CORU Language Requirements

The CORU Language Requirements as set down below apply to all persons seeking registration under the standard registration route (provided for under section 38 of the Act) and for applicants who apply during the transitional period (section 91 of the Act) who have practiced abroad, relevant under EU Directive 2005/36/EC as amended by EU Directive 2013/55/EU for Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications. The CORU language requirements also apply to persons who have had their international qualifications assessed and recognised by CORU and subsequently seek registration.

As all of the professions under CORU have patient safety implications, all CORU Registration Boards are entitled (under S.I. No. 8 of 2017) to carry out language controls to ensure that each applicant has sufficient knowledge of the language necessary to practise their profession in Ireland.

The ability to communicate safely and efficiently in a language of the State is critical to working effectively in Ireland. All applicants shall therefore be subject to the requirement of successfully completing a language test to assure language competence unless either of the conditions I – V below applies to an applicant.

I. The applicant has completed a CORU-approved qualification which is listed on the Approved Qualifications Bye-Law relevant to his/her profession

II. The applicant can provide evidence that his/her professional qualification(s) (on the basis of which he/she is applying for registration) was/were acquired through the medium of English or Irish and that practice placements in that/those qualification(s) were undertaken and supervised through the medium of English or Irish

III. The applicant can provide evidence that he/she has lived in and practised their profession through the medium of English or Irish in a country that has English or Irish recognised as the official language of that country for a period of not less than 2 years in the past five-year period

IV. The applicant has completed a period of adaptation in Ireland as part of the recognition process to have their qualification recognised AND has a letter from their supervisor(s) confirming competence in practicing their profession through the medium of English or Irish

V. The applicant has completed a period of ‘Return to Practice’ through the medium of English or Irish in a country that has English or Irish recognised as the official language of that country AND has a letter from their supervisor confirming competence in practicing their profession through the medium of English or Irish.

Evidence of II above will normally be in the form of a letter from the college or university that awarded the qualification, unless the applicant’s qualification is obtained in a country on the list of exempted countries maintained by the executive, where English or Irish is recognised as the official language.

Evidence of III will normally be in the form of a letter from one or more employers covering the two-year period confirming that their employment was through the medium of English or Irish.

If an applicant cannot provide evidence of meeting any of the items (I), (II), (III), (IV) or (V) above, then the applicant will be required to take a CORU-approved test of English language proficiency, and meet the minimum score for the relevant profession in order to be eligible for registration to the appropriate register. The language requirements for each registration board are presented in this policy.

Linguistic Competence Standard

The general linguistic competence standard for CORU registration boards is set at C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

The minimum standard is higher for Speech and Language Therapists due to the requirement for enhanced knowledge of the structure, syntax and grammar of language necessary for the practise of the profession.

The standard is also higher for Radiographers and Radiation Therapists as there is a greater risk to public safety due to the nature of ionising radiation.

Further information about the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is available at: https://www.coe.int/lang-CEFR.

Language Requirements Specific to Individual Registration Boards

Registration Board (RB)	International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Minimum score	Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) Minimum Grade	Occupational English Test (OET) relevant to the profession Numerical score to be used alongside OET Grade to report performance from 9 September 2018.
Social Workers RB	Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	No OET test specified for this profession
Dietitians RB	Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Dietetics) A minimum of Grade B (350) in three components and a minimum of Grade C+ (300) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Physiotherapists RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Physiotherapy) A minimum of Grade B (350) in three components and a minimum of Grade C+ (300) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).

Occupational Therapists RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Occupational Therapy) A minimum of grade B (350) in three components and a minimum of Grade C+ (300) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Optical RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Optometry) A minimum of Grade B (350) in three components and a minimum of Grade C+ (300) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Radiographers RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 7.0)	Minimum of Grade C (Minimum Score of 185) on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Radiography) A minimum of Grade B (Minimum Score of 350) in all components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Speech & Language Therapists RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 8.0 (no element below 7.5)	Minimum of Grade C (Minimum Score of 185) on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	OET (Speech Pathology) A minimum of Grade B (400) in three components and B (350) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Medical Scientists RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	No OET test specified for this profession
Podiatrists RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade CCambridge CEFR C1 Test	Occupational English Test OET (Podiatry) A minimum of Grade B in three components and a minimum Grade C+ (300) in one component (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
Social Care Workers RB	IELTS Academic Overall score 7.0 (with no element below 6.5)	Minimum of Grade C on the Cambridge CEFR C1 Test	No OET test specified for this profession

All language test certificates must be dated within two years of the date an applicant submits their application for registration. The applicant can contact CORU if they wish to take a language test in the Irish language (Gaeilge).

Repeat Language Tests

In circumstances where an applicant provides the results of two tests, the results are accepted where the combination of test results demonstrates meeting the test requirements specified above. CORU will accept results from a maximum of two test sittings.

The repeat test:

must be taken from the same provider as the previous/initial test and
must be taken within six months of the initial test.

In circumstances where the results of two sittings are provided, the overall minimum score must be met on both test sittings:

If the test taken is the IELTS, no component score (listening, reading, writing or speaking) can fall below 6.5
If the test taken is the OET, no subtest score (listening, reading, writing or speaking) can fall below grade C.

Providing details to CORU to enable the verification of Test Results

In addition to providing the certificate of results from an approved language test, additional details from the test, specified below, must also be provided to enable the CORU Registration team to verify the test results online.

Language Test	Required Information to Verify Test Results online
IELTS International English Language Testing System	Test Report Form (TRF) Number/OET Candidate Number. The TRF Number is the 15-18 characters (alpha/numeric combination) which is found on the bottom right-hand corner of the Test Report Form.
CAE Cambridge English Advanced	Candidate ID. This is a combination of letters and numbers (e.g. SIR094701) and the Secret number is a 4-digit PIN number (e.g. 8482). Both numbers can be found on the Confirmation of Entry when registering for the exam. Both numbers can be found on the Confirmation of Entry received when registering for exam. If an applicant no longer has their Confirmation of Entry, please advise to contact exam centre to reissue.
OET Occupational English Test	OET Candidate Number which is the 9-digit number noted under candidate name on OET Statement of Results sheet.