Entry Requirements

Academic Entry Requirements

Please see Your Country for country-specific entry requirements

English Language Requirements

General Information

All applicants for whom English is not a first language must present verifiable evidence of the required level of English language proficiency for their intended course of study.

The minimum English language requirement for entry to the University of Galway is an overall IELTS score of 6.5, with no component below 6.0. Some programmes have additional requirements – these can be found in the table below.

Students can evidence their English language competence by presenting one of the following:

A minimum standard in a recognised English Language proficiency test (Listed in Section B)
A minimum standard in a recognised secondary-level examination from a majority English-speaking country (Listed in Section C)
A degree completed through the medium of English from a majority English-speaking country. *A majority English-speaking country is one where English is a national language and English is the medium of instruction.

Students requiring a study visa must ensure their English qualification meets Irish Immigration requirements or take an approved test.

Subject*	University of Galway's Pre-Sessional & Pre-Masters Programmes	Academic IELTS (IELTS Online also accepted)
Arts/Business/Law	Overall 70% with at least 65% in all modules. For further information, please visit the University’s English Language Centre.	6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component.
Science/Engineering		6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component.
Medicine (This requirement applies to incoming first year undergraduate students only)		6.5 overall no less than 6.5 in any one component.
MSc Biomedical Science MSc Biotechnology Higher Diploma (Medical Technology Regulatory Affairs and Quality) MSc Computer Science - Data Analytics MSc Health Data Science MSc Adaptive Cybersecurity MSc Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence H.Dip Software Design & Development. M.Sc Software Design & Development M.Sc Applied Multilingualism MSc Childhood Speech, Language & Communication		6.5 overall, no less than 6.5 in writing and no less than 6 in any other one component.
BSc. Speech and Language Therapy		7.5 overall, no less than 7.0 in any one component.
MA in Literature and Publishing MA in English MA in Global Media & Communications MA in Journalism MA Film Studies (Theory and Practice)		7 overall, no less than 6.5 in any one component.
BSc Nursing Science (General)		6.5 overall, no less than 6 in any one component.
MSc Clinical Research MSc Cellular Manufacturing & Therapy		6.5 overall no less than 6.5 in any one component.
BSc Podiatric Medicine		6.5 overall, no less than 6 in any one component.
BSc Occupational Therapy		6.5 overall, no less than 6.5 in any one component.
Shannon College of Hotel Management: Bachelor of Business Studies and Bachelor of Commerce in International Hotel Management		6 overall
Shannon College of Hotel Management: Foundation Programme		5 overall
Shannon College of Hotel Management: UG Programmes		6 overall
Shannon College of Hotel Management: PG Programmes		6.5 overall

Recognised English Language Proficiency Tests:

Qualifications	Comparable to IELTS 6.5 (with 6.0 in each test component)	Comparable to IELTS 7.0 (with 6.0 in each test component)	Validity period
IELTS	6.5 (with 6.0 in each component) B2	7.0 (6.0)	2 years
University of Galway Pre-sessional and Pre-masters programmes	70% overall with at least 65% in all modules. For further information please see	University of Galway English Language Centre	N/A
International Baccalaureate Diploma English A Syllabus	SL 4	SL 4	7 years
	Higher level 4	Higher level 4	7 years
International Baccalaureate Diploma English B Syllabus	SL 6	SL 5	7 years
	HL5	Higher level 4	7 years
University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	Grade C (benchmarked to CEFR B2 since 2022 and may be described as such on transcript)	Grade B (benchmarked to CEFR C1 since 2022 and may be described as such on transcript)	7 years
IGCSE in English (as a first language)	Grade C	Grade B	7 years
IGCSE in English (as a second language) Syllabus 0510 with separate Oral Endorsement	Grade B or above, with Grade 2 in Oral/Aural test	Grade B or above, with Grade 2 in Oral/Aural test	7 years
IGCSE in English (as a second language) Syllabus 0511 with Count-in Oral/Aural	Grade B	Grade B	7 years
NCUK International Foundation Year: English Academic Purposes Module	Grade B (with min Grade C in each component)	Grade A (with min Grade D in each component)	2 years
CPE	176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test	185 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test	2 years
Cambridge Proficiency			2 years
CAE	176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test	185 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test	2 years
Cambridge Advanced			2 years
WAEC West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate (English Lang)	C6	C6	7 years
Pearson PTE Academic	63overall; no less than 59 in any one component https://www.pearsonpte.com/pte-academic/scoring	65 overall; no less than 61 in any one component	2 years
TOEFL iBT (including home edition)	88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22) https://ielts.org/organisations/ielts-for-organisations/compare-ielts	95 overall (with min in each component: listening 20; Reading 19; Speaking 21; Writing 20)	2 years
City & Guilds International ESOL (IESOL) Diploma	Pass at Level C1 or C2 in Listening, Reading and Writing report, and Pass in separate Speaking report	Pass at Level C1 or C2 in Listening, Reading and Writing report, and Pass in separate Speaking report	2 years
Language Cert Academic	70 overall; 65 in each component	75 overall; 70 in each component	2 years
Oxford English Language Level Test	7 overall	8 overall	2 years
	6 in each component	7 in each component	2 years
Trinity	ISE III	ISE III	2 years
	Pass in every component	Merit in every component	2 years
MELAB Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency	85 (acceptable only if Speaking test is included with result of at least 3)	90 (acceptable only if Speaking test is included with result of at least 3)	2 years

