Welcome to The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2025. Using the form below, you can submit any questions you have about this year’s process, from points and Leaving Cert results, to appeals, deferrals and more.
The CAO made the offers of a maximum of one course only on a candidate’s level 8 and level 7/6 list on Wednesday.
Our education experts Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be answering more of your questions today to give you quick and clear feedback as you navigate college offers, choices and deciding your next steps over the coming days. You can read their answers below.
You can read our live coverage of last Friday’s Leaving Cert results here
The 2025 Irish Times CAO helpdesk is now closed. Many thanks to our readers for submitting questions and to guidance counsellors Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard who have answered hundreds of queries from students and their parents.
Q: A Polish born student did not apply for an Irish exemption. He has the points for his chosen course but failed Irish which is a course requirement. Can he apply for an exemption now and still qualify? If not, can he apply for an exemption now and resubmit his CAO application next year using his 2025 LC results? - Alex
A: He should contact the NUI immediately and explain what has happened, they will process the exemption immediately and inform CAO in time for round two where hopefully the college in question will be in a position to offer a place on the chosen course. - Brian
Q: Do you think that Nursing in UCD, DCU or Trinity could drop in Round 2 especially because Maynooth nursing has opened up on available places? - Ann
A: Because of the new course I do think there could be some round offers for these nursing programmes as some people may opt to accept a Maynooth place. No way of knowing for sure, but certainly logic would suggest a good possibility. - Brian
Q: When I open the available places application it shows that I have to select ten available place courses. Do I have to select ten? I only want to apply to one course from available course And will this wipe out my previous CAO application? - H
A: If you are applying for a course or some courses on the Available Place facility, it is essentially like making a change of mind application. You do not have to apply for 10 available place courses. You simply insert any available place course(s) you wish to apply for in addition to any courses already on your CAO list that you want to retain for the next rounds and importantly put these courses in the order that you would most like them. That’s it. There is a good video explaining the system on the CAO website. - Brian
Q: Why are some colleges opening next week for first years when the second and third round offers aren’t even out? It is putting massive pressure on students and parents to source accommodation when the student could get a different college in subsequent rounds - Ann
A: Yes, it is all very pressurised for sure and accommodation is a big part of this pressure. The colleges couldn’t wait until all rounds of offers are finished to start as they are under pressure to start the academic year. - Brian
Q: My son received an offer which he accepted. When will he receive university acceptance etc ?- Ann
A: Once he has accepted his offer, that’s it, he has a place on the course. The university will be in contact by email very quickly to start the ball rolling regarding registration and other logistics. Some colleges communicate with successful candidates the day after the offer acceptance. - Brian
Q: Is it necessary to review the papers to submit an appeal? We are 2 marks off a H4 and 2% off a H1. - Jane
A: No, many will not view papers and will go straight to appeal. I feel it is better to view scripts first but this is not required. Best of luck. - Brian
Q: If I appeal my Leaving Cert points, I think I will have enough for medicine in Galway. Will I receive an offer immediately after I get my results, regardless of if the offer is for this year or next? Also how will I know if I am offered the 5 year option or the six year one? - Adam
A: There will be one more round of offers after the results of the appeal process and if you are entitled to an offer you will get it in this round of offers. The date of this round of offers is not confirmed on the CAO website yet. My understanding is you will get an offer for medicine and then you will liaise with the college to determine if it is a five or six year option you are being offered. - Brian
Q: My son has an offer for DCU, it is his third choice and his first two are likely out of running. However he is looking at a level 8 on available places. How does he apply for this and still keep his DCU option open? - Jane
A: Accept the round 1 offer now. Then put a course from available places above Wednesday’s offer. This will give your son more time. If he receives an offer in round 2, he can then choose to stay with original offer or move to the new offer. The choice will be his. - Deirdre
Q: Can I defer an offer for a year and do a PLC in this time? (offer is TCD art history. The PLC is a portfolio art level 6 at Gorey school of art). - Dave
A: You need to seek a deferral from the college in question. I would advise you to email them immediately. Please view page 32 of this handbook regarding deferrals and read this important information. - Deirdre
Q: My son has been offered Arts in UL and got 398 points. He would like now to do Arts in UCC but did not apply for it through the CAO. Could he apply directly to UCC? This course is 300 points. - M
A: I am afraid not. The only new courses that he can now add to his CAO are courses that appear under available places. Please view this link. Updated on a daily basis. - Deirdre
Q: My son got maximum points in the LC, but didn’t study physics. I am wondering if he could study physics next year to fulfil a minimum entry requirement to study Physics at TCD? - Damien
A: Yes. Individual subjects grades from Leaving Cert 2026 can be combined with Leaving Cert points for 2025 for minimum entry requirements only. You cannot combine grades from 2026 and 2025 to calculate Leaving Cert points. Best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: How do offers after appeals work? When I get an offer through CAO, does it let me know if I got an offer for this year or for next, or does it simply say I have gotten an offer, and I then have to contact the university directly to confirm? - Chloe
A: CAO will identify if it is an offer for 2025 or 2026. This will be on your CAO account also. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter accepted a science degree in TUD but is wondering if it is possible to change courses to another similar degree within the college? Her points are well over what is required. - Michelle
A: Each college has their own internal transfer policies. Please contact the admissions office of this college. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is studying five Leaving Cert subjects and LCVP, can she get into universities? - Ciara
A: She is eligible for level 6 and 7 courses. She does not meet the entry requirements for a level 8 honours degree. One must receive a minimum of 2 H5 grades and 4 O6/H7 grades for all level 8 programmes. - Deirdre
Q: How likely is it that a course drops in points in the second round and are there any indications prior to the later rounds opening in which you can suspect this? - Evan
A: No way of knowing for sure until CAO release round 2 offers on September 8th. It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. This information is not known yet. - Deirdre
Q: If I do first year in Galway, how can I apply to transfer to Dublin for next year? - Margaret
A: Each college has their own external transfer policy. Both courses would have to study the same modules and carry the same ECTS. I would advise you to contact the college that you would like to transfer to. - Deirdre
Our education experts are back from 10am-12pm today.
Q: I failed maths by 1% and that meant I wasn’t eligible for business in Shannon. I’m hoping to pass in appeal. Do Shannon make late offers or would I be offered for next year? If I was offered for next year can I still do the first year of the course I’ve accepted then move or would I need to decline this offer to take the Shannon offer? - Cian
A: Knowing Shannon I feel if they could at all they would make you an offer to start this year. However, if I were you I would send an email to them to ask if they have a particular policy in this area or deal with it on a case by case basis. If you are made a deferred offer and you continue in your current course for the year, there may be fees implications for your new first year in Shannon. Again, this is something you could include in your email to the admissions team in Shannon. - Brian
Q: If I defer a course offer from round one, can I still accept and defer an offer from a subsequent round? - Éabha
A: Yes and yes. - Deirdre
Q: My son has applied to look at three papers on Saturday. His results were 69.3%, 68% and 68.7% on those papers. He has accepted his second choice. He is a DARE applicant. If we decide to appeal having looked at the papers and there was any increase in points, would the DARE cut off for his first choice be considered for a future round offer? - Fiona
A: The quota of DARE places may have already been filled from round 1. There may be no more DARE places available. I would advise you to contact the admissions office of the college. - Deirdre
Q: I have gotten my second choice course of medicine in Galway. I am three points short to get into my preferred course, which is medicine in RCSI. I am planning on appealing two of my subjects, which I am confident in succeeding. If I do get enough points for RCSI, will I be offered a place in RCSI this year or next, and how will I know which one I got an offer for? If it’s next year is a place guaranteed, even if points for medicine rise next year? Also, if I do get my required points, will I be given an offer through CAO, the same as normal, or RCSI itself? - Anonymous
A: If you do get an offer in your first preference in RCSI there is no way of knowing at this stage whether you will be offered a place this year or a deferred place for next year. RCSI probably don’t even know the answer to this yet, but you could reach out to the admissions team and discuss this with them, they are usually very up front about all of this. If it is a deferred place then yes it is a guaranteed place even if the points go up. Any course offers you get will come from the CAO in the normal way, colleges do not make offers to first year students. - Brian
Q: My niece got offered her choice in a private college which is not funded by free fees. She is from a low income family. What options are available to help with fees? - Sam
A: I am not sure. SUSI doesn’t fund fees for private colleges. Is there any course under available places that she might be interested in (in a college supported by the free fees initiative)? - Deirdre
Q: Not sure on my course but I’m going to give it a try. What are my options? If I decide it is not for me and reapply next year do I lose my free fees for first year and have to pay double to start new course next September? Am I better not to try the course this year? - Cathy
A: There is a date in October time that allows one to drop out incurring no penalties with tuition fees if reapplying for CAO 2026 courses. A drop out after Christmas would result in a candidate having to pay tuition fees for the first half of first year on their new course. Contact the fees office of the college of interest. They will give you the exact deadline dates. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: I didn’t get a H4 in maths for engineering but the course is on the vacant places list. Could I be offered it? - Aisling
A: I am afraid not. You need to meet the entry requirements before CAO can make you an offer. - Deirdre
Q: How common is it to be granted an immediate course place upon successfully appealing a grade and getting above the required points for the course. - Evan
A: It’s quite common. CAO will make offers for courses that still have available places. One may receive a deferred place for the following academic year if their course of interest is full to capacity. The very best of luck - Deirdre
Q: If I defer an offer for a year, then apply again on the CAO, do I lose the deferred place? I want to apply again for my first chance but am worried I will miss it again. - Grace
A: Please read page 32 of this handbook. You will breach the condition of your deferred course if you place more than the one deferred course on your CAO application 2026 - Deirdre
Q: I have accepted a course I wasn’t expecting to receive. If it doesn’t work out after a few weeks what are my options? - Sinead
A: If it doesn’t work out then you can leave the course and use your points to reapply through the CAO next year. In the meantime you might be able to upskill in some other areas, work to save money for the following year if you return to another course, depending on when you might leave the course you might be able to complete a PLC course. There are many options. - Brian
Q: How did SEC decide how much PMA is to be added to each subject? My son got a PMA of 18 in French (87.5%), 23 in English (70%), 27 in Maths (86.33%), 18 in Physics (87%), 19 in accounting (84.5%). - Karen
A: They use the mathematical formula which can be found in the SEC Candidate Information Guide 3.
Q: I attended TU Dublin for first year in 2023. I dropped out after that. I applied through CAO again and got offered a level 8 course in a different college and a level 7 in TU. Where do I stand regarding fees? - Lukas
A: If you received free fees in the first year of a course already (i.e. you only paid the student contribution) then you will have to pay the full economic cost of the next first year, i.e. possibly in the region of €5500, it varies by course. When you go into second year of the new course you revert back to the free fees scheme. - Brian
Q: I received an offer for my second choice but I am one point short of the first choice. I do not intend to take up the second choice and wish to wait for the second round (I have an alternative abroad). I don’t want to block the second choice place for others. Should I reject it or just not respond? Will either rejecting it effect an offer for my first choice in the second round? - Ed
A: You do not need to reject the offer, just do not respond and the reply date will come and go and the place will be offered to somebody else. Rejecting your second choice place will not have any effect on your future eligibility for your first choice. - Brian
Q: I am currently studying for my A Levels abroad, and would love to return to Dublin to study chemistry. The points requirement for A Levels means I need nearly top marks in all my A Level subjects to study chemistry. Why is it so hard to enter Irish universities with A levels? - Jane
A: Just like the Leaving Certificate there is a points system for A Levels. A lot of work was done to draw up this points system so it would be broadly equivalent to the Irish LC. The colleges drew up this system not the CAO and monitor the system on a regular basis. - Brian
Q: Do I have to repeat all 7 subjects? I have 540 points. I have 2 H1s, do I have to take those subjects again? - Cathal
A: Yes. You cannot combine subjects from two different Leaving Cert sitting for points purposes. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter was offered her fourth choice but doesn’t really want it. She has a place on a PLC course which she will probably take. If she doesn’t accept her offer, will she still be considered for her top choices in later rounds? Also, could she accept the current offer, defer it, do the PLC this year and apply again for her first choices next year with the PLC? - Mary
A: Accepting or rejecting her offer will have no effect on future rounds. CAO will continue to offer higher preference courses to any CAO candidate who meets minimum entry requirements and course cut off points. She could defer her offer (please see page 32 of the CAO handbook). She can apply to CAO next year using her results from PLC or the Leaving Cert, whichever one is better. I hope that I have answered all your questions. - Deirdre
Q: If my son appeals a grade in a subject, and his grade goes down after the appeal, could his course offer place be pulled by the college he has accepted? - Sharon
A: This would be the decision of the college. I would be very surprised if they would do such a thing. - Deirdre
Q: I have a follow up question on available places courses. He can apply to available places and he can still get a second round offer from his original first choice subject. I thought that if you applied to available places then you would start again and not be eligible for a second round offer from your original application. - Dermot
A: The available place facility is like a change of mind in many ways. You are essentially introducing new courses to your original application and you decide again what order you want your courses, course you most want at the top all the way down. You decide the order. So if you want to keep your original course at the top you can do that and then introduce the new courses below this. This means if you become entitled to your existing course and the new ones then you will be offered the new one because it is - Brian
Q: My daughter was one point short for accounting and finance in DCU, do you think she will have any chance of getting a place in round 2 as I see there was no change in round 2 in 2024? - MD
A: It varies every year. Round 2 is dependent on the actions of candidates in round 1. How many places are still available after deadline date of acceptance for round 1 offers. This determines round two offers and the points. No way of knowing until CAO release Round 2 offers on September 8th. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible for the points to lower for course as the offer rounds go on? - Nessa
A: It varies every year. Round 2 is dependent on the actions of candidates in round 1. How many places are still available after deadline date of acceptance for Round 1 offers. This determines round two offers and the points. No way of knowing until CAO release round 2 offers on September 8th. - Deirdre
Q: My son received 455 points in the Leaving Certificate and hoped to enter biotechnology in TUD. He didn’t get a place on round 1 offers and the round 1 minimum points for that course have raised to 456. How likely is he to get this course in round 2 if he is only one point away? - Bryan
A: It did drop by 6 points last year so there is a good precedent here. - Brian
Q: My son is short one point for finance in UCC. The points were 578. He is getting one subject re-checked. What is the likely chance of getting it in round 2? - Marie
A: The provisional date for result of appeals in September 26th. Round 2 offers are out before this on September 8th. Your son may get offered this in round 2 if points fall. The best of luck. I hope that things work out for you. - Deirdre
Q: Will there be a round 2 for law in UCD? - Sarah
A: No way of knowing for sure until CAO release round 2 on September 8th. It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. This information is not known yet. - Deirdre
Q: I accepted a round one offer yesterday. If I receive an offer in round two but choose not to accept will I continue to be receive offers in further rounds? - Ciara
A: Yes. You will always be included in future rounds for courses that lie above yesterday’s offer. - Deirdre
Q: I have accepted my third choice. If I appeal my results and get my first choice do I have to take it or can I still choose my first offer? - Ben
A: The choice is always yours. If you are offered your first choice and decide you would prefer your first round offer then you simply don’t accept the new offer. - Brian
Q: My son is 11 points short of his desired course choice. How likely is he to be offered the course in subsequent rounds being that many points off? - Liam
A: No way of knowing I’m afraid. Have a read of some earlier answers where we address this. - Brian
Q: I have accepted my second preference course and am happy with it. I am getting one subject appealed. If I get a grade adjustment & my points rise, can I apply to the CAO next year with my new higher points for another course? - Muireann
A: Yes. CAO will make an offer on the back of a successful appeal. CAO must make you an offer for the highest preference course that you meet all minimum requirements and cut off points for - Deirdre
Q: My son applied through international A Levels and all NUI colleges require a minimum of a C in a foreign language. He had a D in his GCSE. 9 out of 10 of his choices refused his application. If we had known this and it was marked earlier in the process, he would have changed his application. He has now to wait for a second choice offer and hope the point come down for that course. My question is on the available courses and whether it is safer to wait for a second round offer and to apply to the courses available in the third round if he gets no second round offer. - Dermot
A: He can apply for available places now if he wishes. If he would like to keep his existing course as the main course he would like to receive an offer from then he should put the available place courses below that course on his list of course preferences. - Brian
Q: My first and second choice courses went to random selection and I am short one point for one and got sufficient points for the other. Could I get a place in subsequent rounds? - Sally Ann
A: Yes. You will always be included in future rounds for courses that lie above yesterday’s offer. - Deirdre
Q: My child has DARE eligibility. He received a 4th choice offer but doesn’t want to accept it. He has the minimum entry requirement for his first choice and reaches the points of the course with DARE reduction of points. He does not have the minimum entry for his second and third choice. Can I contact the HEI for his first choice to see where he is in the DARE order of merit? - Fiona
A: There is no exact point reduction for DARE applicants. Colleges reserve a certain number of DARE places. Hence all DARE applicants compete for a set number of places. Each DARE applicant is palced in oder of merit. I would advise him to accept today’s offer. He will be included in future CAO rounds for higher preference courses. - Deirdre
Q: I didn’t get any offers yesterday because I did not supply my IB examination results to CAO in time. I have more points than required for my top choices, specifically TR060 and TR061, what do you think are the chances of receiving a round 2 offer for either of those? - Sara
A: It is very much up to Trinity admissions and in particular if they have any places available for round 2. Either some candidates who got offers on these courses in round one and are not accepting them or the college can create some more places. These are the two situations where they will be able to offer you a place in round 2. - Brian
Q: How did SEC decide which subjects had the PMA added. My daughter had it added for some and not others. Were there criteria? Was it random? - Ann
A: PMA was applied to all Leaving Cert subjects. I don’t know why it didn’t show this. Contact SEC on 1800 111 135. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible to transfer college if doing arts in one particular college and circumstances having changed, another college is preferable? - Anne
A: Each college has their own external transfer policy. Both courses would have to study the same modules and carry the same ECTS. I would advise you to contact the college that you would like to transfer to. - Deirdre
Q: We missed the deadline to view my daughter’s results. Can we submit for review anyway and just pay? - Linda
A: Yes, when you log into your daughter’s portal from Sunday 31st August at 10am, you will be able to apply to appeal as many subjects as you wish at €40 per subject. Closing date for applying for appeals is Monday 1st of September at 5pm. - Brian
Q: I am a FETAC applicant. Have all offers been made in round zero and round one for applicants like me? I did accept my second choice in round zero but would love my first choice. - Claire
A: I would advise you to contact the admissions office to ascertain if there is any QQI places left. - Deirdre
Q: I sent a deferral request to my university but i have sourced accommodation and now I don’t want to defer. Do I just accept my offer now or do I need to contact admissions? - Marie
A: Has your deferral been granted? I would advise you to contact admissions office immediately. - Deirdre
Q: I have received an offer for the GY350 program at the University of Galway. I have contacted the university, and they have informed me that I am ineligible for EU fees; consequently, I am required to pay €27,000 per year. I must rely on my parents’ income, as I am unable to work to earn money. What do you advise me to do? Is there anyone who can assist me with this matter? - Anvith
A: I am not aware of any funding for non EU students. I would advise you to contact Higher Education Authority to seek support. Please get back of if you need more support - Deirdre
Q: Is there a timeframe within college that I can try out my course offer but leave and reapply to CAO next year for a different course without it affecting government paid fees? - J
A:
- If you withdraw from the course before October 31st, you will not be liable for the fees for the following academic year.
