Can You Use the Duolingo English Test for a Student Visa? UK and Australia Rules Explained
Can you use the Duolingo English Test for a UK or Australian student visa? What official government rules say, when DET works, and when you need another test.
Admission and Visa Are Two Different Checks
Many students celebrate when their dream university accepts the Duolingo English Test (DET), then panic a few weeks later when someone in a group chat says, "But DET is not valid for the visa."
Both statements can be true at the same time. That is because your English is checked twice:
- By the university, to decide whether you can follow the course (admission)
- By the government, to decide whether you can get a student visa (immigration)
Each side sets its own rules. A university can accept DET for admission while the visa authority asks for something else, or not ask for a separate test at all.
This guide explains what the official government pages for the UK and Australia say, two of the most popular destinations for Indonesian students on LPDP, Chevening, and Australia Awards. The goal is simple: know before you book a test whether your DET score will carry you all the way to the visa, or whether you need a plan B.
Rules change. Everything below is based on the official pages listed at the end, checked on the date of this post. Always reread them before you pay for any test.
Quick Answer
| Destination | Is DET on the government's approved test list? | Can a DET-based offer still work for the student visa? |
|---|---|---|
| UK, degree level or above (bachelor's, master's, PhD) | No, DET is not an approved SELT | Often yes, because the university can assess your English itself, as long as it is equivalent to CEFR B2 |
| UK, below degree level (foundation, pre-sessional, some diplomas) | No | Usually not, unless you have another qualification that proves your English; otherwise you need an approved SELT |
| Australia (Student visa) | No | If you have to provide English test evidence for the visa, it must come from an approved test taken at a secure test centre, so DET does not count for that evidence |
The rest of this article explains each row.
The UK: Why Degree Level Matters
What the UK government says
The UK Student visa page on GOV.UK lists English as one of the core requirements: you must be able to read, write, speak, and understand English. The Knowledge of English page then sets the level:
| Level of study | Required English level |
|---|---|
| Degree level or above | Equivalent to CEFR B2 |
| Below degree level | CEFR B1 |
The key sentence for DET takers is this one: if you are studying at degree level or above, your Higher Education Provider (HEP) can assess your level of English themselves. The provider may use a different test, but the result must still be equivalent to CEFR B2.
In practice, this means that if a licensed UK university accepts your DET score for a master's program, the university is the one deciding that your English is good enough. It confirms your offer through the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) that you need for the visa application.
What a SELT is, and why DET is not one
A Secure English Language Test (SELT) is a test approved by the Home Office and taken at an approved test location. The official SELT guidance lists the approved tests, including:
- IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills
- PTE Academic UKVI and PTE Home
- LanguageCert SELT tests
- Skills for English UKVI
- Trinity College London's SELT for UKVI
The Duolingo English Test is not on that list. That is why you hear "DET is not valid for the UK visa." It is only half the story: at degree level, many students never need a SELT because the university assesses their English.
When you will probably need a SELT instead
You should plan for an approved SELT (and not rely on DET alone) if:
- Your course is below degree level, such as a foundation year or some pre-sessional English courses, and you have no other qualification that proves your English
- Your university does not accept DET for your specific program (acceptance varies by school and even by department)
- Your university tells you directly that it needs a SELT for your CAS
Who is exempt
The Knowledge of English page also lists people who do not need to prove their English, for example nationals of certain majority English-speaking countries such as Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada, or people who already proved their English in a previous visa application. Indonesian citizens are not on the nationality list, so most Indonesian applicants must meet the requirement through their university's assessment or a SELT.
UK timing tip
According to GOV.UK, the earliest you can apply from outside the UK is 6 months before your course starts, and you usually get a decision within 3 weeks. If you might need a SELT, book it well before that window so you are not squeezed between test results, CAS, and the visa.
Australia: The Approved Test List Is Strict
What the Australian government says
Australia handles it differently. The official Study Australia page on language testing organisations lists the tests the Department of Home Affairs accepts for Student visa English requirements:
| Approved for Australian Student visa English evidence |
|---|
| Cambridge C1 Advanced |
| CELPIP General |
| IELTS Academic |
| IELTS General Training |
| LanguageCert Academic |
| Michigan English Test (MET) |
| Occupational English Test (OET) |
| PTE Academic |
| TOEFL iBT (the "TOEFL iBT for Australia" option) |
Two details on that page matter a lot:
- Scores are accepted from these tests taken at a secure test centre
- The Department does not accept scores from at-home or online tests, and the page names examples such as IELTS Online and TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition
The DET is not on the list, and because it is taken online from home, it does not fit the test centre requirement either.
