• School diploma required
  VWO (Dutch pre-university diploma) i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  Netherlands … What qualifications are accepted? Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO (Gymnasium A/B and Atheneum A/B) diploma).

  Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO (Gymnasium A/B and Atheneum A/B) diploma)

  ✓

  For you, Met: Your VWO diploma counts.
• Required school subjects
  No specific subjects i

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Source

  universityofgalway.ie · biotechnology

  Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, a third language, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Computer Science or Agricultural Science) and any one other subject recognised for entry purposes.

  O2 or H6 in any other language (Not Irish or English).

  ✓

  For you, Met: Nothing to meet.
• Minimum subject grades
  6 different subjects at 6 or higher, at least 2 of them at 8 or higher, including English, Mathematics, laboratory science subject and third language; Nederlands or frans or duits or spaans or latijn or grieks: at least 8 i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Netherlands … Level 8 … 2 H5 required … 6 distinct recognised subjects which must include 2 subjects grade 8 and 4 subjects grade 6 in the VWO.

  Table 1: Subject Grade Comparisons … H6 … 8 … O2 … 8 …

  universityofgalway.ie · biotechnology

  Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate, including Irish, English, a third language, Mathematics, a laboratory science subject (i.e., Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Physics with Chemistry (joint), Computer Science or Agricultural Science) and any one other subject recognised for entry purposes.

  O2 or H6 in any other language (Not Irish or English).

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Enter your subjects and grades to check. No grade entered for nederlands or frans or duits or spaans or latijn or grieks. Add your subjects
• Minimum overall grade
  None i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  The minimum eligibility criteria follow. … six distinct recognised subjects which must include 3 subjects grade 8 and 3 subjects grade 6 in the VWO.

  6 distinct recognised subjects which must include 2 subjects grade 8 and 4 subjects grade 6 in the VWO

• Language level required
  English: VWO engels 8 or higher or an accepted language test i

  English: at least 8 for engels on your VWO list or IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88 or TOEFL iBT (test taken from 21 January 2026) 4.5 or Pearson PTE Academic 63 or Cambridge C1 Advanced 176 or Cambridge C2 Proficiency 176 or LanguageCert Academic 70 or Oxford English Language Level Test 7 or Trinity ISE III or MELAB Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency 85 or City & Guilds International ESOL (IESOL) Diploma

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  The minimum acceptable level of English is 8 in the VWO or equivalent English Language competence.

  universityofgalway.ie · entryrequirements

  Science/Engineering … 6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component.

  Recognised English Language Proficiency Tests … CPE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element … CAE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element … Pearson PTE Academic 63 overall; no less than 59 in any one component … TOEFL iBT 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22) … 2 years.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: English: enter your grade for engels. Add a language test
• Minimum age
  Born before 16 January 2011 for 2027, going by the 2026 rule (born before 16 January 2010) i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  universityofgalway.ie · faqs

  Students must normally have attained the age of seventeen years by 15 January following entry: e.g. for entry in 2026, date of birth must be on or before 15 January 2010.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Enter your birth year to check. Add your birth year
• Extra steps
  None i

  Fairly sure — The university does not say this in so many words, but it follows from its pages. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  After the points have been calculated, applicants are placed on a list in order of merit for each course for which they are eligible.

• Other requirements
  Irish is part of University of Galway matriculation unless an exemption applies. Applicants born outside the Republic of Ireland do not require Irish. i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  universityofgalway.ie · entry requirements

  Irish is a requirement for matriculation in University of Galway. However, the following applicants can be exempt … Candidates born outside the Republic of Ireland (26 counties).

  universityofgalway.ie · index

  If you were born outside the Republic of Ireland, you do not require Irish as a subject for entry to University of Galway.

  universityofgalway.ie · entryrequirements

  Science/Engineering … IELTS 6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component.

  Recognised English Language Proficiency Tests … Validity period … 2 years.

  4 more from this page

  TOEFL iBT (including home edition) … 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22).

  Pearson PTE Academic … 63 overall; no less than 59 in any one component.

  IELTS 6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component … TOEFL iBT 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22) … Pearson PTE Academic 63 overall; no less than 59 in any one component … Validity period … 2 years.

  CPE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element … CAE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test.

  ✓

  For you, Met: Not required for you: you were born and permanently live outside Ireland.
• English tests must meet all score, section and validity rules. Not required with VWO English 8 or higher. i

  When English is proved by a test, IELTS Academic requires 6.5 overall and 6.0 in each component; TOEFL iBT requires 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22) before 21 January 2026 or 4.5 overall (L4, R4, S4, W4.5) from that date; PTE Academic requires 63 overall and 59 in each component; Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency require 176 overall and 169 in each element; LanguageCert Academic requires 70 overall and 65 in each component; Oxford English Language Test requires 7 overall and 6 in each component; Trinity ISE III requires a pass in every component; Michigan MELAB requires 85 including a speaking result of at least 3; and City & Guilds IESOL requires passes at C1 or C2 in listening, reading and writing and a separate speaking pass. Results must be from a single sitting and less than two years old. VWO English grade 8 meets the requirement without a test.