- If you withdraw between November 1st and January 31st: You will typically be liable for 50% of the Student Contribution and Tuition fees.
- If you withdraw on or after February 1st: You will be liable for the full 100% of the Student Contribution and Tuition fees.
Check these details with the fees office in your particular university. - Brian
Q: I got my first preference yesterday in level 8 early childhood in Carlow but I had Athlone as my second preference. Is there any chance I could be offered my second for Athlone? I checked available places and the course is not on it. Is there a chance it could still come up? - Katie
A: Once you got your first preference course all other courses below this essentially disappear so you can never move down your list of preferences. The only way you can get to a lower course is if it appears in available places but other than this you cannot move down. - Brian
Q: My daughter was one point short of being offered her first choice of science in UCD. Is there a good chance that she might be offered this in round 2? She will be accepting her second choice, but just wondering are second round offers a real likelihood? Do they really happen? - Carmel
A: Second round offers do really happen. It will depend on the number of candidates that accept yesterday’s offer. Any spaces still available will then be issued in round 2. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter wanted commerce in Galway. She got 440 points and the course was 430 last year. How do we find out what the points are this year and what chance she might have of getting it in a second or third round offer? - Linda
A: Gone up to 454 this year. Points will fall if there are still places available after the round 1 acceptance date. - Deirdre
Q: My son submitted a school Leaving Cert from the UK. We received an email saying they couldn’t recognise the certificate and next we were issued a certificate of application. I am confused and don’t know what to do. - Leo
A: Who sent you the email saying they couldn’t recognise the certificate? I think the best thing to do is follow up with these people to find out more information. - Brian
Q: I got 495 in the Leaving Cert, just one point short of the 496 needed for the DCU course DC232. Are the points likely to go down for second round offers? Where can I find out if points reduced last year for the later rounds? - Eva
A: This course was 489 points last year and did not decrease. It finished up at the end of the season on the same 489 points. - Brian
Q: I did not receive any offers yesterday due to missing information on my application. This has now been amended & I’ve been told that I will be considered in the next round. Is there a good chance of receiving on offer? - Cian
A: This depends on the specific college and course. In most cases colleges will try their best to get you a place in round two if a genuine mistake prevented you from getting an offer in round one, however, it really is up to the college and if they have any places left. - Brian
Q: I got my first preference, but my family can no longer afford the accommodation element of my course in Tipperary. I need my second or third choice. Do I contact Maynooth directly? Can anything be done? Or do I just have to wait a year to go to college? - Luke
A: CAO will not offer you any course that lies below yesterday’s offer. It is CAO that makes the offer, not the college. You could see if any courses of interest appear under available places. - Deirdre
Q: Level 8 engineering (TU805) went from 443 points to 490 points. Is there any chance of a later offer with 465 points? - CJ
A: Last year the course started at 443 and did not go down at all. But I’m not sure you can read too much into that. This year seems to have a new dynamic increasing to 490, so I think we will just have to wait and see. 25 points is a big drop though. - Brian
Q: My daughter is one point short for general nursing in SETU (409 points). She has 408. What are her chances in round two? I know it depends on deferrals etc. In previous years has it dropped in round two? - Caroline
A: It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. The greater the number of deferrals and rejections, the greater the places available for round 2. Places will be given to the candidates that are next in the queue (candidates are placed in order of merit). - Deirdre
Q: If I was 25 points below my first preference level 8 course, is there any chance I will be offered it in a later round? It went up 47 points from last year. - CJ
A: It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. It also depends on the number of candidates in the queue ahead of you. Too many variables and we cannot say for certain. Don’t lose hope. No way of knowing until CAO release offers for round 2 on Sept 8th. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is short 2 points for Galway SLT, what are the chances of her getting it in round 2? - Mary
A: The points for this course dropped in 2024. I can’t say for certain. It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. - Deirdre
Q: I don’t want my first choice, which I have been offered, but I do want my third choice which I think I have the points for. What should I do? - Declan
A: Too late now. Unless both courses are in the same college. Each college has their own admissions policy. Contact the admissions office if this is the case. You can add available places above yesterday’s offer. You will never get offered courses that lie below yesterday’s offer in CAO 2025. - Deirdre
Q: I have the points but realised I didn’t receive confirmation of my NUI exemption. I’ve now sent it in again. What are the chances of me now getting my course in round 2? - P
A: Usually this works out ok and an offer will be made in round 2, but it is dependent on the college in question having a place available. - Brian
Q: When will The Irish Times publish the full list of CAO offers for all colleges? - Michael
A: They are at this link. - Brian
Q: My daughter had DARE status confirmed during summer. Is there a way to confirm that DARE status is confirmed on her CAO account or does this generally apply automatically? - Brian
A: If it was confirmed during the summer then it will be applied automatically. You will probably know from his offers that it has been applied. - Brian
Q: My daughter got offered a course from her level 8 list. She would like to apply for an available place course. If she puts the available place course higher up on her choice list but decides she wants to stick with her original offer does she have to pick the new offer from the available places section? - Ann
A: No. If she accepts her current offer and then applies and receives a new vacant place offer, it is up to her what she wants to do at this stage. She can accept the new offer and the first one lapses or she can decide to stay with the original and leave the new offer. She remains in control at all times. - Brian
Q: Where would we find the formula used for the post marking adjustment calculation? - Ciara
A: It is in the SEC Candidate Information Guide 3 linked here. - Brian
Q: Do I need to pay an acceptance fee to DCU before my son will receive an offer letter from the college? - Margaret
A: No, the offer comes first and then the registration process commences. - Brian
Q: How do round 2 offers work? How many round 2 offers will go out for courses such as medicine? - James
A: Round 2 offers are out on September 8th. It will very much depend on the uptake on today’s offers. Points will fall in future CAO rounds until the course is full. The course will only appear in round 2 at lower points if places are still available. - Deirdre
Q: I got an offer for my top choice, but I’ve changed my mind and would like to select my second choice, (which was lower points). Both my first and second choice are in the same university. Is is possible to select my second choice? - Ciaran
A: It can happen but each college has their own policy on internal transfers. I recommend that you contact the admissions office of that particular college. - Deirdre
Q: If I’m one point short of a course, what are the chances of getting an offer in round 2? - Conor
A: It’s too hard to tell. It will all depend on how many accept yesterday’s offers. Round 2 will feature courses that have not been filled from round 1 acceptances. No way of knowing until CAO make round 2 offers on September 8th. I hope that you get an offer. - Deirdre
Q: The Business and Polish points are 476, it was my eighth choice. I got 488 and was only offered my 10th choice. Why did this happen? - Jamie
A: Have you met all the entry requirements for the Business and Polish course? If you feel you have, contact CAO with the details through your CAO account and ask them why an offer was not made. - Brian
Q: My understanding is that when you appeal your grade, the exam is re-corrected from scratch but the post marking adjustment (PMA) applied on the first correction is added to the appealed correction grade. Is this correct? Or if not what happens with PMA to appealed examination grades? - Mary
A: The PMA will be calculated again and it will be based on your new total. If your mark goes up on appeal the value of the adjustment may go down. - Deirdre
Q: My son got 398 points. He was offered Arts in UL which he accepted, his fourth choice. His first choice is Arts International in UCC. He is three points short, could he still be offered his preferred choice in round 2? - Marie
A: There is always a chance given only 3 points in the difference, however this same course did not decrease last year so it is possible it may not go down. It depends on what the current holders of offers for that course decide to do with their places. - Brian
Q: My son received enough points to do his fourth option but received no offer. What can we do? - Grainne
A: Check first of all that he has met all the entry requirements for the course. If he has met them and still no offer then contact CAO with the details from the contact facility in his CAO account and await a response. - Brian
Q: My daughter was just 6 points off a preferred course. She has not viewed her script but she would still like to appeal two of her results. One of them being art. Can she still accept her current offer and appeal? What happens if she is upgraded? - Edel
A: Yes, she can accept her current offer and then apply for an appeal for two of her subjects. If the appeal is successful and her points upgraded she may become entitled to a higher preference place. If this is the case, she will be offered it and it is up to her whether to stay with first course or move to new course offered. The new course offered might be for this year or a deferred place for next year. - Brian
Q: What are the chances of a round 2 offer? I’m 2 points off for UCC commerce. It went down from 508 to 501 last year. It is 511 this year, I’m gutted - Colette
A: Commerce (CK201) went from 509 first round to 500 (end of season). This is a 9 point drop so there is a chance of a drop of 2 or over for you to be made an offer. Best of luck with it. - Brian
Q: If I accept my second choice in the first round of offers but then receive my first choice in a later offer, are any tuition payments made compensated or do you lose that money? - Áine
A: You won’t lose money. Discuss this with the fees office if this scenario comes about. Colleges will not have you lose money. - Deirdre
Q: My son applied for joint honours social policy and modern language (TR757) in Trinity. He did not get it but looking from last year’s points, did this course jump from 490 points to 431? - Niamh
A: TR757 in 2024 was 515 points and in 2025 it was 531. - Brian
Q: I am going into third year computing but I want to apply for advanced entry because I didn’t register with the CAO this year. So, do I need to register new application and I’m currently enrolled in computing third year, so does that affect advanced entry? - Ben
A: Sorry, I don’t understand what you are asking here at all or what you are talking about. Do you want to give me more details and we might be able to assist. - Brian
Q: How can I find out if there were any round 2 offers made for UCD science in 2024? I am one point short this year and speculating if I have much of a chance of an offer in round 2. - Carmel
A: The points for Science DN200 last year was 544 in round one and at the end of the season so no new offers were made after round one. You can find this information on the CAO website looking up ‘Points by Year’. - Brian
Q: I didn’t get the courses I wanted from my CAO but I did get points for a course I didn’t put on my CAO. Is there anyway to get that course this year? - Matthew
A: The only courses you can add to your CAO at this stage are courses advertised in Vacant Places on the CAO website. Other than these courses you cannot add any other courses to your CAO. July 1st was the last date you could change your account. Available Places are listed here. - Brian
Q: Can you use a physio degree as an undergraduate degree to qualify to apply for postgraduate medicine? - Ciara
A: Entry to postgraduate medicine can be done from a level 8 (an upper class honours) in many disciplines. Some programs have specific subject requirements from your previous degree. For example, you may need to have studied chemistry, biology, and physics at a certain level, and in some cases, mathematics is also required. One must also sit the GAMSAT, (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test). The GAMSAT tends to used as the main criteria for selection. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter broke two fingers three weeks before the Leaving Cert and required a scribe. We feel this has effected her results adversely. Have we any recourse apart from appealing? - James
A: I am afraid not. Appealing is the only option. Sorry to hear this. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got 500 points and was offered a DARE place on her second choice, a reduction of 11 points. If she gets upgraded on appeal does she have any chance of getting a DARE place on her first choice? - Catherine
A: Unfortunately, the DARE places may have been already allocated in the first choice course. So if your daughter’s points go up and they are not enough to get her into the first choice course purely on the basis of points, DARE may not be any help as all the places may be gone. - Brian
Q: My son got offered his level 8 choice yesterday. But never got offered his level 7 simultaneously from his level 7 list. Why would this be? - Maura
A: This seems unusual. Did he log into his CAO account? It seems as if there could have been a technology issues yesterday. - Deirdre
Q: What alternative scholarships and bursaries are available for students who don’t qualify for the SUSI grant? - Mia
A: CareersPortal has information on scholarships. Each college will have information on their own website. Citizens Information is a good resource. - Deirdre
Q: I got 89.75 in a subject (H2), if I recheck this paper and I am successful will I move to a H1? This is a 12 point difference or can it be anymore when the post adjustment taking into account. - Mary
A: The PMA will be calculated again and it will be based on your new total. If your mark goes up on appeal the value of the adjustment may go down. - Deirdre
Q: Regarding the available spaces facility, I got the point for a course I didn’t put down in my CAO. Is it possible to still apply for that course and get it? - Matthew
A: Yes. Place it in the correct order of preference. Please view this video. - Deirdre
Q: If you don’t want to accept the CAO offer this year but want to keep options open to either apply for the same or something different next year, do you just decline the offers and reapply next year or do you need to defer? - Jo
A: If you want to keep that offer of a place for next year then defer the place. - Brian
Q: My daughter got 510 points and had engineering in NUIG as her first choice. She got 78% in French and feels she will achieve over 80% in her appeal. She is also accepted as DARE. Do you think there is any chance she may get a place in future rounds or is it a real long shot? We would all be delighted if she got her first choice but want to be realistic as close to €1500 accommodation costs will be lost after today if we decide to pay in the hope of her achieving the necessary results in her appeal and DARE. - Jerry
A: I cannot call that one. Your daughter is competing for the reserved DARE places. How many DARE places are offered on this course? How many DARE applicants that accept yesterday’s offer will also have an impact on round 2 offers (if it goes to round 2). You might give the access office a call. They may be able to give you more information. - Deirdre
Q: Can everyone go in and look at scripts or is it just people who are appealing? - Mary
A: You need to make an application to view scripts. The application for viewing of scripts is now closed. - Deirdre
Q: For the course Law with Economics in UCD, are the points the same as for the general Law degree (DN600)? - Rachel
A: Yes. All options in DN600 share the same points as it is one course code. - Brian
Q: I did my Leaving Cert in 2007 and am now in my late 30s. I got high points at the time, 570. Could I apply next year with these or do I have to apply as a mature student? - Mark
A: There is a whole section on the CAO website regarding applying as a mature applicant. There is no one size fits all. I would recommend you read this and then speak to the individual colleges you are thinking of applying to for further information. - Brian
Q: Are HEAR and DARE if granted combined together to get a place? - Orla
A: Candidates eligible for HEAR and DARE tend to be placed higher up in the queue of DARE applicants for interested courses. This will improves one’s chance of getting a reserved DARE place. - Deirdre
Q: DCU offered me accommodation yesterday but I wasn’t offered a DCU course on my CAO, do you think this may mean I have a good chance of a DCU offer in round 2 or is this irrelevant? I currently have an offer for Maynooth but I only have until tomorrow to pay the DCU deposit. - Clara
A: In my opinion accommodation and course offers are completely separate so the fact that you were offered accommodation in DCU does not in any way indicate you are going to get an offer for a course. Why would you pay for accommodation in DCU when you have no course there. Maybe an email or call to DCU accommodation office might be a good idea. - Brian
Q: Is there any chance that the final cut off for common entry engineering, UL, will drop to 509 points? It is at 510 on first round offers and I have received 509 in the Leaving Cert. - Sam
A: Yes it could. It will very much depend on the uptake on today’s offer’s. Points will fall in future CAO rounds until the course is full. The course will only appear in round 2 at lower points if all places aren’t taken in round 1. - Deirdre
Q: Am I right in saying that if a student looks for a subject to be rechecked, they get the rechecked result back on September 26th which is the day after round 4 of the CAO closes? So their rechecked marks will only be allowed in round 5? - Mark
A: Yes. There will be one final round of offers after the results of the appeals emerge to process any upgrades. - Brian
Q: Hello, I got 360 points on my Leaving Certificate which is below the points requirements for my first two options. So, I accepted the fact that I may not get my first two choices and held onto the hope that any of my other choices would give me an offer as I was at least 100 points above what was needed for my other courses and was eligible in terms of any entry requirements as well. Yet, as I logged onto my CAO I was shocked to discover that I did not receive one single offer, not even from any of my level 6/7 courses that I put down. I have checked for any errors in my CAO application to no avail as advised by my past guidance counsellor. I have also attempted to call the CAO contact number to no avail. I am unsure of what to do for my next course of action. - Alyssa
A: Put all of the details into a message and send to the CAO through the messaging facility inside your CAO account and seek their advice. They will come back to you as soon as possible. Messaging from your CAO account is best. - Brian
Q: My daughter has been accepted by both DCU and University of Lisbon. She would prefer Lisbon, (my husband is Portuguese and she wants to get to know the country) but my husband and I think that DCU is a better option both financially and in terms of ease. Is there any way for her to be able to do a semester or year abroad there? - Eibhlín
A: Contact the admissions office. They would also have this information on their website. Erasmus tends to happen in the third year of study. The college would have to have an agreement with University of Lisbon. The best of luck. Would deferring DCU for a year be an option? Please read page 32 of the CAO handbook. Seeking and taking up a deferral is explained here. - Deirdre
Q: I received an offer for my second choice in the CAO yesterday. I am appealing some grades which may allow me an offer for my first choice. I intend on deferring my place for one year. If I defer my second choice and then get an offer for my first choice, can I defer that place as well? - Lucy
A: Yes you can but you will lose the deferral on your original offer. You must contact the admissions office of the college in question when seeking a deferral. Not all requests are granted. Please view page 32 of this link. It explains the process of deferring a place.
Q: If you get a CAO offer with DARE points and accept it and subsequently appeal but get marked down, can they revoke the offer? - John
A: In theory yes as you may have a place that someone else is more entitled to now than you. In practice I have never heard of this happening. I would tread carefully and make sure to view the script before appealing. - Brian
Q: My son is 11 points short for his chosen course Humanities in DCU, is there any chance he could be offered a place in round 2? - Lorraine
A: It’s too hard to tell. It will all depend on how many accept today’s offers. Round 2 will feature courses that have not been filled from round 1 acceptances. No way of knowing until CAO make round 2 offers on September 8th. I hope that you get an offer. - Deirdre
Q: Am I correct that TCD joint honours points in Philosophy and Sociology dropped from 532 in round 1 to 476 in the final round last year? I’m wondering how big the range might be this year even though I know it’s impossible to compare. - Aoife
A: I’ve been looking for this information and can’t seem to find it. Remember however what happened last year could be very different this year. This information is not going to tell you anything definitive about this year. - Brian
Q: My son missed Commerce in UCD by one point, what’s the chances that a good portion of the previous year’s applicants wont accept their places and he will get in on the next round? - Carmel
A: That’s the hope that a lot of applicants have for round 2 this year. When it comes to it they may not decide to move college or course and not accept the place thus making this available to the next candidates on the course merit list. - Brian
Q: I received an offer of my second choice course yesterday but intend to appeal one of my subjects. If I am successful and receive an upgrade I will have enough points for my first choice course. This course was subject to random selection yesterday. Is it likely I will get a deferred place offer for September 2026? - Simon
A: It’s too hard to call that now. It is obviously a popular course. It will depend on the uptake with yesterday’s offers. The number and points of candidates in the queue (those who didn’t get offered this course) will also be a factor. The same situation may arise where, for example, the 198th, 199th, 200th, 201st and 202nd applicants all have the same points score but there are only 3 places available between them. - Deirdre
Q: My son is one point short of his chosen course. He is appealing the marks on two papers. If his points increase over the required for his chosen course, is his guaranteed a place on the course? - John
A: CAO will then make him an offer If there is space available on the course. CAO may make him a deferred offer for 2026 if the course is full (post appeals result). - Deirdre
Q: I didn’t receive an offer after a level 5 PLC, after getting required distinctions. If I go on to do a level 6 PLC and apply to the CAO next year, do I have a higher chance of getting my course over a level 5 next year? - Lisa
A: I would advise you to speak with the guidance counsellor at the College of Further Education. Different for all courses. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible to get a copy of the Candidate Observation Report Form (AP1) in advance of the appeals window on Sunday? - Sarah
A: Try contact the person in charge of examinations at your school. - Deirdre
Q: I got 388 points and didn’t get offered early childhood in MTU which is 340 points? How can this be? - Katie
A: Did you check the entry requirements for the course? If you did maybe you should contact the CAO through your CAO account and ask their advice. - Brian
Q: I accepted my offer on the CAO website yesterday evening, but I haven’t received a confirmation email with my credentials from the university yet. Should I get in touch with the university or CAO to chase this up, or is it too early? - Sean
A: I would give it another day or two. The deadline for accepting Round 1 offers is at 3pm, September 2nd. Get onto the CAO or college before this date, if needs be.
