Is the Duolingo English Test (DET) Free? How Much It Costs

We recently read this in our learner community: “I can take the DET test for free!”

This statement has sparked a debate among our learners: Is the Duolingo English Test (DET) free?

If yes, why do some have to pay for it?

This is a huge misunderstanding that LUME will clear up today. Keep reading to see the answer!

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Five ways to take the Duolingo English Test for free or at a reduced price

The certified test is paid, but there are five distinct routes to paying less or nothing at all — and they have different eligibility rules. One of them is often misunderstood.

Route	How free is it	Who qualifies and how to apply
Practice test	Completely free, unlimited attempts	Anyone with an account. Duolingo says you can take it as many times as you like at no cost. It runs about 45 minutes, contains the same question types as the certified test, and ends with an estimated score range.
Access Program fee waiver	The full test, free — a waiver, not a discount	Applications come from institutions, not students: teachers, counsellors, advisors, non-profits, agencies and universities. Apply through the Duolingo English Test Access Program page. A teacher acting as a college counsellor can email Duolingo directly from a professional address.
Institutional coupon code	Part or all of the fee	Your institution issues the code. Click Apply Coupon before entering payment details. Valid for 21 days and cannot be extended.
Partner network voucher	Paid by the agency	Agencies in Duolingo’s Global Partner Network buy vouchers in bulk and assign them to their students.
Counsellor invite	Not free at all	Duolingo is explicit: a counsellor invite does not provide a discount on the test cost. It only shares your result with your counsellor automatically.

How large the Access Program actually is

117,000+	fee waivers issued since 2018, worth around 8 million US dollars
25,563	waivers issued in 2024 alone
1,800+	partner institutions
214	countries and territories reached

Rules worth knowing before you pay

How many tests you can buy	Three in any 30-day period
Attempts per purchase	Three — and starting the test counts as an attempt, even if you do not submit it
Time limit to use it	21 days from purchase
Taking another test	You must wait for your result before starting a new one
Sending your scores	Free — there is no cost. Up to 40 institutions can be selected initially; more can be added through support.
Results	Within two days as standard, or within 12 hours with Faster Results
Score validity	Two years
Refunds	Not available if you break any test policy or requirement. Two-test bundles are non-refundable. Report a problem within 24 hours.
Where it is unavailable	Iran, and for users with Iranian IDs

Key Takeaways

• The Duolingo English Test (DET) is not free, but in some special cases, you don’t have to pay.
• It costs $70 for a single test and $118 for a combo of two.
• If you want to save money, look for fee waivers or buy the two-test bundle.
• Practicing with mock tests helps you achieve target scores with fewer tries and save costs.

Is The Duolingo English Test (DET) Free?

No, the Duolingo English Test (DET) is not free.

However, you can get a fee waiver code and take the test for free.

Duolingo doesn’t directly give test-takers fee waivers, but some universities offer this code.

So, it’s best to check on the official website of your desired college/university for fee waiver codes.

Or, you can Google for universities that provide a waiver request form, like the University of Boston.

The university might need a few weeks to review and process the request.

Therefore, remember to send the request email soon before the test date.

In some cases, you can retake the Duolingo English Test (DET) without paying any fee.

For example, if there is a technical glitch during the test, Duolingo will give you a free retake.

Also, you can take free mock tests on websites like LUME.

However, this is just for practice, and the result won’t be certified.

How Much Does The Duolingo English Test (DET) Cost?

There are two packages of the Duolingo English Test (DET).

If you take only one test, the fee is $70.

But if you get a two-test combo, you only have to pay $118, equaling $59 for each.

For those who want a faster result, you need to pay an extra $39 to receive the test score within 12 hours.

No matter where you sit for the exam, the cost remains unchanged.

The pricing of the Duolingo English Test (DET) is much lower than that of other English examinations.

For example, TOEFL costs between $200 and $250, while IELTS charges $280 – $340 for each test.

The price of these tests varies depending on your location.

2 Tips To Save Money On The Duolingo English Test (DET)

Buy The Two-Test Combo

If $70 is a burden for you, consider getting the two-test bundle.

This combo only costs $118, which is $22 cheaper than two separate tests.

However, we only recommend this package if:

• You are unsure about their English level.
• You have an unstable schedule and aren’t sure if you can take the test on the redesigned date.
• You want to get familiar with the test format, flow, and timing in the first try.

Suppose you’re confident about your English proficiency and believe you can achieve the desired result on the first go.

Then, only buy one test to save money.

Practice Free Tests To Minimize Retaking

Taking the Duolingo English Test (DET) again and again is the last thing you want.

You’re just throwing money out the window without receiving the target score.

To avoid this, we recommend practicing with mock tests to get used to the question types and time pressure.

Some websites like LUME offer realistic mock tests with an AI-scoring system to practice for free.

This award-winning platform also provides a comprehensive guide, templates, vocabulary lists, and instant feedback to support learners.

By practicing frequently, you can get the desired score without retaking the test many times.

Conclusion

Is the Duolingo English Test (DET) free?

No, you have to pay at least $70 for each test.

If you’re lucky, you can get fee waivers to take the test for free.

But this doesn’t apply to all colleges, so the best way is to practice frequently on platforms like LUME.

Related practice resources

• Duolingo English Test Vocabulary List: 500+ Essential Words
• Duolingo English Test (DET) Writing Sample Questions
• Duolingo English Test Cheat Sheet: Tips, Templates, Strategy

Want to ACE the Duolingo English Test (DET) And Reach Your Goals? Get Your FREE Lume Account Today to Unlock… ✅ 10,000+ PRACTICE QUESTIONS with detailed answers ✅ FREE MOCK TESTS with fast & accurate AI scoring ✅ Get BETTER SCORES with a PERSONALIZED study plan GET YOUR FREE ACCOUNT NOW (Limited seats available!)