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The Minimum IELTS Scores For Ireland Universities

So, you have decided to take a leap of faith and embark on a new journey studying in Ireland.

There are several things to prepare to ensure a successful application, one of which is meeting IELTS requirements set by your university of choice. Score requirements aren’t static, they vary according to the university and type of course you.

Score requirements aren’t static, they vary according to the university and type of course you seek to enter!

To read a subject in English, students are required to demonstrate adequate proficiency in the language.

The IELTS (Academic) is required to obtain an Irish visa for studies, and for admission to an Irish University.

For long-term study in Ireland, the minimum score requirements for various language tests set by INIS are as follows:

Long-Term Study Language Test Scores

Language Test	Minimum Requirement
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic	5.0
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)	Computer-based: 173 Paper-based: 500 Internet-based: 61
English Test for Academic and Professional Purposes (ETAPP)	B2
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic	30
First Certificate in English (FCE)	Pass
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)	Pass
Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)	Pass
Business English Certificate (BEC) (Higher or Vantage)	Pass

However, the university you have chosen may have more stringent requirements depending on your preferred subject of study and programme.

Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2022

The Times Higher Education World Rankings is one of the world’s most established metrics. It judges universities based on 5 key performance indicators- teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.

Rank	University	IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)	IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)
1	Trinity College Dublin	6.5	6.5
2	RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences	6.5	6.5
3	University College Dublin	6.5	6.5
4	University College Cork	6.5	6.5
5	National University of Ireland, Galway	6.5	6.5
6	Dublin City University	6.5	6.5
7	Maynooth University	6.0	6.5
8	University of Limerick	6.5	6.5
9	Technological University Dublin	6.0	6.0

QS World University Rankings in 2022

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Rankings, another of the world’s premier ranking systems, rates the world’s universities by institution and subject through academic, student, employer and international indicators.

Rank	University	IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes)	IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes)
1	Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin	6.5	6.5
2	University College Dublin	6.5	6.5
3	National University of Ireland Galway	6.5	6.5
4	University College Cork	6.5	6.5
5	Dublin City University	6.5	6.5
6	University of Limerick	6.5	6.5
7	Maynooth University	6.0	6.5
8	Technological University Dublin	6.0	6.0

To ensure that all students can cope with English-medium instruction, language test score requirements are rigorous but purposeful.

But don’t worry, even if you do not meet the IELTS requirement, you can opt to take other tests!

Top universities such as University College Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD) also recognize alternative English tests such as PTE, TOEFL, and UCLS. For a more specific breakdown of these score requirements, you may refer to the websites of individual universities.

English Language Test Equivalency Table

Exam	IELTS 5.0	5.5	6.0	6.5	7.0	7.5
A Level English	D	D	C	C	B	B
GCSE English	D	D	C	C	B	B
IB**	grade 3 in A or B HL or SL	grade 4 in A or B HL or SL	IB B SL grade 6 IB B HL -grade 4 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 4	IB B SL grade 6 IB B HL -grade 5 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL- grade 5	IB B SL grade 7 IB B HL -grade 5 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 5	IB B HL -grade 6 IB A1/A2 HL/ SL grade 6
TOEFL ibt	60 (10, 10, 13, 16)	70 (13, 13, 13, 16)	80 (17, 18, 17, 20)	90 (17, 18, 17, 20)	100 (20, 20, 20, 20)	110 (22, 22, 22, 22)