Recognised English Language qualifications from majority English speaking countries:

Country (if applicable)	Qualifications	Validity period	Where the requirement is IELTS 6.5	Where the requirement is IELTS 7.0
EU/EEA	countries' matriculation requirements as per CAO are accepted for entry onto undergraduate programmes as benchmarked against CEFR; These may be accepted for postgraduate programmes	7 years	CEFR C1	CEFR C2
Botswana	BGCSE	7 years	C	B
Brunei	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
Cameroon	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
Canada	In Francophone systems, students will need to take IELTS or equivalent; in Anglophone system grade 11 or 12 English is accepted in lieu of IELTS	7 years
The Gambia	West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE/WAEC)	7 years	C6	C6
Ghana	West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE/WAEC)	7 years	C6	C6
Hong Kong	HKCEE Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination in English Language	5 years	Grade 3 in all test elements	Grade 4 overall with not less than 3 in any test element
Hong Kong	HKCEE (syllabus B, prior to 2007) Hong Kong Certificate of Education in English Language	5 years	Grade C	Grade B
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (Core Subject English Language)	5 years	Grade 4 overall with not less than 3 in any component	Grade 5 overall with not less than 3 in any component
Hong Kong	Hong Kong Use of English Exam	5 years	Grade B	Grade B
India	India Standard XII (CBSE/CICSE/Karnataka/Maharashtra/Tamil Nadu/West Bengal boards)	7 years	70%	75% +
India	An official Digilocker verification document will be required	7 years	70%	75% +
	We are not able to accept this qualification for students from Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, North East States (Arunachal/Assam/Mizoram/Meghalaya), who must provide an alternative English Language Test
Kenya	Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education	7 years	C	B
Liberia	WAEC	7 years	C6	C6
Malawi	Malawi School Certificate of Education	7 years	grades 1-6 are comparable to at least grade C GCSE
Malaysia	Malaysia SPM English Language - (Bahasa Inggeris)	7 years	B2 overall and in each subskill in the separate CEFR report	C1 overall and in each subskill in the separate CEFR report
Mauritius	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
Nigeria	West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE/WAEC)	7 years	C6	C6
Namibia	Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate (NSSC), Higher English	7 years	C	B
Norway	Vitnemal fra den Videregaende Skole	7 years	4
Pakistan	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
Seychelles	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
Sierra Leone	West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE/WAEC)	7 years	C6	C6
Singapore	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	Grade C	Grade B
	A'level	7 years	D	C
	Singapore Integrated Programme (Literature in English H2 or English Language and Linguistics H2)	7 years	Grade D	Grade C
South Africa	NSC	7 years	Level 5
Sri Lanka	University of Cambridge International Examinations GCE O Level English Language	7 years	C	C
Tanzania	Secondary School Leaving Certificate	7 years	Grade C in English	Grade B in English language
Uganda	Uganda Certificate of Education	7 years	Grade 3 in English
Zambia	General Certificate of Education/School Certificate	7 years	6/C	6/C
Zimbabwe	Cambridge School Certificate / Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE)	7 years	C	C

Visa Required Students: Please check with The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) for specific visa requirements.

The University of Galway TOEFL institution code is 8861.

English Language Courses at the University of Galway

University of Galway’s English Language Centre is committed to providing high-quality English Language courses, including our pre-sessional and pathway options, to help our students prepare for academic study at University of Galway.

You can review the programmes on offer here.

Foundation Programmes

University of Galway works with a number of providers who offer foundation programmes for students who do not currently meet the University’s English language requirements.

The following courses are open to students who receive a conditional offer of admission to a select number of undergraduate and taught postgraduate degree programmes at University of Galway, subject to meeting the University’s usual English language requirements.

University of Galway's Foundation Programme

The International Foundation Business Programme caters specifically for the academic and/or English needs of students who do not meet the academic requirement to directly enter undergraduate degree programmes and/or English requirements for their chosen degree.

Programme Name:	University Foundation Programme
Provider:	University of Galway's Shannon College.
Course Dates:	September - May 2026
Tuition Fee:	€13,000
Further Details:	Contact University of Galway's Shannon College for more details

Dublin International Foundation College (DIFC)

Based in Dublin, the Dublin International Foundation College (DIFC) delivers specialised NCUK –accredited foundation courses preparing international students for entrance into partner universities in Ireland and the UK. In particular, University of Galway has accepted students who have completed the NCUK International Foundation Year (IFY) and NCUK Graduate Diploma (formerly the Pre-Masters programme – PMP) at DIFC.

Programme Name:	NCUK International Foundation Year Programme
Provider:	Dublin International Foundation College (DIFC)
Start Dates:	September and January each year
Further Details:	Contact DIFC for more details

Programme Name:	NCUK Graduate Diploma
Provider:	Dublin International Foundation College (DIFC)
Start Dates:	September - January each year
Further Details:	Contact DIFC for more details