Q: What are the first round points for medicine in UCD? - Ed
A: 738 - Brian
Q: My daughter is nine points short of her first choice. She has accepted her second choice. She received CAO concession points, I assume these remain added on round two?- Mary
A: Yes they will stay in place for all future CAO rounds. - Deirdre
Q: I would like to study history and politics in UCD next year. What course should I be looking at? Humanities? - John
A: Yes, this would be the best option. - Brian
Q: If a paper is appealed can the grade drop down as well as go up? - Fi
A: Yes this is possible. The job of the examiner is to ensure that the marking scheme has been applied. Majority of changes tend to be upgrades. However, a down grade is possible. - Deirdre
Q: How does the random selection work, are all the names put in a hat and X amount are picked out? - Eugene
A: When a student applies to the CAO they get two numbers: a normal CAO application number and a randomly generated number. When they apply for a course, a course merit list is formed with the person with the highest points who applied for that course at the top and the person with the lowest points at the bottom. Places are allocated from the top down. If there are fifty places on the course, the top fifty people get the places. However, if there are a few people on the same points in this list, they are listed in order of their random number. So if there are two more places left but the next four people have the same points then they are listed in terms of their random numbers and the top two get the places. This is how the random system operates rather than a name out of a hat at each round. - Brian
Q: My son has not received any offers in the first round. He did not have enough points for his top three choices but he does for his fourth choice. Is it possible he might not receive any offers in the subsequent rounds? - Tommy
A: CAO will make an offer once the candidate satisfies the minimum entry requirements and cut off points. Can you check the minimum entry requirements for his 4th course of choice? He will continue to be included in future CAO rounds. I would research why he got no offer today. There may be a problem that will effect him in future rounds. Best look into this now. Get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: My child has the CAO points for a course based on yesterday’s published points. They didn’t get offered it as they didn’t meet one of the pre entry requirements of having a driving licence. They are waiting for a test. Can they appeal this? They may get the test done in the next week. Can they then appeal given that they have the points and would have the pre entry requirement? Will a place be offered given they have enough points, or does it depend on someone else refusing the course who was offered it in yesterdays first round offer? - Fi
A: CAO can only make an offer once minimum entry requirements and cut off points are met. He will get an offer in round two providing that he meets entry requirements and the points. Whether places are offered in round two will depend on the uptake on yesterday’s offers. Some candidates don’t accept and some may defer. This makes room for the course to make second round offers. I would also advise you to contact the Admissions Office of the college in question. - Deirdre
Q: My son missed his first choice course by one point. He has received an offer for a different course. He has requested scripts for 3 subjects and will appeal if justified. If he accepts the course he has been offered, can he leave that course (without penalty) if he receives a points upgrade on appeal and take up his preferred course next year on deferral? - Frank
A: Yes, if he gets an upgrade in September and as a result becomes entitled to a higher preference course he will be offered that either for this year (late start) or for next year as a deferred course. He can leave the first course and take up the new course without financial penalty. - Brian
Q: If I get offered my second choice and I accept it, if I then get offered my first choice but it is deferred for a year, can I still take the second choice course for the year and then switch to my first choice next year? - James
A: Yes but you will be responsible for paying all or part of the tuition fee for academic year 2026/27. I would advise you to get confirmation on this fee. The government will pay for you to do first year once. Hence, the government would not pay when you do first year again albeit on another course. - Deirdre
Q: Our daughter has accepted her third choice in Trinity. She does however intend to do rechecks. If she was successful with these could she be offered both her second choice in a later round? If she refuses her second choice could she be offered her first choice in a final CAO round? - Joe
A: Your daughter will always be included in future rounds for courses higher up on her CAO list. She can choose to stay with today’s offer or move if a new offer comes in future rounds. The choice will be hers. - Deirdre
Q: I applied for medicine with 719 points and DARE. I got no offers. Have I any chance in round two or is all hope lost? - Aine
A: I think you could be in trouble here. There is a chance that the DARE places have now been allocated and you were not successful in getting one of the DARE places. If you can maybe a quick call to the admissions office to chat your position over with them might be a good idea for yourself. - Brian
Q: If I accept an offer today in the hope of a more suitable second round offer, can I then defer until next year. Is there a risk in doing so that if points for the course go up next year I will lose out? - Niamh
A: If you wish to defer a place, do not accept the place. Follow the instructions in the CAO handbook for deferrals. If you defer your offer from today you will still remain in the running for a higher preference course in the next rounds. If you defer a place then regardless of what happens next year you have your place. - Brian
Q: My daughter received her offers by text and when she logged in to CAO. Still no email. We think she got her course through DARE, should it state that on the offer or how will she know? - Nicky
A: It will not state that it is a DARE place, but if she looks at the minimum points for that course and she has less than these points she will know it is a DARE place. - Brian
Q: How are A Levels results translated into CAO points? - Emma
A: See this link. Get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: My son got 601 points. His first preference was course code TR597, mathematics and a European language. However we cannot find the required points anywhere. Does this mean the course is no longer beige run? He received his second preference. - Elaine
A: See this link. - Deirdre
Q: Given the current trends, is it realistic to expect the entry requirement for the European Studies course at Trinity to drop from 564 to below 553 in the upcoming CAO offer rounds? - Sophia
A: It varies every year. Round 2 is dependent on the actions of candidates in round 1. How many places are still available after deadline date of acceptance for Round 1 offers. This determines round two offers and the points. No way of knowing until CAO release Round 2 offers on the 8th of September. - Deirdre
Q: If I appeal one of my subjects as I got 79.25 in it and a grade of 80 would have brought me from a H3 to a H2 which is 10 extra points. If I have been offered by CAO one of my level 8s, but my appeal is successful and I’m then offered a higher choice, do I lose out on my place offered today if I decide to stick with it? - John
A: If you apply for an appeal and you get upgraded then your points will increase. This may mean you become entitled to a higher preference course. This would be offered to you in the final round of CAO offers in October. If this happens you have a choice of moving to your new course or remaining on your course from round one. - Brian
Q: My daughter has DARE, she has been offered her fourth choice but is very sad. She wanted to do Nursing in UCD the points are 434 this year, she got 377. Does she have any chance in subsequent offers? - Radean
A: This is probably unlikely as the gap is too big and more than likely the DARE places have now been filled - Brian
Q: In an appeal, does the post marking adjustment score stay the same score as what the student got in their Leaving Cert result? - Colette
A: No, a new calculation is completed based on your new score. - Brian
Q: If my daughter adds the new nursing course in Maynooth to her CAO when available places opens tomorrow, does it matter where she places it? Will it effect her chances of getting it against other applicants placing it higher on their list? - Liz
A: Yes, where she places it is of utmost importance. Please view this video. Get back on if you need more support. Available places opens today at 12 noon. - Deirdre
Our CAO helpdesk is back from 12pm-8pm today.
Q: I got offered no course today. Is that just for my first course on CAO? - Molly
A: No, they have looked at all your courses and deemed you not entitled to any of your choices. You may become entitled in round two or three - Brian.
Q: When appealing papers, does the appealed mark changed or unchanged automatically go to CAO and if changed in favour of applicant is it taken into consideration for round 2 offers? - Mary
A: Yes and yes! - Brian
Q: My son was hoping to study construction management in Cork but the points went up by 40 points and he missed it by a few points. What are his chances of being offered it in round 2? - Fergal
A: If some applicants who were offered places on this course decide to not accept their place then these will be offered to the next most qualified applicants on the merit list for this course. This is the only way your son might get a round two offer. We have no way of knowing until round one reply date what is going to happen to these places. - Brian
Q: I got 554 in the Leaving Cert and my first choice course has points requirement of 533 (TU870 Human Nutrition and Dietetics in Grangegorman) I did not get my first choice even though I had enough points and met all criteria. - DC
A: If you feel you have met all the entry requirements and should have been offered a place then contact CAO with all the details through your CAO account and ask them why no offer has been made. - Brian
Q: Is it possible to defer a degree course after completing first year and taking up another degree course in DCU (non related course), and if unhappy revert back to the deferred course a year later? - Eilín
A: I don’t think so, you cannot hold 2 courses even if one is deferred. - Brian
Q: My daughter didn’t get primary teaching, she put early learning as her third choice and got offered it in DCU. She would prefer the humanities course in DCU. Should she accept the course offered and hope a transfer comes up in the college or should she accept CAO offer and hope additional place comes up in DCU humanities course tomorrow? Any advice would be appreciated. - Ide
A: Is humanities her second preference? I think she should accept her third preference. Then in round two she may become entitled to her second preference and will be offered it even if she has accepted her third preference. It is unlikely she will be able to do an internal transfer to a course she did not originally get the points for. - Brian
Q: My son didn’t apply for any level 7 or 6 courses through the CAO - I’m assuming it’s too late to do so now? - Mary
A: Yes it is too late. He can apply for any courses that become available through available places. This facility opens at noon tomorrow .More information will be up on CAO website tomorrow and courses will be added to it daily. Please get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: If my child accepts a place this year on a course, can she apply again through CAO next year for an alternative course? - Mary
A: Yes. However, if she completes first year on this course and then does first year again next year on a different course, there will be higher fees due for the second first year. - Brian
Q: I have received an offer from TCD for a course which I am inclined to accept and defer as I want to do a PLC for a year. How do I navigate this? - Sadhbh
A: Do not accept the course. Follow the procedure on page 32 of the CAO handbook to seek to defer the place. In the first instance you need to contact TCD to get permission to defer, if they grant this then follow the remainder of the deferral procedure. - Brian
Q: My son got 613 points and got his second choice. We now see his first choice is on line at 592 points. It is a joint honours course from TCD. - Carol
A: Did he meet the entry requirements? CAO will make an offer for the highest preference course where the candidate meets all entry requirements and the CAO points. Can you check the entry requirements and get back onto me if you need further assistance. - Deirdre
Q: My son got an offer from NUIG and he wants to defer as he wants to go college next year. Can he defer and save his place? - Sajid
A: Yes you can. Please read the CAO handbook on page 32. It outlines the steps that one needs to take when seeking a deferral - Deirdre
Q: I got 509 points. Got 89.5 in biology (higher level), English 88 (higher level) and Business (higher level) 77.5. UCC Commerce is 511 points. What’s my best route of appeal? - Thomas
A: If you can afford it appeal all three to give yourself every chance, but realise you may not get any upgrade at all if they cannot find scope in your papers to increase your marks. - Brian
Q: How does the “Available Courses” system work? - Iseult
A: See page 29 of the CAO handbook. There’s also a good video at this link. More information will be up on the CAO website tomorrow. - Deirdre
Q: Can I directly ask a college for a course I was not offered on the CAO if I have more points than is required? - Philip
A: No. I am afraid not. Courses become available through available place. This facility opens at noon tomorrow. - Deirdre
Q: I have been offered a place on UCD’s children’s nursing undergraduate degree. My circumstances have changed and I would like to attend my local university, University College Galway for nursing instead. It was on my CAO, but a lower preference to the course I was offered. I have in excess of the required points and I meet the entry requirements. Is there any facility to transfer between the colleges? - Eithne
A: Unfortunately the news is not so good here, there is no way of moving down your list to a lower preference course. You could consider adding nursing in Maynooth to your application through the vacant places facility if that would be of any help. This is the only nursing programme you can add to your application at this stage. - Brian
Q: My son has 601 points, more than he needs for physics and astrophysics. But no offer yet and CAO office isn’t contactable on the phone. Any suggestions please? - Shane
A: Has he met the minimum entry requirements? Have you logged onto his CAO account? Is there an offer there? Or a statement of application? - Deirdre
Q: After I accepted my offer a few hours ago, I didn’t receive an email from the university. Is this normal or should I make contact with them? - Martin
A: It varies from university to university in how quickly they make contact with applicants. If you have heard nothing by tomorrow give the admissions team a call. - Brian
Q: If I accept a level 6 and am offered a level 8 in round 2, can I still take it? - PG
A: Yes. - Brian
Q: My daughter was offered a level 7 & a level 8 course. Can she accept both? - Patricia
A: No. - Brian
Q: If I do nursing or midwifery in DKIT or Maynooth, is it too late to get accommodation for placement as I live in Dublin? - Lily
A: I advise that you seek help from a college representative working in this area. Contact Maynooth tomorrow. Expression of interest for on campus accommodation opened in May. It closes in August but not sure what date. Best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My son applied for general nursing as a DARE applicant. He got 376 points and had hoped to get into TR091 which was 388 points last year. It jumped to 423 points. Would his DARE status have been taken into account at this stage? He met the other entry requirements. He is devastated as he hasn’t been offered any nursing course now. - Mary
A: Other interested DARE applicants may have received more points. Don’t rule him out yet. He may get it in future rounds. Not all DARE applicants will accept their place. These places become available in round 2. - Deirdre
Q: I achieved 541 points in the Leaving Cert and my first choice was occupational therapy at UCC. I also have DARE eligibility. I didn’t get offered a place, is there still a chance of being offered a place during Round 2? - Eve
A: At this stage the DARE places are probably filled. If however someone does not accept the first round offers, they will re-offer these places and you might get an offer. Last year it did drop by about 10 points so it could be possible. - Brian
Q: My daughter wants to do a course that was not offered but was one she had on her CAO below the course she was offered. Can she get that course? - Philip
A: Try contact the college if both of these courses are in the same college. No way of swapping if courses are in different colleges. CAO will only offer courses of higher preference in future rounds. All course that lie below todays offer have now become obsolete. You could look to see if this lower down course becomes available on available places. This facility opens at noon tomorrow. - Deirdre.
Q: If all students accept their first round offers how are there additional spaces and offers for the second round? - Fiona
A: There wouldn’t be. Some may defer their place until 2026. These places will be offered in round 2. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got 8 x H1s and had MSISS in Trinity as her first choice but lost out in the lottery selection. Is there any way of knowing how many people would be in the running for the random selection if a place became available in the second round? - Tim
A: The only way would be to contact admissions in TCD and ask them. They may or may not give you this information. - Brian
Q: I did my Leaving Cert last year. I didn’t get enough points for the course I wanted. I did a PLC QQI this year in a related field and was told it would guarantee access to the course. It didn’t. What went wrong? What are my options now? - Cormac
A: Did you get the required number of distinctions or grades? I suggest that you liaise with your PLC college and the admissions office of the college of interest. I am sorry to hear this. I hope that you get sorted. Have a look at the available places option also. This opens at noon tomorrow. - Deirdre
Q: I missed BESS in TCD in the first round (I got 541 when the course is 566) but I have DARE, is there any chance I can get offered a reduced points place in the second round or will they all have been filled in the first round? - Liam
A: Yes it could. It will very much depend on the uptake on today’s offer’s. Points will fall in future CAO rounds until the course is full. The course will only appear in round 2 at lower points if all places aren’t taken in round 1. The same process will be used to fill the reserved DARE places (one must meet the DARE eligibility for the college in question). - Deirdre
Q: What is the process for deferring a place and what reasons are acceptable for deferring a place? - Damien
A: You must contact the Admissions Office of college in question. Please view details in the CAO handbook, page 32. - Deirdre
Q: I did not realise I had to submit proof of my exemption for Irish - Jamie
A: Apply to the NUI head office. They will send it to CAO and you will be included in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: Our daughter got an offer from Ulster University and with sufficient points she accepted today. In Ireland she is ten points short for her first choice course and got an offer for second choice. She really wishes to go to the first choice but she can not risk losing the choice in Ulster University. In this case, what would you do? Do you still need to accept Irish offer (second choice) hoping for the best in Round 2? - John
A: I would accept UU offer of a place and proceed with that. I would also accept the 2nd round offer here and buy yourself some time. See how round 2 goes. If you don’t get another offer in round 2 then withdraw from second choice course and go to UU.
