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CAOInformation

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Agenda Applicants' Responsibilities General points regarding the CAO. Entry Requirements and the Points

System. Making an application. How places are allocated by CAO After submitting the application. Other Options Questions

It is the applicants’ responsibility to:

Research thoroughly all the courses for which s/he is making application.

Be au fait with all aspects of the application system used (CAO) for these courses, i.e., procedures, dates, fees, rules, etc.

Useful ResourcesTo assist with course research / application

Publications College Prospectuses – Relevant

Year Entry CAO Handbook Relevant Year – free

gratis

Newspapers www.irishtimes.com/society/

education (Tuesday Education Section)

www.independent.ie

Internet Qualifax – www.qualifax.ie Irish courses

database CAO – www.cao.ie Contains links to course

websites Careersportal – www.careersportal.ie College websites (Addresses in CAO Handbook) www.accesscollege.ie www.studentfinance.ie

People Relatives Past pupils Admissions/Academic staff of colleges

Guidance Counsellor Interest Inventories / Guidance interviews Access to sources of information Appointments for parents

CAO – General Info. Centralised application system for 47

Irish 3rd level institutions, including fee-paying colleges.

Every 6th year will have been given a CAO Handbook which includes:

application & course information Sample application form Application Dates and Fees.

All fees are non-refundable

Fee Closing date

Online Discounted Rate January 20, (17.15)

Normal Application (online or paper)

February 1, (17.15)

Restricted courses must be entered

February 1, (17.15)

Completion of online HEAR/DARE Application forms

March 1, (17.15)

Submission of HEAR/DARE supporting documentation

April 1, (17.15)

Closing date of late applications

May 1, (17.15)

Change of Mind May to July 1 (17.15)

Application Fees

CAO – General Info. There are 3 types of courses students can apply

for under the Nat. Qualifications Framework. These are applied for on 2 separate lists on a

single form:

Level 6 & 7 Courses Level 8 Courses

Ordinary Degrees (7) Higher Certificates (6)

Honours Degrees (8)

Up to 10 Course Choices

Up to 10 Course Choices

The courses are clearly labelled in the CAO Handbook

N.B. – Care must be taken with courses marked ‘Restricted’.

These courses cannot be applied for after February 1st due to extra assessments required.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

These must be satisfied before “points” are considered, e.g. on Level

8 course:

Minimum Entry Requirements

E.g. UCD Pass 6 subjects At least 2 HC3 Pass in:

Irish English Another Language Mathematics* Science Subject*

Specific Subject Requirements

E.g.sEngineering(UCD)

HC3 MathsVeterinary

Medicine(UCD) HC3 Chemistry

French Law(UCD) HB3 French

If all Entry Requirements are met applicant is deemed ‘Qualified’ to apply.

POINTS SYSTEMGenerally in the CAO system

No. of qualified applicants > No. of course places --> selection system is needed.

Selection system used in Irish 3rd Level Colleges is

POINTS SYSTEM Points are calculated from ONE sitting of the Leaving Certificate only

Points total is calculated from SIX best subjects Bonus points are awarded for achieving a Higher D3 or above in Mathematics

Entry Requirements can be satisfied over more than one sitting of the Leaving Certificate

Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) Points:

Distinction - 70 Merit - 50 Pass - 30

% RANGE L.C. GRADE Points for Higher

Level Maths including 25

bonus points

Points for Higher Level

Subjects

Points for Ordinary

Level Subjects

90 - 100 A1 125 100 6085 – 89.99 A2 115 90 5080 – 84.99 B1 110 85 4575 – 79.99 B2 105 80 4070 – 74.99 B3 100 75 3565 – 69.99 C1 95 70 3060 – 64.99 C2 90 65 2555 – 59.99 C3 85 60 2050 – 54.99 D1 80 55 1545 – 49.99 D2 75 50 1040 – 44.99 D3 70 45 525 – 39.99 E 0 0 010 – 24.99 F 0 0 00 – 9.99 NG 0 0 0

Making an application The preferred method is online applications Students may request a paper application from

www.cao.ie €10 charge if more than one application is sent Always keep proof of having sent application or

supporting documents to CAO: online – print screen receipt, paper – obtain certificate of post.

