2026-10-03 · Clara Dawson
Duolingo English Test for Australia: Accepted Scores by Course and the Cases Where It Will Not Work
A practical decision guide: whether Australia’s Department of Home Affairs accepts the Duolingo English Test for visa purposes, which universities accept it (with published scores), and the direct-entry and professional-course cases where it will not work.'s changed and how to apply under new rules.
A Duolingo English Test (DET) result is not a universal key to Australian study. One institution may accept it for a foundation or bridging pathway, while another excludes it from direct entry. A score may also satisfy a university’s general English requirement without establishing eligibility for a particular professional course. The decision therefore requires separate checks of visa acceptance, university acceptance, admission route, course requirements, and validity dates.
Visa requirements: DET is not an approved English test
The Australian Department of Home Affairs changed its approved English tests on 7 August 2025. For tests taken on or after that date, its accepted list includes Cambridge C1 Advanced, CELPIP General, IELTS Academic and General Training, LANGUAGECERT Academic, MET, OET, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT.
Duolingo does not appear on that approved list. A DET result therefore cannot be treated as an approved English-language test for Australian visa purposes. This conclusion concerns DET as English-test evidence; it does not determine whether other forms of visa evidence may be available.
Online delivery is a separate issue. Home Affairs says it does not accept evidence from English tests delivered completely online, including tests described as remote-proctored or at-home. It also says the tests it accepts must be undertaken at a secure test centre.
That distinction matters when applicants ask whether DET is “online”. The delivery format does not make DET eligible for visa use: it is absent from the approved list in the first place. Applicants should not infer approval from the way a test is delivered or from its appearance in an admissions-oriented directory.
For a Student visa application, keep the English-test decision separate from the university admissions decision. Passing an institutional DET requirement does not convert that result into Home Affairs-approved visa evidence.
University acceptance: start with the admission route
Duolingo’s accepting-institutions booklet describes itself as a subset of DET-accepting institutions. Its Australian listings divide institutions by route:
- Under institutions accepting DET for all programs, the booklet names the University of Western Australia, Flinders University, University of Newcastle, CQUniversity, Charles Darwin University, Charles Sturt University and La Trobe University. The booklet adds that La Trobe is not accepted for applicants from India or Pakistan.
- Under institutions accepting DET for foundation, English or study abroad programs, it names Monash University, RMIT University, Deakin University, Edith Cowan University, UNSW, Swinburne University of Technology and Macquarie University.
A foundation, English or study abroad listing must not be read as direct-entry eligibility for a bachelor’s or master’s program.
When the exam provider’s directory conflicts with a university’s own website, the university website prevails. The booklet’s “subset” limitation is important: it is not a complete statement of Australian university policy.
UNSW illustrates the conflict. Duolingo’s booklet places UNSW in the foundation, English or study abroad category, but UNSW’s official English requirements list does not include DET. For an application covered by UNSW’s official list, do not rely on DET without confirmation from UNSW.
What the institutions actually publish
Charles Darwin University
CDU explicitly lists DET in its minimum English requirements:
| Course level | DET requirement | Published acceptance limit |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate | Overall 120 | Until 14 August 2027 |
| Undergraduate | Overall 110 | Until 14 August 2027 |
These are CDU’s own figures. They should not be transferred to another university or treated as an Australian-wide DET threshold.
The acceptance date also matters. CDU labels DET acceptance as continuing only until 14 August 2027. An applicant seeking a later start should not assume that this table still applies; the date should be checked against the application and commencement timeline.
CDU also distinguishes professional courses. For nursing and midwifery, it publishes a separate PTE profile requiring overall 63, Listening 58, Reading 59, Speaking 76 and Writing 60. That is a PTE requirement, not a DET score. The page also allows certain applicants to demonstrate English through a declaration, an English test or AHPRA registration as an enrolled nurse. Consequently, CDU’s general DET figures of 120 and 110 should not automatically be presented as sufficient for its nursing or midwifery programs.
UQ College: accepted for the pathway, not direct entry
UQ College publishes the following DET score and skill profiles for its bridging pathway:
| Listed DET score | Speaking | Listening | Reading | Writing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 80 |
| 100 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 80 |
| 100 | 95 | 95 | 100 | 95 |
| 110 | 95 | 95 | 100 | 95 |
| 110 | 95 | 95 | 100 | 110 |
The repeated overall scores with different skill profiles are significant. An applicant should match the relevant course row rather than choosing a pathway using the overall DET figure alone.
