1. DET to IELTS & TOEFL Conversion Table (2026)
The table below is based on Duolingo's official score concordance data, cross-referenced with independently published conversion research. The DET reports scores in 5-point increments — you will receive a score like 105 or 120, never 117 or 123. IELTS uses 0.5-band increments. All conversions are approximate: both tests measure English proficiency but use different formats, so direct equivalence varies by individual skill profile.
| DET Score | IELTS Academic Band | TOEFL iBT Score | CEFR Level | Proficiency Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 145–160 | 8.0–9.0 | 118–120 | C2 | Mastery — native-like fluency |
| 140 | 7.5–8.0 | 115–117 | C1/C2 | Expert — highly competitive for elite programs |
| 135 | 7.5 | 110–114 | C1 | Advanced — meets Ivy League and Russell Group requirements |
| 130 | 7.0–7.5 | 102–109 | C1 | Advanced — sufficient for most postgraduate programs globally |
| 125 | 7.0 | 100–101 | C1 | Upper advanced — strong for competitive graduate admissions |
| 120 | 6.5–7.0 | 95–99 | B2/C1 | Upper intermediate-advanced — meets most undergraduate requirements |
| 115 | 6.5 | 90–94 | B2/C1 | Upper intermediate — meets many undergraduate program thresholds |
| 110 | 6.0–6.5 | 83–89 | B2 | Upper intermediate — minimum for many mid-tier universities |
| 105 | 6.0 | 79–82 | B2 | Intermediate-upper — meets undergraduate minimums at many universities |
| 100 | 5.5–6.0 | 70–78 | B2 | Intermediate — acceptable for community colleges and some universities |
| 95 | 5.5 | 60–69 | B1/B2 | Intermediate — foundation year and pathway programs |
| 90 | 5.0–5.5 | 46–59 | B1 | Lower intermediate — conditional admissions at some institutions |
| 85 | 5.0 | 35–45 | B1 | Lower intermediate — pre-academic level for most degree programs |
Important note on DET 120: Duolingo's official concordance places 120 at approximately IELTS 6.5. Some universities independently map it to 7.0. The difference often comes down to your subscore profile — a 120 with a strong Production subscore reads closer to IELTS 7.0 for writing-heavy programs. Always verify directly with your target university.
2. What Your Specific DET Score Means
Because people search for individual score conversions, here is what each commonly achieved score means in practical terms for university applications:
DET 105 — IELTS 6.0 equivalent
A score of 105 satisfies the English proficiency requirement at hundreds of universities across the US, Canada, and Europe. It roughly corresponds to IELTS 6.0 and TOEFL iBT 79–82. For undergraduate programs at mid-tier universities, 105 is often the published minimum. For competitive programs and most postgraduate courses, you need at least 115.
DET 110 — IELTS 6.0–6.5 equivalent
A score of 110 is a solid undergraduate threshold. It aligns with IELTS 6.0–6.5 and TOEFL iBT 83–89. Most US state universities and Canadian mid-tier institutions accept 110 for undergraduate admission. Some master's programs at non-selective universities will also accept 110, though competitive programs typically require 120 or higher.
DET 115 — IELTS 6.5 equivalent
A score of 115 corresponds to IELTS 6.5 — the single most commonly required IELTS band for undergraduate admission globally. Achieving 115 on the DET opens the majority of university programs that publish a 6.5 IELTS minimum.
DET 120 — IELTS 6.5–7.0 equivalent
A score of 120 is the most commonly targeted DET score for university applicants. It corresponds to IELTS 6.5–7.0 and TOEFL iBT 95–99. At this level (CEFR B2/C1), you meet the admission threshold for the large majority of English-speaking undergraduate programs worldwide, including most US universities ranked in the top 100.
DET 125 — IELTS 7.0 equivalent
A score of 125 places you at IELTS 7.0 — meeting the standard requirement for most postgraduate programs globally. TOEFL iBT equivalent is approximately 100–101. This is a strong score for master's programs in the US, UK (for admissions, not visa), Canada, and Australia.
DET 130 — IELTS 7.0–7.5 equivalent
A score of 130 corresponds to IELTS 7.0–7.5 and TOEFL iBT 102–109. At the C1 CEFR level, this score is competitive for highly selective graduate programs and top-50 university admissions. For guidance on reaching 130, see our full 130+ action plan.
