Applying to Third Level
Fred Tuite
Guidance Counsellor
About Applying
It is YOUR choice
 It is YOUR responsibility
 It is YOUR decision
 NOT the Guidance Counsellor
 NOT your parents
 NOT your friends
 This is YOUR life

Third Level Is a Challenge
Independent study – nobody pushing,
checking or watching
 Freedom – go to lectures, study or
drink coffee
 Accommodation – work and study
away from home without any of the normal
supports
 Learning Challenge – study in depth at a
much higher level than in secondary school
 Are you ready for all this?
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Deciding
Research the course on offer
 Don’t assume you know a course by its title
 Consider the lecture and teaching methods
 What options are within the course
 Is there work experience or internship
 Is there mentoring of first years?
 Career implications
 Cost –fees, private colleges,
accommodation
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Get the Information
Get the college prospectuses
 Check the colleges’ websites
 Read career publications
 Go to Open Days and Career Exhibitions
 Talk to students and friends
 Discuss it with your Guidance Counsellor
 Try to know as much as you can

National Qualification Framework
•All qualifications link up in a 10 level scale
•You never reach a “dead end” in study but can move on to the next level
•Leaving Cert is at Level 5
•Higher Certificates level 6, Ordinary Degrees level 7, Honours Degrees
level 8
How to Get There
Apply for almost all third level courses
through the CAO (central applications
office)
 Two ways of applying:
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– Online at www.cao.ie
– By post using the CAO form
Advantages of Applying Online
Cheaper: €25 for applications before Jan
20th compared to €40 for paper
 It won’t allow common errors (wrong date
of birth, courses in the wrong section)
 You can pay by Credit or Laser Card (no
need to go to the bank or the Post Office)
 Get text, email and print choices
 You can use the school’s computers if your
internet access at home is difficult
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The Handbook
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R.T.F.M
Read The … Manual
Read this Handbook
Carefully
It is your contract with the
CAO
All your questions about
application and offers are
answered there
Read it!
The Handbook
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Two sections
White pages - Details of applications
procedures, offers, deadlines and other
instructions
Yellow pages – Lists of courses and codes
in the different colleges
Choosing Your Courses
You can choose up to 10 courses on the
Honours Degree (level 8) list and
 You can choose up to 10 courses on the
Higher Certificate/Ordinary Degree (levels
6 &7) list
 You don’t have to fill out all 10
 You don’t have to fill out both lists
 Each list is independent of the other
 You can be offered choices from both lists
 But you can only choose one

Making Your Choice
Use your genuine order of preference
 The first choice is the one you want to do
most
 If not that course your second choice is…
 Then your third choice and so on
 Ignore the points go for what you want
most!

