TOEFL iBT introduced a new score scale running from 1 to 6 in early 2026. Its owner, ETS, will report the familiar 0 to 120 total alongside the new scale for two years. In response, the Duolingo English Test (DET) team has said it will not immediately redo its comparison table with TOEFL.
Key facts
- Published 23 February 2026
- TOEFL change New 1 to 6 scale from early 2026, shown with 0 to 120 for two years
- DET table Existing concordance to TOEFL 0 to 120 kept
- Next step Duolingo will update only if evidence warrants
What Duolingo said
The current DET to TOEFL concordance maps DET scores from 10 to 160 onto TOEFL iBT totals on the 0 to 120 scale, with tables for the overall score and for Reading and Listening. Duolingo says this remains the recommended reference. It will keep watching how scores on the two tests relate and will publish an update only if the evidence calls for one. The full tables are on the scores page of the DET website.
Why this matters
Many universities state English requirements as a TOEFL score and then convert for other tests. With TOEFL reporting two scales during the transition, there is room for confusion over which figure applies to a DET result.
What this means
Nothing about the DET itself changes. If a university gives its requirement as a TOEFL total out of 120, the existing Duolingo table still applies. If a university states its requirement only on the new 1 to 6 scale and does not list a DET score, contact admissions and ask for their DET minimum directly rather than converting it yourself through two tables. Always use the requirement the university publishes for the DET when there is one.