Johnna Watson is Associate Dean, Graduate Enrollment Management and Funding at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Many US universities are facing sobering declines in international enrollment, particularly at the master’s level, and UNC Charlotte is no exception. Fewer international students means there will be fewer perspectives in the classroom, fewer voices shaping campus dialogue, and fewer contributions to the research that drives innovation.
These realities challenge us to consider how we can ensure our institutions remain accessible and attractive to global talent. One of the ways we can do this is by considering our English testing policies.
For us, the Duolingo English Test (DET) has become more than an English language assessment tool; it signals to students abroad that they are welcome at Charlotte and that we are willing to address barriers that might stand in the way of their aspirations. In a moment when higher education is searching for ways to restore momentum in international enrollment, we see the DET as an opportunity for us to lead with both access and authenticity.
What the data reveals about student success
Institutions are often cautious, even skeptical, when they consider adopting a new English proficiency assessment. When faced with the opportunity to accept the DET, we asked ourselves the same questions many of our peers do: Will students admitted with DET scores be ready for the demands of graduate-level coursework? Will their performance align with that of students admitted through other existing testing pathways?
When we turned to our own student data, the answers were clear. In a recent analysis of more than 1,200 graduate students at UNC Charlotte, academic outcomes across the DET, TOEFL iBT, and IELTS Academic were virtually indistinguishable. Average first-year GPAs clustered tightly between 3.44 and 3.48 for all three tests, and the confidence intervals overlapped almost perfectly. In other words, students admitted with DET scores proved just as prepared to succeed academically as those who entered with TOEFL or IELTS.
| Test | n | Mean Score | SD | First-Year GPA Mean | CI 95% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DET | 268 | 126.157 | 9.209 | 3.44 | [3.383, 3.502] |
| TOEFL | 284 | 96.704 | 7.942 | 3.46 | [3.400, 3.532] |
| IELTS | 664 | 6.973 | 0.462 | 3.48 | [3.441, 3.520] |
Charlotte’s strategic advantage
The context in which we operate at UNC Charlotte makes these results especially important. Our city is home to global financial, energy, and technology giants including Bank of America, Lowe’s, and Honeywell. These companies depend on universities to cultivate globally minded graduates. As an institution, we carry a responsibility to prepare students to thrive in a world that is increasingly interconnected.
International students play an indispensable role in meeting that responsibility. They bring fresh perspectives to research, foster cultural exchange in classrooms and the community, and carry the reputation of Charlotte’s programs with them into professional and civic life across the globe. Ensuring that these students can join our programs, without being limited by geography, access to testing centers, or prohibitive costs, is part of how we serve both our community and our mission.
The DET helps us fulfill that charge. By removing logistical barriers, it allows students in regions far from testing centers to apply with confidence. By reducing costs, it ensures that financial hurdles do not dictate opportunity. And by delivering results quickly, it helps us accelerate decision-making at a moment when efficiency matters for both applicants and institutions.
Shaping the future of graduate enrollment
Adopting the DET at UNC Charlotte was not only a pragmatic response to the pandemic and recent graduate enrollment trends, it was also an intentional step toward a more globalized future. We know that the strength of our graduate programs lies not only in academic rigor but in the perspectives that animate our campus. Students admitted with DET scores enrich these perspectives while demonstrating the same capacity for academic success as their peers.
Looking ahead, we see the DET as part of what it means to be future-ready in graduate enrollment. The global landscape of higher education will continue to evolve, and institutions that thrive will be those that pair strong academic standards with an unwavering commitment to accessibility. For Charlotte, the DET has proven to be not just a tool for admission, but a catalyst for connection—one that helps us welcome the world to our campus and prepare graduates who are ready to lead in a global society.