Q: I completed a PLC course this year and got the required distinctions for my courses TR006 Psychology, LM102 Psychology, and GY104 Psychology but have received no offers. I have checked and the CAO application reflects both my Leaving Cert and PLC course results. How do I know that the PLC course is being factored into my application as one of the courses I am 1 point away from LM102. - Cian
A: To know definitively, you need to contact the admissions office in these colleges and ask them to look at your application. - Brian
Q: Why has history in Trinity and courses relating to the arts in trinity gone up by so many points, more than was expected even though we have grade deflation this year? - Molly
A: Extra demand for places from current LC students and previous LC students is one of the main reasons. - Brian
Q: I still haven’t received an email. I have the points and entry requirements for the course. - Kate
A: Log in to your CAO account. It should be there. Seems like there has been a technical issue with messages and emails. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got 589 and is thinking of doing the HPAT next year. Would you think this would be sufficient to gain entry to Medicine in 2026? She got physio today in TCD, but will decline it. - Eleanor
A: I think she would have a good chance for med with a good score in the HPAT. Good preparation for the HPAT could go a long way to a medical place. - Brian
Q: My daughter received 589 points and meets the requirements for the science courses she applied for but has not received any Level 8 offers. Is there a delay? - Aisling
A: She needs to login to her CAO account and see what offers are there. Whatever is there is it for round one. - Brian
Q: I am planning to defer third level until next year and have been offered my third preference. If I don’t follow through on this now and wait to see if I get further offers in subsequent rounds, will I still have the option to go back and apply for the deferral on today’s offer? - LM
A: No, you must see your deferral within the time frame given on todays offer. To request a CAO deferral, do not accept the offer on the CAO system. Instead, contact the admissions office of the specific college that made the offer, as they handle the deferral process. Explain your reasons, submit any required forms, and await confirmation. For the following year, you must re-apply through the CAO, listing the deferred course as your first and only preference, and tick the “Deferred applicant” box. Defer this course. You will still be include for higher preference courses in future 2025 CAO round offers. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible to do a PME for science teaching once you have completed a Level 8 degree in Mental Health Nursing? - Conor
A: I would advise you to contact the Teaching Council. Have them confirm the subjects that your degree in Nursing would qualify you to teach. You could research the qualification needed to teach pre nursing at PLC level. See this link. - Deirdre
Q: My first choice was Law and Business in Trinity. I got 613 points and have been offered my second choice, Law in Trinity. Why have I not been offered my first choice? Might I get an offer in the next round? - Mary
A: The points for Law and Business are 613* which means random selection was used and not everyone on 613 got an offer of a place. We have no way of knowing how many applicants are in this random pool. They may be able to offer more places in round two and clear the random pool and then you would be entitled to a place. Fingers crossed. - Brian
Q: My son got 520 points which is obviously excellent and has been offered a place in UCD but his top choice was history in Trinity which is 526 points. I know it is impossible to say for sure, but based on your previous experience how would you rate his chances of getting his top pick on the second or third round? - Joe
A: It really is hard to know. It did drop by over 10 points last year by the end of the offers so there is a good chance is last year is anything to go by. - Brian
Q: I’m a few points short of BESS in Trinity but have DARE. I’m well within the minimum course and DARE requirements but for the second year in a row I haven’t gotten an offer. - Robert
A: For details, you need to contact admissions in TCD but it may be that you were too far down the DARE merit list for a place. There are only limited places on this course for DARE candidates. - Brian
Q: If my daughter accepts a course on September 2nd, does that cancel all other offers? If we appeal two subjects should we just hold and not accept any offers at the moment? - Paul
A: Accepting offers today has no consequences on future rounds. Your daughter will be included in future rounds for higher preference courses regardless of what she does with today’s offer. Accepting today’s offer will ensure that she has a course just in case she doesn’t get higher preference offers. Hope that I have answered your question. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter had significant health problems for two years and qualified for DARE. She applied for psychology and didn’t get an offer instead she was offered her third choice. She was only 10 points off the course without her DARE points being credited. What should she do? - Ciaran
A: I would advise her to accept today’s offer. She may get offered higher preference courses in future rounds. She can them move from her original course to her new offer, if this scenario was to happen. - Deirdre
Q: How can I find out Trinity joint honours round one points today? - B
A: Click on this link. Click on minimum CAO points and click on 2025 and scroll down for table of joint honours programme points. - Brian
Q: I’ve applied for political science and history in Trinity and political science with social policy in Trinity. I did not get either. The points for this year are not coming up for those two courses. Are you able to tell me the points for these two courses for 2025? - Astrid
A: Political Science and Social Policy in Trinity was 565 points and Political Science and History was also 565 points. - Brian
Q: My daughter has 725 points, she wants medicine in Galway 728*. She is hoping for one appeal which would bring her to 728 but the result won’t be known until the 26th of August. If points go down to 728 than she would receive late offer for this year or a deferral, however if points stay 728* does she get a place/probably not entered into the lottery? Is there usually second and third round offers in GY501? - Siobhan
A: If the points stay at 728* then they will go back to the random number listing that was done in round one and find your daughters position in that merited list. If she would have been entitled to a random place in round one then she will be entitled to it in the final round. The random system is carried out from round one. - Brian
Q: My daughter has got a place on a PLC course in pre-nursing. If she get distinctions in her exams, will it guarantee her a place on a level 8 general nursing course in September 2026? - Mary
A: It will improve her chances but it is not a guarantee. You may be subject to random selection. Universities and institutes of technology (HEIs) set aside a limited number of places for QQI-FET (including PLC) applicants, which are then allocated through a random selection process when multiple candidates have the same score - Deirdre
Q: I completed the QQI Level 5 Nursing Studies award in 2025 with distinctions in all 8 modules and also did the Leaving Certificate in 2024. I did not receive a Round One offer. Could you please clarify why this was the case, and confirm if I will still be considered for Round Two or later rounds? - Fadila
A: I assume that you received a round zero offer? Might be best to contact the admissions office of college in question. - Deirdre
Q: In the second round of offers, are the points usually lower than the first round? - Joey
A: Yes, they are always lower as the college is going down the order of merit list to fill places. - Brian
Q: Do you think there will be many offers in the second round? - Emily
A: Too hard to predict now. It will depend on the number that accepts today’s offers. More spaces = less points in round two. I hope that I have answered your question. - Deirdre
Q: What are the points for Trinity law/business? - Eibhlin
A: 613*, random selection was used. - Brian
Q: If I appeal and go from 602 to 613 points will I be able to get a place in my top choice economics and maths in TCD? - Eoghan
A: Economics and maths in TCD was 613* which meant random selection was used and not everybody on this points total got a place. You would be in with a chance but not guaranteed a place. - Brian
Q: I missed out on medicine in Galway by random selection. Do you think I have any chance of an offer in round 2? - James
A: I hope so. Very unfortunate. No way of knowing until September 2nd when CAO issue round 2 offers. - Deirdre
Q: I was offered my second preference on my level 7 list and no offer on my level 8 despite having met all the requirements and having an excess of 136 points. Why would I not receive any level 8 offer? - Max
A: Not sure, contact CAO through your CAO account and give them your details. They will look into it and see what is going on. - Brian
Q: I got 403 points in the Leaving Certificate, I got offered engineering teaching in University of Limerick which is my second choice. I’m unsure if this is offered through HEAR as I was accepted earlier for HEAR scheme. - Shaun
A: Here are points for courses at UL for 2025. Looks like you got in through the HEAR access route. Great news. Well done. - Brian
Q: I got 431 points but my first choice course is 440 points. I’m falling short on 9 points. Do you think I will receive an offer from that course. - Maria
A: No way to know, its not a massive jump but it all depends on the applicants who now hold the places and what they are going to do. - Brian
Q: My son failed music but still wants to study it in Trinity. His other subjects were excellent. Do you think he would get an offer in a later round? - Lorenzo
A: CAO will only make an offer when a candidate satisfies all minimum entry requirements for the college and the course. Check to see if he satisfies entry requirements. CAO will make offers in future rounds for all courses that lie above todays’ offer in which the candidate now meets entry requirements and cut off points. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: I got offered medicine with 700 CAO points. Although I qualified for HEAR I’m a bit worried getting a place I did not deserve. Can CAO make such a mistake? - Samuel
A: No, relax and enjoy, if the offer is there in your CAO account that’s it, congratulations. - Brian
Q: My son has gotten locked out of the CAO for 24 hours for inputting the wrong password. Is there any way around this? - Yvonne
A: Contact details for the CAO are linked here. - Deirdre
Q: Still haven’t received an email, is this normal? - Brian
A: Seems to be an issue with texts and emails, log into your CAO account and check for offers there. - Brian
Q: Will there be any available places in nursing in Castlebar this year? - Carmel
A: Too hard to call. New courses appear on a regular basis. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My youngest got 555 points and she had BESS as her first choice which is 566 points. What are the chances she might get a second or third round offer? - PJ
A: Changes year on year. No way of knowing for definite until Sept 2nd when CAO issue round 2 offers. This course didn’t come down in round 2 or 3 last year. - Deirdre
Q: Do DARE places get offered today ? - Michael
A: Yes. You will have received a DARE offer if you got an offer for a course where the cut off points were higher than the sum of the points for your top six subjects. - Deirdre
Q: I have been offered a seat in Cork for medicine, but I would prefer to go to UCD/Trinity. I am confident that if I appeal I will get the grades I need for that. How would this work? Would I get an offer this year or next? And do I continue with it this year, or do I essentially drop out this year, considering I will have attended classes for around two weeks. Also how would fees work, assuming I did drop out as soon as appeals results come out? Would I still have to pay full fees for the first year? - Amy
A: You would get an offer if there are still courses available on the course at UCD/Trinity by late September. You will get an offer for this year if places are available. If courses are full then CAO will make you a deferred offer for 2026. You will have to follow the procedure for deferral when applying to CAO 2026. You won’t lose your free tuition fees providing that you drop out before a certain date in October. Check this date with the fees office at UCC. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My son was hoping to get Civil Engineering in ATU Galway (AU638). He didn’t get it but has received a different level 8 offer and level 7 offer of AU549 in ATU Galway. I’m wondering what’s the difference between level 7 and 8 in ATU Galway? Is it just a case of not being guaranteed his 4th year there and having to do well in his ordinary degree? If he does well is he guaranteed a place on the level 8 for year 4? Also, do level 7s and level 8s sit classes together? - Joe
A: Yes they probably will share some modules. One may have an option of work experience or Erasmus opportunities on the level 8 programme. You can view the link for level 8 and then the level 7. Compare the modules and course structure. A student may have to achieve a certain grade to progress into the level 8. They may progress into the third year of the level 8 programme. Meaning that entry via level 7 takes 5 years to qualify at level 8 standard. I would have this confirmed by ATU Galway Admissions Office. The very best of luck. I hope that I have answered your questions. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter has not received an offer even though she has more than enough points required for her second choice. - Caroline
A: CAO will only issue an offer once a candidate satisfies the minimum entry requirements for the college and the course as well as the CAO cut off points. Have you logged into her CAO account? CAO will post a statement of application if a candidate has no offers. Please log in and get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: If received an offer for my fourth preference just now, how can I check available courses? Do I have to accept todays offer to be eligible for available courses? Where should I put these available courses? What will happen to my remaining three preferences if I got an offer in another round? - AB
A: Accept today’s offer regardless. This means that you will have a course regardless of what happens in future rounds. Place available courses above today’s offer. View this link and get back onto me if you need further assistance - Deirdre
Q: If I accept an offer today can I still change that if I get another offer or if I want to look into available places in another course? - GB
A: Yes is the answer. You are free to accept other offers that come your way in future rounds. So accept today’s offer and wait to see what comes in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: My son got 542 points and missed out on science and commerce, any glimmer of hope for round 2? - Laura
A: You can view points for round 1, 2 and 3 in 2024 using this link. This is not to say that the same will happen this year. - Deirdre.
Q: My daughter missed out on her top course in NCAD by 1 point. Is there any chance of an offer in later rounds? - Glenn
A: Absolutely. Points will fall until all places are full on each course. This could well happen. No one will know for definite until Round 2 offers are out Sept 2nd. The very best of luck - Deirdre
Q: When should we accept the offer? - Sinead
A: Before 3pm on September 2nd. - Deirdre
Q: I just received and accepted an offer for Film at Trinity (TR042). This was number eight on my list of preference. I was really hoping to get a history course offered. Is there a way to change the order of my list of preference or delete some courses from the list in order to maximise my chances of getting an offer I want in the second offer round? Or is it out of my hands now? - Madelène
A: Deadline for CAO course preference was July 1st. You can avail of the available places facility. Please view this link and get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is eligible for DARE points but has not received any of her top four choices even though her fourth choice, international commerce, is only eight points ahead of her Leaving Cert points. Does this sound right? - John
A: It sounds as if other DARE applicants were further up the queue for the reserved DARE places. She may get an offer in round two, (depending on the DARE uptake). You could ring the access office at UCD. - Deirdre
Q: If I get a paper checked and I am moved up a grade, will I get a new offer? - Barbara
A: Yes. CAO will make an offer if you meet minimum requirements and CAO cut off points on the back of a successful appeal. This won’t be done until after September 26th. - Deirdre
Q: If I was to appeal a subject and my grade went down from H2 to H3, but I am still above the points threshold for my course by 12 points instead of 24 points as a result, will I still have my offer? - Lucy
A: Yes. Good luck. Application for appeals and payment opens at 10 am Sunday, August 31st - Deirdre
Q: Like Dawn, I got 70 points above the required points for Ag Science in UCD but wasn’t offered it. Instead I was offered the course below it. - Ann
A: Did you meet the college and course entry requirements? Please look at the entry requirements at this link. - Deirdre
Q: My son is eligible for DARE but has been offered a course low down on his list in which DARE points were not needed. If he accepts this course could he be offered a higher points course with DARE in subsequent rounds? - Victoria
A: Yes. He will still be included in other rounds for all higher preference courses. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: If I accept the offer I was given (it was fifth on my CAO) and I was only two points off my first choice will I still be able to be offered it in round two? - Lucy
A: Yes, you can always hope to move up even if you accepted a lower offer in round one. - Brian
Q: Is there any way to see how DARE was applied for a specific course? - Vincent
A: You can look up the DARE eligibility. This is how they would apply for DARE applicants. You can also contact the access office in the college. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got enough points for UCD physiotherapy and also had DARE. Just saw points went down and she didn’t receive a place. It was her first preference. How do we check with UCD? - Marie
A: Has she met all the entry requirements? If yes contact the CAO through your CAO account and give them the details. You could try the UCD admissions with an email also. - Brian
Q: Hello, when will the CAO points be published? Cannot seem to find it anywhere? - Zoe
A: They are at this link. - Brian
Q: I got 431 points and the desired course I want is 400 points (NUIG- Undenominated Science). Do you think I will receive an offer as I have been given an offer for my second choice course? - Maria
A: Science in Galway is 440 points so it is a big gap to bridge. I would accept your second choice and hope you get an offer for Galway in round 2/3. - Brian
Q: I’ve been offered my second choice but it’s not the college I want. I put my second & third choice in the wrong order & now I don’t know what to do. Should I take the offer & if I do is it possible to transfer to a different college next year? - Louise
A: If you don’t accept your second round place you may not receive any other offer so think carefully. Transfers between colleges is at the control of the college you want to transfer to. Sometimes they are possible but it depends on a lot of factors. Don’t depend on it. - Brian
Q: I missed on my first choice by 11 points, can I check where I am on the list? - John
A: I am afraid not. You can try ring admissions office of the college in question. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter was offered midwifery in NUIG but was hoping for Trinity. She got 464 points and is wondering about waiting for further rounds of offers. From what we understand, she is only 26 points short of what was required for midwifery in Trinity last year. Is it worth waiting? - F
A: I would accept her offer in Galway and if she becomes entitled to a higher offer in TCD she will be offered it, but at least she has her place in Galway. - Brian
Q: I have received an offer for my first preference course but wish to see if I get offers in later rounds. Both courses are in UCC and the start date for first years is the 15th. Can I still change courses right up to the 15th? What about later rounds which are after the 15th? - Jack
A: Once you are offered your first preference you will not receive any further offers on that list. All lower courses essentially disappear. - Brian
Q: My son was just offered a level 6 course but he has more than enough points for his top 3 choices of level 8 courses. He did the Leaving Cert last year. Why did he receive the offer in advance of 2pm and is that it or will be offered a level 8 course after 2pm? - Anne
A: The first thing to do is to check if he met the minimum entry requirements for his level 8 courses. The offers came out a little early today but no new offers will be made today. - Brian
Q: I was hoping to get an offer based on DARE but have not received anything yet. When should I get my offer? - James
A: It should be in by now. If not, you should receive a Statement of Application stating that you did not meet the criteria for any of your CAO courses. - Deirdre
Q: I got 421 points. I’m looking to go to UL for engineering teaching but unsure as my points might not have been enough, does it show on the CAO if my offer is through HEAR or how do I know that? - Mark
A: You would have received a HEAR offer if you received a CAO offer for the course yet your Leaving Cert points were below the course cut off points. Please see this link for the 2025 points. - Deirdre
Q: I put medicine on my CAO below human health and disease (HHD). I got HHD but now realise I wish I had put medicine above, I have done my HPAT and did well enough based on last years results to make it into medicine. But I’m not sure if there is any way to go about trying to change my course? I am looking to change courses within the same university. - Laura
A: Colleges have their own rules regarding internal transfers. I recommend that you contact the admissions office of the college in question. The best of luck. I hope it works out for you. - Deirdre
Q: My son received 409 points in his Leaving Cert and also has DARE. He has been offered Sociology and Social Policy ( DN750) so DARE seems to have little impact. The course he wanted was 467 points last year ( DN530). Do you have any advice or any sense of the level of churn within humanities? - Catherine
A: DN530 was 463 points today. This means that other DARE applicants scored higher than he did. DARE applicants are placed in order of preference and compete amongst each other for places. He may still get offers for courses higher up on his list of preferences in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter didn’t do biology in the Leaving Cert but has now decided to do nursing. If she does a nursing PLC course, how will we know that the biology from the PLC course will be enough to qualify her to reapply next year for the CAO? - Catherine
A: If you go to this link and put in the nursing course your daughter is thinking of applying to, it will show the requirements for the course from the PLC applicant. - Brian
Q: I have completed a year of biomedical engineering, which includes engineering chemistry which I got over 70% in. I got an offer for medicine in Galway but I only want to do the five year course instead of the six year. Will I get it? It says that as long as you have studied chemistry in a science based course for a year, you are top priority, but do they accept engineering chemistry? - Thomas
A: You will have to address this question to the admissions office in University of Galway. - Brian
Q: It looks like CAO won’t work out for my son. He has been offered a level 8 which he really doesn’t want. In the absence of receiving another offer how do we pursue a level 7 course that might be more suitable ? - Jim
A: Has your son applied for a level 7 course as part of the CAO application? This is where you would get a level 7 offer. - Brian
Q: I didn’t get any level 8 offer. I am 136 points above the points requirement and meet all the criteria for first choice. Got my second preference for level 7 offered. Why no level 8 offer? - Dawn
A: Have you checked your CAO account online? Could it be a technical problem? have you 2 H5s and 4 06/H7s? Please get back on if you still get no answer. - Deirdre
Q: If my daughter accepts a round one offer, which isn’t her first choice, is there still a chance she could be offered first choice in round two? - Sarah
A: Absolutely. She will still be included in future rounds regardless of accepting today’s course. Round 2 is out on September 8th. Candidates may receive a higher course preference offer in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: When and where will we be able to see what the cut off points are for courses and for DARE places? Only got my sixth choice so wondering what my chances are of a better offer in next rounds? - Jen
A: The 2025 CAO points are published at this link. DARE points are never published. You can always hope to move up in the next rounds regardless of whether you accept your sixth preference or not. - Brian
Q: Is it worth appealing a grade of 88.4 % in LCPE? - Colette
A: It is worth appealing but is could be a long shot. You might think it is close but you would need to pick up quite a few marks to make up that 1.6%. - Brian
Q: If I have the points for my first choice, why have I been offered the fifth choice first? - Georgina
A: Did you meet the minimum entry requirements? - Brian
Q: I applied for one course this year and I haven’t gotten a reply yet, getting pretty nervous now. - Sidney
A: Did you meet the minimum entry requirements? CAO will only make an offer once you meet the minimum entry requirements and points. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got primary teaching in Mary I. What are her chances of getting psychology in NUIG in second round? - Mary
A: Points will continue to fall if and until the course is full. It will depend on the take up rate and the points of the candidates next in the queue (who didn’t receive an offer today for Psychology at Galway). Round 2 offers are out on September 8th. She will continue to be included in rounds for courses that lie above todays’ offer on her CAO. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: How can I confirm what points have been allocated to me from my 1978 A Level results? - Bernie
A: I would advise you to contact the admissions office of the college you are applying to. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Given the high level of 2024 applicants to the CAO, do you think this could mean second round offers etc will be much more important? Do we really understand how many people from last year are available for this year’s first year places? - Ash
A: I feel you are correct. This year if a lot of last years LC students have been offered places today, many of them may decide not to move after all and so their places may come available in round two. - Brian
Q: Will points for nursing in Athlone go up this year? - Mary
A: Gone up alright, 389. Please view this link to see 2025 points. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter has already received an offer at 1pm. Weren’t they expected at 2pm? Is there anything that could change at 2pm? - Dean
A: No, the offers just came a little earlier than expected. - Brian
Q: How do I find out what this year’s points are? - Sinead
A: Go to this link for 2025 points. - Brian
Q: I‘ve been offered my second choice course. If I defer it, could I be offered my first choice in subsequent rounds? - John
A: I would recommend that you accept your offer today just in case you don’t get offered higher courses of preference in future rounds. You will be included in future rounds regardless of your actions with today’s offer. - Deirdre
Q: I would like to do general nursing in Maynooth. Do you think there’s a chance with 443 points? - Angel
A: I think you should have a good chance but it all depends on the volume of applications and their points. Best of luck. - Brian
Q: HEAR/DARE states that it’s specifically for school leavers under the age of 23. Does this mean if a student accepts an offer and proceeds to college excludes themselves from applying to the CAO using the entry schemes in the future if they have already started a degree and are technically a university student? - Brian
A: No. She can carry her DARE for one academic year without having to resubmit forms etc. Please view this link regarding the rule for carrying forward your DARE eligibility - Deirdre
Q: How many points is Engineering in UCD? My son has 577 points and hasn’t been offered it - Mary
A: Can you check to ensure that he has met the minimum entry requirements? CAO will only make an offer once the candidate meets minimum entry requirement for courses and cut off points. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got 443 points and her first three computer courses as per last year were 40-50 CAO points higher but her fourth preference college was 414 points last year, should she get her fourth college as CAO offer? What do you suggest and how we can avail of available courses, do we have to fill on top, and where? - AB
A: The available course facility opens tomorrow at noon. You must place these courses above today’s offer in order to be included in future rounds. Please see this link detailing more information on available places - Deirdre
Q: With 329 points would someone be able to get a level 8 course in Dublin? - Jack
A: Absolutely. I would advise you to look at courses in TUD. TUD have more than one campus. Get back on if you need more support. Available places opens tomorrow at noon. Please view this option at this link. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter has been approved for DARE, but got 293 points. Her CAO choices were 300 points and 318 points. I see on the college site for DARE they said minimum requirements (which she has got), but also minimum of 300 points. For one of her HL exams her overall percentage was 49.6%, so only 0.4% off a H5. Is it worth appealing as this will give her an extra 10 points and bring her over the 300? Or would she still potentially get an offer due to meeting minimum requirements for the course? - Therese
A: Your daughter must meet minimum entry requirements before any offer will be made. A successful appeal would see her get a CAO offer. She would now meet the minimum requirement of having 300 points. Good luck. Application for appeals opens at 10 am Sunday 31st August, closes 5 PM Monday, September 3rd. - Deirdre
Q: If I register for a PLC course, does that mean I will automatically not be considered by the CAO in the next rounds? And if I appeal the exam results, will that mean I won’t be considered by the CAO until the outcome of the appeal is known? - Jan
A: You will always be considered for future round offers. CAO must make an offer once a candidate meets the minimum entry requirements and course cut off points. Future rounds will only result in one being offered a course choice that lies above today’s course offer. Provisional results for appeal is September 26th. CAO will make offers for entry into all HEI’s after this date. - Deirdre
Q: Is it worth appealing if your score is 69.75%? - Margaret
A: I suppose it is always worth a shot but there seems to have been a lot of these type of scores this year and some seem to think it is a definite upgrade possibility. However, I think it is anything but definite. - Brian
Q: Can you use any PLC course for a route into college in 2nd year or does it have to be the same type of subject. My student wants computer science or mechanical engineering but is short points. Does the PLC have to be related to these choices or are other PLC courses also suitable? It is very hard to find this info anywhere. - Eleanor
A: If you go to this link you can input the CAO course your student is interested in and find our if there are links to a PLC course and which PLCs are allowable. - Brian
Q: My son got 387 points and was hoping to do nursing in TCD. Will he likely get an offer today? - Susan
A: We will know shortly at 2pm when points are published for courses. Best of luck. - Brian
Q: If I appeal a grade could the PMA (post marking adjustment) go down? For example I got 59% in biology and about five percent of that was PMA.
