Minimum IELTS score to study in Ireland universities in 2023
From Dublin to Cork, Ireland is an up-and-coming study destination for many international students across the globe.
This country boasts high-quality education, rich culture and heritage, endless scenic landscapes, and a wide range of employment opportunities, making it one of the top countries in all of Europe for higher education.
But just like in other popular countries, prospective students are required to take the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, namely the most recognised language proficiency test anywhere in the world.
First off, to seek admission to a university in Ireland, you must obtain an IELTS certification to obtain an Irish study visa.
This way, schools and other educational institutions can assess your ability to listen, read, write and speak in the English language to deem you qualified to enter your university of choice in Ireland.
Once you hit the minimum scores required by the respective universities, you can then enrol on your chosen undergraduate course.
Minimum scores for Ireland universities
In general, international students need to secure a minimum overall band score of at least 5.5 on the 9-band scale to successfully enter an Irish university.
However, this may still vary from university to university depending on their own specific criteria, especially for higher-ranking institutions.
Let’s take a closer look at the minimum IELTS requirements based on the top-ranked universities in Ireland.
Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2023
Known as one of the world’s most renowned metrics for higher education assessment, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings is an invitation-only opinion survey of the world’s most prestigious senior, published academics.
Based on specific metrics, these individuals are responsible for ranking the world’s universities every year in an impartial and balanced manner.
The 2023 publication included a whopping 1,799 universities and educational institutions covering 104 countries and regions, and is measured through 5 important performance indicators including teaching, citations, research, industry income, and international outlook.
Based on this ranking system, Ireland has 9 universities that meet the ranking criteria, with Trinity College Dublin ranked as the top Irish university based on its global ranking at 161.
Here are their minimum IELTS band scores for both undergraduate and postgraduate university programmes.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement | IELTS minimum requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trinity College Dublin | 161 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
2 | RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences | 201-250 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
3 | University College Dublin | 201-250 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
4 | University College Cork | 301-350 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | National University of Ireland, Galway | 301-350 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | Dublin City University | 401-500 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | Maynooth University | 401-500 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
8 | University of Limerick | 601-800 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
9 | Technological University Dublin | 1001-1200 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
QS World University Rankings in 2023
Besides the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings is another one of the world’s most prestigious ranking systems and the most widely read among all.
Based on this ranking system, each university is assessed based on these 6 key metrics: academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-to-student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio, and international faculty ratio.
This highly sophisticated system makes it one of the most reputable ones among its counterparts.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement | IELTS minimum requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin | 98 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
2 | University College Dublin | 181 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
3 | National University of Ireland Galway | 270 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
4 | University College Cork | 303 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
5 | Dublin City University | 471 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
6 | University of Limerick | 531-540 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
7 | Maynooth University | 801-1000 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
8 | Technological University Dublin | 801-1000 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
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