DET 135–140 — IELTS 7.5–8.0 equivalent
Scores in this range meet the English requirements of the most demanding academic programs, including Russell Group universities in the UK, Ivy League programs in the US, and competitive research positions. TOEFL iBT equivalent is approximately 110–117.
DET 145–160 — IELTS 8.0–9.0 equivalent
A score of 145 or above represents mastery-level English. TOEFL iBT equivalent is 118–120. Very few programs require scores this high — if you're in this range, you comfortably exceed the English requirement for virtually every university program globally.
3. What Is a Good Duolingo English Test Score in 2026?
A "good" DET score depends entirely on your specific target program and university tier. There is no universal pass mark — the DET is a proficiency assessment, and each institution sets its own minimum independently. That said, here are the practical thresholds:
| DET Score Range | What It Gets You | IELTS Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 85–100 | Community colleges, foundation year programs, conditional offers | 5.0–6.0 |
| 100–110 | Undergraduate admission at mid-tier universities (US, Canada, Europe) | 5.5–6.5 |
| 110–120 | Undergraduate at good universities, some postgraduate programs | 6.0–7.0 |
| 120–130 | Competitive undergraduate programs, most postgraduate programs globally | 6.5–7.5 |
| 130–140 | Top-50 universities, selective master's and PhD programs | 7.0–8.0 |
| 140+ | Ivy League, Oxford, Cambridge, elite research programs | 7.5–9.0 |
For most students applying to English-speaking undergraduate programs, a score of 110–120 is a solid target. For postgraduate programs at competitive universities, aim for 120–130. Anything above 130 comfortably meets the English requirement at virtually every university that accepts the DET.
4. DET Score Requirements by University Tier
The following thresholds reflect published minimums from university admissions pages and are accurate as of 2026. Individual programs within a university may have higher or lower requirements — always verify on the specific program page.
| University Tier | Typical DET Minimum | IELTS Equivalent | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy League / World Top 20 | 125–140+ | 7.0–8.0 | Harvard, MIT, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge |
| US News Top 50 | 120–130 | 6.5–7.5 | UCLA, UMich, Georgetown, NYU |
| US News Top 100 | 110–120 | 6.0–7.0 | Arizona State, Purdue, Colorado |
| Canadian Universities (top tier) | 120–130 | 6.5–7.5 | University of Toronto, UBC, McGill |
| Canadian Universities (mid-tier) | 100–115 | 6.0–6.5 | Dalhousie, Memorial, Carleton |
| UK Russell Group (admissions only) | 120–135 | 6.5–7.5 | University of Glasgow, Bristol, Birmingham |
| Australian Universities (admissions only) | 110–125 | 6.0–7.0 | University of Melbourne, UNSW, ANU |
| European Universities (English programs) | 100–120 | 5.5–6.5 | TU Delft, KU Leuven, Sciences Po |
| Community Colleges / Pathway Programs | 85–100 | 5.0–6.0 | Varies widely by institution |
Always verify before applying. University DET requirements change. Duolingo maintains a searchable list of institutions and their minimum scores at englishtest.duolingo.com/institutions.
5. Understanding Your DET Subscores for University Applications
Your DET scorecard reports eight subscores: four individual skill scores (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking) and four integrated skill scores (Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, Production). Most universities look at your overall score, but some specify subscore minimums.
| Subscore | What It Measures | Why It Matters for Admissions |
|---|---|---|
| Literacy | Reading and Writing combined | Critical for essay-heavy programs (humanities, law, business) |
| Comprehension | Reading and Listening combined | Important for lecture-based programs (sciences, medicine) |
| Conversation | Listening and Speaking combined | Key for interactive programs (education, social work, MBA) |
| Production | Speaking and Writing combined | Weighted heavily by graduate programs assessing active English use |
If a university lists a minimum DET score of 120 with "no subscore below 100," your overall score is not enough on its own — you need each of the four integrated subscores to be at least 100. Check the specific language on your target program's English requirements page.
