What Duolingo score do you need for the University of Waterloo?

Waterloo accepts English scores from tests completed on or after 1 May 2025. Official scores must come from the testing agency; emails, faxes and student copies are not accepted. For Duolingo, log in to your account and select University of Waterloo – Undergraduate as a recipient. Results will not be accepted without subscores.

Results must arrive by the document deadline for your programme, and exemptions are not granted because you could not take a test in time. Make sure your name, email and date of birth match your OUAC application.

For comparison, the same page sets IELTS Academic at 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and speaking and 6.0 in reading and listening.

If you do not meet the required scores, you could still study at Waterloo through the Bridge to Academic Success in English (BASE) program: apply to your preferred programme and, if you qualify, you receive an offer of admission to BASE. Waterloo's English Language Institute also runs English for Academic Success (EFAS), which counts at 75% overall in level 400.

Requirements vary by programme and change between admissions cycles. The score that binds you is the one on your Waterloo programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.