Trinity Exam in Dublin

On this page you will find out more about the Trinity Exam in Dublin. For instance, what is it, how to register, what are the benefits, how to prepare with Atlas and much more.

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Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE)

Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) is a contemporary 4-skills qualification that is a test of Reading & Writing and Speaking & Listening in English. The Trinity ISE aims to use real-life situations to test the language skills of candidates. Preparing for an ISE exam helps students develop authentic communicative and transferable skills such as synthesising information, participating in interactive discussions and presenting on topics of personal interest, skills that are typically required for employability and academic study.

The Irish Department of Justice in Ireland have recognised the Trinity ISE at 4 levels – Foundation, Level I, II and III (CEFR levels A2, B1 B2 and C1 respectively) – as accepted end of course language tests to support the application of Study Visas for non-native speakers of English.

Here at our Rathmines Exam Centre (Dublin 6) you can take the Trinity ISE (paper-based) at the four different levels , i.e., Foundation, Level I, Level II and Level III.

Registration process

How can I register for a Trinity ISE exam?

Step 1 – Choose a Date. Choose when you would like to take your chosen Trinity ISE exam. See the calendar of dates below.

Step 2 – Book your Test. Fill in the online application form and send that to us.

Step 3 – Pay the Exam Fee. After we receive your application form we will send you details of how you can confirm a place by paying the exam fees by bank transfer.

How much does it cost to take a Trinity ISE exam?

The exam fees for the different ISE exams are as follows:

Trinity ISE Exam   Fees
Trinity ISE III   €235
Trinity ISE II   €195
Trinity ISE I   €160
Trinity ISE Foundation   €92

What is the deadline for registering for a Trinity ISE exam?

The list of Trinity ISE exam dates and application deadlines is available in the table below.

Exam Date Registration Deadline
Wednesday 6 March Tuesday 30 January
Wednesday 10 April Tuesday 5 March
Wednesday 8 May Tuesday 2 April
Wednesday 5 June Tuesday 30 April
Wednesday 10 July Tuesday 4 June
Wednesday 7 August Tuesday 2 July
Wednesday 4 September Tuesday 30 July
Wednesday 16 October Tuesday 10 September
Wednesday 13 November Tuesday 8 October
Wednesday 4 December Tuesday 29 October

Key information

The Trinity ISE is available at our Exam Centre at the following Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels:

ISE LEVEL

 ISE Foundation ISE I ISE II ISE III
CEFR Level A2 B1 B2 C1

The Trinity ISE exams have two parts: Reading and Writing, and Speaking and Listening. See the table below for a summary of the time required for each component at each level.

ISE LEVEL

 ISE Foundation ISE I ISE II ISE III
Reading and Writing 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours 2 hours
Speaking and Listening 3 tasks

(12 minutes)

 3 tasks

(16 minutes)

 4 tasks

(18 minutes)

 4 tasks

(23 minutes)

The Reading and Writing part is a pen and paper test done under exam conditions at our Trinity-recognised open Exam Centre. The test is 2 hours long at all levels. As an integrated skills exam, part of the test is a reading into writing integrated task. Candidates are asked to use a reading task text as input for a given writing task.

The Speaking and Listening part is a 1-to-1 interview with the Trinity examiner. This can take place face-to-face or online. The interview includes a presentation and discussion on a topic chosen by the candidate ahead of time. Listening is evaluated during this speaking part. There is also a separate listening comprehension task which is done 1-to-1 with the examiner following the speaking exam. There are no paper-based multiple choice type questions in the Trinity ISE exam.

Here are some of the key differences between the different ISE exam tasks as the ISE level increases:

  • the complexity of input texts for reading, reading into writing and listening increases as the level increases.
  • the complexity of the vocabulary used increases with the level.
  • the complexity of the language functions expressed and targeted increases with level.
  • the level of support offered with each of the tasks decreases as the level increases.

For further information on the format of the Trinity ISE for each module and level, see the ISE Exams Guides for Students.

Arrive 30 to 40 minutes before the exam start time. Candidates must be seated in the exam room at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

The only thing that you must absolutely bring is a government-issued photo ID. This can be a passport, European Union (EU) ID card, Biometric Residence Permit or Photographic Driving License (including a provisional licence). Obviously, the ID document must be in date.

Before you go into the exam room, you will be asked to leave your phones, bags, coats, etc. in a separate locked room. Please make sure you switch your phone off. We strongly recommend that you do not bring any valuables with you on exam day. We cannot take responsibility for the loss or damage of your personal belongings.

You may only bring into the exam room:

  • A pen, black or dark blue ink. Trinity ISE are PEN-only exams. Please also remember that no correction fluid (e.g., Tippex) is allowed.
  • A bottle of still water
  • Your ID document

The Trinity ISE Reading and Writing papers take 2 hours to complete, irrespective of the level. This allows all ISE candidates to take the test in the same exam room at the same time. The Reading and Writing module starts at 10.00am and so finishes at 12.00pm.

