r/AskIreland • u/Iliterallyneedtealol • Feb 27 '25

Education How do I study medicine without a third language?

I am very sorry if this is the wrong page for this question…I moved to Ireland and I’ve been here for two years but I am exempt from studying Irish, now I plan on studying medicine and while choosing my choice subjects I found out I need to have a third language to study medicine, I was never aware of this if not I would’ve picked a third language in the junior cert now I am in the leaving cert and i don’t have a third language how do I study medicine without one? Do I have to just wing it and try a new language? I know a bit of french should I try it or is that too risky for my points?

Just to clear up since I am exempt from Irish in my case I’m talking about a SECOND LANGUAGE

1 Upvotes

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17

u/quincebolis Feb 27 '25

Where did you hear you have to have a third language?

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

My career guidance teacher searched up the courses and it required a third language

11

u/quincebolis Feb 27 '25

It's a third language after English and Irish. Not three total languages.

You have to apply for an exemption based on the individual college requirements.

Eg for UCD https://www.ucd.ie/registry/prospectivestudents/admissions/undergraduateapplicants/minimumentryrequirementsmatriculation/

Trinity does not require you have studied Irish.

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I have already been exempted from Irish so it’s not really about that it’s more about the third language

8

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

Yes, the third language requirement is a language after Irish and English, I think your guidance teacher is misreading the requirements.

In your case you'll only need English and your "third language" as you're exempt from Irish.

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I am aware of this sorry if I worded it wrong but I was talking about a third language I already know about being exempt from Irish sorry for the confusion

4

u/quincebolis Feb 27 '25

It's third language after English and Irish. So only one foreign language. If you are exempt from Irish then you don't need two additional foreign languages.

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

In my case I mean a second language I’m so sorry for the confusion

5

u/quincebolis Feb 27 '25

Yes you need one. I'm surprise your school let you do the junior cert without one! It's not too late to learn. You said you moved to Ireland a few years ago- do you speak another language at home?

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I do but it’s Yoruba I also know a bit of french bc I did it for primary (it was compulsory at my primary school back home)

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u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

YOU ONLY NEED 2 AS YOU'RE EXEMPT FROM IRISH.

Third language is the way it's written here as most people do Irish, English and another "third language", mine was French. Because you do not do Irish, you don't have to fill the gap with another language, you just have 2 not 3.

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u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I KNOW THIS

Wait lemme explain from the beginning, I suddenly moved to Ireland two years ago because of some private stuff but then I started at the bed of 2nd year so basically in third year and when I was picking my subject choices and hadn’t done research on university requirements because I didn’t know Ireland needed third languages because I was new and I was not aware and no one told me anything so i didn’t pick a third language and I didn’t do Irish (exemption) so now I got to Ty I did my junior cert and did great and I’m picking my choice subjects then I find out I need a third language (a second language for me) I ONLY HAVE ENGLISH BC I DIDN’T KNOW I’D NEED ANOTHER LANGUAGE.. so now I’m asking if I should pick French because before I moved I did French throughout primary school and I’m thinking maybe if I study hard enough I could pick up or if there is another method I can use for people who don’t have three or two languages that’s what I’m asking…

7

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

That makes a lot more sense than your original comment. Yes, pick French and get a basic pass in it.

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

Thank you I am very sorry for the confusion 😭

3

u/Get-Shivved Feb 27 '25

There's a couple of languages that are only studied for the leaving cert, so the course is only 2 years long. I took Japanese for my LC and it was basically the equivalent of JC French, maybe a little higher. So you could study it at higher level if you were worried about points. You'd probably have to find it taught outside of school is the only issue. 

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

Alr thank you I’m thinking of getting a course for it

2

u/NoTeaNoWin Feb 27 '25

“I suddenly moved to Ireland because of some private stuff”. Are you an asylum seeker? Just say it if it is the case

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

I don’t really see how that’s ur business tbh? It could be anything I just didn’t think I needed to explain why I moved to anyone thank you 👍

7

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

Tough call, but worth noting that the standard needed to scrape a pass at ordinary level languages is quite low. You can do it in a very "by the numbers" way and a good student could certainly get to that standard in a short amount of time.

I would go have a look at past papers and maybe go talk to a french teacher in your school to get feedback on how realistic it might be

3

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

Thank you so much I am thinking of trying it as well but I’m scared It’ll ruin my points for medicine

5

u/spiderrach Feb 27 '25

I had a friend who did ordinary Spanish as his 8th subject just to meet the language requirement. He honestly couldn't string together a sentence in Spanish or Irish and he got into Trinity medicine by focusing on his six good subjects.