A: Yes it is possible because the formula used to calculate the PMA is such that the greater the candidates score the lower the PMA and vice versa. They are inversely related. - Brian
Q: I’m wondering about PLC courses that lead to degrees. Does this typically mean you start the degree in first or second year? - Orla
A: Most level 5 one year PLC courses which are linked to CAO courses involve starting the CAO course in year one. - Brian
Q: Do DARE offers come in at 2pm? - Rachel
A: Yes - Brian
Q: My daughter got 403 points in her Leaving Certificate. She wants to do construction teaching in Letterfrack, but does this mean with points going up that she will miss this? She has been accepted also with HEAR but heard it doesn’t help much for her depending on points or something to do with that. - Louise
A: We have no way of knowing what courses are going to go up and by how much. At 2pm we will have a lot more information. Go to this link to find out more information about Letterfrack HEAR allocation of places. - Brian
Our education experts are here from 1pm-8pm today to answer your CAO queries.
Q: Will the points for Global Business with French in DCU go up this year? - Jane
A: No way for us to know I’m afraid, demand for business courses seemed to be slightly elevated by the July 1st deadline but this may not necessarily translate into higher points, as other variables may affect points. - Brian
Q: I got 466 points. Is there any chance of getting primary school teaching? - Laura
A: Not sure for certain but I would say it would be very unlikely to get primary teaching at those points this year. - Brian
Q: My son got 520 in his Leaving Cert. Primary teaching in Mary I is his first preference, should he be confident of getting his course? - Sean
A: Yes, I would be shocked if he didn’t get an offer here. - Brian
Q: Do you have to accept your second offer even if you’ve accepted the first? - Roisín
A: No, it is your choice. - Brian
Q: My son got 400 points and he is looking to do AI and data science at TUD Grangegorman. The course was at 403 points last year but only 40 places, do you think he will be able to get in? - Mark
A: He is very close so there is a chance. Again, you would hope he is lucky and there is not a surge of high points applicants and that the grade deflation might go with him for this course. - Brian
Q: Will points go up for engineering courses? - Colette
A: It may for some and not for others. Some high demand courses may see a rise but again we have no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: Will CAO points fall for Business, Technology & Communications in MTU? - Kayleigh
A: No way of knowing definitively I’m afraid, too many variables this year to make a call on course points falling, rising or staying static. I have mentioned these variables in previous answers if you want to have a look. - Brian
Q: Would 470 points (including TEG, 430 without TEG) be enough for primary teaching in Irish (course CM003)? Sitting here with everything crossed! - Sheila
A: There is a chance but it could be a long shot. Best of luck for Wednesday. - Brian
Q: My daughter got 430 points and is devastated way worse than she thought she’d get. As it stands won’t get anything on her CAO list. She qualifies for DARE. Her lowest on her list is 464 what are her chances of securing an offer? - Suz
A: With DARE it is still possible she may be made an offer. Points reductions on courses can be substantial. I would advise going on to the DARE website and reading some material from the colleges your daughter has applied to to see how they allocate places and if this points to a possible offer for your daughter. - Brian
Q: I got 554 points which puts me in line for my 5th choice which is 545 points. Do you think I will get it? I do have the option to do appeals but will check scripts first. - Connor
A: If the points for this course don’t change and it is the highest choice you become entitled to then you will be offered this on 554. Good idea to view your component marks on Tuesday and view scripts on Saturday before making appeal applications. - Brian
Q: My daughter missed out on her top-choice course (41 places) by 26 points. She qualifies for DARE. Her second choice course, which she currently has enough points for, is no longer what she wants to pursue. Her third choice course is very similar to her first choice, but she’s short by 5 points for that one (with 200 places available). If she’s offered her second choice course in Round 1, would it be risky to turn it down in the hope that she might be offered her third or first choice in Round 2? - Mairead
A: If your daughter is offered her second preference course then everything below that is gone, she cannot move down her list of preferences and will not be offered her 3rd preference at all. If she doesn’t accept her second preference she may not receive any other offer. - Brian
Q: My son got 444 points in the LC. He is hoping to get into international business with a language in Cork or business studies in Limerick. Both courses seem to be above his points. Will he have enough points? - Reginald
A: There is not a huge gap between these courses and your son’s points total so I wouldn’t say there is no chance. If there is no spike in demand for these courses and with a bit of luck with the grade deflation there is a possibility albeit a tight one. - Brian
Q: Is there a link where we can check how many places were available on each course last year? Also, if I’m offered my second preference but still want my first preference, what happens if a course appears on the Available Places list that I’d prefer to do? Would I have to remove my top choice to apply for it, or could I keep my first preference and move the course I was offered to a lower position, like third? - Damien
A: On Qualifax, you can get information on the number of places on courses this year just gone. Not sure how accurate this is, there always seems to be conflicting information on the number of places on courses, especially high point ones. If you are offered your second preference and subsequently apply for a vacant place you simply put the vacant place below your first preference as this is the one you most want and above your existing second preference. It’s like a change of mind where your reorder your choices but this time including your new vacant course. - Brian
Q: Can you download your scripts when you view them online? - Mary
A: Yes - Brian
Q: If your course has a minimum requirement of a specific grade and you don’t achieve it, does doing a PLC balance it out? For example getting a H5 for a course with a H4 requirement in a subject. - Abbie
A: Yes, doing a PLC could overcome not meeting a Leaving Certificate entry requirement. Sometimes in maths they may still look for a certain grade in the Leaving Certificate. If you go to this section of the CAO website there is a section where you can look up the CAO requirements for courses in the PLC linked course. - Brian
Q: I applied for nursing. I only got 376 points. I won’t get my first or second choices. I will possibly get my fourth which was 360 last year. I want to put down Maynooth that wont be out until the second round as it’s a new course and wasn’t available on CAO at the time. My question is if I accept Castlebar, how does that put me out of the running for Maynooth because Maynooth wasn’t in the order of my preferred preference. - Kelsie
A: If you get offered your fourth preference in Castlebar in round one, I would consider carefully accepting it as you may get no further offers. If you apply for Maynooth in the Available Places facility you will be inserting this now into your list of preferences like a change of mind and you will be made an offer in round two if you are entitled to a place on it. This offer will be made to you in round two regardless of whether you accepted a place in round one. If you accept the round two place the round one offer will be cancelled. - Brian
Q: I got enough points for my fourth choice on my CAO but I also have enough points for my sixth choice. Is there any possibility I could get an offer for my sixth choice before I get one for my fourth choice? - Emily
A: Unfortunately not, if you have the points for your fourth preference you will be offered this and your sixth will be gone. - Brian
Q: Do PE examiners tend to grade subjectively? My PE teacher told me that they do. - Eli
A: The work of PE examiners, like in all other subjects, is monitored by advising examiners who will ensure examiners are sticking to the marking scheme, which in itself is a very detailed process. - Brian
Q: I am appealing two of my subjects and my first three choices are medicine. I know I will not get them on the first round. But I am confident I will win my appeal. Given the high demand for medicine places, even if I win my appeal will I be forced to defer my place until next year? - Mary
A: I will not say there is no chance of being offered a place this year but I would say it is very slim. The odds are very much in favour of your being offered a deferred place next year. - Brian
Q: If the HPAT scores are lower then last year, and with the deflation of LC points, will the points for medicine drop? - Charlotte
A: Possibly, however if demand for places is higher this year and these applicants have very high points even with the grade deflation points may not drop by much. Another factor is the extra places in medicine which should act to deflate points also. It is only when all these factors come together will we know if there is a net drop or gain in points for medicine. - Brian
Q: I am applying for primary teaching and worried points may go up if the number of places decreases this year. Do you think the points go up? - Mary
A: The good news on this front is we have received correspondence from Marino Institute of Education to confirm that the extra places that were granted to them last year, are being granted again this year. This is great as it indicates that points should not edge higher than current levels. Although we have not received confirmation on this, it is likely that if Marino have been given the extra places again this year, then the other colleges offering primary teaching will have been granted their extra places also for this year. This is great news for those applying for primary teaching. - Brian
Q: If I want to only take chemistry as a subject next year to achieve the entry requirement for it for a course, would I use the same exam number for taking that exam as I did this year? I am not trying to take chemistry for points just as a minimum H4 entry requirement along with my points from this year. - Hasan
A: No, you will apply to sit the chemistry paper in the Leaving Certificate 2026 exams and you will get a new LC 2026 exam number. When applying to the CAO you will quote both LC numbers. - Brian
Q: My daughter has dyslexia and DARE, worked really hard and achieved 306 points. She applied for nursing courses and her lowest preference course was 333 points in 2024. Does she still have a chance of getting an offer for a nursing course with her DARE, including the new general nursing course at Maynooth? She meets the minimum requirements for the courses. And how does Available Places work if she gets and accepts a 10th preference place in Round 1 but still wants to apply to Maynooth? - Charles
A: Unfortunately there is no uniformity in how colleges allocate DARE places. You will have to look up individually how each of your daughter’s colleges allocated places and what rules they have in place for this, including, are all courses eligible for DARE, in this case Nursing.
For example, this is an excerpt from Maynooth University in relation to DARE allocation:
Maynooth University reserves reduced points places for eligible DARE and / or HEAR applicants on all undergraduate courses. A minimum of 5.5% of first year intake is reserved for students entering Maynooth University through DARE and HEAR on reduced points.
To be considered for a reduced points DARE and/or HEAR place you must:
- Be eligible for DARE and/or HEAR
- You must meet the minimum entry (matriculation) requirements of the University, that is, 2H5 and 4 06/H7 or higher. This must include Irish and English. In many courses a third language is required.
- You must meet any subject specific requirements for the course, for example, a grade O4/H7 in mathematics is required to study the BA in Finance.
- You must have attained a minimum of 300 points (or other identified minimum entry standard) in your Leaving Certificate.
- Applicants will be eligible to compete for a DARE/HEAR offer if they are within 60 points of their chosen course. If the University does not fill its quota of places, a marginal increase on the 60 points concession may be considered in order to fill the quota.
- Permission to combine two sittings of the Leaving Certificate may be given to DARE applicants, where it is viewed that the student was exceptionally disadvantaged at second level due to the impact of his/her disability
Once these requirements have been met, Maynooth University normally allocates the reduced points places to eligible applicants who come nearest to the full points for their preferred course.
Remember, the reduction in points for DARE and/or HEAR places in Maynooth University can vary significantly every year. The amount of points a particular course is reduced by is dependent on a number of factors, which are:
- The overall number of places on the course
- The number of reduced points DARE and / or HEAR places on the course
- The number of DARE and/or HEAR eligible applicants competing for these reduced points places. Being eligible for DARE and/or HEAR does not guarantee you a reduced points place.
At this link you will find a video explaining how the Available Places works, it is essentially like a change of mind where you introduce a new course to your application making sure to put the courses, including the new ones, in the order you would like to get into them. - Brian
Q: If through appeals you are downgraded for some reason, could you be removed from a course you accepted on Wednesday if your points then fall below what was required to get the offer? - Louise
A: Technically yes, if your points are lowered and someone else is now more entitled to your place than you, then you could possibly lose your place. - Brian
Q: My course is 510 and I got 509 points. Is it likely I will still receive my course? - Caoimhín
A: Looks good as you are very close, but no way of knowing for sure. - Brian
Q: If my son goes to university in Belfast does he have to pay the full tuition fees or will it be subsidised by SUSI in the same way as if he were going to college in ROI? And does he still qualify for the SUSI maintenance grant? - Karen
A: Your son will have to pay the full tuition fee, however he should qualify for a student loan which is paid back when he starts to work. No tuition fees need to be paid upfront. He can qualify for a maintenance grant from SUSI and use this in Belfast. - Brian
Q: My daughter passed the Leaving Certificate, she plans to go to ATU Letterkenny. She has changed her mind on accepting her first choice course and wishes to do her second choice course instead. How can she make this happen? Would she need to accept the first choice and then try and wriggle her way into second choice subject, or refuse the first offer and wait to see if you get an offer for the second choice? The only worry is that there is only 25 places available for second choice. - Mary
A: If your daughter is offered her first choice then she will not be made any further offers because as far as the CAO are concerned she has received the course she most wanted and is happy. All other courses below her first preference essentially disappear from her account. So you can always hope to move up your list but can never go down. - Brian
Q: If my son appeals a grade and he gets upgraded, if he starts a course in Trinity is it possible at all to move to his higher preference course in October 2025? - Kay
A: The results of the appeal process will be out on the 26th of September and a final round of CAO offers will take place after this date. If your son gets an upgrade and becomes entitled to a higher preference course in this final round he needs to firstly look to see if the new offer is for an immediate start or a deferred place the following year. If it is for an immediate start then yes he can transfer to the new course at this stage. He will have some catching up to do but it is possible. - Brian
Q: If you are offered, for example, a seventh choice from your 10 CAO choices and you accept, then you get offered say your fifth choice in Round 2, can you be offered say your second choice in the next round? (obviously only if a place becomes available) - Tara
A: Yes, you can always move up your list of preferences but never down. So in round one you are offered your seventh preference. Regardless of whether you accept this offer in round one, if you become entitled to a higher preference place in round two you will be offered it and it is up to you if you want to accept the higher offer or stay with your offer from round one if you accepted it. The important thing here is if your don’t accept something in round one there is no guarantee you are going to be offered anything else so you should seriously consider accepting something in round one. - Brian
Q: My son got 474 points and has Primary School Teaching through Irish as his first choice. Is there any chance of the points dropping for this course? - Frank
A: This will all depend on supply and demand. Your son’s points are well above the cut off points for 2024. I would stay confident. - Deirdre
Q: If I get my second choice Home Ec and Irish and want to wait for third choice Marino primary teaching, should I take a chance and not accept? - Clare
A: CAO will never offer you course preferences that lie below the offer you received in Round 1. In your case, if you are offered your second choice then all courses that lie below this on your CAO order of preference are now deleted. You will still be included in future rounds but only for courses that lie above Wednesday’s offer. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter received 531 points in her LC examinations. Her first choice is Physical Education, Sport Studies and Arts in UCC which was 520 points last year. Do you think points will go up or down for this course? - Eilish
A: Hard to know. No way of knowing for definite until CAO release the 2025 cut off points after 2pm on Wednesday. This course is a popular course. Demand is always high. But maybe grade inflation might see a small point reduction. Remain confident. I would be hopeful. - Deirdre
Q: I have got enough points for all the courses on my CAO but I now really want my second choice instead of my first choice. Is there any way possible of getting my second choice now? - Ella
A: If you are offered your first choice then you will not be made any further offers because as far as the CAO are concerned you have received the course you most wanted. All other courses below your first preference essentially disappear from your account. So you can always hope to move up your list but can never go down. - Brian
Q: How many extra points does DARE give you realistically? - James
A: This is a very difficult question to answer because there is so much variation between colleges and between courses in colleges. Different colleges treat DARE allocation of places in different ways, it is not consistent across all colleges. From dealing with previous students I have seen reductions in points for courses ranging from 5 up to 50 and this is just from my experience, it could be slightly more or less. If you want to get more information as to how a particular college deals with place allocations go to this link and look up the particular participating college and you may find information there. - Brian
Our CAO helpdesk is back today from 12pm-2pm.
