Studying in Ireland

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Access to Higher Education in Ireland

Central Applications Office

If you are thinking of pursuing higher education studies in Ireland, the main route of access to programmes of study is through the Central Applications Office (CAO). The CAO is an organisation which was founded in 1976 by the higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Republic of Ireland.The HEIs have delegated to the CAO the task of centrally processing applications for admission to their first year undergraduate courses. The HEIs retain the function of making decisions on applications.

For non-standard CAO applications, a central scoring system has been developed by the Institutes of Technology Central Evaluation Forum (IOTCEF). This scoring system is published on the CAO website and aims to provide a central scoring system for applicants presenting school leaving qualifications other than the Irish Leaving Certificate and FETAC Level 5/6 awards.

Further information on the CAO and their applications process can be found on their website www.cao.ie;the IOTCEF scoring system can be accessed here

Universities and Colleges

Universities and colleges are autonomous institutions in Ireland. Admission is normally based on the points system proceesed through the CAO. However it may be useful to check out the website of the institution you are thinking of applying to for up-to-date information on the programmes on offer, entry requirements and other prerequisites that may have been set. A list of recognised higher education institutions in Ireland and their contact details can be found here

Qualifax

QualifaX is the Irish National Learners’ Database. It acts as a one stop shop for learners. Here you can find information on a wide range of courses across further and higher education and training in Ireland. It also includes a range of useful tools, such as a discussion forum, events calendar, interest assessment and information on student grants. For further information please click here