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If you're applying to study abroad, you'll need to prove your English. That usually means picking one of three tests: the TOEFL iBT, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test.
They all measure the same thing, whether you can handle academic English. But they differ a lot on format, price and where they're accepted.
The choice also looks different in 2026. The TOEFL just went through its biggest redesign in over a decade.
Here's how the three compare.
Quick comparison
| TOEFL iBT | IELTS Academic | Duolingo English Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run by | ETS | British Council / IDP / Cambridge | Duolingo |
| Length | About 90 minutes | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 1 hour |
| Where you take it | Test center or at home | Test center (or IELTS Online in some regions) | At home, on demand |
| Format | Adaptive Reading and Listening | Fixed, four sections | Fully adaptive, AI-scored |
| Speaking | Recorded responses | Live interview with an examiner | Recorded, plus a short video interview |
| Score scale | Bands 1 to 6 (0 to 120 also shown until 2028) | Bands 1 to 9 | 10 to 160 |
| Results | Within about 72 hours | 1 to 5 days on computer, longer on paper | About 48 hours |
| Typical cost | Higher, varies by country | Higher, varies by country | Much lower, around $65 to $70 |
| Score validity | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years |
Prices change by country and over time, so check the current fee for your test location before you book.
TOEFL iBT: shorter and adaptive
The TOEFL is run by ETS. It's long been one of the most widely accepted English tests for university admissions.
Since January 2026, it's also quite a different test from the one most people remember.
It now takes about 90 minutes instead of roughly two hours. The Reading and Listening sections are adaptive, so the questions get harder or easier depending on how you're doing.
The old 0 to 120 score is gone too. You now get a band from 1 to 6, in half-point steps, lined up with the CEFR levels. Your overall score is the average of the four sections.
Until 2028, score reports show both the new band and the old 0 to 120 number. That way universities can compare it with the ranges they already use.
Results arrive within about 72 hours.
It still tests the same four skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. The task types have changed, though, with new ones like "Complete the Words" and reading passages based on everyday English.
Reading and Listening are the sections that adapt and move fast, so they're the ones worth practicing under real timing.
Career Employer's free TOEFL practice test is a simple way to get used to the pacing and question types. It comes with answer explanations and a readiness score, so you can see where to focus.
Best for: people who want the shortest of the traditional tests, don't mind typing their answers, and are applying to schools that accept ETS scores.
IELTS: the widest acceptance, and a real person to talk to
IELTS comes in two versions. Academic is for university admission and professional registration. General Training is more common for work and migration.
Listening and Speaking are the same in both. Only Reading and Writing differ.
The full test takes about 2 hours 45 minutes: Listening (30 minutes), Reading (60 minutes), Writing (60 minutes) and Speaking (11 to 14 minutes).
What sets it apart is the Speaking section. It's a live interview with a real examiner, in person or on a video call. It's the only one of the three tests where you talk to a person.
Scores use the familiar 9-band scale in half-band steps. Your overall score is the average of the four sections.
IELTS's biggest strength is how widely it's accepted. Organizations in over 140 countries recognize it, and it's the standard for many visa and immigration routes, including UK visas.
If your plans involve immigration as well as study, that matters a lot.
Best for: people who'd rather speak to a real person, and anyone whose plans involve immigration or professional registration.
Duolingo English Test: fast, cheap, and taken from home
The Duolingo English Test is the newcomer shaking things up. You take it online, from home, whenever you want. There's no test center and no fixed appointment.
It takes about an hour. Most of that is a 45-minute adaptive section mixing reading, listening, speaking and writing tasks.
It ends with a short writing sample and a video interview that schools can watch.
Scores run from 10 to 160 in five-point steps, with subscores for Literacy, Comprehension, Conversation and Production. Results usually arrive within about 48 hours.
The big advantage is price. At around $65 to $70, it's often less than half the cost of TOEFL or IELTS, and sending your scores to schools is usually included.
The catch is acceptance. Thousands of schools accept it, and the number keeps growing, but it's still less widely accepted than TOEFL or IELTS.
It's also accepted far less often for visas and immigration.
For 2026, Duolingo tightened security too. You now need a second camera, your phone, running during the test.
Best for: people on a budget who want speed and convenience, and whose schools clearly accept it.
How to choose
Rather than asking which test is best, ask which one fits your situation:
- Start with acceptance. Check what every school, and any visa authority, on your list accepts. If one of them won't take a test, that decides it. IELTS goes furthest for immigration, and Duolingo is where you're most likely to hit gaps.
- Think about budget. If cost matters most and your schools accept it, Duolingo is the obvious pick.
- Think about speed. Duolingo (about 48 hours) and the new TOEFL (about 72 hours) are fastest, which helps if a deadline is close.
- Pick the format that suits you. Prefer talking to a person? Go for IELTS. Happy typing everything in a fast, adaptive test at home? Duolingo or the new TOEFL.
There's no single winner. Check what your schools require first, then pick the test that clears that bar most comfortably.
Whichever one you choose, timed practice with the real question types is what makes a good score reliable.