Q: Is there a risk your grade could go down on a recheck? - Fidelma
A: Yes. The new examiner will be ensuring that the correct marking scheme has been carried out. A candidate can gain or lose marks and hence can receive an upgrade or down grade. Down grades are less common. Please view page 15 in this document. - Deirdre
Q: Why are the component marks not released on the initial results day? - Nicola
A: I am not sure. Good question. I don’t know the answer. I have tried the SEC but the corporate affairs section is not open until Monday. Their number is 0906 442888 - Deirdre
Q: I’m 12 points short for my first choice but have secured enough points for my second choice. Will I get offered place a place in my second choice? Both are at same college. - Catriona
A: If you are entitled to your second preference course you will be offered this course. If you become entitled to your first choice course in the next rounds you will be offered it regardless of the fact that you may have already accepted your second choice course. - Brian
Q: My daughter got 416 points in her leaving cert. She’s hoping to review music and business higher level. She got h2 in both, but expected h1s. She is a HEAR Candidate. It’s now likely she will be offered her 5th choice on the CAO form which she really isn’t happy about. How likely is she to get an increase in points through the HEAR scheme? Her first 3 courses are in DCU, then Grangegorman and Maynooth. What advice would you give her? - Mary
A: It is too hard to call. DCU will have certain entry requirements for reduced points. Please view this link. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got 467 in her results. Is there any chance the bachelor of education in Mary I might drop to this? Very upset. - Ruby
A: So sorry to hear this, this CAO system can be very brutal in ways. I’m afraid if I were to make a call on this I would say it is very unlikely the points will drop from 488 to 467 for this course. I don’t know this for a fact but it is my opinion. I would be looking at the other more likely options rather than getting too much hope up for this course. - Brian
Q: Are points on Trinity Joint Honours set to rise or fall this year? My points clear two points of my number one choice, am I likely to receive an offer or not? - Charlie
A: We really cannot give you an answer to this question I’m afraid, too many variables and courses in the JH programme in TCD to give a definitive answer. - Brian
Q: Is it possible to get my exact grades in subjects? - Fiona
A: Yes, on Tuesday you will get access to the full marks in your subjects and all the different components marks. - Brian
Q: I want to know what the minimum points requirement in Ireland is for medicine - Sajid
A: A minimum of 480 CAO points is needed for Medicine along with HPAT score - Deirdre
Q: Is it true that if you appeal the result of a subject, you cannot be marked down in that subject? - Mary
A: You can be marked down. The examiner will recheck your paper and ensure that the proper marking scheme has been applied. Grades can go up but they can also go down. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter wants to appeal her English grade, how will this process affect her CAO offers, as she will miss out on her 1st choice and may have to accept her 2nd choice, which she isn’t as keen on. Both are in Marino. - Linda
A: If she is offered her second choice and then goes on to appeal her English grade, she will have to wait until the 26th September to get the results of the appeal. If she is upgraded and becomes entitled to a place on her first preference she must be offered this. It may be an offer to start immediately at the end of September or a deferred offer for next year. If she is not upgraded then she remains with her second choice course. - Brian
Q: My son got 518 in his leaving cert. Primary teaching in Mary Immaculate in Limerick is his first choice. Will he be ok to get this course? - Una
A: I would be very surprised if he didn’t get an offer on 518, a buffer of 30 points should be enough to cover any change in places. - Brian
Q: I received 553 points and Speech and Language Therapy in UCC last year was 563 points, with grade deflation and an increase in college places nationwide for this course, are my points sufficient? - Amy
A: I cannot say for certain. This is an area of high demand. SLT courses have fallen in points after round 1 and in round 2. No way of knowing until the points are released after 2pm on Wednesday - Deirdre
Q: If I do a PLC course instead of using CAO points, for an undergraduate course do I have to pay the full tuition fees? - Holly
A: Yes you will have to pay a small fee for PLC courses. This fee is no where near the student contribution fee for CAO courses which is usually approx €3,000. - Deirdre
Q: My son is hoping to get into medicine in Trinity but would then like to defer for a year. Do you know if this is generally possible (he read somewhere that you can’t defer a place for medicine) and if so he would like to know if he needs to do the HPAT again next year. It’s quite tricky to find information on this online. - Amy
A: On the TCD website, it says that deferred applications to the medical course will not normally be accepted. If he doesn’t take up a place this year and applies again next year, yes he would have to sit the HPAT again as you must sit the HPAT in the year of entry. - Brian
Q: If I accepted a course but then appealed and was eligible for a higher course, can I complete my first year and then switch or will the course be deferred instead? And if the course were to be deferred what can I do? - Jake
A: This varies from one HEI to another. I would advise you to contact the admissions office upon a successful appeal and hence a higher up offer. If a deferral is granted for 2026 you must complete a CAO application for 2026 and proceed with the proper deferral procedure. Please see page 32 of this link. - Deirdre
Q: Will points for national school teaching drop in the CAO for 2025? - Donna
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for primary teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. To balance this the post marking adjustment has fallen and this could lead to a reduction in points. Where does this leave the points? This is the million dollar question as with other courses. I personally don’t think the points for primary will fall significantly if at all, but we will have to wait and see. - Brian
Q: I received 5 H1s and 2 H2s, I’m planning on appealing at least one grade to reach six H1s. If my appeal is successful, will I still lose out on a course place because of the delay or will I be treated as if I had received the post-appeal result initially? - Óran
A: You will be able to start on your new course (post a successful appeal) providing that there are still places available on this course. You will be offered a deferred place for Sept 2026 if the course is already full. You would then have to apply via CAO 2026 using the deferral procedure. I hope that this helps. - Deirdre
Q: Is 474 points sufficient for primary teaching in MIC? - Sara
A: You should be close. No way of knowing for definite until 2 pm on Wednesday when CAO release offers. I hope that you get the course you want. - Deirdre
Q: If I don’t get my first preference, can I accept my second choice and still be offered my first preference? - Nicola
A: Yes. You will always be included in future CAO rounds. You may receive an offer in round two that is higher up on your CAO preference list. - Deirdre
Q: My son has 540 points and is eligible for DARE. His preferred Business course was 544 last year. Has he any chance of getting it with DARE? - Anna
A: Stay confident. But it will depend on the points of the other DARE applicants too. Some disabilities are given priority. - Deirdre
Q: I want to appeal a few subjects but if I were to accept a course in the mean time and if the appeal is unsuccessful and I get points lower than my accepted course, will they kick me out? - Ophelia
A: We always advise people who are considering appealing a subject to view your subject scripts first. If your marks indicate you are very close to the grade lower than what you have then you should be very careful about appealing your grade as remember you can go down as well as up. In theory if your points drop and you are no longer entitled to the course you have currently accepted then you could be removed from a course. I have never heard of it happening but in theory it could. - Brian
Q: My daughter didn’t get enough points for physio in UCD, I see there is a course now opening in ATU for available places. I am just wondering how available places works, and what is the likelihood she would get this course, does points come into it, or is a lucky draw who gets the place - Miriam
A: Points do come into this new course but we won’t know the cut off points until Wednesday. Please see this link for information about available places. Get back on if you need more support. The best of luck - Deirdre
Q: What are the highest scoring subjects to take? - Tom
A: We would advise students to choose subjects that they enjoy. Hoping that they would have a natural aptitude towards this subject and hence do well in it. For example a H1 in German is equivalent to a H1 in Economics. Both give a candidate 100 points. Higher level Maths allow a bonus point of 25 on a grade of H6 and above. - Deirdre
Q: Are points expected to drop for college due to the grade deflation - Dominika
A: There are more CAO applicants this year. My personal opinion is that points should drop for a lot of courses. Very popular, high point courses may not experience the same effect from grade deflation. - Deirdre
Q: I have primary school teaching as my 1st choice, do you think teaching points will go down this year? - Saoirse
A: As mentioned earlier, as far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. To balance this the post marking adjustment has fallen and this could lead to a reduction in points. Where does this leave the points ? This is the million dollar question as with other courses. I personally don’t think the points for primary will fall significantly if at all, but we will have to wait and see. - Brian
Q: If I apply for Available Places on CAO next week and subsequently receive an offer for that course and accept in round 2, does that mean that I will not receive further offers from my CAO list should my points be upgraded on appeal for courses that I did not meet required points in round 1? - Ciara
A: No you will continue to be included in all rounds regardless. CAO will make an offer in future rounds if you receive the entry requirements and cut off points. You can then choose to stay with your original course or move to your new course. - Deirdre
Q: Will 578 points likely be enough for Chemistry in UCD? - Paul
A: I would be confident but I cannot say for sure. No way of knowing until CAO releases the cut off points for 2025 on Wednesday. Personally, I don’t think that it will jump that much. - Deirdre
Q: I got 532 in my leaving cert, however my first choice course is 540. I am also DARE eligible. Would it be still possible to get my first choice? - Kate
A: Yes, technically it is still possible. I have seen many cases where the points for courses dropped more than 8 for a DARE candidate. Whether it will happen or not depends on a number of factors but it is definitely possible. - Brian
Q: Is there a possibility the points for occupational therapy in Galway might go down? - Sinead
A: I would love to be able to say yes to this but honestly I think if the points stay the same as last year that’s about the best scenario. Demand for health related courses seems to be very high this year so this could counteract any potential drop in points due to a lower rate of grade inflation. The hope is that the University of Galway can keep the points the same as last year at least. - Brian
Q: My son has a UL language exemption. Can he get International Business without a second language? - Noreen
A: An Irish exemption automatically exempts candidate from a modern foreign language also. This is for minimum entry requirements. The entry requirements for this course is Irish or a foreign language. So he will be ok. - Deirdre
Q: I got my first choice of Law in UL but I’m now afraid that I won’t be hired as a lot of people have said law firms don’t like anyone from outside Dublin and UCC. - Rohan
A: That sounds more like a personal opinion rather than a fact. You have to make up your mind whether you agree with that opinion and examine carefully why. - Brian
Q: With combined LC (625) and HPAT my total points are 730, which is achingly below RCSI (732), TCD (738) and UCD (735) from last year. Do you know if it has ever happened that students get offered medicine in 2nd or subsequent rounds with lower points? - Liam
A: Points for medicine at undergraduate level didn’t change from round 1 offers. Let’s hope that grade deflation and other factors such as an increase in supply of places helps reduce CAO cut off points. No way of knowing for definite until Wednesday at 2 pm. The very best of luck. Well done on a great Leaving Cert. - Deirdre
Q: When will DARE come into affect? - Sinead
A: Not sure what you mean here. DARE will be taken into account in any offers that will be made in round one next Wednesday.
Q: I got 488 this year and I applied for food science in UCD requiring 490. Is there a chance of CAO points dropping to my points? Or am I more likely to get in my other course at 481 vet nursing in UCD -Marie
A: Stay positive. No way of knowing this until CAO release offers and cut off points on Wednesday. You only need a 2 point drop. Remember that CAO rounds carry on until all places are filled. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is disappointed with her results. She received 350 points. All of the courses she put on CAO are between 360 and 450. Is she out of the race? - Catriona
A: Absolutely not. No way of knowing exact points for 2025 until Wednesday. Courses of interest may appear under available places. I would advise for her to look into this option also. - Deirdre
Q: If I have a h8 in higher maths can I do arts UCD? Can I get into UCD, TCD and DCU? - Jon
A: There is no maths requirement for the joint honours and humanities programmes in UCD so you would be fine there. In DCU, the 4 arts programmes have a maths requirement of a H7 so you are not ok there. In TCD, the maths requirement varies with the subject being studied. - Brian
Q: Can I turn down my 4th option if offered and accept 5th if offered - Sadhbh
A: Once offered your 4th choice then all offers beneath it on your CAO order of preference become obsolete (deleted). Regardless of what you do with your CAO offer on Wednesday you will not receive a a course below this offer in future rounds. You may only receive an offer of courses above your fourth choice. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My son has gotten 452 points and is thrilled with is results. His first choice is English in UCC. That was 368 points last year. How confident should he be of an offer on Wednesday? - Jim
A: Yes, I would expect he is safe enough for an offer on Wednesday. - Brian
Q: I have 60 points buffer for my 3rd choice (UCG), I am short about 10 points for 2nd choice of Actuary UCD (2024 cutoff). If I don’t get my Actuary UCD in 1st round when/how will I know (find out?) that Actuary UCD is full up (full at 1st round? full at 2nd?) before I cut my losses and focus on UCG accommodation logistics? - James
A: CAO will make more offers until this course is full. round two offers 8th September from 2 pm. - Deirdre
Q: I have received enough points, that provides a reasonable buffer of points for my first CAO choice, over what that course required last year. However, I feel hard done by in 1 subject. I am querying, following viewing my scripts/marks for this subject, that if it appears worthwhile appealing, would this appeal in any way compromise or put on hold my offer and acceptance of my 1st choice on Wednesday. With my 7th subject, I still make the same points, even if the appeal resulted in a downgrade.- Dave
A: No it will not. You feel you have the points comfortably so really this is an exercise in satisfying what happened in a particular subject. I think it is very wise to look at the marks on Tuesday, view the script on foot of this and if you still feel there is an error then appeal. Or you may feel having viewed the paper you don’t think it is necessary to appeal, but at least you are making an informed decision. - Brian
Q: I want to get 2 marks reviewed. I however don’t want to get my marks too much higher as the course I want to get is lower then my current score. I might get assigned a course further up my list. So question is if I get reviewed up when do these points come into effect. Before or after the offers come out - Michael
A: I would advise you to accept Wednesdays offer. View your scripts and then appeal. Upon a successful appeal CAO may make you an offer that is further up the list. It is your choice to stay in your original course or move to the higher preference course in last September when appeals results come out. - Deirdre
Q: If my son opts for a PLC 1 year course what are his options next year? - Pamela
A: He can use the PLC as an entry point to the world of work, use it to link to a third level course or rule out a particular area of study and change to another course area entirely the following year, essentially using it as a year to try something out. - Brian
Q: What happens if our daughter is successful in a recheck and her results are upgraded to be enough for her preferred course which has random selection at this point level? Will she be offered a place next year as she is obviously at a huge disadvantage as she was not included in any of the random selection draws? - Joe
A: So if your daughter’s grades are upgraded, the question that is essentially asked is: what would your daughter have been offered on round one offers day with these increased points? If the answer is a course where random selection was used then a further check must be made. When students apply to the CAO they are given a randomly generated number along with their normal CAO number. When applicants for a course are listed in order of their points to determine who is entitled to an offer of a place (person with the highest points at the top), if there are a group of people on the same points they are listed in order of their random number. So if there are 5 people on 350 points then in the order of merit list for the course the 5 people will be listed in order of their random number. If there is one place to offered but all 5 are on the same points then the person with the highest random number will get the place. In your daughters case they will check to see her position in her course with points and her random number and if she would have been entitled to a place in round one with her points and numbers then she must be offered a place on this course. - Brian
Q: I am an EU prospective student and have secured 4 A levels with 4 A* including Maths, this I calculated to be 625 points correct? I will be taking a gap year and plan to apply for entry Sept 2026. I am interested in Trinity Engineering, assuming entry CAO points are not materially changed I am guaranteed a place? And when should I expect to receive an offer in 2026? - Zack
A: During your gap year CAO for 2026 Entry will open in November 2025. The normal application deadline is February 1st 2026. Your offer will be made in round one which normally takes place in August. With 625 points it would appear you are fairly certain to receive an offer in round one in August 2026- Brian
Q: I saw yesterday that ATU have announced a new course in Physiotherapy and applications will be open through the CAO available places. But how will this work? Will there be a CAO points minimum required? I’m eligible for DARE so how will that be catered for? - Seren
A: You must meet the minimum entry requirements for this course and place it as the first choice on your CAO (assuming that it is your most preferred course of choice). Please see ATU eligibility for DARE - Brian
Q: My daughter is DARE eligible and got 440 points. Last year her preferred course in UCD had DARE points of 400. Is she likely to get in or can points move dramatically upwards? - Bill
A: I would advise you to look at UCD terms and conditions for DARE. It will very much depend on the number of DARE applicants and the CAO points that they bring to the table. We can speculate but nobody will know for definite until 2 PM Wednesday when CAO release the offers for round 1 2025. - Deirdre
Q: Do you think points for courses like biomedical science will drop down to pre Covid points due to the removal of the points inflation and overall point deflation? - Reese
A: Very hard to call. If you look at a lot of the other questions and answers we refer to the variety of variables this year which could impact on points for courses. Above all years, this year it is almost impossible to predict what the points are going to be for courses next week. - Brian
Q: Will the CAO points for occupational therapy or speech and language come down this year? - Noelene
A: No way of knowing this for definite until CAO release the offers and cut off points for 2025. This will be from 2 pm on Wednesday, August 27th. The demand for first preference CAO health courses has risen from last year. Let’s hope that a slight deflation of grades will keep the points for the Allied Health courses similar to last year. - Deirdre
Q: I want to know my points - Favour
A: You can convert your results into CAO points using a Leaving Cert points calculator.