How to Choose…just Imagine…
You’ll get 600 points what would you
choose first, then second…
 It is the “good old days” and two honours
will get you into any course, what would
you choose first, then second …
 Aim high –but keep at least
“one sure thing” in your choices
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What You Need for Third Level
1.
2.
3.
The College (or Basic) Requirements.
* 5 OD in Leaving Certificate for level 6 & 7
courses
*6 subjects (2 at HC and 4 at OD) for level 8
courses
The Faculty (or Course) Requirements
*e.g. HC in Irish for Primary Teaching, HC in
Maths for Engineering
Points
*Best six subjects in one sitting of the Leaving
Certificate
Leaving Certificate
Applicants
Available Places
Leaving Certificate
550 400
320
480
400
320
480
190 500 290
500
550
320
was the lowest points to gain entry
If a place is not accepted ...
550 400
320
480
400
320
480
190 500 290
500
550
320
was the lowest points to gain entry
If a place is not accepted it goes to the next in line
290
is now the lowest points to gain entry
550 400
320
480
400
320
190 500 290
290 500
550
COURSE 1
COURSE 2
COURSE 3
COURSE 4
COURSE 5
COURSE 6
COURSE 7
COURSE 8
COURSE 9
COURSE 10
You send your application with
up to 10 courses in each of the
two sections of your CAO
application.
After your Examination
results are published the CAO
computer begins to process
your application.
COURSE 1
COURSE 2
COURSE 3
COURSE 4
OFFER 1
COURSE 5
COURSE 6
COURSE 7
COURSE 8
COURSE 9
COURSE 10
NO LONGER
CONSIDERED
Some people don’t accept their offers!
COURSE 1
COURSE 2
COURSE 3
COURSE 4
OFFER 2
NO LONGER CONSIDERED
OFFER 1
COURSE 5
COURSE 6
COURSE 7
COURSE 8
COURSE 9
COURSE 10
NO LONGER
CONSIDERED
The Important Things Are
Know what the course involves before you
apply
 Apply in your genuine order of preference
 Ignore points
 Only apply for courses you genuinely want
to do
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The Online Form
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Located at www.cao.ie
The Online Form
Online Form
Application Number
You are now given an Application Number
 Keep this carefully (sent instantly by email
and text)
 You will need it to log in to your account
 You can change your mind online free of
charge until January 31st
 After that changes can be made from 5th
May to 1st July
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Log in to Account
Online Version 2
Online Version Errors
The Paper Form
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Page 1
Paper Version Page 2
Paying for Paper Applications
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Get the Bank Giro form
from CAO to pay the
money through any
bank
The bank should stamp
the form in three places
They keep the bottom
part as their record
You keep the middle
part as your record
You send the top part to
CAO with the
application
To Post
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In a large envelope
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Include the CAO form
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The Giro slip
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Get a Certificate of
Postage from the Post
Office (on the back
page of the Handbook)
Restricted Applications
Some courses consider more than just
points
 Interviews, tests, auditions, portfolios or
projects
 These are conducted around Easter
 These courses can’t be added to your
application after February 1st
 They can be changed or dropped
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Confirmation
In May you will be sent a confirmation of
course choices
 Check all details carefully
 If there are no errors you do not need to do
anything
 Notify CAO of any errors by marking them
on the form and sending it back
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Change of Mind
You will also be sent a
Change of Mind form in May
 You can change
your mind online
even if you have
applied on paper
 The final date for changing your mind is
July 1st
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Offers and Acceptances
Made one week after Leaving Cert results
 Made by post and online
 You can get an offer from both lists (levels
6 &7 and Level 8)
 You can only accept one
 Accept online or by post
 No need to pay any money
 Start looking for your accommodation!
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Vacant Places
In August courses with places still available
or new courses are advertised on the
website www.cao.ie
 You can apply for these provided you have
the minimum requirements for them
 You don’t have to have made an application
to CAO to avail of these
 They can be worth checking out
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Deferring a Place
Deferring means that you don’t want to take
your place this year but will do so next year.
 Some courses can not be deferred, check
beforehand
 Once the offer comes DO NOT ACCEPT
IT
 Write IMMEDIATELY to the college
concerned
 They will let you know if the offer will be
deferred
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The Following Year
Reapply the following year with that course
as your only choice
 You will then get offered it in Round Zero
 If you put any other courses on the form
you will lose your deferred place
 You then compete for places with all other
applicants
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HEAR
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Higher Education Access Route is a third level
admission scheme for school leavers from
socio-economically deprived background
Each college has a quota of places on a
reduced points basis for HEAR students
Information from www.cao.ie and
www.accesscollege.ie
You must have an active email address to
apply and you will have to send on
documentary proof of entitlement.
DARE
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Disability Access Route to Education is a
supplementary admission scheme for school
leavers with disabilities and can mean reduced
points
For those with academic ability but who may
not be able to meet points due to impact of
disability
You will require proof of disability including
consultant’s report and school reference
Information on www.cao.ie and
www.accesscollege.ie
Important Information
If an applicant has lived outside the EU then
you may be required to apply directly to
some colleges (see page 7 of Handbook)
 If a student has exemption from Irish and/or
third language they must complete an NUI
Exemption Form to ensure you meet the
entry requirements of UCD, UCC, NUI
Maynooth and Galway and other NUI
Colleges.
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Timetable
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Jan 20th Closing date for online cheaper
applications
Feb 1st Closing date for applications
May 1st Closing date for late applications
July 1st Closing date for change of mind
Round One Offers –one week after Leaving Cert
results
Round Two Offers –early September
After Round Two –as necessary
Finally
• Get lots of information
• Read the instructions
• Be on time
• Courses in YOUR order of preference
• Include one “dead cert”
The CAO Essence
Go
for what you really
want
Work really hard to get it
Any Questions?