Picking an English proficiency test isn’t about which one is “easier” — it’s about which one your specific target universities accept, because taking the wrong test, however well you score, doesn’t help your application at all. Here’s how the three major options actually compare.
IELTS: the safest default, especially for the UK
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is accepted by the widest range of institutions globally, and it’s the standard reference point for UK universities and UK Student visa applications specifically — many UK institutions require “IELTS for UKVI,” a specific version of the test approved for visa purposes, so check which variant your target school and visa route require before booking. It’s also near-universally accepted in Australia and Canada, and accepted by the large majority of US universities as well.
Best for: applicants targeting the UK, or applying broadly across multiple countries and wanting the single safest choice.
TOEFL iBT: strong for the US, patchy elsewhere
TOEFL iBT is preferred by a large number of US universities and by many graduate programs specifically, and is well recognized in Canada. Acceptance in the UK and Australia is narrower than IELTS — some institutions accept it, others don’t, so this isn’t a safe default if you’re applying to multiple countries with a single test.
Best for: applicants applying primarily or exclusively to US universities.
Duolingo English Test (DET): fastest and cheapest, but confirm acceptance first
DET is taken online, delivers results within days rather than weeks, and costs meaningfully less than IELTS or TOEFL — which makes it attractive when you’re budget-constrained or on a tight application timeline. Acceptance has grown quickly, particularly among US universities, but it is still not universal — a meaningful number of institutions, especially outside the US, don’t accept it at all, or accept it only for certain programs.
Best for: applicants targeting a specific, confirmed list of DET-accepting US universities, or as a fast option when time is tight — but only after checking each target school’s current policy, not as a default assumption.
The decision process that actually works
- List your target universities first, before picking a test.
- Check each university’s admissions page directly for which tests it accepts — don’t rely on third-party lists, which go out of date.
- If your list spans multiple countries, IELTS is the safest single choice to avoid taking two different tests.
- If you’re applying only to the US and confirmed DET-accepting schools, DET can save real time and money.
- Check the specific score requirement, not just whether the test is accepted — a school’s minimum accepted score and its typical admitted-student score can differ meaningfully, and scholarship programs sometimes set their own separate minimum that’s higher than the university’s.
A note on validity and retakes
All three tests have a standard two-year validity window from your test date — plan your test date so results won’t expire before your intended enrollment. If you don’t hit your target score, all three allow retakes, though spacing and cost policies differ; check the specific test provider’s current retake policy before booking a second attempt.
For how test scores fit into the rest of your application, see the Test Prep & Language Exams hub and Admissions & Applications.