TEG stands for Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge, the European Certificate of Irish. The Centre for Irish Language at Maynooth University runs it, and it is the only certification system for adults learning Irish. Anyone aged 15 or older can take a TEG exam, without taking a course first.
- Bonnleibhéal 1 (A1)
Basic level 1
- 80–100 hours of study
- €120 full exam
- Bonnleibhéal 2 (A2)
Basic level 2
- 160–200 more hours
- €120 full exam
- Meánleibhéal 1 (B1)
Intermediate level 1
- 350–400 more hours
- €170 full exam
- Meánleibhéal 2 (B2)
Intermediate level 2
- 500–600 more hours
- €190 full exam
- Ardleibhéal 1 (C1)
Advanced level 1
- 1,000 more hours
- €250 full exam
A full TEG exam tests listening, reading, writing and speaking, and gives you full certification at that level. You can also take only the oral exam for a partial certificate, which shows your oral mark. Oral-only fees are €100 for A1, A2 and B1, €120 for B2 and €150 for C1.
Every oral exam is audio-recorded, and the syllabus for each level shows how the paper is laid out and how the marks are split. There are two sample exams for every level, plus the Chief Examiner's report with advice. To pass, you need 50% from A1 to B2 and 60% at C1.
| What it's for | Result |
|---|---|
| Primary teacher training courses (undergraduate and postgraduate) | Meánleibhéal 2 (B2) meets the Irish entry requirement |
| Professional Master of Education (Primary) | At least 65% in the B1 oral exam to apply |
| University matriculation with the IB or French Baccalauréat, after schooling in Ireland | A pass in Meánleibhéal 1 (B1) |
| Jobs in Ireland | Some employers ask for TEG or use it to test applicants |
TEG exams run at set centers in Ireland, most often in Maynooth, Letterkenny, Galway, Cork and Kerry. Each center needs at least 15 candidates to hold an exam.
- A1 or A2, full exam€120
- B1, full exam€170
- B2, full exam€190
- C1, full exam€250
- Nov 27 – 28, 2026Next exam
- Oral exam · C1 · Nov 27
- Written exam · C1 · Nov 28
- Dec 11 – 12, 2026
- Oral exam · B2
- Written exam · B2 · Dec 12
- May 14 – 15, 2027
- Full or oral-only exam · B1
- May 28 – 29, 2027
- Full or oral-only exam · B2
- Jun 11 – 12, 2027
- Full or oral-only exam · A2
- Jun 18 – 19, 2027
- Full or oral-only exam · A1
Sign-up for the 2027 exams hasn't opened yet. TEG will post each application form on teg.ie.
Dates checked Oct 24, 2026
The C1 and B2 exams in November and December 2026 are in Maynooth only, and applications close at midday on November 5. In May and June 2027, the exams also run in Tralee, and B1 and B2 run in Belfast too. Early in 2027 there are extra B1 exams for people applying to the PME (oral only, in January and February, with applications from November 11) and to Marino Institute of Education (full exam, in February). TEG plans full exams in Paris in May or June 2027 if enough people sign up. You get your exam number and practical details at least 10 days before the exam.
Spend as much time with Irish as you can, on Irish radio and in online newspapers. Irish you can mostly follow helps the most, and it is called comprehensible input.
- Listen to Irish RadioPick a short Irish-language program or podcast you can mostly follow, and listen two or three times a week.
- Find Your LevelTake TEG's online placement test, then ask a teacher to check your speaking before you choose an exam.
- Do the Sample PapersWork through TEG's two sample exams for your level, then watch TEG's video of ten tips for the oral exam.
Bubblegum
For serious learners, Bubblegum is the best app to learn Irish. You learn from Irish you can mostly understand, which is called comprehensible input.
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes each Irish lesson about a topic you ask for. Bubblegum's levels run from 1 to 6, and TEG's levels are a separate scale.
- Read and listen to Irish news and stories on the topics you pick, at your level.
- When a sentence stops you, ask Poppy about it without leaving the page.
- Save a word once and Regenerative Review™ brings it back in a later Irish lesson. You can send your saved words to Anki too.
- Clear, expressive AI voices read every lesson aloud, with a different voice for each speaker.
- Bubblegum can't run a mock TEG oral with an examiner, so practice speaking with a teacher or a conversation group.
- A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Do I have to pass A1 before I take A2?
No. Every TEG exam stands alone, so you choose the level that fits you. The syllabuses, the sample papers and the online placement test help you decide.
Can I take TEG outside Ireland?
Yes, in some places. TEG plans full exams in Paris in May or June 2027 if enough people sign up, and it runs oral exams online for people who live abroad when enough of them apply. If you teach Irish abroad, contact TEG about holding an exam where you are.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.
Sources
- TEG: TEG levels (five levels, study hours, link to the CEFR)
- TEG: Exam dates and centres 2026-27
- TEG: Exam fees
- TEG: Register for a TEG exam
- TEG: Applications are now open for B2 and C1 exams (9 September 2026)
- TEG: FAQs (who TEG is for, recognition, partial certification, choosing a level)
- TEG: Exam material (syllabuses, sample papers, examiners' reports)
- TEG: Online placement test
- Bubblegum
Checked on October 24, 2026 against each app's own pages.
