes across 50+ countries accept DET
- United States: Near-universal acceptance, including all eight Ivy League schools and roughly 98 of the top 100 US News-ranked universities
- United Kingdom: 130+ universities, including several Russell Group institutions
- Canada: 400+ universities and colleges; also recognised by Canadian immigration (IRCC) for some purposes
- Australia: 90+ universities, with some accepting DET across all programmes and others only for specific pathways
- Ireland: 15 of the country’s 18 universities, and officially recognised for Irish student visas
- Always verify at the programme level. Country-wide acceptance figures don’t guarantee your specific course accepts DET, and visa requirements are a separate question from admissions requirements
Table of Contents
- How to actually check if your university accepts DET
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Europe: Germany, Netherlands, France and beyond
- What “accepts DET” actually means
- Undergraduate vs graduate acceptance
- Common mistakes when checking acceptance
- Frequently asked questions
- Next steps
How to actually check if your university accepts DET
Before anything else: acceptance figures in this guide (and anywhere else online) are directional, not a substitute for checking your specific university and programme directly. Here’s the fastest reliable way to confirm:
- Search Duolingo’s official accepting institutions directory at englishtest.duolingo.com. This is the authoritative, regularly updated source.
- Check your target university’s admissions page directly, searching for “English proficiency requirements” or “English language requirements.” Look for DET listed by name, sometimes alongside a specific minimum score.
- Email the admissions office if DET isn’t listed. Some universities accept it but haven’t updated their published requirements page yet, particularly smaller or newer adopters.
- Check separately whether DET is accepted for your visa, not just your admission. These are two different questions with two different answers, especially in the UK and Australia (more on this below).
United States
The US has the highest concentration of DET-accepting institutions of any country, and acceptance here is close to universal. All eight Ivy League universities accept DET, and roughly 98 of the top 100 US News-ranked national universities accept it, including the University of Chicago, Duke, and UC Berkeley.
Named examples: Yale (competitive applicants typically score 120+, though there’s no strict published minimum), Princeton, University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Northwestern (130 is a reasonable target based on comparable schools), University of Pennsylvania (130+ recommended). Community colleges and state universities across Florida, Arizona, and Colorado also widely accept DET.
Worth knowing: a small number of institutions, including UCLA and the University of Richmond, accept DET only as a supplement alongside another test rather than as a standalone qualifying score. Always check whether your target school treats DET as fully standalone or supplementary.
Visa note: DET is not required for the F-1 student visa itself. USCIS doesn’t mandate a specific English test for F-1 applicants; your university issues your I-20 based on its own admissions criteria, and the visa interview assesses your spoken English directly rather than requiring a separate test certificate.
United Kingdom
More than 130 UK universities accept DET, including several Russell Group institutions such as the University of Southampton, University of Liverpool, University of York, and University of Warwick. Requirements vary significantly by programme, department, and degree level, so always check your specific course’s published minimum rather than a general country-wide figure.
Visa note, and this is the single most important caveat for UK-bound students: DET is not on the UK Home Office’s approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) list. Many UK universities will happily use your DET score to make an admissions decision, but if your specific visa route requires a SELT-approved test, you’ll need a separate IELTS UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, or another SELT-listed test for the visa itself, even after your university has accepted your DET score for admission. Once you hold a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from your university, many student visa routes don’t require an additional standalone English test, but always confirm this against your specific visa category before assuming DET alone will carry you through the entire process.
Canada
Canada has one of the largest DET-accepting university networks outside the US, with 400+ universities and colleges recognising it, including the University of Toronto and McGill. Roughly 90% of Canada’s top universities accept DET for undergraduate admission, with acceptance at the Master’s level growing steadily.
Named examples: University of Toronto, McGill, University of British Columbia, University of Alberta, University of Ottawa, plus a long list of colleges including Algonquin College, Brock University, and Bishop’s University.
Visa note: Canada’s federal government does not require a standalone English proficiency test for a study permit. Admission to a recognised Canadian institution is generally considered sufficient evidence that you meet the language requirement, which makes Canada one of the more straightforward destinations for DET-only applicants.
Australia
More than 90 Australian universities now accept DET, though acceptance patterns vary meaningfully by institution and even by specific programme within the same university. Flinders University and the University of Newcastle accept DET across all programmes. Monash University and the University of Western Australia accept it for select pathways, such as foundation courses, rather than universally across every degree.
Named examples: Flinders University, University of Newcastle, University of Western Australia, Monash University (foundation pathways).
Visa note: PTE Academic has historically had the strongest recognition for Australian student visas and immigration purposes. DET acceptance for the visa itself (as opposed to university admission) is more limited, so if your visa route specifically names an approved test, confirm DET satisfies it before relying on it exclusively.
Ireland
Ireland stands out as one of DET’s strongest destinations outside North America. Fifteen of the country’s 18 universities accept DET, including Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, NUI Galway, University College Cork, and Dublin City University.
Visa note: unlike the UK or Australia, DET is officially recognised by Ireland’s student visa authorities as valid proof of English proficiency, which removes the separate-test complication that trips up applicants heading to the UK.
New Zealand
Many New Zealand universities accept DET, and the country’s fee-paying student visa (which permits study for up to four years) generally doesn’t require separate English proficiency proof if your accepting institution has already confirmed your DET score meets its requirement.
