Postgraduate

Postgraduate English Language Requirements

All postgraduate applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of English language proficiency. Certain tests (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL and Pearson PTE) have a two year time limit in their validity and these will be applied. English language tests must be undertaken no more than two years prior to commencement of a programme.

Please note that the Secure English Language Test (SELT) scores must be achieved from one sitting of the relevant qualification (e.g. IELTS and TOEFL). We will not accept a combination of individual component scores from multiple tests

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.

The approved majority-English-speaking countries are:

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

Zambia

The following approved English language qualifications are currently accepted at UCC:

UCC English Language Centre Pre-sessional Courses:

Successful completion of either the 6-Week Pre-sessional, 12-Week Pre-sessional or 16-Week Pre-sessional course at UCC Language Centre. https://www.ucc.ie/en/esol/courses/presessional/

IELTS Indicator Test

UCC accepts the IELTS Indicator Test for the 2022 intake. https://www.ieltsindicator.com/ See minimum requirements below under IELTS / IELTS Indicator Test

TOEFL iBT Home Edition Test

UCC accepts the TOEFL iBT Home Edition test for the 2022 intake. https://www.ets.org/s/cv/toefl/at-home/ See minimum requirements below under TOEFL / TOEFL iBT Home Edition test

DET Minimum Requirements

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
College of Business and Law	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 Writing 7.0, Minimum individual sections 6.5
	School of Food and Nutritional Science: MSc Human Nutrition and Dietetics	7.0 Minimum individual sections 6.5
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 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
College of Business and Law	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

Cambridge Proficiency Exam

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
College of Business and Law	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

Cambridge Advanced Exam

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
College of Business and Law	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

Occupational English Test (OET)

College	Programmes	Occupational English Test (OET)
College of Medicine and Health	School of Nursing and Midwifery: Nursing Programmes	Minimum 250-299 in each sub skill

Pearson PTE

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
College of Business and Law	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.

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