The Speaking and Listening component at our Exam Centre is usually scheduled for the same day, but in the afternoon. This part takes 13 to 23 minutes depending on the level. The exact time of each candidate’s Speaking and Listening test is confirmed after the exam has been booked (i.e., one month before the exam date). ISE Foundation (Speaking & Listening) is 16 minutes per candidate, ISE level I is 18 minutes and ISE II is 20 minutes.

The raw scores for some tasks need to be converted using a common scale so that each task within the same skill is equally weighted in the final mark. This means that the raw scores give a good, but not precise, indication of the likely pass band for an individual candidate. For each skill (reading, writing, speaking, listening) candidates are awarded one of the following grades:

  • Distinction
  • Merit
  • Pass
  • Fail

The maximum total score for the Writing section of the ISE is 28. Candidates will usually achieve a Pass in the Writing part if they score at least 14, i.e., 50%. They will usually be awarded a Merit if they score 20 and a Distinction if they score 25 or higher.

Speaking

The maximum total score for the Speaking section of the ISE is 16. Candidates will usually achieve a Pass in the Speaking part if they score at least 8, i.e., 50%. They will usually be awarded a Merit if they score 12 and a Distinction if they score 15 or higher.

Listening

The maximum total score for the Listening of the ISE at ISE Foundation and ISE I is 8, i.e., 50%. Candidates will usually achieve a Pass in the Listening part at these levels if they score at least 4. They will usually be awarded a Merit if they score 5 and a Distinction if they achieve 7 or higher.

The maximum total score for Listening at ISE II and ISE III is 4. Candidates will usually achieve a Pass in the Listening part at these levels if they score 2, i.e., 50%. They will usually be awarded a Merit if they score 3 and a Distinction if they score 4.

Candidates must achieve a pass in all 4 skills, and so pass both modules, Reading & Writing and Speaking & Listening, at the same level in order to pass overall and achieve a full ISE qualification certificate.

 

Yes, you can be awarded a Fail in the exam. If you fail either or both modules, i.e., either the  Reading & Writing and / or the Speaking & Listening, you will receive a letter confirming that you did not achieve a pass grade in all 4 parts of the exam.

After about 3 weeks of taking your exam, Trinity will email your final result to you along with your diagnostic profile report for each skill showing how you performed. This is useful as a guide for continuing to develop your skills in the future. Around 3 weeks after your exam, make sure you check your junk/spam folder for this email.

The Trinity ISE certificate is valid for life. It has no expiry date. It is evidence of achievement at the time of assessment. Please note, though, that some immigration, employer and education institutions might ask you for recent qualifications as an indication of your current level of proficiency irrespective of the exam board.

For Trinity ISE exams, the certificates are now digital. The digital certificates look the same and carry the same validity as the traditional paper certificates. The digital format also allows you to share the certificate with employers and other educational and governmental institutions as a link, PDF or QR code.

Candidates who have passed will receive an email from Trinity between 3 and 4 weeks after the exam date, and a day or two after receiving notification of your results, with a link to their digital certificate. Around 3 weeks after your exam, make sure you check your junk/spam folder for this email.

The certificate shows Pass, Merit or Distinction for each skill: reading, writing, speaking and listening. You will also receive a diagnostic profile report for each skill showing how you performed. This is useful as a guide for continuing to develop your skills in the future.

Practise your reading skills by reading a wide range of materials, such as books, including graded readers, newspapers and magazines. Make a note of any useful expressions from the text. Build a vocabulary notebook. Practise your writing skills by completing timed essays. Listen to podcasts and Youtube videos with and without the transcripts. And do practice tests, first untimed to practise the strategies that work for you, and then timed so that you can also learn to manage your time. For more advice and tips on how to prepare for the exam, you can also download our Trinity ISE Preparation Guide. And, of course, you can also sign up to join one of our part-time or full-time English courses here at Atlas Language School in Dublin.

You can also find specific Trinity ISE guides and practice materials on Trinity’s Student Information for ISE (paper edition) webpage.

The main difference between the GESE (Graded Examinations in Spoken English) and the ISE is that to pass a GESE, you only need to prove your English speaking and listening abilities. For ISE, you’ll need to prove your English speaking and listening abilities, PLUS reading and writing. As such, the GESE exams, depending on the level, can range in duration from 5 minutes (Grade 1, CEFR PRE-A1) to 25 minutes (Grade 12, C2). The GESE exams here in Ireland are perhaps more suitable for junior learners, i.e., teenagers, on short stay or summer programmes. For more information on the GESE at the various levels, see the Trinity website.

Trinity GESE exams can be run on-demand for groups. Much like the ISE Speaking & Listening module, they are organised so that an online examiner meets and assesses the candidates one-by-one in a Zoom session.

If you have any questions or want to know any more about registering for a Trinity ISE or GESE exam, either as an individual or on behalf of a group of candidates from a school, please email us: enquiries@atlaslanguageschool.com

Or you can call us on 01 4782845 between 9.00am and 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

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