Q: My first choice course was 555 points in 2024 last year, but I only received 543 points in the leaving cert, how likely is it that I will get a place in this course? - Emily
A: There are many variables that have an affect on CAO points year on year. The first preference demand for this course, the supply of places and the results from interest CAO candidates. Unfortunately, we don’t have access to all this information. No way of knowing until CAO release offers and cut off points at 2PM on Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: I scored 309 points, my first choice in TUD last year was 307 points, will I get a place in this course? - Neil
A: One would like to think as you have more points than the minimum required last year you stand a good chance of being offered a place this year unless there has been any particular change with the course, e.g. reduction in places, increased demand, etc. - Brian
Q: I’m short around 4 points for medicine (based on last years requirements), do you think there’s any chance of me getting in? Or should I give up hope right now? - Delia
A: The government have committed to increasing the numbers of students on Medical programmes. However, undergraduate medicine has remained highly popular. Do not give up hope. I cannot say for definite as too many unknown variables. Congratulations on doing so well. I would advise you to stay positive. - Deirdre
Q: Are points expected to reduce for quantity surveying or engineering? - Dominika
A: The demand for this area has increased slightly from 2024. There are many variables that affect points. We have no way of knowing until Wednesday August 27th at 2 pm. - Deirdre
Q: Will undenominated engineering in Galway go up much this year in points? I got 613. - Róisín
A: I would stay very positive. You have well above last years points. Personally I cannot imagine it will increase by that much. No way to know for sure until 2 pm on Wednesday when CAO release course offers and 2025 cut off points. - Deirdre
Q: When can I apply for the new nursing course in NUI Maynooth? - Maire
A: Applications open on August 28 through the CAO Available Places facility for the first intake of 30 students in September. - Deirdre
Q: More than likely i will be offered my 3rd choice but after thinking things through would prefer the course on my 8th choice. I understand that all others are deleted below the highest offer you get, but is there anyway to see about getting one further down the list or hope the course is not filled to see then if any places left. Do you contact that college? - Emma
A: The only way you can be offered a place on a lower preference course is if that course appears in Vacant/Available places on the CAO website where you will be able to include the course on your application and place it above what you have already been offered. Details of available places are on page 29 of the CAO handbook. Available courses will appear on the CAO website at 12 noon on the 28th August. - Brian
Q: How are places allocated to students? Is it based on who got higher points? My son has applied to DCU for the Arts degree DC009. He received points well above the requirement. - Sinead
A: CAO will make offers to all whom meet the course minimum entry requirements and CAO cut off points. If demand exceeds supply on filling the last place then course use random selection. This is effectively an electronic based lottery. The courses that used this random selection have an asterisks (*) beside the points. - Deirdre
Q: I accepted my second choice in round zero. I also meet the requirements for my first choice of BEd Home Ec and Business in MIC. Any chance of an offer in a future round? - Mary
A: Yes, you will still be included in future rounds and will be offered if you meet entry requirements and CAO cut off points. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Yesterday students received provisional results. When will final Leaving Certificates will be issued? My daughter is planning to study abroad and needs to deliver a valid document for enrolment purposes - Mag
A: Candidates can now print a statement of their provisional results via their CSSP. - Deirdre
Q: Could the examiner for your music practical affect your grade? I got a h2 and my music class didn’t do great. If I appeal it will a different examiner mark a recording of my practical? - Róisín
A: Yes and the new examiner will work to ensure that the proper marking scheme has been put in place. Provisionally appeals result day is September 26th. - Deirdre
Q: What is the points for national school teaching in Mary I? If you don’t get the points is there any other way to get there? - Collette
A: 2024 points for primary teaching at Mary I were 488. Many people do an undergrad in an area of interest and then complete a Master’s in Primary Education. - Deirdre
Q: Will the CAO points be adjusted down for those who sat the the leaving cert last year to same point of the bell curve distribution where they were last year so that results and points are comparable? - Joe
A: No, the CAO will simply take the results of the applicants, no matter which year they did their LC and allocate places according to these results. - Brian
Q: Are the general agricultural science courses in UCD and DKIT expected to go up in points this year? - Orla
A: CAO application figures are up from 2025. Very slight change in the first preference demand for Agricultural related courses. Personally, I think that Ag Science courses will remain with the same points as 2024 or may even experience a slight drop in points. No way of knowing for definite until 2 PM Wednesday when CAO release offers and 2025 cut off points. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible for pharmacy points to reduce this year perhaps considering there is a new pharmacy course in Galway with 40 new places? - Josh
A: Under normal circumstances this would be a reasonable thought, more places in the system, less points. This could be the case. Just a note of caution though, the extra demand for health related courses could counteract some of the above this year. We just don’t know what way it is going to go this year I’m afraid. - Brian
Q: I have a disability and did 5 subjects for my leaving cert. The main course I’m interested in requires 6 subjects. Is an exception to this rule made for applications from those qualifying for DARE or does it just relate to less points being required? - Clare
A: Even through the DARE process you must meet the minimum entry requirements for the courses you are applying for, if you don’t meet these you are not qualified to apply for the course. I’m afraid if you only have five subjects and the course requires a minimum of six then you are not eligible for this course, even through the DARE scheme. - Brian
Q: How long will the appeals take and should I accept the course I’m offered even if I don’t want it in the meantime? - Reese
A: The SEC state that they hope to have the results of appeals out on Tuesday 26th September. In the meantime we recommend you accept something you are offered in the earlier rounds as there is no guarantee you will be upgraded and offered any new course. If you really do not want to complete any earlier course for sure then maybe it might be wise to look at other options such as PLC courses for example.. - Deirdre
Q: Thanks for the booklet but the problem is that for the converting table on page 52, score 79 could be some where between 410 and 445, or should I consider 79 = 410? I guess we’ll know only on Wednesday? - Francesca
A: It may be no harm to contact the admissions office of the HEI/college that you wish to attend. Please get back on if you need further assistance. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter applied for two courses through UCAS and didn’t get the requirements for either, does she still have a chance at getting any? - Anne
A: I would contact the admissions office for both courses as they may still confirm her place if she is not too far away from the conditions of the offer or they may be able to offer a place on a similar course. Failing this she is eligible to enter clearing where unfilled places are advertised and she can make application to the courses in this place. - Brian
Q: My son is below the points requirement for his preferred course in Trinity (History). He has been accepted for DARE and has achieved a H1 in his leaving cert history exam. How are DARE places awarded? Is any consideration given to the applicants LC results? - Rachel
A: Each college has their own DARE eligibility requirements. Please view TCD’s here. Get back on if you would like more information. - Deirdre
Q: If a marking scheme shows an error, will this be corrected or is it still necessary to view scripts and go through the appeal that way?- John
A: There is the standard appeals system where the paper is re-corrected fully using the marking scheme. However, if upon viewing the script you see a clear discrepancy between the mark awarded by the examiner and the grade awarded then you can use a process call seeking Rectification outside the Examinations Appeals Process (ROAP). Details of this are in the Candidate Information Guide 2 on the SEC website. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got the exact points for her course and also has DARE. Is it likely she will get offered the place? Will it be under DARE or General pool of students. - Christina
A: You will only know the answer to this on Wednesday from 2 PM. If the points stay the same as last year she will be made the standard CAO offer. If points rise and she still is made an offer then this is a DARE offer (successfully taking one of the reserved DARE places on this course). The best of luck. I hope that I have answered your question. - Deirdre
Q: Will CAO points come down for physiotherapy? - Jane
A: Physiotherapy is a popular choice causing the demand for CAO courses to be high. While there are efforts to counter grade inflation the rising demand for this area may result in points staying the same or a slight drop. Personally, I don’t think that the points will come down too much. But no way of knowing for certain until CAO release 2025 course cut off points from 2 PM on August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: If you want to appeal a result is it necessary to request to see paper first, or is that part optional? - Cian
A: It is advised that one should view their script before making an appeal. It is not necessary or mandatory to do so. Applications for appeals open at 10 am Sunday August 31st and closes at 5 PM Monday September 1st. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible to repeat certain exams but not the full Leaving Cert? - Reese
A: Yes you can repeat any number of subjects next year if you wish. Remember you cannot combine two or more sittings of the Leaving Certificate for the purposes of calculating points but you can for the purpose of meeting LC entry requirements. - Brian
Q: To review and appeal a script do I need to arrange for my teacher to assist me over the weekend of the 30th and 31st of August in my school or is the process done by exam commission? - Kathy
A: Firstly, all details relating to viewing and appealing scripts are in the Candidate Information Guide 2 which is on the SEC website. You do not need a teacher to assist you in any part of the viewing and appeals process. If they are available to assist with the viewing of your scripts that would be great, but not necessary. You must approach your teachers and ask if they are available to do this. - Brian
Q: Could you see Economics and Finance UCD dropping to 613 following the grade inflation reduction? - Andrew
A: Offers Round 1 in 2024 were 625*, meaning random selection was used. Points remained the same in all CAO rounds 2024. It may see a slight decrease but it is a very popular course and the course intake is relatively small (approx 55 places in 2024). No one will know for definite until 2 pm on Wednesday. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Based on last year’s points, I’m short 14 points for BSc. psychology in the University of Galway. I’m not optimistic that it will drop that much. If I don’t get it, can I use this year’s points to reapply to CAO next year for the same course? It would mean that I’d possibly be taking a gap year even though this wasn’t my initial intention. - M
A: Yes, your results in the LC are yours to use as you see fit. If you wish to reapply to the CAO next year with them that is no problem. Given we are in a glide of lowering the level of post marking adjustment over the next few years, your results may be more valuable next year for this or other courses. It is certainly an option to take a gap year if you don’t like the options presented to you for this year. - Brian
Q: Could you help with converting Italian leaving cert results: how many points does 79/100 equal to? - Francesca
A: The information in this booklet should help you when converting your results into Irish CAO points. Get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: I’ve definitely fallen short for my first 4 choices, my next choice is secondary school teaching (music & Religion) DCU, I got 451 points, I’m wondering if this is a good choice if I get it, how employable am with that subject choice? My favourite subject in school was music, would I be better employment wise doing an arts degree and picking say music & French? I think the end goal is teaching but now I’m totally second guessing myself? I achieved a H2 in music but I was sure I would have gotten a H1 - Ruby
A: Candidates will see their marks including for each component and the post marking adjustment at 12 noon on Tuesday, August 25th. It is good that you are continuing to study in an area that matches your interests. I suggest that you view and compare the course modules and course structure of both courses. Perhaps talk to someone who has studied on both courses. A qualified teacher can continue to return to Higher Education and add subjects to their primary qualification. This will result in a teacher being able to add to his/her teaching subjects. I suggest that you research the time and cost of completing a Masters in Education (post an Arts Degree). Not all students doing a con current teaching degree end up teaching . One may choose to change career pathways if teaching isn’t for them. Please get back on if you would like more support. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter got two conditional offers for Queens, she hasn’t made the points and her first choice has been retracted, her second offer is still pending. Do you know what timeline works with this? I understand if second offer is retracted she can attempt clearing but wondering if this process will be through before CAO results come out. - Martina
A: This should happen very quickly as they now have all the ROI results and they are probably waiting on a response from some other ROI students to reply to an offer of a place they have on your daughters 2nd choice course before they can confirm your daughters place. If you haven’t done so already get in contact with admissions in Belfast to see what is happening. - Brian
Q: I achieved 535 points in my leaving cert. I want to study medicine and plan on repeating the HPAT next year. Do you think the points will go down if I were to score in the 90th percentile in the HPAT. I scored in the 75th percentile last year. - Brion
A: Not 100% sure what you are asking here. If you repeat the HPAT and increase your performance to the 90th percentile, then your overall medical points score will increase and your chance of getting an offer will increase also. Come back to us if this is not what you were referring to. - Brian
Q: My daughters achieved 495 points in her exams, her first choice being Primary Teaching in Mary I which is 488 as of last year. She is desperately worried that while she has a buffer it may not be enough. Are her fears unfounded? - Anne
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. To balance this, the post marking adjustment has fallen and this could lead to a reduction in points. Where does this leave the points? This is the million dollar question as with other courses. I personally don’t think the points for primary will fall significantly if at all, but we will have to wait and see. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter was surprised by some of her results yesterday as they were quite mixed. Many were way-off her mock results. We are hoping to check 2 or 3 results and while she is likely to get one of her top choices in the CAO, if she is upgraded following an appeal and then meets the points requirement for one of her higher courses, will she automatically be offered a place on that course for this year? - Seán
A: No, not automatically this year. If upon upgrading she becomes entitled to a higher preference place, she must be offered that place, but whether it will be this year or next depends on whether the college have a place to offer this year or not. Most colleges will try their best to offer a place this year but if they cannot then a deferred place next year will be offered. - Brian
Q: If I have the minimum CAO points required for a course, does that mean that I will 100% be accepted on that course? - Anna
A: The minimum course entry requirements are the lowest points that somebody gets into a course. So yes, if you have the minimum entry points for a course you will be offered a place unless there is a star (*) beside the points total indicating that random selection was used and not everyone on the minimum points was offered a place. This is used sparingly in the system. Remember we don’t know what the minimum points are for this year yet. We will know on Wednesday when first round offers emerge. - Brian
Q: I have been offered a course in TUD outside the CAO. I’m not sure I’ll like it so plan on doing it for a year and deferring my CAO offer. If I revert my CAO offer next year, will I have an increase in fees. - Anne Marie
A: If you pay just the student contribution charge for your course in TUD and you complete this year you will have to pay the full economic cost for your new first year if you change over to a new CAO course. - Brian
Q: What will happen if I accept a course via CAO this year and change my mind and apply again different course next year? - Aamna
A: If you attend college this year and do first year the government will pay your tuition fees. However, they will only pay for you to do first year once. Applying to CAO 2026 and changing courses in Sept 2026 will result in you paying your own tuition fees. This can be anywhere between five and seven thousand. - Deirdre
Q: Do you think business courses points will drop this year? - Christina
A: Demand in general for business was up at July 1st so if this is strong, it might counteract the drop in grade inflation. Some high demand business courses may not drop whereas some lower demand business courses may drop but which specific courses will go up or down is hard to call. It’s a waiting game until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: My son got enough points for his first choice in UL. However we didn’t get picked in the accommodation lottery first time round. We are more than 60km away from the college which was their criteria for priority. When could we expect to be reconsidered for accommodation again? - Sinéad
A: I recommend that you contact the University. Please see contact details here. Each university will have different dates. The very best of luck. - Brian
Q: Will points for speech and language therapy in Galway rise or fall this year 2025? - Ellie
A: No way of knowing. We will all find out at the same time on Wednesday when CAO issues the offers and cut off points for 2025. Bit of a waiting game. But stay positive - Deirdre
Q: How likely are students to get an increase in grades with an appeal? - Sinéad
A: That is too difficult to call. The purpose of appeal is for the re-examiner to review and ensure that the proper marking scheme and relevant marks have been granted to the candidate. Grades will be upgraded if an error in calculation or implementation is spotted. - Deirdre
Q: I’m planning to defer for a year. Can I change my mind and reapply to CAO again for a different course later - Cormac?
A: Yes you can but placing another course on your 2026 CAO will result in you losing your deferred college place. Please see page 32 on CAO handbook. - Deirdre
Our CAO helpdesk is back from 10am-5pm today.
Q: I got 359 points. My 4th choice was 307 last year. Do you think I’ll get in? my choices above that are way above 359. - Mary
A: I would be confident. I would be surprised if a course rose by that number of points. But we will have to wait until Wednesday when the CAO will release cut off points for all courses. I hope that you get the course you want. Best wishes. - Deirdre
Q: I only meet the cut off point for my 6th choice and below will I get offered it? - Anonymous
A: No way of knowing. We will all find out at the same time on Wednesday when CAO issues the offers and cut off points for 2025. Bit of a waiting game. But stay positive. - Deirdre
Q: With a combined score of 716, (HPAT and LC points), how likely is it to get accepted into medicine in NUIG as a student eligible for DARE? - Dairine
A: Stay positive. You will be competing against other DARE candidates. I obviously don’t have access to their results or course preferences. Hence I cannot say for definite. Do get back on and let us know how it goes. We wish you the very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Wondering if you think points for UCD medicine will drop and if so, by how much? - Maire
A: If you have a look at some of the previous answers you will see it is almost impossible to make a definitive comment on this as there are so many variables at play, especially this year. Unfortunately, we will just have to wait until Wednesday when the admissions officers have had their meetings and allocated whatever places they have funding for. - Brian
Q: Considering all factors this year I am short ten points. Would you say there is a fair chance courses will drop by ten-ish points as results are generally lower? - Aisling
A: Courses have dropped by this number of points before. No way of knowing until CAO release cut off points for 2025 on Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: Is it likely to get offered your 6th choice on your CAO? - Anonymous
A: CAO will offer you the highest preference course where you meet minimum entry requirements and CAO cut off points. - Deirdre
Q: Will course points drop due to the deflation of points achieved? - Sinéad
A: In principle yes they will due to the drop in grade inflation. However, there are other factors which may affect points also. There are extra applicants from this years LC class of 25 and there are increased numbers of last years LCs applying this year and also an increased amount of non Irish applicants also. So it is very hard to know where all of these factors combined will leave points for individual courses. - Brian
Q: Will 2 H6, 2 H5 and 2 H3 get me mechanical engineering? - Sean
A: Please elaborate, what college etc... - Deirdre
Q: Have any more general nursing places been added to SETU? Do you think points may drop for this course? - Jennifer
A: The most definitive way to find out about numbers of places in courses is to contact the admissions team in the particular college, SETU in this instance. I have not come across additional places being added specifically to SETU but this may still be the case. If this is the case and the reduction in post marking adjustment you could be lucky and see a reduction in points. - Brian
Q: Would you have any idea if demand is up for PE with geography in UL? - Mary
A: Unfortunately, we don’t have figures for individual courses so can’t help you there. It’s a waiting game until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: Will points for law in UCD go up dramatically as the CAO mentioned a 20% increase in demand for that course? - Blake
A: Demand certainly pushes up points. But who knows. It will depend on the points received by interested candidates for this course. No way of knowing until CAO release offers on Wednesday at 2pm. - Deirdre
Q: Do you think points are likely to drop by 3-4 points? Particularly for medicine. -Amy
A: I hope so. More places have been put in place and undergraduate level. I would hope that the extra supply would ease the pressure on cut off points for this course. It will depend on the CAO points received by other interested applicants. No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: When you view scripts will it give exact % mark, so if I got 69.5%, could I go up a grade? - Jean
A: 12 noon on Tuesday you will be able to see marks allocated to each component and subject. You will also be able to see your marks before and after grade adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: University of Ulster had advised that five minimum grades are required for my course which I have achieved, is five the minimum? I contacted them and got two different responses as to whether they accept grades from six Leaving Cert subjects. It says minimum five subjects. I have enough points with six. Will six subjects apply? - Carla
A: I am not sure what is in your offer, but looking at a UU publication here it is saying that all Leaving Certificate subjects can be used to calculate UCAS tariff points and it is saying that minimum requirements are passes at H6 or above in four subjects. - Brian
Q: Do you have any indication of the amount of applicants for UCD Veterinary Nursing this year. My daughter is within a few points of the first round of offers last year 499 but I know it went down to 481 in the 2nd round? - Helen
A: The demand for Veterinary courses have slightly risen. I have no way of knowing as I don’t have access to all relevant data. We won’t know exactly until CAO releases offers on Wednesday. I hope that it works out for you. - Deirdre
Q: If I have primary teaching in Marino as my number 1 on my CAO and I achieved 465 points and achieved the entry requirements but the points for last year were 473 how likely is it that I will get my number 1 choice? Are the points likely to go down for primary teaching? - Leah
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. To balance this the post marking adjustment has fallen and this could lead to a reduction in points. Where does this leave the points for Marino? This is the million dollar question as with other courses. I personally don’t think the points for primary will fall significantly if at all, but we will have to wait and see. - Brian
Q: Hello, my son got 613 and also is entitled to DARE. He has applied for Ec and Fi at UCD and Global Business at TCD, how confident should he be of getting into either of those courses? - Pauline
A: Stay positive. You will be competing against other DARE candidates. I obviously don’t have access to their results or course preferences. Hence I cannot say for definite. Do get back on and let us know how it goes. We wish you the very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: I want to have home economics rechecked - Emma
