In late 2023, IDP launched Envoy, a new standardized English language test powered by AI, which can be completed in 90 minutes and is aligned to the CEFR.

The copy around the Envoy test states it’s aimed at teachers, and is “a flexible, cost-effective test for English language schools and other business needs“, with its first major market being Australian schools. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if they eventually try to make inroads into higher ed admissions with this test.

Envoy strikes me as a direct competitor to the Duolingo English test, in its shorter length and lower price point (as compared to other standardized English exams such as IELTS or TOEFL). The website copy for both Envoy and Duolingo English Test emphasizes the accessibility of the test, referring not just to its lower price point and online delivery, but its comparatively shorter duration, and “stress-free” or “delightful” testing experiences .

And while expanding the options in terms of what tests are accepted by institutions for direct admission can be a good thing, institutions have to be sure that the tests they accept are rigorous enough, and test the relevant skills and abilities that have been shown to be most influential in academic success once a student is in their program of study.

As I wrote in 2019, with regards to academic admission to higher education, what test, if any, sufficiently evaluates the complex range of skills needed for academic success? Independent research (i.e. rather than research carried out by, Envoy, Duolingo, IELTS, or ETS, etc. on their own tests) as well as institution-specific research on the predictive validity of particular tests is key and should be the main driver of an institution deciding to accept a new test for direct admissions. Administrative and political concerns should be secondary, though it is very often not the case.

And above all, institutions have to remember that “access without support is not opportunity” (Tinto, 2008; Engstrom and Tinto, 2010). If we’re going to open the doors to our institutions ever wider, it is important to ensure curricular support (credit-bearing English for academic purposes, disciplinary writing and academic skills courses, etc.) , as well as extracurricular support options (such as writing centres, campus English language centres, etc.), and faculty development in teaching multilingual learners to allow students whose previous education was in a language other than English to thrive in higher ed.