So, you’ve just got your head around CAO and now you’re hearing about applications for HEAR and DARE. HEAR and DARE are two access routes to higher education that acknowledge that not everyone's journey through education has been an easy one. With that in mind, these two access programs have been set up to make accessing higher education more equitable. Here is a crash course on these two access routes to further education.
HEAR
1. The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a program that provides opportunities for school leavers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds to access third-level education.
2. HEAR offers some financial assistance, several places on courses with reduced points plus lots of other benefits once you start at university like orientation days.
3. It is important to note that you can apply for HEAR and DARE.
4. While HEAR does offer some financial assistance, you can also apply for the SUSI grant. (Watch out for a blog post on SUSI in the Spring!)
5. Apply to CAO by 1 st February 2024.
6. Use the HEAR handbook to check to see if you meet the criteria to apply. Click here for the handbook.
7. You need to tick the box on your CAO application to alert CAO that you are applying for HEAR. You will have to answer a number of questions. You need to have this done by 1 st
March 2024.
8. Once you have applied through CAO, a checklist of supporting documents will be generated and sent to you. It is important to note that gathering these documents can
take a number of weeks so it is important to start the process as soon as possible.
9. Keep originals of all your documents. When posting to CAO, register the post in the Post Office and get a receipt as proof of postage.
10. All documents need to be with CAO by 5pm 15 th March 2024.
11. You can apply for both HEAR and DARE.
12. By late June 2024, you will get a notification about your application.
DARE
1. First of all, you can apply for both HEAR and DARE.
2. Disability Access Route to Education or DARE offers support to students whose disability or diagnosis has negatively impacted their experience of education.
3. Like HEAR, DARE offers reduced points on college places. Each participating college and university has a number of reserved places to offer eligible DARE applicants at lower or reduced Leaving Certificate points.
4. Use the DARE handbook to check to see if you meet the criteria to apply. Click here for the DARE handbook.
5. Apply to CAO by 1 st February 2024.
6. You must indicate your wish to be considered for DARE by ticking ‘Yes’ to Question 1 and have completed Section A Supplementary Information Form by 17:00 on 1 st March 2024.
7. You will need to complete an educational impact statement, to explain how your education has been impacted by your diagnosis. This document will take a bit of time to write. You can do this with support from your guidance counsellor.
8. Supporting documents could include letters from consultants so it is important to begin gathering documents as soon as possible. Some reports need to be dated within the last few
years so check the handbook for specifics pertaining to your application.
9. Keep originals of all your documents. When posting to CAO, register the post in the Post Office and get a receipt as proof of postage.
10. All supporting documents (Section B Educational Impact Statement and Section C Evidence of Diagnosis) need to be with CAO by 5pm 15 th March 2024.
11. By early August 2024, you will get a notification about your application.
For more information on these access routes to education, follow the link here. Alternatively, make an appointment with our Guidance Counsellor for advice on your application.
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