TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo: English test requirements for international applicants
Most US colleges ask non-native English speakers to prove proficiency. Which tests are accepted, when a waiver applies, and how to choose between them.
The question we keep seeing
“Do I need TOEFL if my school taught in English? And is the Duolingo test actually accepted?”
The short answer
- Most US colleges require proof of English proficiency from applicants whose first language, or whose language of instruction, isn't English.
- The widely accepted tests are the TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, and increasingly the Duolingo English Test — but each school sets its own list and its own minimum score.
- Waivers exist (native English, years of English-medium instruction, sometimes strong SAT/ACT English scores), but they vary by school. Check each one's page directly.
For applicants educated outside the English-speaking world, this is one of the first requirements to sort out — and one of the most inconsistently explained. There's no single national rule; every college sets its own policy, so the only reliable source is each school's own admissions page.
Who has to take one
Colleges generally ask for an English proficiency test when English isn't your first language or wasn't the language of instruction at your school. Some require it of all applicants holding a passport from certain countries; others tie it to your school's medium of instruction. Because the trigger differs, read the exact wording — “first language” and “language of instruction” are not the same test.
The tests most colleges accept
- TOEFL iBT (from ETS) — the longest-established option, taken at a test center or at home. Almost universally accepted.
- IELTS Academic — a widely accepted alternative, especially outside the US; note it's the *Academic* version colleges want, not General Training.
- Duolingo English Test (DET) — cheaper, taken at home, with fast results. Acceptance has grown quickly, but a few schools still don't take it, so confirm before you rely on it.
- Others — some schools also accept PTE Academic or Cambridge English. A school's page lists exactly which ones it will read.
When you can skip the test (a waiver)
Many colleges waive the requirement in specific cases, though the exact rules differ:
- You're a native English speaker, or from a country the school designates as English-speaking.
- You completed several years of schooling where English was the language of instruction.
- At some schools, a sufficiently high SAT or ACT English/Reading score, or certain AP/IB English results, substitutes.
A waiver is never automatic. If you think you qualify, confirm it with the admissions office in writing rather than simply not sending a score.
How to choose, and the logistics
- Make a small table of every school on your list and which tests each accepts, plus its minimum score.
- Pick the test accepted everywhere you're applying. If the DET isn't taken by one school, TOEFL or IELTS is the safer single choice.
- Register early. Seats at test centers fill, and sending official scores to colleges takes time — build in a buffer before deadlines.
- Send scores to each school through the test provider, the way that school specifies.
Keep this separate from visa paperwork: proving English for admission is a different step from the financial certification you'll need later for an F-1 visa.
Katalyna's college matching helps you keep each school's requirements in one place as you build a list, so a test or score requirement doesn't surprise you the week a deadline lands.
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Frequently asked
By many, and by more each year — but not all. It's cheaper and faster than TOEFL or IELTS. Confirm on each school's page before you rely on it as your only test.
Often, yes — commonly for native speakers or for years of English-medium instruction, and sometimes with strong SAT/ACT English scores. Rules vary by school; ask the admissions office to confirm rather than assuming.
Either is widely accepted. Choose based on which is easier for you to take and which every school on your list accepts. Make sure IELTS is the Academic version.