What this means for Indonesian students going to Australia
- Some Australian universities accept DET for admission. Acceptance is decided by each university, so check your program's English requirements page
- If you have to submit English test evidence with your Student visa application, that evidence has to come from one of the approved tests above, taken at a test centre
- If you are applying through a scholarship such as Australia Awards, read that scholarship's own English rules too. Scholarship requirements, university requirements, and visa requirements are three separate layers
The safest approach for Australia: confirm with your university's admissions or international office whether you will need visa-approved English evidence. If the answer is yes or "maybe," book an approved test at a test centre early, instead of relying on DET.
A Decision Checklist Before You Book a Test
Use this checklist for each university on your shortlist:
- Does the program accept DET for admission? What is the minimum overall score and are there subscore minimums?
- Is the course degree level or above (UK) or are you heading to Australia?
- Has the university confirmed in writing whether it can assess your English itself for the visa (UK)?
- Will you need visa-approved English evidence taken at a test centre (Australia)?
- Does your scholarship (LPDP, Chevening, Australia Awards, or others) have its own list of accepted tests and minimum scores?
- Is your score still valid on the date of your application? Check the expiry rules of the university, scholarship, and visa authority
- Do you have time for a second test if one of the answers above changes?
If every answer points to DET being enough, you can save time and travel by taking DET from home. If any answer is uncertain, it is usually cheaper to take an approved test once than to lose an intake.
Common Scenarios
| Your situation | What usually makes sense |
|---|---|
| Master's in the UK, university accepts DET, LPDP or self-funded | DET can be enough, as long as the university confirms it will assess your English for the CAS. Keep proof of their DET requirement |
| Foundation year or pre-sessional course in the UK | Plan for an approved SELT such as IELTS for UKVI or PTE Academic UKVI |
| Master's in Australia, university accepts DET | Use DET for admission if allowed, but ask early whether you need test-centre evidence for the visa |
| Applying to the UK and Australia at the same time | One test-centre exam from the Australian list that is also accepted by your UK universities may cover both. Compare each school's list carefully |
| Still choosing a destination | Start preparing with DET-style practice anyway; the core skills (describing, explaining, writing clearly under time pressure) transfer to every test |
If DET Is Your Test: Make the Score Count
When DET is accepted for your route, the next challenge is reaching the minimum score your university sets (some programs also set subscore minimums). Two task types deserve targeted practice: Write About the Photo, which appears three times in every test, and Speak About the Photo. To see how these tasks feed your score, read our guide to DET subscores.
Wono DET is an independent practice tool (not affiliated with Duolingo) for exactly these two tasks. You answer a photo under a real-style timer and get AI feedback with an estimated score, grammar corrections, and a stronger sample answer. New accounts get 5 free corrections, which is enough to find your biggest weakness before you commit to a test date.
Conclusion
- Admission and visa are separate checks. A DET offer is great news, but it does not automatically settle the visa question
- UK: DET is not a SELT, but at degree level or above your university can assess your English itself (equivalent to CEFR B2). Below degree level, plan for a SELT
- Australia: visa English evidence must come from an approved test taken at a secure test centre. DET is not on that list
- Always confirm with your university, your scholarship provider, and the official government pages before you pay for any test
Official sources used
- GOV.UK, Student visa: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa
- GOV.UK, Student visa, Knowledge of English: https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/knowledge-of-english
- GOV.UK, Prove your English language abilities with a SELT: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt
- Study Australia, Language testing organisations: https://www.studyaustralia.gov.au/en/plan-your-move/language-testing-organisations
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Duolingo English Test score requirements at Yale, Toronto, UBC, MIT, and Warwick: overall minimums, subscore rules, and how to plan your target DET score.
Duolingo English Test subscores explained: how Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking form your overall score, what combined scores mean, and how to improve.