What is my IELTS band as a Duolingo English Test score?
Quick answer
Duolingo compares its overall score with the IELTS band: 105 to 115 relates to IELTS 6, 120 to 125 to 6.5, 130 to 135 to 7, 140 to 145 to 7.5, 150 to 155 to 8 and 160 to 8.5 to 9. It is Duolingo's estimate; IELTS publishes no Duolingo table.
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The table below is Duolingo’s, read from the “Understand scoring” page of the Duolingo English Test on 7 October 2026. Try any band in the score converter, which also shows TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and the CEFR.
Duolingo’s table: Duolingo English Test overall to IELTS overall
| Duolingo English Test overall | IELTS overall |
|---|---|
| 160 | 8.5 to 9 |
| 150 to 155 | 8 |
| 140 to 145 | 7.5 |
| 130 to 135 | 7 |
| 120 to 125 | 6.5 |
| 105 to 115 | 6 |
| 95 to 100 | 5.5 |
| 80 to 90 | 5 |
| 65 to 75 | 4.5 |
| 60 | 4 |
| 10 to 55 | below 4 |
The Duolingo scale runs in steps of 5, so most IELTS bands cover two or three Duolingo scores, and the mapping is not even: IELTS 6 spans three steps (105 to 115) while IELTS 4 is one step (60) and IELTS 8.5 and 9 share the maximum. Duolingo publishes the same kind of comparison for each of its four subscores against the IELTS section bands, and its own CEFR placement (C2 at 155 to 160, C1 at 130 to 150, B2 at 100 to 125, B1 at 60 to 95).
What the comparison is, and is not
Duolingo says its comparisons are backed by its research; it is the test owner’s estimate of how its scores relate to IELTS bands, published for institutions that accept both tests. IELTS publishes no comparison with the Duolingo English Test. The comparison tells you which Duolingo score to aim for when a page quotes only an IELTS requirement; where an institution states its own Duolingo requirement, that figure, not the table, is what counts. For the TOEFL and PTE Academic tables, see the TOEFL and PTE answers, and for the framework the tests share, the CEFR alignment.
What this means for your score
A candidate asked for "IELTS 6.5" who sits the Duolingo English Test reads 120 as the lowest score Duolingo relates to that band. A 115 sits in the IELTS 6 row. At the top the scale compresses: 160, the maximum, covers IELTS 8.5 and 9 together.
Frequently asked questions
What Duolingo score is IELTS 6.5?
On Duolingo's comparison, overall scores of 120 to 125 relate to IELTS 6.5; 130 starts the IELTS 7 row and 115 belongs to the IELTS 6 row.
What Duolingo score is IELTS 7?
130 to 135. Scores of 140 to 145 relate to IELTS 7.5 and 150 to 155 to IELTS 8.
Is Duolingo 110 equal to IELTS 6?
On Duolingo's table, 105 to 115 relate to IELTS 6, so 110 sits in that row. It is a comparison published by Duolingo, not an IELTS figure, and a university's own Duolingo requirement is what counts for an application.
Is the IELTS to Duolingo conversion official?
It is the comparison Duolingo publishes on its own scoring page, which it says is backed by its research. IELTS does not publish a comparison with the Duolingo English Test. Treat it as the owner's estimate, and check the requirement your institution states for each test.
Sources
- Understand scoring: overall score comparison — Duolingo English Test
- IELTS scoring in detail: band scores explained — IELTS.org
Last verified 7 Oct 2026
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