Almost every study-abroad application asks for proof of English, and the three names on nearly every admissions page are IELTS, TOEFL and Duolingo English Test. They test the same four skills — listening, reading, writing and speaking — but they do it in very different ways, at very different prices and lengths, and universities do not treat them identically. Choosing the wrong test can mean a rejected application even with a good score, because the university you want may not accept the test you took, or may require a higher score on it than you expected. This guide compares the three tests on verified format facts, explains which test fits which destination, and marks honestly every fee and acceptance detail you must confirm on the official test site before booking.
The three tests side by side
| Feature | IELTS Academic | TOEFL iBT (from 21 Jan 2026) | Duolingo English Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | About 2 hours 45 minutes | About 90 minutes | Shorter online test, taken at home |
| Sections | Listening ~30 min; Reading 60 min; Writing 60 min; Speaking 11–14 min | Reading ~30 min; Listening ~29 min; Writing ~23 min; Speaking ~8 min | Adaptive questions plus a video interview and writing sample |
| Scoring | 9-band scale, per section and overall | 0–120 total | Reported on Duolingo's own score scale |
| Validity | 2 years | Confirm the current validity period on ETS's official pages | Typically 2 years — confirm with your institution |
| Fee | Varies by country — confirm on the official IELTS site for Pakistan | Varies by country — confirm on the official TOEFL site | Varies by region — confirm on duolingo.com before booking; no fee is quoted here |
| Where accepted | Very widely, including UK, Canada, Australia and Germany | Very widely, especially the USA | Growing acceptance, but not universal — check each university |
IELTS Academic: the all-rounder
IELTS Academic is the safest default choice for most Pakistani students because its acceptance is the broadest: UK, Canadian, Australian and German institutions overwhelmingly accept it, and it is also accepted for many visa purposes, including the UK's Student visa when taken as IELTS for UKVI where required. Listening lasts about 30 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Writing 60 minutes, and Speaking 11–14 minutes, for a total of about 2 hours 45 minutes. The Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation with an examiner (in person or by video), which suits students who speak better to a person than to a microphone. Scores run on the 9-band scale, with half-band steps; typical overall requirements fall in the 6.0–7.5 range depending on the programme, but treat any number as typical only: the exact requirement for your programme is whatever that university's admissions page says. Results are typically valid for two years.
TOEFL iBT: the American standard, redesigned
TOEFL iBT is the test of the American university system, and it is also widely accepted in Canada and elsewhere, though less often required for UK visas than IELTS. From 21 January 2026, TOEFL iBT uses a redesigned format lasting about 90 minutes: Reading about 30 minutes, Listening about 29 minutes, Writing about 23 minutes and Speaking about 8 minutes. Scores remain on the 0–120 scale, and ETS describes a transition period running through January 2028. The test is fully computer-based, including Speaking, where you record answers to prompts rather than conversing with an examiner — an advantage if you prefer speaking to a screen, a disadvantage if you think better in conversation. Only your university's stated minimum counts; a score that clears one university can fall short at another, and some programmes set section minimums as well as a total. Confirm the current fee, score reporting and validity details on ETS's official TOEFL pages before booking.
Duolingo English Test: the fast, cheap challenger — with limits
Duolingo English Test is the newest of the three and the most convenient: it is taken online at home, on your own computer, with results usually available within a few days, and it is generally the cheapest of the three tests. Its format is adaptive — the questions get harder or easier depending on your answers — and it includes a video interview and a writing sample that universities can view alongside the score. That convenience comes with two serious limits. First, acceptance is not universal: many universities accept Duolingo, especially in the USA, but many others, and several visa authorities, do not accept it at all, or accept it only for admission and not for the visa. Second, the exact fee and the minimum score each university requires are not stated in this guide, deliberately: both vary. Before booking Duolingo, confirm the current fee on duolingo.com, confirm that every university on your list accepts it, and confirm each university's minimum score on its own admissions page. If any university on your list does not accept Duolingo, take IELTS or TOEFL instead.
Which test should you take?
Going to the UK? IELTS, and IELTS for UKVI if your university or visa route requires it — check which version your offer specifies. Going to the USA? TOEFL iBT is the traditional choice, but IELTS is accepted by most American universities and Duolingo by a growing number; choose by acceptance at your specific universities, not by reputation. Going to Canada? IELTS Academic (General Training for some immigration routes) and TOEFL are both standard; Duolingo is accepted by some institutions but not all. Going to Germany? IELTS or TOEFL for English-taught programmes, at the level the programme states. Applying to many countries at once? IELTS Academic gives the widest coverage with a single test. Short on time or money? Duolingo is worth considering only if every university on your list accepts it — verify first, as above. And whatever you choose, check the visa rules separately from the university rules: a university may accept a test that the visa authority does not.
How to prepare, whichever test you pick
Preparation mistakes are the same across all three tests. First, students prepare for the wrong skill: they read grammar books when their weakest score is Speaking or Writing, the two productive skills. Take a timed practice test first, find your weakest section, and spend most of your preparation there. Second, students practise untimed. All three tests punish slow reading and slow writing; practise under the clock from the second week, not the last week. Third, students ignore the scoring criteria: IELTS Writing rewards task response, coherence, vocabulary range and grammar accuracy, and a long essay that misses the task scores worse than a shorter one that answers it. Four to eight weeks of focused preparation is typical for a one-band or equivalent improvement; a larger jump usually needs longer.
FAQs
Which test is easiest? None is objectively easiest — it depends on your strengths. Students who speak well in conversation often prefer IELTS; students comfortable with computers often prefer TOEFL or Duolingo.
How long is IELTS? About 2 hours 45 minutes in total: Listening about 30 minutes, Reading 60, Writing 60, Speaking 11–14 minutes.
How long is the new TOEFL? About 90 minutes under the redesigned format from 21 January 2026, during a transition period through January 2028.
Is Duolingo accepted everywhere? No. Acceptance is growing but not universal. Confirm acceptance, fee and minimum score for each university before booking.
How long are scores valid? IELTS results are typically valid for two years. For TOEFL and Duolingo, confirm the current validity period on the official test site and with your institution.
Related guides on Pakunii
IELTS Academic Guide · TOEFL iBT 2027 Guide · Digital SAT 2027 Guide · UCAS Application Guide 2027
Sources and verification: IELTS Academic: Listening ~30 min, Reading 60 min, Writing 60 min, Speaking 11–14 min, total ~2h45, 9-band scale, 2-year validity. TOEFL iBT redesigned format from 21 January 2026 (~90 min: Reading ~30, Listening ~29, Writing ~23, Speaking ~8; 0–120; transition through January 2028). Duolingo: no fee and no university minimum score quoted — exact fee to be confirmed on duolingo.com and score acceptance on each university's admissions page; score requirements described only as typical ranges, never as a specific university's minimum.