CAO Portal is open for applications. For some students the thoughts of tackling the application can feel quite daunting so here are a few steps to alleviate the stress! You have until 5pm on 20th January to submit an application (and only pay the discounted application rate of 30e) so take your time with the application!
1. First, download the CAO Handbook from their website. This will include all key dates and important information regarding your application.
2. Research your options: Make sure you do you research on the courses that you’re interested in. The best place to go for an overview is Careers Portal. This website will furnish you with an overview of every course on offer in the country. Careers Portal also has external links to the university and college websites for more information on the courses.
3. Entry Requirements: Making sure you fulfill the entry requirements for the course and the college. For example, if you want to study veterinary, do you have Chemistry? If you’re thinking about doing primary school teaching, do you have Higher Level Irish? It is crucial that you do your research into Entry Requirements because if you don’t fulfill them, you won’t be offered a place even if you get the points for the course.
4. Level 8 Courses: You can fill in up to 10 options on this list. These are honours degrees and are usually between 3 and 4 years in duration.
5. Level 6/7 Courses: You can fill in up to 10 options on this list.
6. Remember, when it comes to offers day, you can be offered a course from your Level 8 list AND your level 6/7 list. However, you can only choose ONE course.
7. Order of Preference: Remember Order of Preference is crucial! The CAO is a black and white beast. There is no way of tricking it! You need to put your courses in the genuine order that you would like to be offered them.
8. Restricted Courses: If you want to apply for a “restricted course”, you can only put these on your application until 1st February. These can’t be added afterwards. A restricted course is one that has either an interview, audition or portfolio element to the application. You can find a full list of restricted courses in the CAO handbook. On Careers Portal, they are usually identifiable by having a hashtag # beside the course title.
9. HEAR/DARE: On the application, it is important to tick the box if you wish to apply for HEAR or DARE (or both). This documentation needs to be with CAO by March 15th so you have a bit of time to get the supporting documents.
10. NUI Exemptions: To apply for an NUI language exemption (from Irish or third language), you also need to tick this box on the CAO application. Click here for the NUI Exemption Form Once you do this you have 21 days to send the supporting documentation to the NUI colleges. This can either be posted or emailed. Note: NUI colleges are UCC, NUIG, UCD, RCSI and Maynooth.
11. Change of Mind: Remember, once you have filled out the application, you have until 1st July to change your mind on the order of your courses.
Remember, CAO is not the only route to further education. There are also PLCs, apprenticeships and the new tertiary education courses! Stay tuned for future blog posts on these! If you have any questions about anything, please get in touch with us for more information!
Timeline of Key Dates for CAO:
20th January: Discounted application fee of 30e closes on
1st February: Deadline for restricted course entry
1st March: HEAR/DARE must be applied for on CAO application
15th March: HEAR/DARE documents must be with CAO by 5pm
7th May: Change of mind facility opens (free)
1st July: Deadline for change of mind to applications
Comments