Leaving Certificate entry requirements
At Least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H3 in one subject, minimum grade H5 in one subject and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish. Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
- English O6/H7
- Irish O6/H7
- Other Language H3
Specific requirements for individual languages
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French: A student will not normally be allowed to select French unless they have attained a pass standard in French in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
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German (Non-Beginners): H4 in German in the Leaving Certificate Examination (or equivalent).
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German (Beginners): H3 in any language other than English in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
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Italian (Non-Beginners): H4 in Italian in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
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Italian (Beginners): H3 in any language other than English in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent). Students who have obtained a grade below H4 in Italian can also join Italian (Beginners).
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Spanish (Non-Beginners): H3 in Spanish in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
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Spanish (Beginners): H3 in any language other than their first language in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent). Students who have obtained a grade below H3 in Spanish can also join Spanish (Beginners).
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Gaeilge/Irish: H3 in Gaeilge/Irish in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent).
Students presenting with a 2016 or previous Leaving Certificate in 2017 will require a HC2 in the languages mentioned above where a H4 is required and a HB3 where a H3 is required.
FETAC: See the FETAC page for requirements.
Mature entry applicants
Find out about the mature entry requirements here.
If you are hoping to pursue the BA World Languages programme, you must sit the Mature Student Admissions Pathway (MSAP) assessment. This is a two-hour exam that is designed to test your verbal reasoning and written ability skills. The MSAP is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Once you have a CAO number, you can make an application to ACER for the MSAP. The timeframe for making an application for the MSAP falls in to line with the CAO application deadlines. This is an online application process also.
MSAP do not accept late applications. There is only one sitting of the MSAP. This occurs in early March every year and is held in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin. You choose, when making your application, which test centre suits you best. For further details on the MSAP please click on the following link - https://msap-ireland.acer.org/.
Non-EU Candidates
Non-EU candidates are expected to have educational qualifications of a standard equivalent to the Irish Leaving Certificate. In addition, where such candidates are non-native speakers of the English language they must satisfy the university of their competency in the English language.
Minimum Requirements and Accepted English Language Tests & Examinations
The minimum English language entry requirements for admission onto a postgraduate programme at UCC are outlined below. These requirements are for postgraduate applicants whose first language is not English. If Gaeilge (Irish) is your first language these requirements do not apply to you.
There are a small number of programmes with a higher minimum English language entry requirement and we list these below under Programmes with a Higher Minimum English Language Requirement.
IELTS*
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6.5 Overall
- 6.0 Individual Skills (academic version)
TOEFL iBT
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90 Overall
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Listening 20
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Reading 19
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Speaking 21
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Writing 20
