What Duolingo score do you need for USC?

USC says every international applicant whose native language is not English must submit an English proficiency exam, and it grants no waivers or exceptions. The Duolingo English Test is the route for applicants who are not able to sit one of the USC-approved exams. Students who submit a valid USC-approved exam do not take the ISE.

Official scores from approved exams must arrive within two weeks of your application deadline. The page gives no Duolingo subscore minimums.

For comparison, the same page lists IELTS (or IELTS Indicator) at 7 and TOEFL at 100 with 20 per section for tests before 21 January 2026, or 5 with 4 per section after. It adds that admitted students average above 111 on the TOEFL iBT.

USC says applicants are admissible with scores below its recommended minimums on the approved exams, although at reduced rates of admission. For Duolingo the page states 130 as a minimum, so a lower DET is not enough on its own. Optional Duolingo, InitialView or Vericant interviews can support your application but do not replace a test.

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