Europe: Germany, Netherlands, France and beyond
European acceptance is more selective than the US, Canada, or Ireland, but it’s expanding steadily, particularly for English-taught programmes.
Germany: Several universities accept DET for English-taught programmes, including TU Munich and RWTH Aachen, along with many private universities and universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen). For German student visa purposes, language proof is generally tied to your university’s admissions decision rather than a separately mandated national test type.
Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Italy: English-taught programmes at a growing number of institutions recognise DET at the individual programme level, though acceptance is far from universal. Always confirm with your specific programme rather than assuming country-wide acceptance.
France: Some institutions, particularly those running international or summer programmes, accept DET, though requirements vary considerably and are less standardised than in the destinations above.
Austria: A similar pattern to France, with institutions such as Central European University accepting DET, particularly for English-taught degrees.
What “accepts DET” actually means
Not every listing of “accepts DET” means the same thing in practice. There are three distinct categories worth understanding:
Fully standalone acceptance. Your DET score alone satisfies the English proficiency requirement, no other test needed. This is the most common arrangement at institutions that list DET explicitly.
Supplementary acceptance. A small number of institutions, including UCLA and the University of Richmond in the US, accept DET only as a supplement alongside another test such as IELTS or TOEFL, not as a full standalone substitute.
Programme-specific acceptance. Some universities, particularly in Australia and parts of Europe, accept DET for certain programmes (often foundation years or specific faculties) but not universally across the whole institution.
Always establish which category your target programme falls into before assuming a “yes” on a general acceptance list translates directly into “yes, for my specific course.”
Undergraduate vs graduate acceptance
Acceptance rates differ meaningfully by degree level, even within the same country and often within the same university.
In the US, DET acceptance for undergraduate admission is close to universal among top-ranked institutions, while more than 75% of graduate programmes with high international student enrolment also accept it, a slightly lower rate than undergraduate acceptance, but still a strong majority.
In Canada, roughly 90% of top universities accept DET for undergraduate programmes, with acceptance at the Master’s level described as “growing,” implying it currently trails undergraduate acceptance somewhat.
The practical takeaway: if you’re applying to graduate school specifically, don’t assume your target university’s undergraduate DET policy automatically extends to its graduate programmes. Check the graduate admissions page separately.
Common mistakes when checking acceptance
1. Trusting a general “Duolingo accepted countries” figure instead of checking your specific university. Country-wide acceptance percentages are directional, not a guarantee for your programme.
2. Confusing admissions acceptance with visa acceptance. A university can happily use your DET score for admission while your visa route still requires a different, government-approved test, as is common in the UK and Australia.
3. Assuming undergraduate acceptance extends to graduate programmes. Check graduate-level requirements separately; they’re sometimes stricter or entirely different.
4. Missing that a university accepts DET only as a supplement, not standalone. A handful of institutions, including UCLA, fall into this category. Confirm which type of acceptance applies before relying on DET alone.
5. Using outdated acceptance lists. DET’s accepted-institutions list has grown quickly, from around 3,000 institutions in 2022 to more than 6,000 by late 2025. An older blog post or forum comment may understate current acceptance meaningfully.
6. Not rechecking closer to your application deadline. Acceptance policies do change, occasionally in both directions. A quick recheck a few weeks before you submit costs nothing and avoids an unpleasant surprise.
Frequently asked questions
More than 6,000 universities and programmes across 50+ countries, as of the most recent figures. This number has grown quickly and continues to expand.
Yes, all eight Ivy League schools accept DET for admissions, though specific competitive score expectations vary by institution, typically in the 120-130+ range for the most selective programmes.
Generally, no. DET is not on the UK Home Office’s approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) list. Many UK universities accept it for admissions, but your visa route may require a separate SELT-approved test such as IELTS UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI.
Canada’s federal government doesn’t require a standalone English test for a study permit; admission to a recognised institution is generally sufficient. This makes Canada one of the more straightforward destinations for DET-only applicants
Yes, at 90+ Australian universities, though acceptance varies by institution and programme. Some universities accept DET across all courses, while others limit it to specific pathways such as foundation programmes. PTE has traditionally had stronger recognition for Australian visa and immigration purposes specifically.
Ireland, where 15 of 18 universities accept DET and it’s also officially recognised for the student visa itself, avoiding the admissions-versus-visa complication seen in the UK and Australia.
Yes, a small number, including UCLA and the University of Richmond in the US. Always confirm whether your target institution treats DET as a full standalone qualifying score or only as supporting evidence.
Yes. Undergraduate acceptance is generally higher and more established than graduate-level acceptance, though the gap has been narrowing. Always check your specific graduate programme’s requirements separately from the university’s general undergraduate policy.
Check Duolingo’s official accepting institutions directory first, then verify directly on your target university’s admissions page, and email the admissions office if you can’t find a clear answer either way.
Selectively, and expanding. Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria all have institutions accepting DET, particularly for English-taught programmes, though acceptance is generally at the individual programme level rather than nationwide.
Next steps
Confirmed your target universities accept DET? The next step is deciding on your target score. Our DET score guidebreaks down typical requirements by university tier, with IELTS and TOEFL conversion tables.
Ready to book? Save on the test fee with a discounted Comet voucher, delivered to your inbox in under a minute. Still weighing DET against other English tests for your specific destination? See our full comparison guide.
