Online language assessments make applications more accessible for international students

Sponsored content: created in partnership with Duolingo.

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the digital transformation in the education sector, impacting admissions, teaching and assessment in universities worldwide. As the number of international students across the world continues to rise, anglophone universities rely on English proficiency tests to assess international applications. These tests help institutions ensure that international students can fully engage with their programme, access resources and thrive in an English-speaking environment.

Ananya Sharma, a final-year undergraduate student at the University of Rajasthan in India, aspires to pursue a master’s degree in psychology in the US. Sharma was unable to attend an English proficiency test in person due to restrictions during the pandemic. For students like Sharma, online tests offered a more convenient and affordable alternative to traditional in-person tests.

A shift expedited by the pandemic, virtual tests such as the Duolingo English Test (DET) continue to gain popularity among aspiring international students. The DET is currently recognised by more than 5,000 universities and institutions globally. It evaluates students on a total score of 160, with each score band corresponding to internationally recognised language proficiency levels.

With the cost of international education rising, there is a growing emphasis on enhancing the accessibility of the application process for international students. It is common for prospective international students from non-English-speaking countries to seek language coaching before taking English proficiency tests, which increases the cost of access. Adding to the complexity, countries like India have witnessed a surge in student migration, leading to an increase in fraudulent admissions agencies and profit-driven businesses that prioritise their interests above those of the applicants.

The DET bypasses such intermediaries to give students more control over their application process. Besides the convenience of being available online, the DET’s $59 (£49) price point makes it more cost-effective than other tests and gives students the option to send their test results to multiple institutions without any additional charges.

Sharma has made use of the practice tests on the Duolingo website and appreciates how the test recognises that every student has different language instincts. In her opinion, this is what makes the test accessible for students from all backgrounds and academic capacities. Her advice to peers who are unable to pursue language coaching is to take advantage of the free tests and resources available on the DET website. Sharma believes that tests like Duolingo’s remove barriers for students who have limited access to resources.

Sharma says she was able to navigate the different sections of the test with ease and was pleasantly surprised to discover the critical and analytical thinking component of the test, which, according to Sharma, adds significant value to the results by assessing various skills. For Sharma, who has previous experience in debate and public speaking, the impromptu speaking segment provided an opportunity to leverage her previous expertise and knowledge, offering a comprehensive assessment of her abilities.

As she prepares to study abroad, Sharma anticipates facing challenges in understanding unfamiliar accents in her future study destination. “When we move to a foreign place, there is no mechanism of communicating in a local language,” she says. Having an accurate understanding of her linguistic ability is crucial for Sharma to prepare for an academic culture she is not accustomed to, and the DET provides her with a convenient and cost-effective way to monitor her progress.

Find out more about the Duolingo English Test.