DET v. PTE v. IELTS v. TOEFL: Which test is right for you?
There are a lot of English proficiency tests, and it can be hard to chose which one to take. In this blog post, we are going to look at 4 of the most popular and compare their advantages and disadvantages so that it is easy for you to decide which one to take.
Table of Contents
- Which countries accept which tests?
- Which test is the easiest?
- What does each test cost?
- Which test is right for you?
Which countries accept which tests?
This is a bit of a complicated question to answer. When thinking about which countries accept an English proficiency test, you have to think about two aspects: governments and universities. In other words, there are 2 questions you need to ask yourself:
- Which governments accept a test for visa purposes?
- Which universities accept a test for admissions purposes?
The United States (USA)
The US government does not require you to submit an English proficiency test score to get a visa. Rather, they make universities responsible for a student's English level. This means that you just need to worry about meeting the universities' English proficiency requirements. This makes your life a lot easier.
In the US, the Duolingo English Test (DET) and TOEFL are by far the most popular. This is because these 2 tests are made by American companies. There are universities that accept IELTS and the Pearson Test of English (PTE), but don't be surprised if there are American universities you are applying to that don't accept them.
The United Kingdom (UK)
In the UK, most universities accept the major English tests like IELTS, PTE, and the Duolingo English Test are accepted.
The good news is that once you are admitted to a university program, they can issue you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which you can use to meet the UK government's requirements for English proficiency for a student visa. This is similar to how it works in the US: By meeting a university program's English proficiency requirements, you meet the government's requirements as well.
Canada
The Canadian government does not require an English proficiency test in order to obtain a study visa. This means that you just need to worry about what English proficiency tests Canadian universities accept.
The DET is accepted for undergraduate enrollment by 90% of the top Canadian universities by international student enrollment. Nearly half of Canada’s top English-medium grad schools accept the DET for master’s and PhD programs.
Note: On November 8, 2024, Canada officially discontinued the Student Direct Stream (SDS). Through this popular program students from certain countries could get study permits faster. The SDS required an in-person English proficiency test. But now that SDS is gone, there is no reason to take an in-person test like IELTS or TOEFL instead of the Duolingo English Test.
Australia
Australia is the most complicated country when it comes to English proficiency test requirements. The Australian government has specific rules that depend on your home country, your educational background, and the programs you're applying to. Thankfully, the Australian Department of Home Affairs built a checklist tool that makes it easy to determine which English proficiency tests you can submit, along with the other requirements relevant to you.
We recommend that you first check whether you need to submit an English proficiency test as part of your visa application. If you don't, then check which tests are accepted by the programs you are considering. If are required to submit an English proficiency test score in your visa application, then we recommend IELTS. Unfortunately, the Australian government won't accept at-home tests like the DET.
Which test is the easiest?
This is also a tricky question to answer because "easy" means different things.
Many people want to know: "Which test is easiest to get a high score on?" The makers of the different tests work hard to make sure that the scores of their test align with the others. If one test was much easier than the others, then universities and governments would stop recognizing it! This is also why your performance on one test does generally predict how you will do on the other tests.
However, the scores on the different tests are not perfectly correlated. Duolingo publishes these detailed comparisons:
A correlation of 1 would mean that your DET scores would perfectly predict how you would do on the other tests. However, you can see that all of the values in the table are less than 1! This means that some people do better on the DET than the other tests and vice-versa.
Unfortunately, it's not clear who does better on which test and why. A lot of the difference is due to random variation. Even if you take the same test twice, you can get quite different scores!
There are other ways to think about what makes a test easier. For example: Is the test less stressful? Is it less tiring? Does it require less studying?
In this sense of easier, there is a clear winner: The Duolingo English Test (DET). Unlike the PTE, TOEFL, and IELTS, the DET is taken from home. You can take it anytime, anywhere. It also only lasts 1 hour.
Let me repeat that: You can take the DET anytime you want and from anywhere you want. It only lasts one hour. Contrast that experience with the other tests, which you require you to travel to a testing center and sit for several hours as you take the test.
Many students find that the more convenient nature of the DET enables them to perform better. They can be relaxed and comfortable taking the test from home. They can also take the test when their brains work the best.
Another factor that makes the DET more convenient is that you receive your results within 48 hours. (And just 24 hours if you book through Arno!) You don't have to spend days and weeks nervously waiting to know if you got the score that you needed like you do for the other tests. And if you don't get the score that you need on the DET, you can take it again right away. You don't have to wait for another test date.
Many students also find the questions on the DET more approachable. They do not require you to memorize specific structures that the graders are looking for in order to get a high score. Rather, the DET does a better job testing your general English ability. If you can generally write and speak English well, as well as listen to it and read it well, you will do well on the DET.
This means that preparing for the DET is more about improving your actual English skills as opposed to learning things that are only useful for an English proficiency test.
To get a sense of what the DET is like, check out this overview of all the question types on the test:
What does each test cost?
The price of the PTE, TOEFL, and IELTS depends on the country; they are cheaper in some countries than others. In general, though, they all cost around $250 USD.
The DET is different. When you book the test through Arno, it is just $59 USD 😁 The full price is $70 USD, so you will save 15% when you register through us. You can book by clicking here.
Which test is right for you?
When deciding which English proficiency test to take, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
Do I need to submit an English proficiency test score for visa purposes?
In most cases, the answer is, "No." If you meet a university program's requirement, this is usually sufficient to qualify for a student visa. However, in some cases, you may need to submit an English proficiency test score as part of your visa application. If this is the case, you need to submit scores from one of their accepted tests.
Which tests are accepted by the schools I'm applying to?
You should be sure to check which tests are accepted by each of the schools you are applying to, as well as their specific requirements. Ideally, you take a test that is accepted at all of the universities you're applying to. But, you may have to take multiple tests. In that case, it makes sense to prioritize cost and convenience and take the DET.
If you want to prepare for the DET, then you should check out Arno. Over 200,000 students in over 200 countries have trusted us to help them get ready for the DET. We give you unlimited practice questions for every question type you will see on the test, for free.
If you upgrade to our paid plans, you can get an instant estimated score on writing and speaking questions as well as feedback on your grammar and vocabulary. It's like having a private tutor review all of your responses.
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