Quick Read
- Duolingo acceptance in Italy is decided program by program.
- University of Padua accepts Duolingo at 115 for B2.
- Sapienza and Politecnico di Milano do not accept Duolingo.
- Most Italian programs accepting Duolingo want 100 to 120.
- Indian students still need Universitaly pre-enrolment before the visa.
- Duolingo returns scores in 48 hours and stays valid two years.
Duolingo Accepted Universities in Italy: the verified 2027-28 list
The Duolingo accepted universities in Italy that publish a clear minimum score sit mostly in the 100 to 140 band, and almost every one of them sets that number at the program level rather than university level. Below is what the official Italian admissions pages actually say, checked in September 2026 for the 2027-28 cycle.
| University | Where the score applies | Minimum DET score | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Padua | All degree programs are taught in English | 115 for B2, 135 for C1 | English certifications list, Sept 2026 |
| University of Bologna | Second-cycle Civil Engineering (program level) | 100 | Programme enrolment page |
| University of Pisa | Foundation Course | 100 | Entry requirements |
| Luiss Guido Carli | Set per call, varies by program and level | 110 at B2, up to 130 at C1 | Luiss official call, 2026-27 |
| The American University of Rome | Undergraduate | 120 | Admission requirements |
| The American University of Rome | Graduate School | 140 | Graduate requirements |
| John Cabot University | All programs, no fixed cut-off | Reviewed individually | English language requirements |
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Duolingo's own list of accepting institutions in Italy adds University of Pisa, Luiss Guido Carli, Università di Parma, The American University of Rome, John Cabot University and Rome Business School.
Two things stand out. Padua sets the highest published threshold of any public university on this list at 115, which is above what many UK universities ask for. John Cabot takes a different route entirely: all Duolingo exam scores are reviewed by the JCU English Department and Admissions Committee to determine the applicant's English proficiency level, so there is no number to aim at, only a judgement. johncabot
Counselor insight: Screenshot or download the university's official language certification page on the day you apply, with the date visible. Italian universities republish these lists every August and September, and if the page changes after you submit, a dated copy of what you relied on is the only thing that helps in an email to the admissions office.
Which Universities in Italy Do Not Accept Duolingo
Two of the most searched Italian universities among Indian students do not accept the test at all, and almost every listicle online gets this wrong.
Sapienza University of Rome. The university's own admissions guidance for international students lists IELTS, TOEFL iBT, TOEIC, Cambridge Assessment English, MET, Pearson English International Certificate, and Oxford Test of English as accepted certificates, and then states plainly that Duolingo certificates are never accepted.
Politecnico di Milano. The official language requirement page for Laurea Magistrale programs lists TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge, IELTS at 6.0 or above, Trinity College ISE II, PTE Academic at 59, Pearson PEIC and LanguageCert ESOL at B2 four skills. Duolingo does not appear anywhere on that list. Several popular study-abroad sites still name Politecnico di Milano as a Duolingo university. They are wrong, and a student who books the test on that basis loses both the fee and the application cycle.
The working rule for Italy: if the test is not named on the official page, treat it as not accepted, and email the admissions office before you pay for anything. Note that Duolingo also maintains a full list of accepting institutions, but the university's own page is the one that decides your file.
Counselor insight: The pattern is predictable once you see it. Older public technical and research universities largely stayed with IELTS and TOEFL. The universities that added Duolingo are the ones competing hardest for international fee-paying students: private universities, American institutions in Italy, business schools and newer English-taught degrees.
How Italian Universities Set Duolingo Scores, and Why the Number Changes
In Italy, the English requirement is usually tied to a CEFR level rather than to one test. The university then publishes a table converting that level into scores for each accepted certificate. That structure has two consequences for you.
First, the same university can want two different Duolingo scores. Padua asks for 115 where B2 is the requirement, and 135 where a program demands C1. Luiss sets the figure inside each individual call, which is why you will see 110 in one document and 130 in another.
Second, the list itself is not permanent. Older Padua guidance told applicants that certificates not on the list, Duolingo included, were not accepted. The certification list published in September 2026 includes Duolingo. A policy that was accurate two years ago is not automatically accurate for your intake.
Validity windows matter too. Padua accepts certificates that are still valid as established by the certifying body, or, where no expiry is given, obtained within two years of the opening date of the international selection process. A Duolingo score is valid for two years from the test date, which usually works, but a test taken in your second year of engineering may expire before you enrol.
Does a Duolingo Score Work for the Italy Student Visa
Your Duolingo score gets you admitted. It does not, by itself, get you a visa. The Italian system separates the two.
Non-EU students living outside Italy must complete pre-enrolment on the Universitaly portal for the chosen program before applying for a study visa. The consular rules are explicit that only students whose pre-enrolment applications have been validated without reservations, or with reservations solely relating to language tests or admission examinations yet to be taken, may apply for a study visa, and that the decision regarding the issuance of a study visa falls within the exclusive responsibility of the diplomatic mission.
Language verification sits with the university, not the embassy. For Italian-taught courses, higher education institutions are responsible for verifying language proficiency, each institution organises its own Italian test and sets the required level, which must be at least B2. For English-taught courses, the same logic applies: if your university has accepted your Duolingo score, the English requirement is considered met.
Timing is the real constraint. The University of Pisa accepts only study visas issued by 30 November for enrolment and advises candidates to submit the Universitaly pre-enrolment application as soon as the portal opens. That deadline is not about your English score. It is about how long VFS appointments and consular processing take from India in peak season.
Counselor insight: Book the visa appointment slot the day your pre-enrolment is validated, even if a document is still in transit. Appointments in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru fill through July and August, and students lose the intake to a calendar, not to a rejection.
