Where there’s study abroad, there's TOEFL. Or IELTS! These are big names that need scarce introduction, whereas the only reason you probably know about the Duolingo English Test is that Quora can’t help rave about it.
IELTS and TOEFL were always test-centre-based exams, but Duolingo is an online proficiency exam and the pandemic certainly seems to have accelerated the conversation around it.
With IELTS launching its online edition - IELTS Indicator and ETS launching TOEFL iBT Home Edition, it is only fair to weigh up all three to decide which one works best for you.
Here are all the questions you can ask about the three online tests and their spot-on answers. Let’s go!
IELTS Indicator is an academic IELTS test that you can take at home. The duration of the exam is 2 hours 45 mins and is similar to test centre- based IELTS in terms of questions and difficulty. It is a fully computer-delivered test and will need some technical requirements on your computer. These are nothing out of the ordinary and are standard for most online tests.
IELTS Indicator tests your listening, reading, writing, and speaking abilities in one sitting. All of the usual IELTS preparation applies to IELTS Indicator as well.
IELTS Indicator costs $149 across the world.
The score of the IELTS Indicator test ranges between 0.0 to 9.0. Every university has its own score requirements, but a score above 7 is considered to be a good IELTS score.
The test results are declared in 7 days.
A limited number of universities are currently accepting IELTS Indicator test scores as compared to TOEFL iBT Home Edition. You can check for your college in the list of universities that accept IELTS Indicator. Connect with our expert study abroad counselors to confirm if the college that you are applying to accepts IELTS scores.
The at-home edition of TOEFL has the same content, format, on-screen experience, fee ($185), and scoring as test centre-based TOEFL. Unlike IELTS Indicator, TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted the same way as their test centre version.
The test is available 24 hours a day, 4 days a week, with appointments as early as 24 hours after you register. You can also find all the details regarding the TOEFL iBT Home Edition here.
Duolingo English Test is an online English language proficiency test that is accepted by over 3000 institutions. The test costs $49 and can be taken anytime. The adaptive test takes 1 hour to complete and evaluates your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. You can check the test results in 2 days.
No, the Duolingo test measures the same skillset as TOEFL or IELTS. In addition to that, the test is fast and adaptive which means that it gets harder when you answer questions correctly and are graded accordingly.
The important thing to remember is that the exam is fast and if you skip a section, you cannot go back, and nor will you have extra time carried over for the next section.
Duolingo English Test is more or less at par with other English language proficiency tests in terms of difficulty, the test fee is also reasonable. If your university accepts the score of the Duolingo test there is no reason not to consider taking it.
A good Duolingo English Test score is between 115 to 120 and above. A 120+ Duolingo test score equals 7+ IELTS score.
Duolingo English Test is relatively a very new language test in comparison with IELTS or TOEFL, so why is it even there?
As of now, not many universities are accepting IELTS Indicator scores. So if you want to avoid test centre- based IELTS and your college is accepting the Duolingo English Test, it is only logical to attempt it. Especially if you are looking for a cheaper test.
There are also some drawbacks to Duolingo English Test. For starters the availability of practice tests and study material specifically for the test are close to none, whereas there are ample test resources available to prepare for IELTS. Connect with our counselors to know more about when to schedule your IELTS exam.
TOEFL home edition is accepted the same way as the test centre-based TOEFL, and that is not the case with IELTS Indicator. If your target college accepts IELTS Indicator score then it simply boils down to TOEFL or IELTS since the content of the online test is the same as their respective test-centre versions.
TOEFL home edition has hands down more acceptance than Duolingo. TOEFL also outweighs in terms of availability of test resources.
Both tests require good language skills and are at par in terms of difficulty. The adaptive algorithm of Duolingo makes up for the shorter time span of the exam. Still confused about which test to take? We can help. Schedule a free 15 minute free counseling session with our experts and get crystal clear prep timelines and admissions roadmap to your dream college abroad.
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