UK universities can cut some emissions by 98%, new report reveals

A new IESG report has revealed a readily achievable opportunity for UK universities to slash carbon emissions in their recruitment process by 98%, by transitioning to digital testing. This would be equivalent to the UK higher education sector planting a new Sherwood Forest every year!

"The Carbon Cost of English Language Proficiency Testing" – commissioned by the Duolingo English Test – leveraged numerous data points to highlight the often-overlooked environmental impact of traditional in-person testing, and outlines the carbon savings digital alternatives offer.

This research comes as universities increasingly seek to integrate carbon budgeting into their Internationalisation activities pipeline, extending accountability beyond Scope 1 and 2 emissions to crucial indirect Scope 3 emissions like student travel.

The IESG drew on its Climate Action Barometer and insights from the Climate Action Network for International Education (CANIE) to initiate a vital conversation on how to decarbonise the international student journey. This aligns with broader UK government and sector-wide efforts encouraging universities to address their environmental footprint, including the Department for Education's Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, which aims for education settings to have nominated sustainability leads and climate action plans. Many UK universities have already committed to ambitious net-zero targets, some as early as 2030 or 2040, ahead of the national 2050 goal.

Key findings

1. Massive carbon disparity

Traditional, in-person testing generates an average 14.3 kg of CO₂e per test. In contrast, remote digital tests produce just 0.16 kg of CO₂e, a 98% reduction.

2. Student travel is the driver

The report found students travel an estimated 51 million kilometers annually to and from test centres, with trips averaging 175 km. Nearly half travel over 10 km, and one in ten face journeys exceeding 600 km. In some countries, the average round trip is over 800 km. An estimated 1.03 million hours of student travel time could be saved each year by eliminating the need to journey to test centres.

3. Sector-wide emissions

Based on the estimated 500,000 tests taken annually by international students for UK university entry, the carbon cost to the UK HE sector from traditional testing is an estimated 11,173 tonnes of CO2e emissions. Avoiding these emissions would be equivalent to taking about 2,000 cars off the road or planting 200,000 trees every year, or a new Sherwood Forest every year.

4. University cuts

Simply by switching to remote digital tests a university could reduce its emissions by up to 272 tonnes of CO₂e – comparable to the annual emissions from 144 passenger cars.

5. Unexpected carbon hotspots

The study revealed that for in-person formats, the largest carbon impacts stemmed from student travel to test centres. For remote digital tests the principal impact is the power consumption of a student's computer, rather than the AI or other digital infrastructure emissions. This insight emerged from Duolingo's collaboration with Amazon Web Services, trialing a new tool for estimating the carbon footprint of cloud infrastructure and AI.

6. Enhanced accessibility and equity

The requirement for travel to physical test centres creates significant barriers for students from rural, fragile, or remote contexts, as well as those facing unreliable electricity, internet access, limited mobility, or financial resources. Remote testing directly addresses these challenges, offering a more accessible and inclusive pathway to UK higher education, aligning with social value and global talent pipeline considerations.

Alongside these findings, the research introduces a new metric, the Carbon Cost per Test Taken (CCTT), and a Carbon Saving Calculator to help institutions estimate their own testing-related carbon footprint and potential savings from remote testing. This tool enables universities to model the impact of policy changes in real terms.

IESG employed a rigorous methodology, combining DET data, carbon intensity by country, the distribution of Secure English Language Test (SELT) centers, HESA enrolment data, and insights from Enroly on how students meet English requirements and in a first for Amazon Web Services, working with an external agency to include data from them.

Will Archer, IESG: "This report clearly demonstrates how embracing remote testing allows institutions to achieve significant reductions in their carbon footprint while simultaneously enhancing accessibility for students globally. It's a win-win for all concerned and a crucial step towards creating a truly sustainable and inclusive admissions process. Looking ahead, we aim to refine our models, expand our scope to the broader admissions journey, and encourage ongoing dialogue between government, universities, and students to drive deeper policy and behavioural shifts."

Michael Lynas, Duolingo English Test: “This report shows that what’s good for students is also good for the planet. Secure, online English tests taken at home can cut carbon emissions by 98%, while making the admissions process fairer and more accessible. It’s a clear win-win, and I hope it inspires universities to act.”

The report further outlines that prospective international students are increasingly factoring the climate and sustainability credentials of universities into their choices, with over 60% considering environmental sustainability very or extremely important when choosing where to study in the UK. This aligns with broader trends where 74% of international students state that a university's seriousness regarding global environmental issues influences their choice of institution (Universities UK).

Caveat: the scope for the UK research encompassed UK government-approved Secure English Language Test centres worldwide and more than a million tests taken. Further research will extend this.