Which English test should I take? Pick the test your target institution or visa route names first, then choose by format. In practice: IELTS for the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most professional registration; TOEFL iBT for US universities; PTE Academic for fast, computer-scored results for Australian and New Zealand visas; and the Duolingo English Test when cost or a deadline is the constraint and your university accepts it.

That is the short answer. The rest of this guide explains how to make the choice properly, because the wrong test can cost you a test fee, several weeks of preparation and, in the worst case, a missed application deadline.

Key takeaways

• The receiving organisation decides. Never book a test until you have read the requirements page of the university, employer or visa route you are applying to.
• Four tests dominate: IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and the Duolingo English Test (DET).
• Visa routes are the strictest. Universities are more flexible.
• Format matters more than “difficulty”. Choose the test whose format matches how you perform best.
• Scores are generally valid for two years, so time your test to your application window.

How do IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo compare?

	IELTS (Academic / General)	TOEFL iBT	PTE Academic	Duolingo English Test
Typical fee	about US$215–310 (varies by country)	about US$190–330	about US$200–290	about US$70
Format	Paper or computer at a centre; Speaking face to face with an examiner	Computer; Speaking recorded and scored later	Computer; all sections scored automatically	Online at home; adaptive; about 1 hour
Score scale	Band 0–9	1–6 (since January 2026), shown with 0–120 during the transition	10–90	10–160
Results	about 1–13 days (computer is faster)	about 4–8 days	usually within 2 days	usually within 2 days
Strongest for	UK, Canada, Australia, NZ; nursing and medical registration; migration (General Training)	US and Canadian universities	Australian and NZ visas; universities wanting fast results	Admissions with tight budgets or deadlines
Visa use	Widely accepted (check the specific version required, e.g. IELTS for UKVI)	Accepted on some routes; check each country	Widely accepted in Australia, NZ, and the UK (UKVI version)	Rarely accepted for visas

Fees change and differ by country. Treat the figures above as ranges and confirm on the official sites listed at the end of this article.

Step 1: start with who is receiving the score

This is where most people go wrong. They pick the test a friend took, or the one with the nearest centre, and then discover the university wants something else.

Open the requirements page of every organisation you plan to apply to and write down three things:

1. Which tests they accept (and, for IELTS, whether they want Academic, General Training, or the UKVI version).
2. The minimum overall score, and any minimum per skill. Many universities set a minimum for writing, for example.
3. How recent the score must be at the point of application or enrolment.

If one test appears on every list, the decision is made. If two or more appear, go to step 2.

Step 2: match the test to your strengths

Once you know which tests are acceptable, the right choice is the one whose format suits you.

Choose IELTS if you speak better to a person than to a microphone. IELTS Speaking is an 11–14 minute interview with a trained examiner, which many candidates find more natural. IELTS also lets you choose paper or computer delivery in most countries. Tutopiya already publishes a large library of IELTS guides; if you need to choose between the two versions, read IELTS Academic vs General Training: which to book.

Choose TOEFL iBT if you are applying mainly to US universities and you are comfortable with academic English on screen. TOEFL changed significantly in January 2026, with adaptive Reading and Listening sections and a new 1–6 score scale. Read our explainer on the new TOEFL score scale before you book, and our head-to-head TOEFL vs IELTS if both are accepted.

Choose PTE Academic if you type quickly, want results in about two days, and are applying in Australia or New Zealand. PTE is scored entirely by machine, so consistency and clear pronunciation matter more than impressing an examiner. See PTE Academic format and scoring and PTE vs IELTS for Australia.

Choose the Duolingo English Test if your university accepts it, you need a score within days, and cost is a real constraint. It is taken at home in about an hour. See our Duolingo English Test guide.

Step 3: check the visa rules separately

Universities and visa authorities are different organisations with different lists. A university may accept the Duolingo English Test for admission while the visa route you need does not accept it at all.