Form is very straight forward to fill out. www.cao.ie

**VERY IMPORTANT** Students must fill out both course lists in:

Genuine Order of Preference They should not put down courses on the

basis of their predictions of next year’s cut off points or their own points scores.

Why? – Look at how places are allocated.

Science – UCD100 places to be offered

Science – Maynooth100 places to be offered

Course Cut Off Points = 330 Course Cut Off Points = 335*

Random Selection to be used

Last

place to

be filled

ApplicantPosition

PointsScore

1 5602 5353 5254 5205 5106 5107 5058 5009 490-- ---- --15 45516 44517 44018 43519 42020 41021 405-- ---- --98 34599 340100 335101 335102 335103 315104 310105 305-- ---- --182 265

ApplicantPosition

PointsScore

1 5602 5353 5254 5205 5106 5107 5058 5009 490-- ---- --15 45516 44517 44018 43519 42020 41021 405-- ---- --98 34099 335

100 330101 325102 315103 310104 305105 295-- ---- --182 265

Course MeritLists

1

AL020600595590580**********

495480470465460460460455455450450450450445435********280275275270

2

GY004560535525520**********485480475465460455445440435420410405405405400********325315310305

3

CR105595595590580**********475475470465460460460455455450445440435430430********280275275270

4

LM067560535525520**********485480460455445440440440435420410405400395395********335335315310

5

DT025600595590580**********475475465465460460460455455450450445435430430********280275275270

6

LC019570535525520**********485480470465460455445440435420410405405405400********325315310305

7

TR032600595590580**********475475470465460460460455455450445440435430430********280275275270

8

DN003540535525520**********485480480465460455445440435430410410405405405********335335315310

9

CK602600595590580**********475475470465460460460455455450445440435430430********

280275275270

10

DC193555535525520**********485480470465460455445440435420410405405405400********325315310305

NO NO NOYES YES YES YES YESYES NO

A Students Course Preferences - Example

Students

Points

Total

= 445

Cut Off Points for Course

All Lower

Preference

Courses

Disappear

From

Students’

Preferences

2

G Y 0 0 45 6 05 3 55 2 55 2 0

* ** ** ** ** *4 8 54 8 04 7 54 6 5

4 6 04 5 5

4 4 54 4 04 3 54 2 04 1 04 0 54 0 54 0 54 0 0

* ** ** ** *3 2 53 1 53 1 0

1

A L 0 2 06 0 05 9 55 9 05 8 0* ** ** ** ** *

4 9 54 8 04 7 04 6 54 6 04 6 04 6 04 5 54 5 54 5 04 5 04 5 04 5 04 4 54 3 5* ** ** ** *2 8 02 7 52 7 5

Last place to

be filled - Round 1 Last place to

be filled – Round 1

Last place to

be filled - Round 2

Last place to

be filled - Round 2

ROUND 2

7 round one places not accepted

3 round one places not accepted

Round 2 cut off points - 455

Round 2 cut off points - 460

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

So – what is the best way to fill in the courses?

Dream Courses

Realistic Courses

Safety Net

Places AllocationNote: The exact same procedure takes place

for both lists on the form, hence students may get 2 offers – one from each list; if this happens they may accept only one.

Students should think carefully about not accepting one of these offers, as they may not receive any further offers.

Regardless of whether or not they accept a course in round 1, they will still be offered a higher preference course in subsequent rounds if they become entitled to one.

After Making Application

Receive CAO number and Statement of Course Choices – check this carefully.

Some students may be called for extra assessments.

Change of Mind facility becomes available – use sparingly and carefully.

Leaving Cert. Results are sent to CAO. Places are allocated and offered by post and

online. Students accept, reject or defer offered places. Further rounds of offers are made until all course

places are filled.

CAO TIMETABLE ENTRY

1st February, Closing date for receipt of normal application

1st May, Closing date for receipt of late applications

From early May, The free change of mind facility is made availaable

1st July, Latest date for change of mind

Late August, First round of offers will commence.

Other Options

Post Leaving Certificate Courses - FETAC links scheme

Apprenticeships Defence Forces Gardai Directly to Employment

THANK YOUFaleminderitБлагодаряMultumescDziekuje

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