Postgraduate
Applicants who are either nationals of a country which is deemed by UCC to be majority-English-speaking, or who hold a degree or an equivalent qualification which was taught in a country deemed to be majority-English-speaking will normally be assumed to have met the UCC language requirements. However, in some circumstances, applicants may be required to submit evidence of an English language qualification to satisfy University programme entry requirements.
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Sierra Leone, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, The United Kingdom, United States of America and Zambia.
The following approved English language qualifications are currently accepted at UCC:
- UCC English Language Centre Pre-sessional Courses
- Duolingo English Test
- IELTS Minimum Requirements
- TOEFL Minimum Requirements
- Cambridge Proficiency Exam
- Cambridge Advanced Exam
- Pearson PTE
UCC English Language Centre Pre-sessional Courses:
Successful completion of either the 6-Week Pre-sessional or 10-Week Pre-sessional course at UCC Language Centre. https://www.ucc.ie/en/esol/courses/presessional/
IELTS Indicator Test
UCC has approved the IELTS Indicator Test for the 2020 intake. https://www.ieltsindicator.com/ See minimum requirements below under IELTS / IELTS Indicator Test
TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition Test
UCC has approved the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test for the 2020 intake. https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/ See minimum requirements below under TOEFL / TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test
UCC has approved the use of the Duolingo English Test (DET) as a temporary measure for the 2020 intake. Students presenting with certain scores will be required to undergo a UCC Language Centre Skills Check (LCSC) and in some circumstances, a 6- or 12-week pre-sessional programme.
englishtest.duolingo.com/applicants
| College | Programmes | Duolingo English Test |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes |
DET 110-115 + Skills Check DET 120 or more eligible for full offer |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes |
DET 110-115 + Skills Check DET 120 or more eligible for full offer |
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) |
DET 110-115 + Skills Check DET 120 or more eligible for full offer |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology |
DET 120 + Skills Check DET 125 or more eligible for full offer |
|
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics |
DET 120 + Skills Check DET 125 or more eligible for full offer |
|
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography, MSc Radiation Therapy |
DET 110-115 + Skills Check DET 120 or more eligible for full offer |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy |
DET 120 + Skills Check DET 125 or more eligible for full offer |
|
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology |
DET 120 + Skills Check DET 125 or more eligible for full offer |
IELTS / IELTS Indicator Test Minimum Requirements
| College | Programmes | IELTS |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 5.5 |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes (except School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing) | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 5.5 |
| School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 6.0 |
|
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 6.0 |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology |
7.0 |
|
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics |
7.0 |
|
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography, MSc Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants)) | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 6.5 |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy |
7.0 Minimum individual sections of 7.0 |
|
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology | 7.0 Minimum individual sections 6.5 |
|
| School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 5.5 |
|
| School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants) | 6.5 Minimum individual sections 6.0 |
TOEFL / TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition Test Minimum Requirements
| College | Programmes | TOEFL |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes | TOEFL 90 Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing 17 |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes (except School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing) | TOEFL 90 Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing 17 |
| School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing | TOEFL 90 Listening - 20; Reading - 19; Speaking - 21; Writing 20 |
|
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) | TOEFL 90 Listening - 20; Reading - 19; Speaking - 21; Writing 20 |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology | TOEFL 100 Listening - 23; Reading - 21; Speaking - 22; Writing 27 |
|
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics | TOEFL 100 Listening - 23; Reading - 21; Speaking - 22; Writing 23 |
|
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography: MSc Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants)) | TOEFL 90 Listening - 23; Reading - 21; Speaking - 22; Writing 23 |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy | TOEFL 100 Listening - 24; Reading - 24; Speaking - 23; Writing 27 |
|
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology | TOEFL 100 Listening - 23; Reading - 21; Speaking - 22; Writing 23 |
|
| School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology | TOEFL 90 Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing 17 |
|
| School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants) | TOEFL 90 Listening - 20; Reading - 19; Speaking - 21; Writing 20 |
| College | Programmes | Cambridge Proficiency Exam |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes (except School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing) | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test |
| School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test | |
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology | 185 overall with not less than 176 in writing and 169 in each element of the test | |
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics | 185 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test | |
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants)) | 176 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography, MSc Radiation Therapy | 185 overall with not less than 185 in each element of the test | |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology | 185 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test | |
| School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test | |
| School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants) | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test |
| College | Programmes | Cambridge Advanced Exam |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes (except School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing) | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test |
| School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test | |
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology | 185 overall with not less than 176 in writing and 169 in each element of the test | |
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics | 185 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test | |
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy, School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants)) | 176 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography, MSc Radiation Therapy | 185 overall with not less than 185 in each element of the test | |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology | 185 overall with not less than 176 in each element of the test | |
| School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology | 176 overall with not less than 162 in each element of the test | |
| School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants) | 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test |
| College | Programmes | Pearson PTE |
| College of Arts, Celtic Studies, and Social Sciences | All Programmes | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 51 |
| College of Business and Law | All Programmes (except School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing) | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 51 |
| School of Business: MSc Management and Marketing | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 59 | |
| College of Science, Engineering and Food Science | All Programmes (except School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology and School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics) | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 59 |
| School of BEES: MSc Marine Biology | Minimum score of 72, writing 72, all other section score below 63 | |
| School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics | Minimum score of 72 with no section score below 72 | |
| College of Medicine and Health | All Programmes (except School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology, School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography; MSc Radiation Therapy; School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants)) | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 59 |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Diagnostic Radiography, MSc Radiation Therapy | Minimum score of 72 with no section score below 63 | |
| School of Clinical Therapies: MSc Audiology | Minimum score of 72 with no section score below 72 | |
| School of Medicine: MSc Obstetrics and Gynaecology | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 51 | |
| School of Nursing and Midwifery: MSc Nursing (Non-EU Applicants) | Minimum Score of 63 with no section score below 59 |
UCC English Language Centre
The UCC Language Centre offers a range of English Language courses, which may assist students to meet the required standard of English language and thus be eligible for entry to postgraduate study at University College Cork. For more information on the English courses which are offered at the Language Centre, please follow the link: https://www.ucc.ie/en/esol/courses/presessional/.
Other tests/qualifications may be accepted as equivalent to the qualifications listed above. Please contact the relevant Admissions Office for further information.
Certain tests (e.g. IELTS and TOEFL) have a two year time limit in their validity and these will be applied.
Please note that Secure English Language Test (SELT) scores must be achieved from one sitting of the relevant qualification (e.g. IELTS). We will not accept a combination of individual component scores from multiple tests.
Pre-Masters Preparatory Pathway
UCC is pleased to announce its new Pre-Masters/Preparatory Pathway which will allow students whose first language is not English the opportunity to develop English language proficiency, whilst at the same time taking modules from those offered across the University in their chosen discipline. Further information is available at http://www.ucc.ie/en/esol/courses/pre-masters/#d.en.748967