What CORU asks for
CORU says its general language standard is C1 on the Common European Framework, and that the standard is set higher for speech and language therapists and for radiographers and radiation therapists. Unless an exemption applies, CORU's language requirements page says every applicant must pass a language test and reach the minimum score for their profession. This page covers IELTS only. The same CORU table also lists OET and a Cambridge exam beside IELTS Academic; read the table for what your board accepts.
The IELTS Academic table
These are the IELTS Academic figures CORU lists for each registration board. "Element" means each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.
| Board | Overall | No element below |
|---|---|---|
| Social Workers | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Dietitians | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Physiotherapists | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Occupational Therapists | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Optical | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Medical Scientists | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Podiatrists | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Social Care Workers | 7.0 | 6.5 |
| Radiographers | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Speech and Language Therapists | 8.0 | 7.5 |
The figures are for the Academic module, not General Training. If you are unsure which to book, see IELTS Academic or General Training. Both an overall band and a floor for each element must be met: an overall 7.0 does not help if one skill falls under the element minimum.
Averages hide weak skills. As an illustration only, Listening 8.0, Reading 7.5, Writing 6.0 and Speaking 6.5 average 7.0, but a Writing score of 6.0 would sit below a floor of 6.5. The IELTS band score calculator shows how four skills become an overall band.
Who does not have to take a test
CORU lists three exemptions. Whether one applies to you is for CORU to decide, so read the page and write to the registration team if your case is unclear.
- Qualification. A CORU-approved qualification, a Commonly Aligned qualification taught and assessed in English, or a professional qualification from an EU country where English is a co-official language. CORU also says EU, EEA and Swiss applicants may show C1 or an equivalent.
- Recent study in English or Irish. A letter from your university confirming that the qualification was taught in English or Irish, with practice placements done and supervised in the same language. The qualification must have been obtained within the previous two years.
- Residence and practice. At least two years, within the past five, living and practising through English in a country where English is the only official language. CORU says employer letters normally serve as evidence, and that it keeps the list of approved countries itself.
Validity, sittings and retakes
- Two-year validity. Certificates must be dated within two years of the date you submit your application.
- Up to two sittings. CORU accepts results from a maximum of two sittings. The second must be with the same provider and within six months of the first. Both sittings must meet the overall minimum, and for IELTS no component in either may fall below 6.5. The element minimum for your own board in the table above still applies, which for radiographers and speech and language therapists is higher than 6.5.
- No One Skill Retake. CORU says it does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake results. Our page on the retake explains what it is: IELTS One Skill Retake in Ireland.
- Physical test. CORU's page says IELTS results must come from a physical test, and that online or at-home versions are accepted for OET. If you are unsure whether the IELTS format you plan to sit is accepted, confirm with CORU before you book.
- Your TRF number. For IELTS, CORU verifies the Test Report Form number, 15 to 18 characters printed at the bottom right of the form. Read how the form and remarks work on IELTS results in Ireland.
Plan your test and your application together: the two-year clock runs to the date you submit your application.
What this page does not cover
- Other regulators. Other professions in Ireland are regulated by other bodies: see IELTS scores for Irish registration bodies, compared.
- OET and Cambridge scores. Read the CORU table for the profession you need.
- Everything else an application needs: qualifications, documents, fees and assessment. For those, use CORU's registration pages or write to registration@coru.ie.
- IELTS fees and dates. They are set by the test providers, and Band Booster IELTS does not register candidates. Check the provider page for the centre you plan to use.
CORU can change its table. Treat this as a snapshot of the page read in October 2026 and check the live page before you book a test.
How lessons with Mike can help with this
Band Booster IELTS is a private tutoring service, not CORU, a test centre or an exam board. Mike teaches every session himself, one-to-one, live on Google Meet in English. He holds the Cambridge CELTA, is based in Hanoi and scored 8.5 in Speaking in his own IELTS (About Mike).
When a regulator sets a floor for every element, the weakest skill is what to work on. Tell Mike which one it is. Writing Task 1 and Task 2 are marked against the public band descriptors, Speaking Parts 1 to 3 run in the real format with feedback in the moment, and Listening and Reading can be practised too. A lesson is practice, not the test, and Mike cannot promise a band. Progress depends on your starting point and the work you do between sessions.
The booking page shows each slot in your own time zone and the exact price before you pay; PayPal charges the US-dollar equivalent. Ireland is on GMT in winter and IST in summer, so Hanoi is 7 hours ahead in winter and 6 hours ahead in summer. A paid 30-minute trial can be booked once, on a first booking. There is no subscription or package, and you can reschedule at no charge up to 12 hours before the slot. See also the online IELTS tutor page for Ireland.
