Short answer: from Peru, the test you should take is whichever one your destination institution accepts — that decision is theirs, not yours. Where you have a genuine choice, the practical differences are access and turnaround: the Duolingo English Test is taken online from home, while IELTS and PTE Academic require a test centre, and those are concentrated in Lima.
This guide covers what taking each test actually looks like from Peru, and answers the question Peruvian candidates ask most often — whether PTE is easier than IELTS.
The three tests at a glance
| IELTS | PTE Academic | Duolingo English Test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you take it | Test centre | Test centre only — cannot be taken at home | Online, from home |
| Availability in Peru | Lima (Miraflores centre listed by IDP) | Authorised Pearson centres | Anywhere with a computer and internet |
| Score scale | Bands 1–9 | 10–90 (Global Scale of English) | 10–160 |
| Length | Around 3 hours | Around 2 hours | Around 1 hour |
| Scoring | Human examiners | AI combined with human expertise | Automated |
| Results | 1–5 days (computer-delivered) | Usually 2 business days, up to 5 | About 2 days |
| Retake a single skill | Yes — One Skill Retake | No | No |
Fees and session availability change constantly. At the time of writing, IDP lists computer-delivered IELTS at its Lima Miraflores centre at USD 299 with results in one to five days. Check current pricing with each provider before you book — do not plan a budget around figures in any article, including this one.
Access from Peru is the real difference
For most candidates in Peru this is the deciding factor, and it gets less attention than it deserves.
The Duolingo English Test is taken online from wherever you are. If you live outside Lima, that removes travel, accommodation and a day of leave from the cost of sitting an exam. For candidates in Arequipa, Trujillo, Cusco or anywhere further from the capital, the real price difference between DET and a centre-based test is larger than the headline fee suggests.
IELTS and PTE require a physical centre. Pearson is explicit that PTE Academic cannot be taken at home. IDP lists a computer-delivered IELTS centre in Miraflores, Lima, offering both Academic and General Training. If you are outside Lima, factor the journey into your planning and book early — sessions fill.
This cuts the other way too. A test centre is a controlled environment with staff and equipment provided. Taking DET at home means your internet connection, your camera and your quiet room become your responsibility, and a technical failure mid-test is your problem.
Is PTE easier than IELTS?
This is the single most searched question on this topic, and the honest answer is no — neither test is easier. They are different, and which one suits you depends on how you perform rather than on the tests' difficulty.
PTE may suit you better if you are comfortable speaking to a computer, you type faster than you write by hand, and you prefer a predictable, tightly structured format. Scoring combines AI with human expertise and is consistent across candidates.
IELTS may suit you better if you find it easier to speak to a person than into a microphone. The speaking test is a conversation with a human examiner, which many candidates find more natural — and some find more stressful. IELTS also offers a One Skill Retake, so a single weak section does not mean sitting the whole exam again. Neither PTE nor DET offers that.
What actually changes your score is familiarity with the format and consistent preparation, not the choice between them. If you are torn, take a practice test of each and compare how you felt, not just what you scored. For a detailed side-by-side, see our comparison of IELTS and PTE difficulty and the fuller IELTS vs PTE vs TOEFL comparison.
Check acceptance before anything else
Everything above is secondary to one question: what does the institution you are applying to accept?
Acceptance is set by the receiving body — a university admissions office, a professional registration board, or an immigration authority — and it varies by country, by institution and sometimes by individual programme. A test that is perfect for a Canadian university may be useless for a UK visa application.
Three things to confirm in writing before you book:
Which tests the institution accepts. Duolingo acceptance has grown quickly but is still narrower than IELTS, and some immigration routes do not accept it at all. Our guide to universities accepting the Duolingo English Test is a starting point, not a substitute for checking.
The exact score they require. Not just the test — the number. Our overview of English test score requirements by country shows how widely these vary.
Whether they require a specific version. Some visa routes require a particular secure variant of a test rather than the standard academic one. Getting this wrong means paying twice.
Choosing, in practice
Take the Duolingo English Test if your target institutions accept it, you are outside Lima, you need a result quickly, or cost is the binding constraint.
Take IELTS if your destination is a UK, Australian or Canadian institution or visa route where it is the most widely accepted option, if you would rather speak to a person, or if the One Skill Retake matters to you.
Take PTE Academic if your institution accepts it, you are comfortable with a fully computerised format, and you want a fast, predictable turnaround.
If more than one is accepted, choose on access and format, not on a belief that one is easier.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take IELTS or PTE outside Lima?
Test centre coverage in Peru is concentrated in Lima. Check the current centre list with IDP, the British Council and Pearson directly, since centres open and close. If travel is a barrier, the Duolingo English Test is taken online from anywhere.
Do Peruvian universities require an English test?
Requirements differ by institution and programme, and many Peruvian universities set their own internal English requirements rather than requiring an international test. These tests matter most when you are applying abroad. Confirm directly with the university.
Which test gives results fastest?
All three are quick by historical standards. The Duolingo English Test returns results in about two days, PTE usually within two business days and up to five, and computer-delivered IELTS in one to five days. If you are against a deadline, the difference between them is small — book early rather than choosing on turnaround.
Is the Duolingo English Test taken seriously?
It is accepted by a large and growing number of institutions, but acceptance is not universal and is narrower than IELTS, particularly for immigration purposes. Whether it is taken seriously is not a general question — it is a question about the specific institution you are applying to.
Can I retake just the section I did badly in?
With IELTS, yes — One Skill Retake lets you resit a single component. PTE Academic and the Duolingo English Test require you to retake the whole test.
One important exception: Canada’s immigration authority does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake results for Express Entry. If Canadian permanent residence is your goal, a One Skill Retake score will not count, and Express Entry accepts IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General and PTE Core rather than PTE Academic. Check the requirement for your specific route before relying on a retake.
Where to go next
If you have settled on a test but not a score, our PTE Academic score chart explains what the 10–90 scale means in practice, and the IELTS Band 7 preparation plan sets out a realistic route to a competitive band.