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  universityofgalway.ie · entry requirements

  Irish is a requirement for matriculation in University of Galway. However, the following applicants can be exempt … Candidates born outside the Republic of Ireland (26 counties).

  universityofgalway.ie · index

  If you were born outside the Republic of Ireland, you do not require Irish as a subject for entry to University of Galway.

  universityofgalway.ie · entryrequirements

  Science/Engineering … IELTS 6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component.

  Recognised English Language Proficiency Tests … Validity period … 2 years.

  4 more from this page

  TOEFL iBT (including home edition) … 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22).

  Pearson PTE Academic … 63 overall; no less than 59 in any one component.

  IELTS 6.5 overall, no less than 6.0 in any one component … TOEFL iBT 88 overall (L18, R18, S21, W22) … Pearson PTE Academic 63 overall; no less than 59 in any one component … Validity period … 2 years.

  CPE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element … CAE 176 overall with not less than 169 in each element of the test.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Check this yourself.
• Score needed to get in
  511 CAO points or more: the 2026 cut-off, which changes every year i

  Applicants are ranked by CAO points; the highest get the places. The cut-off is the lowest score that got a place, so it moves with each year's applicants.

  How the score is worked out: Average of the best 6 distinct recognised subjects taken in a single sitting: 10 → 600, 9 → 595, 8 → 541, 7 → 374, 6 → 250, 5 → 200.

  +25 for wiskunde B or wiskunde D at 6 or higher, if it is one of the subjects counted.

  Two versions of one subject, such as wiskunde B and D, count once, at their average.

  Grades are rounded to whole numbers first, as on the diploma.

  The university gives only these rows and does not say how averages between them convert, so a score between two rows is a range.

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Points Required for Entry to 2026 Level 8 Courses … GY304 Biotechnology 511

  www2.cao.ie

  The indicative equivalence will be calculated, based on the average of the best 6 distinct recognised subjects taken in a single sitting as follows:

  Average Mark IPS 10 600 9 595 8 541 7 374 6 250 5 200

  3 more from this page

  Bonus points of 25 will be awarded for grade 6 or better in Advanced level Mathematics (i.e., B or D) where mathematics is one of the subjects counted for points.

  If two versions of the same subject are presented, the average score will be included in the calculation.

  NB Sample grades only. The steps between points shown are not necessarily even as they are based on statistical comparisons.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Needs grades for at least 6 different subjects; you have entered 0. Add your grades

How places are given

• Cap on places (numerus fixus)
  Limited; the number is not published i

  Fairly sure — The university does not say this in so many words, but it follows from its pages. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  universityofgalway.ie · biotechnology

  Average Intake 32

  universityofgalway.ie · leavingcert

  Admission to first year full-time Undergraduate Degree Courses is competitive and based on the Leaving Certificate points system or a system of equivalent standing.

  www2.cao.ie

  Applicants are placed on a list in order of merit for each course for which they are eligible.

• How applicants are picked
  Ranked by school grades; the highest get the places i

  Eligible CAO applicants are ranked by points converted from their school-leaving results; offers are made in merit order, with random selection for ties at the last place.

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information for 2027.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  After the points have been calculated, applicants are placed on a list in order of merit for each course for which they are eligible.

  If there are five applicants with an identical points score competing for one remaining place, random number selection applies and the place will be offered to the applicant with the highest random number.

• Past admission numbers
  In 2026 the lowest score that got in was 511 (CAO Round 1).

  i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  Points Required for Entry to 2026 Level 8 Courses … GY304 Biotechnology 511

Once you have started

• First-year minimum to continue
  Pass all 60 credits in the first year; if you do not, you can resit or repeat the year i

  Every course is worth a number of credits, which you earn by passing it; a full year is 60.

  In the university’s words: A full-time student must complete the 60 ECTS stage before progressing. Modules at 35–39% can be passed by compensation when they total no more than 15 ECTS and the aggregate stage mark is at least 40%; below the pass/compensation conditions, failed modules must be repeated. Science and Engineering students have two years to complete each year’s examinations; after that they cannot proceed further.

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Sources

  universityofgalway.ie

  For completion of a Stage (or Programme Year), fulltime students will be required to successfully complete the relevant aggregate credit standard, 60 ECTS.

  Students must successfully complete each stage before progressing to a subsequent one.

  1 more from this page

  The pass standard for a Module is 40%. However a student with marks of less than 40% in one or more modules will be deemed to have passed the Stage provided … the module(s) with marks in the range 35-39% total 15 ECTS or less.

  universityofgalway.ie

  A time limit of two years applies to the successful completion of examinations in each year of a programme.

  Students failing to complete examinations within the specified periods will be ineligible to proceed further towards their degree in this University.

After you graduate

• Where graduates go
  The programme prepares graduates for careers across biotechnology and biopharma, research laboratories and related sectors, with training in science, employability, business and languages.

  What University of Galway says its graduates go on to do; not measured.

  i

  Fairly sure — Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  universityofgalway.ie · biotechnology

  Along with this course’s unique opportunity to undertake placements in industry in Ireland, or research laboratories across Europe you will be prepared for a broad range of careers and motivated to make a real difference.

• Where graduates went (measured)
  Not found i

  Sure — Not in these rankings.

  Pages checked

  • hea.ie
  • public.tableau.com
  • public.tableau.com
  • hea.ie