IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE vs Duolingo will decide your 2026 options
IELTS vs TOEFL vs PTE vs Duolingo will determine both where you can apply and whether your student visa is accepted in 2026. Not all exams are accepted equally across countries, especially for immigration and visa processes.
What each test covers and where it’s accepted
IELTS (managed by IDP and the British Council) is accepted for university admissions and student visas in the UK, Canada and Australia , and widely for admissions in the USA. Note that IDP will discontinue paper-based IELTS in mid-2026 ; computer-based IELTS continues.
TOEFL iBT (ETS) is mainly used for university admissions and remains popular in the USA and Canada ; ETS offers home editions used for admissions. PTE Academic (Pearson) is fully computer-based with AI scoring and is accepted for Australian student visas and by many universities worldwide. Duolingo DET is low-cost and home-based but its visa acceptance is limited; many countries accept it only for admissions.
Fees, score validity and sending rules
Fees in India for 2026: IELTS INR 19,000 (extra report INR 300 ), TOEFL INR 18,000 (extra report INR 2,300 ), PTE INR 18,900 (additional score reports free), Duolingo $59 (approx INR 5,600–6,000 , 1 USD = 94.21 INR as of Apr 27, 2026 ). All four tests have scores valid for 2 years from test date.
PTE allows unlimited free score sends. Duolingo allows unlimited sharing of results. TOEFL and IELTS include some free score reports but charge for extra reports per their official rules.
Test formats, durations and speaking modes
IELTS runs about 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours and includes a face-to-face speaking test with an examiner. TOEFL is about 2 hours and is fully computer-based with recorded speaking responses. PTE takes roughly 2 hours 15 minutes , computer-based with AI marking. Duolingo is the shortest at around 1 hour and is taken at home.
Immediate impact for applicants
Check each university’s official admissions and the destination country’s visa authority before booking. Home-based TOEFL and Duolingo may be accepted for admissions but not always for visas; this can delay your application or force a retake.
Authorities to note
IDP (IELTS), ETS (TOEFL), Pearson (PTE Academic) and Duolingo set rules and fees. Confirm acceptance and any visa-specific requirements with the university or the country’s immigration authority before you register.