As we approach the end of the 2025 admissions cycle, you may still be undecided about your next steps. Every year, over a million students register for a Ucas account and yet 400,000 of those registered in the system never reach the stage of submitting an application. This shift reflects a broader trend: more students are delaying their decisions, reassessing their options, and using Clearing not as a fallback, but as a strategic route into higher education.

If you’re receiving your A-level results this year, you may have heard of clearing. This is the process students can go through if they don’t receive the grades they were expecting and miss out on their first and insurance places.  

Our guide to Ucas clearing explains what clearing is, how to apply for clearing and when, so you can use clearing to your advantage.

With A-level results day fast approaching (results are out on 14 August), students will be eager to find out whether they have secured their first (or second) choice of university.

For international students, one of the most common questions during the application process is: Do schools actually prefer TOEFL, IELTS or the Duolingo English Test (DET)?

The short answer: No, they don’t.

Most universities list several accepted tests on their official admissions websites – TOEFL, IELTS, the DET and others. Once a test is listed, it means the school recognises it as a valid and reliable measure of English proficiency. In other words, there’s no hidden bias in favour of one over the others.

In recent years, the Duolingo English Test (DET) has become one of the most convenient and affordable options for students to prove their English proficiency. But the question on many students’ minds remains: Is the DET accepted by universities and visa authorities worldwide? The answer is yes – with some caveats depending on the country. 

Here’s a breakdown of DET acceptance of F-1 visas in the United States, study permits in Canada, the UK’s student visa and more.

The Duolingo English Test (DET) has rapidly grown in popularity over the past few years, but misconceptions still surround it. Whether you’re applying to a university or a visa programme, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. We debunk four of the most common myths about the DET and set the record straight.

Myth 1: Universities don’t accept the DET

Fact: More than 5,700 programmes around the world accept the DET, including many of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

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