American College Dublin IELTS: 6.0 (5.5) Bachelor, 6.5 (6.0) MBA

Written byFizza Butool ZaidiIELTS teacher for 10+ years, PTE for 5Updated 29 October 2026

ACD English scores

From ACD's admissions page, Language Requirements tab. Certificates must be issued within 2 years of your start date.

Test	Bachelor's	Master's
IELTS Academic	6.0, all bands 5.5+	6.5, all bands 6.0+
PTE	50, all sub-scores 45+	58, all sub-scores 50+
Duolingo	105, all sub-scores 95+	120, all sub-scores 105+
TOEFL iBT (old scale)	60, writing 18, others 12+	79, writing 21, others 17+
TOEFL iBT (new scale)	4.0, writing 4.0, others 3.0+	4.5, writing 4.5, others 3.5+
LanguageCert Academic	65, all 60+	70, all 65+
Skills for English (SELT) B2	B2 Pass in all 4 skills	B2 Pass with Merit in all 4 skills

Exemptions and higher-score programmes

If you completed secondary school (for a bachelor's) or university (for a master's) in Australia, Canada, Ghana, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, the UK or the USA with English as the sole language of instruction, ACD exempts you. It notes you may still need a recognised certificate for the Irish visa.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing asks for more: IELTS 6.5 with 6.5 in writing and 6.0 in the other bands, PTE 58 with 58 in writing, or Duolingo 120 with 120 in production.

Free test: are you at American College Dublin's score yet?

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Applying without a test

ACD lets you apply without an English certificate. If your offer includes an English condition, you must provide a certificate from the listed tests before ACD issues visa documents. Postgraduate business applicants who do not qualify for direct entry may be offered a bridging year.

Requirements vary by programme and change between intakes. The score that binds you is the one on your ACD programme page and in your offer letter, so check it there before you book a test.

Minimum vs competitive score

Where American College Dublin publishes an IELTS score, it is the minimum: the floor an application has to meet to be considered, not a score that guarantees an offer.

Competitive programmes, and courses with far more applicants than places, may expect more than the minimum, and some departments set their own overall or per-skill scores, often for writing or speaking. The course page has the final word, so check it before you book a test.

If you are close to the line, aim for a margin above it: one weak skill can miss the requirement even when the overall band clears it. Not sure where you stand? Take a free IELTS mock test and get a band for each skill.

Frequently asked questions

What IELTS does American College Dublin need for the MBA?+

IELTS Academic 6.5 with all bands 6.0 or higher, or PTE 58 or Duolingo 120.

Does American College Dublin accept Duolingo?+

Yes. Duolingo 105 for bachelor's and 120 for master's, with sub-score minimums.

Do Nigerian students need IELTS for American College Dublin?+

Not if they completed their previous education in Nigeria with English as the sole language of instruction, though a certificate may still be needed for the visa.

Can I apply to ACD before I have IELTS?+

Yes. You can apply without a certificate, but you must meet any English condition before ACD issues visa documents.

Keep reading

Guide updated on 29 October 2026. Individual prices and policies may have earlier observation dates. Confirm current details on the linked official pages before you book or apply.

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