English exams
TIE, Cambridge and IELTS: which exam should you choose?
Understand the main English exams and find the option that best matches your study goals.
Read the guide
General English is our most popular course. It’s designed for everyday situations-study, work and life in Ireland-so you build confidence where it matters. Lessons are fun and dynamic, focusing on speaking and listening with practical grammar and vocabulary. You’ll also meet Irish expressions and culture, so day-to-day conversations in Dublin feel natural. From day one, our Director of Studies and teachers track your progress with a placement test, clear goals and regular feedback. Our classes are international and welcoming-perfect for making friends while you improve fast.
If you want to speak English more confidently and naturally, combine General English with our English Conversation Class. These practical, speaking-focused sessions give you extra time to improve your fluency, pronunciation and confidence in everyday conversations.
Timetable: Monday to Friday, 12:30–13:30
We offer private one-to-one tuition for all students interested in improving their English more rapidly or looking for particular needs such as interviewing or Business English.
Each lesson is tailored to the student’s requests and the subjects they want to improve or develop. If your goal is to improve your grammar, enrich your vocabulary or further develop your communication skills, this is the perfect course for your needs.
Our standard end of course test is the TIE exam, which stands for Test of Interactive English. It is a test based on the Council of Europe levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2), placing students in one of the six levels according to their results in a one and a half hour exam.
Every student is required to prepare an investigation and a news-story, in addition to having read a book. The test structure is as follows:
Your TIE exam is automatically booked when you choose a VISA course, unless you choose one of the other exit exams offered (IELTS, FCE).
Exam dates: offered every Wednesday or Thursday, the exam can only be completed at the end of your course.
Exam location: 45 Leeson Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2
Students are required to do a placement test before they attend their first day at the college. The function of this test is to begin a personalised learning path for each student. It is important that students complete this test without any help, either online, or from other people, so that they are placed in the correct level.
You can start any Monday after a short placement test. Please note we have a two-week Christmas break with no classes. Dates change each year (they follow the Friday before Christmas week), so check our current calendar or contact us for the exact period. On your first day you’ll do a short placement test so we can put you in the right level.
Our General English groups are typically 12–15 students from an international mix.
We run A1, A2, B1, B2 and C1 groups. Your placement test ensures the best fit for your level.
Yes. All teachers are CELTA-qualified (or equivalent) and experienced with international classes.
Yes. We’re listed on the ILEP and guide you through the 25-week work-study programme requirements and end-of-course exam.
Practical advice to help you prepare for your course and make the most of student life in Ireland.
Understand the main English exams and find the option that best matches your study goals.
Read the guide
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