6. The Score Conversion That Doesn't Work: DET and Visa Applications
This is the most important section for anyone planning to study in the UK, Australia, or Canada on a student visa. Converting your DET score to an IELTS equivalent is useful for university admissions — but it does not make the DET accepted for visa purposes.
| Country / Purpose | DET Accepted? | What You Need Instead |
|---|---|---|
| UK Student Visa (SELT) | ❌ No | IELTS UKVI, PTE Academic UKVI, or another approved SELT test |
| Australian Subclass 500 Student Visa | ❌ No | IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, or Cambridge C1 Advanced |
| Canadian Express Entry (IRCC) | ❌ No | IELTS General Training, CELPIP, or TEF Canada |
| Canada SDS Student Permit | ❌ No | IELTS Academic (minimum 6.0 overall, no band below 6.0) |
| US University Admissions | ✅ Yes (virtually all) | DET accepted directly — no IELTS needed |
| Canadian University Admissions | ✅ Yes (most) | DET accepted at University of Toronto, UBC, McGill, and most others |
| UK University Admissions | ✅ Partial (select universities) | DET accepted for the offer letter — separate IELTS UKVI needed for the visa |
| Australian University Admissions | ✅ Growing acceptance | DET for admissions — separate IELTS/PTE needed for the Subclass 500 visa |
The practical implication: if you're applying to a UK or Australian university, you may need to sit both a DET (for the admissions offer) and an IELTS (for the visa). Plan for this cost and timeline gap before booking either test.
7. Know Your Score Target — Then Practice for It
Understanding the conversion table is the planning step. The next step is making sure your practice score consistently reaches your target before you pay for the certified exam.
The DET is an output test — every scored task asks you to produce language under time pressure, not recognize it. Reading a score chart doesn't move your score; practicing the actual question types under timed, proctored conditions does.
Prepingo's adaptive practice platform covers all 13 DET question types with instant subscore feedback, so you can track your Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation, and Production scores separately — and know exactly which question types are holding your overall score below your target before you book the certified exam.
Know your target. Practice to it. Book when you consistently hit it in mock tests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DET score of 120 equivalent to in IELTS?
A DET score of 120 is approximately equivalent to IELTS 6.5–7.0. Duolingo's official concordance places it at 6.5, though some universities independently map it to 7.0 based on their own admissions data. The difference often depends on your subscore profile. For most undergraduate program requirements set at IELTS 6.5, a DET score of 120 meets the threshold.
What is a DET score of 115 equivalent to in IELTS?
A DET score of 115 is equivalent to approximately IELTS 6.5 and TOEFL iBT 90–94, placing you at the B2/C1 boundary on the CEFR scale. This meets the English proficiency requirement at the majority of undergraduate programs globally.
What is a DET score of 130 in IELTS?
A DET score of 130 is equivalent to approximately IELTS 7.0–7.5 and TOEFL iBT 102–109. At the C1 CEFR level, this score is competitive for top-50 university programs and most postgraduate admissions globally.
What is a DET score of 105 equivalent to in IELTS?
A DET score of 105 is equivalent to approximately IELTS 6.0 and TOEFL iBT 79–82. This meets the minimum requirement at many mid-tier universities for undergraduate admission. For competitive programs or postgraduate study, a score of 115 or higher is generally expected.
What is a DET score of 110 equivalent to in IELTS?
A DET score of 110 is equivalent to approximately IELTS 6.0–6.5 and TOEFL iBT 83–89. It meets undergraduate admission requirements at most US state universities, many Canadian mid-tier institutions, and a range of European universities with English-taught programs.
How accurate is the DET to IELTS conversion?
The conversions are based on Duolingo's official concordance study and are approximate. The correlation between DET and IELTS scores across candidates who took both tests is 0.65, meaning there is meaningful individual variation. Some candidates consistently score higher on one test than the other. The conversion table gives a reliable estimate, but the only way to know your personal equivalent is to take a practice version of both tests and compare.
Is a DET score accepted instead of IELTS for university applications?
Yes — at over 6,000 institutions worldwide, including all eight Ivy League universities and approximately 95% of US News Top 100 programs. However, the DET is not accepted for immigration purposes in the UK, Australia, or Canada. For student visa applications in those countries, IELTS or another approved test is required regardless of your DET score.
What DET score do I need for a US university?
Requirements vary by institution and program. Typical thresholds are: community colleges and pathway programs 85–100; mid-tier state universities 100–110; competitive universities ranked in the top 100 typically expect 110–120; and top-50 programs and Ivy League universities typically require 120–135 or higher. Always verify on the specific program's admissions page.
Does the DET report IELTS-equivalent scores officially?
No — Duolingo reports your DET score and subscores only. The IELTS and TOEFL equivalencies in this guide are based on Duolingo's published concordance research, which maps DET scores to CEFR levels and other tests using statistical analysis of candidates who sat multiple exams. The conversions are widely used by university admissions offices but are not a formal certification from IELTS or ETS.