"Which English exam does my son need: TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo?" We hear it every week, and the honest answer is: the one your universities accept, with the score they ask for, taken in time.
That sounds obvious, but this year there is an extra complication. Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT reports scores on a new scale from 1 to 6. Many families still compare everything with the old 0 to 120 scale, and that leads to mistakes.
This guide is for students who are applying to start in fall 2027, through the academic route of our Scholar program or as athletes, because the English requirement applies to both.
It depends on the university and on the student's history, not only on the passport.
- Yale asks for an English test from non-native speakers who have not studied at least two years in a school where English is the language of instruction. - MIT strongly recommends a test for non-native speakers who have used English for fewer than five years or do not speak it at home or at school.
So a student from a bilingual school in Mexico City may be exempt at one university and not at another. Read each university's international page carefully, and if you are not sure, it is usually safer to take the test.
TOEFL iBT (ETS). The classic one. Since January 21, 2026, it gives four section scores and an overall score on a 1 to 6 scale, in half points, aligned with the European CEFR levels. The overall score is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half point. For a two-year transition, the report also shows a comparable score on the old 0 to 120 scale.
IELTS Academic. It takes 2 hours and 45 minutes and has four parts: listening, reading, writing and speaking. It can be taken at a test center or online, and the format is the same either way. It is scored in bands from 0 to 9, and selective universities often ask for 7 or more.
Duolingo English Test. It is taken online from home and takes about one hour, according to Duolingo's official guide. Results arrive in two days, or in 12 hours if you pay for faster results, and they can be sent to as many institutions as you want at no extra cost. It is scored from 10 to 160. Its price is about $70, much lower than the other two.
All three are widely accepted, but not universally. That is the key point of this guide.
MIT publishes one of the clearest tables, and it already includes the new TOEFL scale:
MIT is one of the most demanding universities in the world, so these numbers are at the high end. Many good universities ask for less. But the table teaches two things that apply everywhere.
There is a difference between minimum and competitive. A score at the minimum keeps you in the process. At selective universities, a score at the recommended level is safer.
Check which tests each university accepts. Not every university accepts every test. One example: the California State University system has only accepted the TOEFL to prove English, and in September its leaders proposed accepting other options, with a vote expected in November. Until a change like that is approved, a Duolingo score would not help there. Always check the official page of each university for your year of entry.
And remember that the English test is separate from the SAT or ACT. Some universities ask for both. We explained the SAT side in our guide on SAT and ACT requirements for fall 2027.
If your son or daughter needs to prove English for fall 2027, this is the order we would follow:
Comparing scores between scales by intuition. A 5 on the new TOEFL is not a "bad" score: at MIT it is the minimum. Use the official tables.
Assuming every university accepts Duolingo. Most accept it, but not all. A single exception on your list can force you to take a second test at the last minute.
Leaving it for the last week. The test is short, but a bad day happens. Leave room for a second attempt.
Thinking a bilingual school always exempts you. It depends on each university's rule. Some ask for a number of years in English instruction, others for proof from the school.
Forgetting the student will live in English. The test is a requirement, but it also tells you something. If the score is low, use the months before college to improve. Classes, exams and life on campus will be in English from day one.
At USP we have been guiding families from Mexico, Latin America and Spain for more than 30 years, with more than 2,500 university placements and more than $200M in scholarships and university savings.
With each student we build a single table of requirements: which universities need an English test, which ones they accept, what score is competitive and when to take it so it arrives on time. That avoids duplicate tests, unnecessary costs and scores that arrive after the deadline. We do not promise admissions or scores. We make sure the English test is never the reason an application fails.
If you are applying for fall 2027 and you are not sure which test to take, talk to us. If the student is younger, our Pre-College Pathway helps plan English and the rest of the profile with time.
The one all the universities on your list accept, with the score they ask for. TOEFL, IELTS and the Duolingo English Test are widely accepted, but not by every university, so check each one.
Since January 21, 2026, the TOEFL iBT reports scores from 1 to 6 in half points, aligned with the CEFR levels. For a two-year transition, reports also show a comparable score on the old 0 to 120 scale.
It varies. MIT, for example, asks for a minimum of 5 and recommends 5.5 on the new scale, or a minimum of 90 and recommended 100 on the old scale. Many universities ask for less.
Many do, including very selective ones like MIT and Yale, but not all. Check each university's list of accepted tests before you book.
It depends on the university. Yale, for example, exempts students who have studied at least two years in a school where English is the language of instruction. Others have different rules.
About one hour, taken online from home. According to Duolingo, results arrive in two days, or in 12 hours if you pay for faster results.
Photo: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
