TOEFL minimums for an Irish study visa
Immigration Service Delivery's table lists 'TOEFL iBT, and TOEFL iBT At Home Edition' with the minimums below. These are for visa purposes only; the college's own requirement may be different, and the certificate must have been issued within 2 years of the expected start date of your course (irishimmigration.ie). The page was last updated on 16 September 2024, and it gives TOEFL minimums as 0–120 totals with no 1–6 equivalent.
The same page says that, because of earlier problems accessing supervised tests, it also accepts online tests from the listed providers, and that applicants for English language courses do not have to provide a test result, though a visa officer may ask for other evidence (irishimmigration.ie).
| Course type | TOEFL iBT minimum | IELTS Academic, for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Second-level, foundation level (NFQ level 5) or preparatory English course | 47 | 4.0 |
| All other courses | 61 | 5.0 |
Trinity College Dublin TOEFL scores
Most Trinity undergraduate and postgraduate courses use Band B; some ask for Band C. TOEFL iBT Home Edition is accepted with the same conditions, and results must be issued within two years before your course starts (tcd.ie).
| Trinity band | TOEFL iBT from January 2026 | TOEFL iBT before January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Band B (standard entry) | 4.5 overall, 4.0 in each section | 90 overall, 21 in each section |
| Band C (higher entry) | 5.0 overall, 4.5 in each section | 100 overall, 23 in each section |
| Band A (International Foundation Programme) | 3.5 overall, 3.5 in Writing, 3.0 in other sections | 64 overall, 16 in each section |
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Which score to aim for
The university's requirement is usually the higher one, so it decides your target: Trinity's Band B is 90 on the old scale, well above the visa minimum of 61. ETS sends scores to institutions in about 4–8 business days through its Data Manager (ETS). Comparing tests for Ireland? See IELTS for the Irish student visa and the Trinity College Dublin IELTS requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Is TOEFL accepted for an Irish student visa?+
Yes. Immigration Service Delivery lists TOEFL iBT and the TOEFL iBT At Home Edition: 61 for most courses and 47 for second-level, foundation or preparatory English courses.
Does Ireland accept TOEFL Home Edition?+
For visa purposes, yes: it is named in Irish immigration's table. Trinity College Dublin also accepts it on the same terms as the test-centre TOEFL.
How old can my TOEFL score be for Ireland?+
For the visa, issued within 2 years of the expected start date of your course. Trinity College Dublin applies the same 2-year limit.
What TOEFL score does Trinity College Dublin need?+
Standard entry (Band B) is 4.5 overall with 4.0 in each section for tests from January 2026, or 90 overall with 21 in each section before that.
Keep reading
Related
- IELTS for the Irish student visa
- Trinity College Dublin IELTS requirement
- TOEFL 1–6 score scale explained
- IELTS to TOEFL converter
- Free IELTS mock test
- All 1712 guides
Verified against the linked official sources on 14 October 2026. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you book or apply.
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