The pathway restriction is explicit:
“These test results are currently accepted only by UQ College and cannot be used for direct entry to The University of Queensland.”
A DET result that meets a UQ College bridging score profile therefore does not establish direct-entry eligibility.
UQ’s direct admissions page states that most programs require overall IELTS 6.5 and 6.0 in all sub-bands, or equivalent, with higher requirements for some programs. That is a direct-entry policy, not a conversion of the UQ College DET ladder. UQ also states that test results are not the only possible evidence: qualifying study or work experience can demonstrate an English requirement.
UNSW
UNSW’s official accepted-test list does not include DET. Its PTE comparator must not be mislabelled as a DET requirement. For the Arts, Design and Architecture row, UNSW lists PTE 64 overall with no subtest below 54. UQ’s footnote about higher requirements in cross-faculty double degrees is not relevant, but UNSW separately notes that the higher English requirement applies to cross-faculty double degrees.
The practical distinction is simple: the PTE figures describe a PTE application; they do not create a DET pathway at UNSW.
Cases where DET will not work
DET is unsuitable or insufficient in several clearly defined situations:
- Australian visa evidence: DET is not on Home Affairs’ approved English-test list.
- Direct entry to UQ: UQ College expressly says its accepted results cannot be used for direct entry to the University of Queensland.
- UNSW applications covered by its current official list: DET is absent from that list, despite its appearance in Duolingo’s pathway directory.
- Direct-entry claims based only on a foundation listing: “Foundation, English or study abroad” does not establish eligibility for direct undergraduate or postgraduate entry.
- A professional course with a separate requirement: CDU’s nursing and midwifery profile, for example, cannot simply inherit the general undergraduate or postgraduate DET figure.
- An application relying on an elapsed acceptance window: CDU’s published DET acceptance has an end date, so a later application must not assume that the old permission still applies.
Validity and the DET score scale
There is no single statement in these university policies establishing a universal DET validity period for Australia.
UQ says test scores are valid for English-language-proficiency purposes for two years from the test date to commencement at the University. UNSW likewise says applicants must have completed the test no more than two years before their intended start date. These are institutional validity rules, not a DET-wide rule and not a Home Affairs visa requirement.
An acceptance deadline is different from a score-validity rule. CDU’s 14 August 2027 limit concerns whether CDU accepts DET for that pathway; it should not automatically be described as the date on which an individual DET result expires.
DET itself uses a 10–160 scale, with all scores reported in five-point increments. It measures four skills—Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking—and reports a subscore for each. Applicants should compare their overall score and skill sub-scores with the receiving institution’s published profile. They should not convert a DET score into IELTS or PTE-equivalent terms unless the institution itself provides that mapping.
FAQ
Is DET accepted for Australian visa purposes?
No. DET is not included in Home Affairs’ approved list for tests taken on or after 7 August 2025. Home Affairs also rejects evidence from completely online, remote-proctored and at-home English tests.
Does Duolingo’s accepting-institutions list guarantee admission eligibility?
No. The booklet explicitly contains only a subset. Its route labels do not replace a university’s current course requirements, and the university website prevails if the two conflict.
Can a UQ College DET score be used for direct entry to UQ?
No. UQ College states that the results are accepted only by UQ College and cannot be used for direct entry to the University of Queensland.
Is a DET score of 120 sufficient for every CDU course?
CDU lists overall 120 for postgraduate study and overall 110 for undergraduate study, with acceptance labelled until 14 August 2027. Professional programs may have different arrangements, so the individual course page must be checked.
How long is a DET result valid?
Validity depends on the receiving institution. UQ and UNSW use two-year rules, but that does not create a universal DET or Australian visa validity period. Always check the test date, intended start date and course-specific acceptance deadline.
Recommended verification and submission approach
Before submitting an application, record the exact institution, course, direct or pathway route, intended start date, DET overall score and four subscores. Then verify those details on the university’s own page. If only the exam provider’s directory supports acceptance, obtain confirmation from the university rather than assuming direct eligibility. For visa purposes, use the separate tests approved by Home Affairs.