Ireland Application Procedure
Research
- Research the courses and universities on the CAO website: http://www.cao.ie/courses.php or on the Education in Ireland website.
- Use the filters to narrow down the course, the region or the university.
- Click to open the pages you would like to read. You will find links to the web pages about the course, fees and entry information.
- If you cannot find the European Bac or the OIB in the list of entry requirements, use these conversion tables to help you.
Guidelines-EU-EFTA Points Equivalence
Please remember to be realistic with your choices of universities and courses. The top ranked ones are very difficult to get places in and are not necessarily the right match for you. You should always consider having a back up option – a choice with a slightly lower entry requirement.
Helpful Documents and Guides
Apply
When you have made your choices, you will need to fill in the online application form:
Read the CAO Handbook before applying.
1. Register for a CAO account and use it in any correspondance about your application.
2. Complete the different sections:
Personal details: Name, address, email, etc
Qualifications: Enter all of your secondary schools and all of the qualifications you have or will take at them.
Select option 5: Other School Leaving Exams and give a short summary of what subjects you are specialising in.
Choices: You may choose up to 10 choices of course and/or university. It is vital that you enter them in order of preference; put your first choice at the number 1 spot.
3. Check your application, pay and send.
For 2021, the application fee is €45 for the 1st February deadline, or €30 for the early 20th January deadline.
Once you have completed your application, you will see which supporting documents you need to send on screen.
You must send a paper version of your school transcript (school reports since S5/seconde) within 10 days by post. Please remember to request this document at least four weeks in advance so we have time to translate everything into English for you.
4. Decisions from Universities
|
Round |
Category of Applicant |
|
Round One (mid-August) |
All applicants applying on the basis of school leaving examination results, regardless of year completed; QQI FET applicants who have applied for a course where there is no quota for QQI FET applicants; and additional mature applicants. |
|
Round Two and subsequent offers (late-August to end-September) |
Offers are issued until the offer season closes, or until all of the places have been filled, whichever comes first. |
If you receive an offer and you choose to accept this offer, you must do so online. If you choose to accept your offer you must do so by the reply date indicated on the Offer Notice. If you receive an offer from both lists you must choose between them – you can only accept one offer, in any one round, from either the Level 8 or the Level 7/6 list.