TEG, the Irish-language exams: five levels, a 50% pass, and 65% on one oral for primary teaching
TEG, Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge, is the exam series for adult learners of Irish run by the Centre for Irish Language at Maynooth University. It has five levels, A1 to C1. There is no C2 exam.
Everything below was read on teg.ie and its official candidate syllabus guides on 8 November 2026. TEG notes that its levels are broadly based on the CEFR but that no formal alignment procedure has been carried out.
The five levels and what each part is worth
Bonnleibhéal 1 (A1), Bonnleibhéal 2 (A2), Meánleibhéal 1 (B1), Meánleibhéal 2 (B2) and Ardleibhéal 1 (C1). You can sit any level without passing the one below.
Speaking weighs most at the bottom. From the syllabus guides: A1 speaking 40%, listening 25%, reading 25%, writing 10%. A2: 35 / 25 / 25 / 15. B1: 30 / 25 / 25 / 20. B2: 25% each, with writing as "Writing & Use of Irish". C1 has five parts at 20% each: speaking, listening, reading, writing and Use of Irish.
You can also sit the oral only. The certificate then shows your oral marks and says that only oral competence was tested. At C1, an oral-only pass can be topped up to full certification within 2 years.
Pass marks: summed below C1, a floor at C1
A1 to B2: 50% passes. 65–79 is Merit, 80 and above Distinction. Marks are added up, so TEG says you can fail a section or two and still pass overall.
C1: 60% passes, 80% for Distinction, and you need at least 10 of 20 in every section.
Fees and refunds
Regular adult candidates, full exam / oral only: A1 €120 / €100, A2 €120 / €100, B1 €170 / €100, B2 €190 / €120, C1 €250 / €150. Secondary-school pupils pay €80 at A1–B2.
Withdraw more than 14 days before a full exam and you get the fee back minus a €40 admin fee; later, only with a doctor's note. Oral-only fees are refunded only for illness or exceptional circumstances.
Primary teaching: 65% on the B1 oral
For the September 2027 PME (the postgraduate primary-teaching programme at DCU, Maynooth's Froebel Department, Mary Immaculate and Marino), applicants must score at least 65% in the TEG B1 oral. Without a Leaving Cert H4, a pass in the full B2 is accepted instead. TEG certificates from 2025 or 2026 count.
The PME B1 orals run on 22–23 January and 5–6 February 2027 in eight centres; the form opens on 11 November 2026 and closes on 4 January 2027. Results come out in mid-March.
TEG also says the Department of Education, the Teaching Council and the Colleges of Education recognise B2 as meeting the Irish entry requirement for primary teaching, and that students educated in Ireland who present the IB or the French Baccalauréat instead of the Leaving Cert meet the matriculation Irish requirement with a B1 pass.
Our reading: 65% on a single oral is a Merit-level result on the part of the exam that is hardest to cram. Regular speaking practice with feedback is what moves it.
2027 dates, centres and sitting it from abroad
B1: 14–15 May 2027. B2: 28–29 May. A2: 11–12 June. A1: 18–19 June. B1 and B2 run in Maynooth, Letterkenny, Galway, Cork, Tralee and Belfast; A1 and A2 in the same places except Belfast. Each centre needs at least 15 candidates. The winter 2026 B2 and C1 sittings closed for applications on 5 November.
From abroad: a full exam will be held in Paris in May/June 2027, subject to demand, and oral-only exams can run online for candidates living outside Ireland. For B1/B2 online orals needed for something like the PME, you must show an address outside Ireland.
Validity: a TEG certificate has no fixed expiry. TEG warns that an employer or institution may decide it is no longer current after a time, giving "more than two years" as an example.
Minimum age is 15. No dictionaries are allowed. TEG's own guide to study time: about 80–100 hours to reach A1, then roughly 160–200 more for A2, 350–400 more for B1, 500–600 more for B2 and 1,000 more for C1.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Assuming a weak section fails you at B1.
Looking at the total.
From A1 to B2 the marks are summed and 50% overall passes. Only C1 sets a floor in every section.
Aiming for a pass in the B1 oral for the PME.
Aiming for 65% or more.
The PME entry requirement is at least 65% in the TEG B1 oral.
Planning for a C2 certificate.
Treating C1 as the top.
TEG runs exams from A1 to C1 only.
Questions
How much does the TEG Irish exam cost?
For a full exam, €120 at A1 and A2, €170 at B1, €190 at B2 and €250 at C1. Oral-only exams cost €100 to €150.
What is the pass mark for TEG?
50% from A1 to B2, with Merit from 65% and Distinction from 80%. At C1, 60%, with at least 10 out of 20 in every section.
What TEG result do you need for the PME?
At least 65% in the B1 oral for the September 2027 PME, or a pass in the full B2 if you do not have a Leaving Cert H4.
When are the TEG exams in 2027?
B1 on 14–15 May, B2 on 28–29 May, A2 on 11–12 June and A1 on 18–19 June 2027. PME B1 orals are on 22–23 January and 5–6 February.
Can you take TEG outside Ireland?
Yes: a full exam in Paris in May/June 2027 if there is demand, and oral-only exams online for candidates living abroad.
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