• United Kingdom: student and work visas that need a Secure English Language Test (SELT) require an approved test taken at an approved centre, such as IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI. Some university-sponsored student visas let the university assess your English instead. Check the GOV.UK list of approved tests.
• Australia: the Department of Home Affairs publishes the tests and scores it accepts for each visa subclass. IELTS, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT have appeared on that list, but the details change, so check the current page.
• Canada: economic immigration uses its own designated tests (for English, IELTS General Training, CELPIP and PTE Core). The academic versions used for university admission are not the same thing.
• New Zealand: Immigration New Zealand lists acceptable tests and scores per visa category.

If you need a score for both a university place and a visa, choose a test that satisfies both, even if it is not your favourite format.

How much time do you need to prepare?

That depends on the gap between your current level and your target score, not on the test you pick. As a rough rule, moving up one IELTS band (or its equivalent) takes most adults between 8 and 12 weeks of regular study at around 5–8 hours a week. Our guide on how long to prepare for an English test has a week-by-week plan, and CEFR levels explained shows how scores line up across tests.

Common mistakes when choosing an English test

• Booking before checking per-skill minimums. An overall 7.0 is no use if the course needs 6.5 in every skill and your writing is 6.0.
• Taking the wrong IELTS version. Academic and General Training are not interchangeable.
• Assuming the visa accepts what the university accepts. It often does not.
• Leaving no time for a retake. Book your first attempt early enough that a second attempt still meets your deadline.
• Preparing generically. Every test has its own task types. Practise the exact format you will sit.

Also applying to US universities?

Many US universities ask for an SAT score as well as an English score. If that is you, read the Digital SAT for international students. And once you are in, the skill that matters most in the first year is writing: our guide to academic writing skills for university covers what changes from school.

Where Tutopiya fits

Tutopiya has taught school curricula (IGCSE, A-Level, IB) live online since 2015, and many of our former students now need an English test score for university or a visa. We are planning live, small-group English test preparation cohorts for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Duolingo. They are not running yet. If you want one, tell us which English test you’re preparing for and we will prioritise the cohorts people ask for most. Joining the waitlist costs nothing.

Sources

• IELTS: ielts.org
• TOEFL iBT (ETS): ets.org/toefl
• PTE Academic (Pearson): pearsonpte.com
• Duolingo English Test: englishtest.duolingo.com
• UK approved English tests: GOV.UK: prove your English language abilities with a SELT
• Australia: Department of Home Affairs: English language requirements

Frequently asked questions

Which English test is the easiest? +

No test is easier in absolute terms; each suits a different kind of test taker. Candidates who type fast and are comfortable speaking to a microphone often prefer PTE Academic or TOEFL iBT. Candidates who perform better in conversation often prefer IELTS, where Speaking is a face-to-face interview. The Duolingo English Test is the shortest and cheapest, but fewer institutions and almost no visa systems accept it.

Which English test is accepted everywhere? +

IELTS has the widest acceptance across universities, employers, professional bodies and immigration systems. TOEFL iBT is accepted by almost all US universities and many elsewhere. PTE Academic is widely accepted in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Always confirm with the exact institution or visa route you are applying to.

Can I use the Duolingo English Test for a visa? +

Generally no. Most immigration authorities, including those of the UK and Australia, do not list the Duolingo English Test as an approved test for visa purposes. It is mainly used for university admission, where the institution itself decides whether to accept it.

How long are English test scores valid? +

IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and the Duolingo English Test results are generally treated as valid for two years. Some institutions and visa routes set their own rules, so check the date requirement of the organisation receiving your score.

Should I take IELTS Academic or General Training? +

Take IELTS Academic for university admission and most professional registration. Take General Training for work, skilled migration and some permanent residency routes. If you are unsure, the receiving organisation's requirements page will name the version.

Founding cohorts · nothing charged

Want to learn this live, with a mentor?

Tutopiya is planning small, mentor-led online cohorts in English test prep, data & AI, business & finance and digital careers. Tell us which one you want. The programmes with the most interest open first, and the people on the waitlist hear about them first.

See the planned programmes