Do Italian Universities Accept TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo for Admission?

Posted by Tunde Adebayo

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Hi everyone, I am planning to apply to universities in Italy for the 2026-2027 intake and I am trying to understand the English language requirements. Do Italian universities generally accept TOEFL, PTE Academic, or the Duolingo English Test, or does it depend on the individual university and degree program? I would especially like to know: Which English tests are commonly accepted by Italian universities? Is Duolingo widely accepted in Italy? Do universities accept PTE Academic as an alternative to IELTS or TOEFL? Can the English-language requirement be waived if my previous degree was taught in English? Does the accepted test also matter for scholarships or the visa process? If anyone has recently applied to an Italian university using TOEFL, PTE, or Duolingo, please share your experience and the university you applied to. Thank you!

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Replies (5)

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Johan Lindberg
Quick decision guide for 2026-27 if you want one test that travels well across Italy: 1. Prefer IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT if you can - highest acceptance, least back-and-forth with admissions. 2. Choose PTE only after you confirm every program on your shortlist lists it (screenshot the page). 3. Use Duolingo only if most of your targets explicitly list it - otherwise you risk paying twice when a public university rejects it later. 4. If you already studied in English, chase MOI waivers in parallel so you might avoid the test entirely. If you share 2-3 university + program names, people can tell you what those calls currently list. Requirements change by intake, so always verify for 2026-27.
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Pieter Smit
For scholarships and the student visa, treat them as separate layers: Admission: the university decides which English tests they accept for enrolment. Scholarship: regional or university scholarships sometimes set their own English minimums (or ask for IELTS/TOEFL specifically even if the degree accepted Duolingo). Visa (D national visa for study): Italian consulates generally care that you have an admission letter / pre-enrolment and the documents on their checklist. They do not usually re-score your TOEFL vs PTE, but if your admission was conditional on English, you need to satisfy that condition before enrolment. So: pick a test your universities accept, keep the score report handy for scholarship apps, and do not assume Duolingo will travel well across admission + funding.
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Rehan Malik
On waivers: yes, many Italian universities will waive the English test if your previous degree was taught entirely in English, but they usually want official proof - for example a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter on university letterhead, or a transcript note, sometimes with a stamp/apostille depending on the school. Do not rely on a self-written statement. Email the international admissions office of each university with: - your degree country and university name - whether the program was 100% English - a sample MOI if you already have one Some programs still require a test even with an MOI, especially for scholarships that have their own English criteria. Get the waiver confirmed in writing before you skip the exam.
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Siddharth Rao
I applied to Italian programs for an English-taught master's and this is what I saw in practice: - TOEFL iBT and IELTS were listed almost everywhere. - PTE was accepted at some of the universities I checked, usually with a minimum around the equivalent of IELTS 6.0-6.5. Still, one university on my list only wanted IELTS/TOEFL. - Duolingo was accepted by only one private option I looked at. I skipped Duolingo for the public universities. My advice: make a spreadsheet of your 6-8 target programs and copy the exact accepted tests + minimum scores from each admission page. Then book the test that covers the majority of your list so you do not sit two exams.
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Jonas Weber
It almost always depends on the university and the specific degree, not on a single Italy-wide rule. For English-taught bachelor's/master's programs, the common pattern is: 1. IELTS Academic or TOEFL iBT are the safest defaults (most calls for applications list them). 2. PTE Academic is accepted by a growing number of public universities and private schools, but you must check that program's admission page - do not assume "Italy accepts PTE." 3. Duolingo is the least consistent. Some private universities and a few public programs accept it; many still do not. If your target list is competitive public unis, plan on IELTS/TOEFL first. Always download the current Call for Applications / admission notice for 2026-27. That PDF overrides forum advice.

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