Choosing Your English Test in 2025: A Cost and Score Guide for American Applicants
Photo: student comparing tests on laptop with notebook and coffee desk, via c8.alamy.com
Every year, thousands of American applicants pay for an English proficiency test they did not need to take — or take one their destination country or institution will not accept. Unlike most standardized testing mistakes, this one is expensive and largely avoidable. Here is how to choose correctly the first time.
First Question: Where Are You Going?
This is the question that decides everything, and it is the one applicants most often skip.
- United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand: The IELTS is deeply embedded in these immigration and professional systems. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requires a Secure English Language Test for many visa categories, and IELTS for UKVI is explicitly approved. Canada's Express Entry accepts IELTS General Training. Australian professional registration bodies overwhelmingly list IELTS as a benchmark.
- United States and Canada, academic admissions: TOEFL remains widely accepted at US universities and carries long-standing familiarity with American admissions offices.
- US undergraduate and some graduate admissions: The Duolingo English Test has gained rapid acceptance, particularly as a convenient, low-cost option — but acceptance lists change, and some programs exclude it or impose higher minimum scores.
The rule is simple: verify acceptance on the official website of the specific institution or immigration authority, for the specific intake year. A university that accepted Duolingo in 2023 may not accept it in 2025, and visa categories have stricter requirements than university admissions.
Score Conversion: Approximate Equivalents
Conversions between tests are approximations — institutions set their own thresholds — but the following rough mapping is widely used:
| IELTS Band | TOEFL iBT | Duolingo |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 118–120 | 160–170 |
| 8.0–8.5 | 110–117 | 145–155 |
| 7.0–7.5 | 100–109 | 125–140 |
| 6.0–6.5 | 79–99 | 105–120 |
| 5.5 | 65–78 | 90–100 |
Two cautions: first, immigration authorities typically require specific band scores in each IELTS component, not just an overall figure — a 7.0 overall with a 6.0 in Writing may fail a nursing board. Second, some institutions that accept multiple tests set higher minimums for the alternatives, effectively making the IELTS the more forgiving route for strong candidates.
Cost and Convenience Compared
- IELTS: Roughly $250–$310 in the US, depending on test type and location. Offered in paper and computer formats at test centers across all fifty states, with results typically available within days for computer-delivered tests. The Speaking component is a live, face-to-face interview.
- TOEFL iBT: Approximately $245–$265. Available at test centers and, in many regions, as a home edition. Entirely computer-based, including Speaking, which is recorded and scored later.
- Duolingo English Test: $65–$70, taken at home in about an hour, with results in roughly two days. Its low cost and convenience are genuine advantages — provided your destination accepts it.
Format Differences That Actually Matter
The IELTS and TOEFL differ in ways that affect preparation strategy, not just logistics. The IELTS Reading and Listening sections use a range of question types, including form completion and matching, and its Writing Task 1 asks you to describe data or a diagram. TOEFL leans multiple-choice and asks test-takers to summarize lectures. The IELTS Speaking exam is a live conversation; TOEFL Speaking is spoken into a microphone with no human on the other end. Candidates who think on their feet in conversation often prefer the IELTS interview; candidates who freeze in live interaction sometimes perform better with the recorded format.
The Duolingo test is shorter and adaptive, mixing quick-response item types. It measures proficiency efficiently but offers less opportunity to demonstrate sustained skills like extended essay writing.
The Decision Framework
- Immigration to the UK, Canada, or Australia? The IELTS — specifically the correct module (Academic vs. General Training) and, for the UK, the UKVI-approved version where required.
- US graduate programs? Check the program's list first. If multiple tests are accepted, choose the one whose format suits your strengths.
- Budget-constrained and applying somewhere that accepts it? Duolingo is legitimate value — but never assume acceptance.
Once you have chosen, commit to preparing for that test's specific format. Scores do not transfer between exams, and neither does preparation. Pick once, prepare deliberately, and book with confidence.
