English Requirements to Study Abroad: IELTS, TOEFL & Duolingo by Country

July 2026  ·  8 min read

Almost every university in an English-speaking country asks international students to prove their English before they can enrol. That single requirement decides which test you sit, which score you chase, and how many months of preparation you need. Get it wrong, choose the wrong test or aim at the wrong number, and you can lose a whole application cycle.

This guide explains which tests are accepted where, the typical score ranges universities ask for, how undergraduate and postgraduate requirements differ, and a simple method for deciding which test to take. Treat every number here as a safe starting range, not a promise, and always check the official course page for the exact figure.

1. The three main tests you can choose from

Three tests dominate university admissions. IELTS Academic is scored on a 0 to 9 band scale and is accepted almost everywhere, including for many visa routes. TOEFL iBT is scored from 0 to 120 and is especially strong in North America, though it is widely recognised elsewhere too. The Duolingo English Test (DET) is scored on a 10 to 160 scale, can be taken from home with a fast result, and costs less than the other two, which is why its acceptance has grown so quickly.

There are others, such as PTE Academic and the Cambridge English exams, and some universities run their own internal tests. But if you build your plan around IELTS, TOEFL, or the Duolingo English Test, you will cover the vast majority of destinations. The winning move is to pick the one test your whole shortlist accepts, so you prepare once rather than three times.

2. Typical score ranges to aim for

Universities set their own minimums, but these safe general ranges give you a target to plan around:

• IELTS — roughly 6.0 to 7.0 overall for most courses, with competitive and postgraduate programmes at the top of that range or above.
• TOEFL iBT — commonly 80 to 100, with selective courses asking for 100 or more.
• Duolingo English Test — often around 105 to 120, with higher demands for competitive programmes.

Two warnings. First, many universities also set minimum section or sub-scores, so an overall score that clears the bar can still be rejected if, say, your Writing falls below the stated floor. Second, these ranges are broad guides. The only number that matters for your application is the one printed on your specific course page, so verify it there before you commit to a target.

3. United States and Canada

In the United States, TOEFL iBT has traditionally been the most familiar test to admissions offices, but IELTS is accepted just as widely now, and the Duolingo English Test is recognised by a large and growing list of institutions. Requirements vary enormously between a community college and a top research university, so range expectations rather than fixing on one number.

Canada accepts IELTS, TOEFL, and increasingly the Duolingo English Test for admission. Note that admission requirements and study-permit language requirements are separate things, and some pathways, such as certain Student Direct Stream routes in the past, have preferred particular tests. Check both the university's admission requirement and the current immigration guidance for your permit, because meeting one does not automatically satisfy the other.

4. United Kingdom and Ireland

The United Kingdom accepts IELTS, TOEFL, and a growing number of universities accept the Duolingo English Test for admission. There is an important extra layer for visas: some courses, particularly pre-degree and foundation programmes, require a UKVI-approved version of an accepted test (such as IELTS for UKVI) taken at an approved centre. For most degree courses the university can assess your English itself, but always check whether your specific course and visa route need the UKVI version.

Ireland similarly accepts IELTS and TOEFL, and many institutions now take the Duolingo English Test. Score expectations sit in the same broad ranges as the UK, with postgraduate courses asking for more. As always, the department page is the source of truth.

5. Australia and the European Union

Australia accepts IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE Academic widely, and a number of universities accept the Duolingo English Test. As with Canada, the student visa has its own English evidence rules that run alongside the university's admission requirement, so confirm both. Australian postgraduate and professional courses tend to sit at the higher end of the score ranges.

Across the European Union, a large and rising number of degree programmes are taught fully in English, especially at master's level in countries like the Netherlands, Germany, and the Nordics. These programmes usually accept IELTS or TOEFL, and many now accept the Duolingo English Test as well. Requirements vary widely by country and institution, and some universities accept prior English-medium study in place of a test, so read each programme's admissions page carefully.

6. Undergraduate versus postgraduate

Your level of study changes the number you need to hit. Postgraduate courses usually demand higher English scores than undergraduate courses, because master's and doctoral study is more reading and writing intensive and moves faster. A university might accept IELTS 6.0 for a bachelor's degree but require 6.5 or 7.0 for a related master's.

Subject matters too. Programmes with heavy communication demands, such as law, medicine, nursing, teaching, and journalism, often set the highest English bars, sometimes with strict minimum sub-scores for Speaking and Writing. When you research requirements, always match them to your exact level and subject rather than assuming one figure applies across the board.

7. How to decide which test to take

Work backwards from your applications rather than picking a test first. A simple method:

• List your target courses — write down every programme and country you might apply to.
• Record each one's accepted tests and minimum scores — including any section minimums and whether a UKVI or specific version is needed.
• Find the overlap — choose the single test every course on your list accepts, so you only prepare once.
• Consider cost, speed, and format — the Duolingo English Test is cheaper and faster from home, while IELTS and TOEFL are more universally accepted and sometimes required for visas.
• Set your target to the highest score on your list — aim for the toughest requirement so a single result covers every application.

This is exactly where a multi-destination study plan helps. On Derstina you tell the platform which countries you are applying to, and it automatically adds each country's required English exam to a single schedule with an exam-date countdown. Instead of juggling separate plans for IELTS, TOEFL, and the Duolingo English Test, you prepare for them together and always know what to study next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which English test should I take to study abroad?

Take the test your chosen universities accept and that suits how you perform. IELTS and TOEFL are the most widely recognised worldwide, and the Duolingo English Test is accepted by a growing number of institutions and is cheaper and faster to sit at home. Make a shortlist of your target courses, check each one's accepted tests and minimum scores, and pick the single test that satisfies all of them so you only have to prepare once.

What English scores do universities usually ask for?

As a safe general range, many undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0 to 7.0, TOEFL 80 to 100, or Duolingo English Test 105 to 120, with postgraduate and competitive courses sitting at the higher end. These are broad guides, not promises. Individual universities and departments set their own minimums and often require minimum section or sub-scores too, so always confirm the exact figure on the official course page.

Do undergraduate and postgraduate courses need different English scores?

Usually yes. Postgraduate courses generally ask for higher English scores than undergraduate courses because the study is more reading and writing intensive. A course might accept IELTS 6.0 for a bachelor's degree but require 6.5 or 7.0 for a master's, and research or professional programmes such as law, medicine, or teaching often set the highest bars. Check the requirement for your exact level and subject rather than assuming one number covers everything.

Is the Duolingo English Test accepted everywhere?

Not everywhere, but acceptance has grown quickly and thousands of institutions now recognise it, particularly across the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland. It is cheaper than IELTS or TOEFL and can be taken from home with a fast result, which makes it attractive. Because coverage still varies, and some visa routes prefer IELTS or TOEFL, confirm that every university on your list accepts it before you rely on it as your only test.

How does Derstina help me plan multiple study destinations?

Derstina builds a personalised multi-destination study plan that automatically adds the English exam each of your chosen countries requires. If you are applying to universities in more than one country, it folds the right tests into a single schedule with an exam-date countdown, so you can prepare for IELTS, TOEFL, or the Duolingo English Test together and see what to study next without juggling separate plans.