Entry Requirements for International Students
Trinity is a high-ranking university renowned for academic excellence. Entry to our programmes is competitive, and based on academic merit. This section gives you general entry requirements for admission into our Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes. In addition, each programme has further course-specific requirements, which you should also check in the detailed course description before applying.
Trinity programmes are taught through the medium of English, and all students must demonstrate their standard of English with a formal qualification in order to be admitted. The English Language qualifications we accept are listed at the bottom of this section. The Trinity International Foundation Programmes has different English Language requirements, which are explained within the Foundation entry requirements.
Trinity International Foundation Programme
The Trinity International Foundation Programme is a pre-university pathway programme for students who wish to progress to a Trinity undergraduate degree programme, but who are not academically ready to enter our undergraduate programmes directly. It is designed for non-native English speakers from non-EU countries.
Entry requirements for the Trinity International Foundation Programme can be found here.
Applications for the Foundation Programme require the following documentation (please see How to Apply for more details)
As part of your application, you will be required to submit:
- Your transcripts
- Proof of English proficiency (typically IELTS or TOEFL scores)
- 2 letters of recommendation
- A copy of your passport
Undergraduate Admission
Undergraduate admission into Trinity requires an international second-level qualification such as the International Baccalaureate or the A-levels. Some other national curricula such as Indian Standard 12, Malaysian UEC, ATAR are also accepted for direct undergraduate admission. For more information on country-specific qualifications required, please check here.
Most courses have further course-specific requirements, which are detailed in the course profile, found here.
Students with other qualifications that are not accepted for direct undergraduate admission may be eligible to enter the Trinity International Foundation Programme – please see above.
Applications for undergraduate courses require the following documentation (to be submitted online – please see How to Apply)
- Two academic references
- Final high school exam results, or Predicted Scores provided by your school
- A 500-word statement of purpose
- A recognised certificate of English Language Competency – see below
Applicants for all undergraduate programmes must present an English language qualification – see below.
Postgraduate Admission
Postgraduate work in Trinity College Dublin is academically challenging and rewarding. As a result the University has high academic entry requirements.
Applicants will need to hold at least a 2.1 honors degree (60%) from an Irish university, or an equivalent result from a university in another country. If you have any queries in relation to your eligibility for programmes, please contact us at international@tcd.ie.
Some courses may have more specific requirements or require you to take further tests or attend an interview. Details of course-specific requirements can be found on the course profile pages, which you can find here. For further details, you can contact the course director, whose contact information is given in the course profile.
Applications for taught postgraduate courses typically require the following documentation (to be submitted online – please see How to Apply for more information)
- Two academic references (or where appropriate clinical referees)
- Academic transcript(s) which must be certified by the issuing body
- Certified copy of degree certificate(s)
- A recognised certificate of English Language Competency – see below
- Any other qualifications that may be required (such as GMAT for Business Master’s programmes). Please see the course profile.
Postgraduate Research
Trinity is recognised as one of the world's leading research-intensive universities, with a great deal of opportunity for postgraduate research.
Students interested in a doctorate or master’s degree by research should make themselves familiar with the work of our highly research-active staff. Extensive information for research opportunities and the relevant contact persons in each School is available by clicking here.
English Language Requirements
Applicants for the Trinity International Foundation Programme require IELTS 5.0 overall, with 5.0 in Writing and no band below 4.5.
Applicants for all Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes must present one of the following English language qualifications.
| QUALIFICATIONS | REQUIREMENTS | |
| 1 | Irish Leaving Certificate | A grade D3 or better in Ordinary Level English |
| 2 | GCSE | A grade C or better in English Language |
| 3 | European Baccalaureate | English: 6 in your 1st language, or in 1st or 2nd Foreign Language |
| 4 | French Baccalaureate | Students presenting the OIB or International Option of the French Baccalaureate may satisfy the English language requirement by achieving a minimum of 12 (where the coefficient is greater than 5) in English Language and Literature. In cases where the coefficient is less than 5, a minimum result of 14 will be required. |
| 5 | International Baccalaureate | English A1, A2 or B: 5 at Higher Level (4 at Standard Level if presenting IB through English) |
| 6 | US High School Curriculum | A grade C in English taken in final year |
| 7 | TOEFL | Paper based 570 (with a TWE score of 4.5) / Computer based 233 (with a score of 4.5 in essay) / Internet based 90 (with a written score of 21) PG: 88 internet-based, 570 paper-based, 230 computer-based |
| 8 | University of Cambridge | 180+ on Cambridge English scale with no less than 175 in each skill and use of English i.e., Proficiency Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2), Advanced Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) PG: Proficiency Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) Advanced Certificate, Grade C or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2) |
| 9 | IELTS | (Academic version) 6.5 (no individual band below 6). For Dental courses: IELTS (academic version) 7 (no individual band below 7) For Clinical speech and language studies: IELTS (academic version) 7 (no individual band below 7) |
| 10 | Pearson Test of English | (Academic) - PTE Academic: a minimum score of 63 (with no section score below 59). |
| 11 | Duolingo English Test | Minimum overall score of 120/160 with no section below 105, dated since January 2020 |
Notes:
- Examination results for tests 7-10 above are only valid for 2 years.
- Students who do not meet the minimum English language requirement can apply for the Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes programme before progressing on to selected courses.