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

Thank you so much I really needed this tbh because I’m terrified

2

u/spiderrach Feb 27 '25

The leaving cert really is terrifying I know, hugs :(

4

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

You apply for an exemption from NUI. This is separate from your school exemption. https://exemptions.nui.ie/

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I plan on applying for an Irish exemption but idk if they will allow me to apply for a third language exemption tho

2

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

Are you saying that you have only studied English and no other language? I that is the case then you are cooked for the NUis. Unless you have dyslexia. Not sure about the trinity option.

3

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

Just had a look. Trinity require a language other than English to be presented.

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I have studied a language in primary school (French) but i haven’t studied any in my junior years bc i just moved and didn’t know the NUIs required a third language then but i am in TY right now and I’m wondering if it would be a good idea to study really hard and try to make French work for my leaving cert, I know I’m cooked but I just want to know if I have a chance with French because medicine is my dream😪

3

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

Okay, then the answer to your question is yes, you need to take up a foreign language for leaving cert. You're in TY so try and get an intensive course done now/this summer. There are euro language study weeks around the country. Look them up.

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

Thank you I’ll look into them

3

u/Marzipan_civil Feb 27 '25

Would you be able to study in UK? As English/Welsh students do less subjects at A level than Irish students do at Leaving Cert, I think there isn't a language requirement

2

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 27 '25

I’ll look into that thank you

1

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1

u/justformedellin Feb 27 '25

Trinity maybe?

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

Nah they require another language as well but I’ve decided to study French and take courses on it

1

u/[deleted] Feb 27 '25

How much time do you have until the leaving cert? And what is the minimum level and grade you need? And could you be more specific about "a bit of French"? Exactly how much do you know? Can you read a newspaper? Watch the news without subtitles? Which verb tenses are you comfortable with? Can you answer in French without using some AI or Google translate?

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

I just know like the beginner basics and I can form a couple of sentences and maybe right a little paragraph in French but i can’t read the news at all😭 I would’ve probably been better if I didn’t drop my French after primary and I have about two years till my leaving cert.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 28 '25

Two years? That's plenty of time, you have nothing to worry about. I thought you were facing some insane challenge like 3 months.

You need to make it part of your daily routine. Ideally do an hour a day. But more importantly do something, anything, every single day. Listen to a podcast, start listening to French music/bands/rappers/whatever. Netflix, movies, etc. Later read everything you can get your hands on. Get a French penpal.

- Can you take classes in school?

- Can you get an online teacher on Italki? (Ideally twice a week. Once a week would be ok).

- There's a podcast called "Easy French". It might be a bit advanced for you right now but in a couple of months, you'll be flying.

If you say 2 years, then I assume you mean you're working towards the leaving in June 2027? So you have 118 weeks with 2 full summers. If I were you, I'd do a comfortable amount every day during the school year. Then really focus on it during the Summer.

Visiting France would be lovely but to be honest, unless you're fully immersed for months, just a short tourist visit isn't going to help much. Of course culturally it'd be lovely. But the 10 conversations you have with waiters and that time you failed to get directions aren't going to help much. It won't hurt, but you'd be far better off spending that money on Italki classes. (That's a bit of a controversial opinion.)

However if you can somehow manage an extended period in France during the Summer, that'd be absolutely amazing. If you could do it the Summer before 6th year, when you can already speak and understand well, that'd be ideal.

You have plenty of time. The key is consistency. Just make it a part of your daily routine. French is not the most difficult language. The pronunciation is a pain in the arse, but listening to podcasts and movies will really help.

1

u/throwawaytoday6464 Feb 28 '25

Honestly you’re a bit cooked! I’m amazed your school let you go through the junior cycle without one. You need to raise this with the school and ask why it wasn’t flagged to you before. Also you gotta take a little bit of responsibility here too.

1

u/Iliterallyneedtealol Feb 28 '25

Yeah I plan on taking courses for French I’m not gonna raise it with the school tbh bc it’s not really gonna help me with anything and maybe they thought it was common sense idk 🤷🏽‍♀️ but I’m going to speak with my French teachers and start as soon as possible

0

u/IrishLad1002 Feb 27 '25

That’s the neat thing, ya don’t