What Duolingo Costs Indian Students Compared with IELTS and TOEFL
The Duolingo English Test is priced in US dollars. It costs US$70 as of 2026, runs about an hour, is scored from 10 to 160 and results stay valid for two years. In rupees that lands near Rs.6,000 to Rs.6,500 depending on your card's conversion and bank charges, against roughly Rs.17,000 to Rs.19,000 for IELTS or TOEFL. Score reports to universities are free and unlimited, which matters if you are applying to six Italian programs.
The bigger numbers are on the visa side. The official study visa checklist used by the Italian consulate in Bengaluru requires proof of means of support of no less than €6,947.33 for one year of 13 months, or €534.41 for each month of the intended stay, plus an original six-month bank statement stamped and signed by the branch manager on all pages. At the rate used here, that is Rs.7,64,046 (€6,947.33) for the year, or Rs.58,774 (€534.41) a month.
Exchange rate used: Rs.109.98 per euro. Verify the current rate before finalising your budget.
What to Do if Your Score is Low or Your University Refuses Duolingo
Your score is below the cut-off. Retake. The test can be booked again immediately and returns results in 48 hours, so a January score can be improved before a March deadline. Work on the weakest subscore rather than the overall number, because universities see the breakdown. Use a Duolingo practice test and structured preparation instead of retaking blind.
Your target university does not accept Duolingo. Sapienza and Politecnico di Milano will not make an exception. Book IELTS and keep the Duolingo score for the universities that do accept it. Many students end up holding both.
Your certificate expires before enrolment. Check the expiry against the enrolment deadline, not the application deadline. If the gap is tight, retake early rather than argue later.
Your Indian transcripts are delayed. Apply with provisional documents where the call permits, and flag the delay to the admissions office in writing before the deadline passes rather than after.
You missed the Universitaly window. The visa cannot be applied for without validated pre-enrolment, and universities set hard cut-offs for visa issuance. If the window has closed, plan for the next intake instead of hoping for a discretionary extension.
Counselor insight: Do not send a borderline score hoping the committee will be flexible. Italian public universities check the published threshold mechanically. The place where flexibility exists is at institutions like John Cabot, where a human reviews the score.
3 Takeaways on Duolingo Accepted Universities in Italy
Working out which Duolingo accepted universities in Italy suit you comes down to three actions.
- Verify on the official page of your exact program, not a listicle. Padua says 115, Bologna's engineering program says 100, and Sapienza and Politecnico di Milano say no. Save a dated copy of the page you relied on.
- Pick your test after you pick your shortlist. If two or more of your target universities do not list Duolingo, book IELTS and treat Duolingo as the supplement, not the plan.
- Start CIMEA verification and Universitaly pre-enrolment early. A 48-hour English score cannot rescue a document chain that began in June.
Verified by: LeapScholar's Europe counselling team, with hands-on experience guiding Indian students through Universitaly pre-enrolment, CIMEA verification and Italian study visa applications.
Have questions about Duolingo accepted universities in Italy? Book a free session with a LeapScholar counsellor.
Frequently Asked Questions on Duolingo Accepted Universities in Italy
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Is Duolingo accepted in Italy for university admission?
Yes, at selected universities and programs. Padua, Bologna, Pisa, Luiss, John Cabot University and The American University of Rome all accept the Duolingo English Test, with minimums generally between 100 and 140. Acceptance is decided by the individual program or call, so always confirm on the official page of the degree you are applying to.
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Can I study in Italy without IELTS as an Indian student?
Often yes. Depending on the program, you can use Duolingo, TOEFL, Cambridge, PTE Academic or, at several universities, evidence that your Bachelor's degree was taught entirely in English. Bologna treats a degree fully delivered in English over at least two academic years in certain countries as meeting the requirement.
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My Duolingo score is 105 and my university needs 115. What should I do?
Retake rather than apply. Results arrive within 48 hours, so a retake rarely costs you a deadline if you act quickly. Focus preparation on your weakest subscore, since institutions see the full breakdown. In parallel, add one or two programs to your shortlist where 105 already clears the published minimum.
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How long is a Duolingo score valid for Italian applications?
Two years from the test date. Italian universities also apply their own windows: Padua, for example, accepts certificates obtained within two years of the opening of the international selection process. Check that your score will still be valid at enrolment, not just at application.
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What Duolingo score do I need for the University of Padua?
Padua requires 115 for programs set at B2 level and 135 where C1 is required. These thresholds apply to all degree programs and curricula delivered entirely in English, and appear on the university's official English certification list published in September 2026.
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Is a Duolingo score enough for the Italy student visa?
Not on its own. The university verifies your language proficiency and validates your Universitaly pre-enrolment. Only after validation can you apply for the study visa, and the decision belongs to the Italian diplomatic mission. Budget time for the consular appointment, because the visa must usually be issued before the university's enrolment cut-off.
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Does Politecnico di Milano accept Duolingo?
No. Politecnico di Milano's official language requirement page lists TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge, IELTS, Trinity College, PTE Academic, Pearson PEIC and LanguageCert. Duolingo is not on that list. Several study-abroad websites state otherwise and are incorrect, so plan on IELTS or TOEFL if this university is on your shortlist.
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Does Sapienza University of Rome accept Duolingo?
No. Sapienza's international admissions guidance states that Duolingo certificates are never accepted, and lists IELTS, TOEFL iBT, TOEIC, Cambridge, MET, Pearson English International Certificate, and the Oxford Test of English instead. Some programs may also accept an online interview or alternative certification after review.
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Which Duolingo accepted universities in Italy have the lowest score requirement?
Among the verified thresholds, the University of Bologna's second-cycle Civil Engineering program and the University of Pisa Foundation Course both list 100. John Cabot University publishes no fixed minimum and reviews each score individually, which can work in favour of applicants in the 95 to 110 range with strong academics.
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