A: You can apply for an appeal. The appeals process and payment opens at 10 am on Sunday 31st of August and closes at 5 PM Monday, September 1st. An appeal application can be made through your CSSP. - Deirdre
Q: My child is 3 points off for nursing, could the points for this reduce? - Paula
A: It is possible. Nursing is a very popular choice. No way of knowing until 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: I am 11 points short for my desired course but I am eligible for DARE, is it likely that I’d be offered a place via DARE? - John
A: Let’s hope so. It will depend on the points achieved by other DARE applicants. Some DARE applicants will get priority over others due to the severity of their disability. - Deirdre
Q: If you refuse your first CAO option in the hope you get a course on lower points, is the risk all places have already been awarded even though you would have enough points? - Kieran
A: All courses that lie below the course offered to you in round 1 will become obsolete (deleted). You can only get offered courses that lie above this course in your CAO order of preference. I would advise you to accept your offer as this won’t impact you getting higher offers in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: Would you see the points for Trinity engineering or environmental science and engineering in trinity dropping or staying the same? - Patrick
A: From looking at the stats for Engineering, demand seems to be up for courses in this area by July 1st. This would generally be an indicator that points for these courses would be on the way up. However, with the lowering of the post marking adjustment percentage for this year, this could balance this out in the other direction. So as you can see, it is almost impossible this year to predict with any level of accuracy. - Brian
Q: Does the UCAS system allocate places based on six leaving cert subjects? - Maria
A: This is not the same for all universities so it is advisable to check your offer to see if it is mentioned in the offer and if not contact admissions to see what they have to say. Some will allow you to use any subjects you are studying in the LC, others may put a cap on the number of subjects. - Brian
Q: I scored 601 points, which is above the 556 required for my first choice course, however last year the course went to random selection. How does this work? Does it mean that people below a certain point cut-off point were randomly selected or that all students no matter their points were randomly selected? Is there a chance I won’t get my course? - Sandro
A: CAO random sampling is a system used by the Central Applications Office for college admissions in Ireland when multiple applicants have the same score for the last remaining places on a course. Each applicant is assigned a completely random, lottery-like number for each course choice; the applicant with the highest random number among those with identical scores is awarded the place. - Deirdre
Q: I got 462 and a H3 in Irish which is the requirement for primary teaching through the medium of Irish in Marino, I also have DARE. Last year the points were 467 (minus the TEG, which I have done). Do you think it’s likely with the 5 points difference that I could be offered a DARE place. I understand it is impossible to know if the points will go up but I couldn’t find any statistics in relation to my course. - Jessica
A: I would stay positive. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 27th. Being 5 points off and a DARE applicant, I would be hopeful. Do let us know how you get on. Best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter would like to get UCD Landscape Architecture and has DARE. Last year points were 400 and she got 445. I know you can’t tell but would you expect she has enough to get in? - Sally
A: I would be confident. I would be hopeful. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: What is the process for appeals? - Helen
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide 2. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open Sunday 31st of August at 10am and close Monday 1st of September at 5pm. - Brian
Q: Will CAO points for general nursing drop in SETU ? (As more nursing availability in other colleges such as Maynooth and Queen’s). - Sarah
A: Hard to say. The hope would be that it would. Nursing is a very popular course though. Unfortunately, no way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: My son had to sit three exams in one day and did significantly worse in two of those exams than he had expected (had been predicted to get H1s, got H3s). When we are appealing, can we raise this as an issue? I had flagged it with the SEC beforehand (he had 9 hours of exams that day, and has anxiety) but at the time but got nowhere. - Emma
A: I would advise you to wait until Tuesday. Your son can access the exact marks received in each exam and each component. Viewing of scripts can also help when deciding on whether to appeal or not. - Deirdre
Q: If I appeal and I end up getting lower in a subject, and lower points overall, will they kick me out of my college course? - Addison
A: I imagine that this would be highly unlikely. Be careful of rechecks with subjects and grades that are required for minimum entry requirements. - Deirdre
Q: Can I get into my course if my point is lower than the course requirements? - Suey
A: Unless you are DARE or HEAR eligible? Both are an entry scheme that offers entry via point reduction. One must meet minimum entry requirements and course cut off points before a CAO will make an offer. - Deirdre
Q: If my daughter is offered and accepts a 3rd place course on her CAO, plus is going to request an appeal/recheck of her results, what happens if the appeal brings up her CAO points score to give her her 2nd choice, does she get a new offer or does she wait? - Eimear
A: If your daughters grades improve in the appeals process then whatever course she would have been entitled to with the higher grades must be offered to her, regardless of what she has already accepted. The only question is when the college can offer the higher preference place. The colleges will try to offer her her upgraded place this year but if they cannot they must offer her a deferred place for next year. - Brian
Q: Are there more places available for Children and General integrated nursing this year? - Sarah
A: The introduction of new courses and the overall rise in interest for nursing programs suggest a potential increase in the number of available places for Children and General Nursing for the 2025 CAO cycle. - Deirdre
Q: My son has applied for primary teaching in Mary Immaculate College. Last year the points for this course were 488 plus a H4 in Irish. My son got 518 and a H3 in Irish, surely the points won’t jump up over 30 points for this course, should he be confident enough with these points of getting his course? - Noreen
A: I would stay positive. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 Pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: I got 348 points today and I want arts joint honours politics and law in DCU. I am a HEAR and DARE student. Is it likely I’ll get in since I’m only 10 points short and have HEAR and DARE? - Shane
A: I would say there is a good chance but it depends on the standard of Leaving Certificate results of the other DARE candidates looking for a place on this course as those with the higher points have a better chance of being offered a place. - Brian
Q: Can you appeal if you were sick on the day of an exam with a doctor cert? - Caroline
A: The appeals process does not cover situations where students were sick on the day of the examination. You are appealing the correction of your exam script using the official marking scheme. If a student is sick on the day of the examination this is dealt with on the day by the exam superintendent and the school authority. - Brian
Q: If you have qualified for DARE but get the points needed for a course, are you then placed in the general pool of applicants or are you among the other DARE applicants? - Emma
A: You are among the general applicants but you can still avail of the services provided to the DARE students by the college. - Deirdre
Q: Is it likely that points for Biomedical Science will drop this year? - Karen
A: Demand for Biological Science courses was up as the CAO closed on the 1st July thus indicating a possible increase in points, however as we know the post marking adjustment rate was lower this year indicating a possible reduction in points. Where one meets the other we don’t know, i.e. will there be a net increase or decrease in points. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until Wednesday to find out. - Brian
Q: My son failed maths. His first choice was business in Shannon which has maths as a requirement. Is there any possibility of him getting a place? He is approved for a DARE place. - Maeve
A: Unfortunately not, no matter what points your son has or indeed the fact that he has qualified under the DARE scheme, he is not deemed a qualified for this course and will not be offered a place. - Brian
Q: Will the grade change I get if my appeal is successful have the additional 5% grade inflation boost? - Alexa
A: If your appeal is successful and you get a new grade, then the post marking adjustment will be applied to that grade as if you had that grade from the beginning. Not every grade in the Leaving Certificate got a 5% increase, this is an average figure across the Leaving Certificate. - Brian
Q: I am over the point request for my first choice Engineering in Trinity but this course went to lottery last year. Is there a chance that even though I am over the point request I may still not be offered it? - Damien
A: I would remain hopeful. But I cannot say for definite. Nobody will know the answer to this until CAO release offers and publish the CAO cut off points for 2025. This will happen from 2pm on Wednesday, 2025. - Deirdre
Q: Will medicine points stay the same or drop with 500 extra applications? - Áine
A: No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. The hope would be that the extra places will relieve pressure on the points for this career area. - Deirdre
Q: I got 243 points, but my course requires 300 points. Do I still have a chance? - Nazim
A: No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. Best of luck. There are plenty of other options. Get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: I have been offered a place in Poland to study veterinary medicine. I have applied for agricultural science in UCD also. Is it possible to defer ag science for a year in case going to Poland doesn’t work out for me? - Sorcha
A: Absolutely. Please view page 32 of the CAO handbook. Get back on if you need more support - Deirdre
Q: How likely is it that course requirement points will go down this year? - Mairead
A: It will depend on the places available on each course, the popularity of a course and the points of interested candidates. No way of knowing this until 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: How do I know which scripts will be available to be viewed online? - Kevin
A: Please click this link and go to page 12. Here you will find the list of all Leaving Cert subject 2025 that were corrected online. You should have received a copy of the Candidate Information Guide 2. - Deirdre
Q: I got 454 points which converts to 138 tariff points and I am hoping to go to St Mary’s University College Belfast to study primary physical education. Last year it required 142 points and 156 the previous year. I passed my interview and also had a very strong reference. How likely am I to get in? - Shane
A: I would contact them asap with your results and they may be able to confirm if they are going to continue with your offer even though you are short some tariff points. The UCAS system is not as black and white as the CAO system so I think there is still a good chance that they may confirm your offer. Contact the admissions tutor as soon as possible. - Brian
Q: I want to know if my son can repeat two subjects (maths and chemistry) to improve his grade and points - Sajid
A: You cannot combine Leaving Certificates for the purposes of calculating points. Points can only be calculated from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate. - Brian
Q: What exactly is grade deflation and how does it work? - Michael
A: For the past number of years since 2019, grades in Ireland have been inflated to take into account the effects of the disruption to learning that Covid caused. This year the rate of this grade inflation has been decreased from 7.5% on average to 5.9% on average. This decrease in the rate of grade inflation is now being referred to as grade deflation. - Brian
Q: How will grade deflation affect students looking to study outside Ireland? - Roger
A: As a result of lower levels of grade inflation students will more than likely end up with lower grades and this may mean they will not get the grades required for courses outside of Ireland. If they are achieving at the higher end of grades the effect of lower grade inflation may not be as great. - Brian
Q: My first choice is a new course so there are no points yet. When do I know the points allocation for the course? - Tiernan
A: Not until next Wednesday when first round offers are made. - Brian
Q: If I appeal a subject and it goes up a grade, will I be offered a spot in round 3 or 4 with my new points? - Jack
A: Yes providing that there is space on this course. If this course is full you will be offered a deferred place on this course for 2026. One would have to reapply to CAO 2026 and list this one course only. - Deirdre
Q: If 100+ people achieve the points required for a course, but the course only allows 50 people, are the 50 people with the highest points among the 100 accepted or does it go to a lottery among the 100 applicants? - Ryan
A: The fifty with the highest points get in. The cut off point for this course is the points received by the last successful candidate. It may come down to random selection. All students that meet this cut off point will be given a random electronic generated number. If there is four places available then the four students with the highest number are selected for the course. Courses that used random selection have an asterisks (*) beside the points. - Deirdre
Q: I have been told that if I accept the very first offer I am given, even if it’s not really what I want, that every other course on my CAO list disappears and only the first choice on my CAO list remains for when the second round of offers come in. Is this true? - Ayesha
A: Once you receive an offer on Wednesday then all course choices that lie below on your CAO become obsolete (deleted). You can only get offers that lie above your original offer in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: I think UCD Radiology DN410 has been allocated extra places. How many of those additional places will be set aside for DARE applicants? For context I scored 529 points. Have I a chance of a place? - Juliette
A: Each college will have a targeted number of DARE places per course. Please view UCD’s DARE link. - Deirdre
Q: If I got 477 points and DARE, will I get primary teaching in St. Pat’s, DCU? - Rachel
A: DCU reserves 5% of places for DARE students. It will depend on where you are in the order of merit (queue) with the other DARE candidates. Some disabilities get placed further up in the queue. Please view this link for more details - Deirdre
Q: If you appeal a grade, can it only go upwards? Any fear of the grade going down? And at what percentage is it worth a re-check, for example if a grade is at 63, is it likely to get a 7% increase? - Jen
A: An appeal can result in a grade going up as well as down. The closer you are (percentage wise) to the next grade the better. You will be able to view your marks for each subject on your CSSP at 12 noon on Tuesday 26th August. You will be able to make a better judgement then. Please get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: It appears that the results of an appeal will not be made known until after the first round of college places have been offered. How does this work if my daughter has a successful appeal and all the college places have been allocated? - Mary
A: Your daughter will be offered a deferred place on this course for Sept 2026, regardless of the CAO points for this course in 2026. She will have to make a CAO application for CAO 2026 only putting this one course on her list. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is lucky to have done well with a solid buffer of points for her first choice CAO over what was required last year. However, she feels one result was way off what she expected. Is there any point in appealing once marks are released or is it little more than speculation given a higher mark isn’t really ‘required’. - James
A: I would recommend your daughter views the script first and if she feels there is an issue and she is not near dropping to a lower grade in the subject, then she might consider making an appeal. - Brian
Q: My daughter got 319 points and was accepted as a Dare applicant but her first two courses are 400 points. Is there a chance she could get it or will offers be in line with her points - Gillian
A: I would advise you to contact the Access office at this college. Applicants tend to have to be with 60 points of their chosen course. That is the general rule of thumb. But again I would advise you to contact the college in question. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Will primary school teaching points be reduced this year? How many points will you need for to be accepted as a dare student for primary school teaching? - Katie
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. Again with the DARE scheme we have no idea what the points will be for primary teaching. You could ring the colleges you are interested in and see if they can give you more information but they might not be able to answer your question until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: I am likely to get offered my 3rd choice however would prefer my 4th choice. Both courses are in Trinity. Is there any way of checking if the college would allow me change to 4th choice? - Ben
A: I would advise you to contact their Admissions Office. Internal transfers can happen, but the candidate would need to meet the entry requirements for the course and the CAO points. Obviously availability on the course would have to be looked at. Each college has their own rules on internal transfers. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible after getting it appealed to go up two grades? Is it possible to go up two grades after appealing? - Thomas
A: The appealing process is designed to ensure that the original marking scheme was applied correctly to all your answers. If an error was made in adding up your marks then yes an increase in a grade may be possible. Your grade can go up as well as down. - Deirdre
Q: If you appeal and its granted, does this affect your DARE offer? - Karen
A: I don’t fully understand your question. A successful appeal may result in a higher preference offer in a future round. You, the candidate, have the choice to stay with your original offer or move to your new one. I hope that I have answered your question. - Deirdre
Q: I’m very disappointed, my 2 best subjects in which I’ve never received lower that H1s only got H4s. My teachers are also very surprised and want me to appeal after I view my scripts. If my results are lowered on appeal, my points reduced, can any offer already made and accepted be withdrawn? - Simone
A: That is the choice of the college that you register with. I feel that it would be highly unlikely. But I would advise you to contact the college in question. Be sure to meet the entry requirements before and after the appeal. The appeals process opens at 10 am on Sunday 31st of August and closes 5pm Monday, September 1st. - Deirdre
Q: Do you rate UCD as better college than NUI Maynooth? - Gordan
A: UCD would be ranked higher than Maynooth university in many of the world and other ranking organisations. However many of these rankings are to do with a lot of issues other than undergraduate teaching and courses. There are many students who would much prefer the smaller more country feel of Maynooth and feel UCD is too big for them and vice versa, many would feel UCD is the right fit for them. Ultimately the answer to this question varies from person to person. - Brian
Q: I got 418 points and my course is exactly 418 points. It’s law with criminology in Maynooth, do you think I’ll get the course with these points? - Julianne
A: I would remain hopeful. But I cannot say for definite. Nobody will know the answer to this until CAO release offers and publish the CAO cut off points for 2025. This will happen from 2pm on Wednesday, 2025. - Deirdre
Q: I got 369 points in my LC today but the points for my preferred course were 390 points last year. How likely do you think I will get my course? - Emily
A: I can’t say, unfortunately. CAO will release 2025 cut off points for all courses from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: Would you please advise if points for construction management and engineering will increase in UL this year - Eoin
A: I can’t unfortunately. CAO will release 2025 cut off points for all courses from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: I would like to know how long I can see the result online (when it will be closed) and how I can get the actual certificate without going to school. I also would like to know how long the access to data of each component will be available after the 26th August. - Alana
A: When you go online you can print off a copy of your results. The results will be there for 2/3 weeks. Your school can give you a printout also if you wish. the breakdown of results will not be there for the same length of time according to the State Examinations Commission (SEC). These will only be available for a limited amount of time. The SEC Candidate Helpline is 1800111135 if you want to speak with them.
Q: If I do a PLC in order to get into the course i didn’t get enough points for, how does it work? - Rachael
A: Some CAO courses don’t link with PLC courses, some CAO courses have a quota of places set aside for PLC applicants and some CAO courses allow PLC applicants apply alongside LC applicants for all its course places. To get further information on this Higher Education Link Scheme go to this link and you will see how the system works: - Brian
Q: I got 520 points in the mocks, but 413 in the real exams. I’m way below any course I put down on my CAO (MH208 being the lowest). Do I have any other options apart from repeating? I’m absolutely gutted. - Sean
A: I am very sorry to hear this. There are a few options here.
1) Look at PLC courses. Some of the courses you listed on your CAO list could accept applications from PLC course applicants.
2) Vacant places. After round one on the CAO some courses are listed on the CAO website under Vacant or Available places. You can add these to your CAO account at that stage if you wish.
3) National Tertiary Office courses. If you go to NTO.ie you will see the range of courses available here. They accept applications until the end of September.
4) Private colleges - these accept direct applications to some of their courses so if it is and option, check their websites.
These are just some options to think about. - Brian
Q: How many points can HEAR give you? I received 327 points and need 368. Will I be likely to get my 368 course? - Emily
A: Firstly, impossible to definitively answer this question - too many variables to consider. However, I have seen courses drop by this amount in the HEAR and DARE scheme so it could be possible. We will just have to wait until Wednesday to find out for definite. - Brian
Q: Could you see accounting and finance in DCU dropping points? - Oisin
A: Unfortunately, I have to say there is no definitive way of knowing if this will happen or not, especially this year with so many factors changing this year. It is not a very high demand course so there is a chance but we will have to wait until Wednesday for round one offers to know for sure. - Brian
Q: If my sister gets her second option and accepts it but gets her points for her first option after appeals can she change to her first option? - Orla
A: Yes. If, having accepted a place in round one, you become entitled to a higher preference in a subsequent round including the appeal results round on 26th September, you will be offered the higher preference course and it is up to you if you want to move to the new course or not at that stage. But there is no guarantee of this so it is a good idea to accept something in round one. - Brian
Q: Are DARE places based on the number of points achieved by the student, or randomly allocated? i.e. does more points make a difference if you are being considered for a DARE place - Sam
A: The answer to this question can vary somewhat from college to college. I would direct you to www.accesscollege.ie - DARE to get a lot of information about how colleges offer places. Essentially, if there are 5 places set aside for DARE on a course, then all DARE eligible applicants compete for these 5 places. All these applicants are ranked in order of their points and the people at the top of the list get the first places. Some disability groups get bumped up to the top of the lists also, so this can have an effect also. Priority is given to applicants with physical disabilities, applicants who are blind or deaf and those who are both DARE and HEAR eligible. - Brian
Q: For Northern Ireland universities, where an offer is based on H3 x 6 benchmark, will they factor in 4 above and 2 below to get a place? - Fi
A: It depends on the offer that was made and the conditions attached to it. Depending on the demand for places on the course, the admissions office may be happy to confirm the place if the overall tariff points are similar. Contact the admissions office of the college involved and see what they have to say. - Brian
Q: How do l appeal one of my subjects? - Eric
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide 2. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open Sunday 31st of August at 10am and close Monday 1st of September at 5pm. Just choose the subject you wish to appeal. - Brian
Q: How does DARE work re point reduction for a course? How many points are usually deducted? - Susan
A: Unfortunately, this is an impossible question to answer in this format and the answer can vary from college to college. I would direct you to www.accesscollege.ie DARE to get a lot of information. Essentially, if there are 5 places set aside for DARE on a course, then all DARE eligible applicants compete for these 5 places. All these applicants are ranked in order of their points and the people at the top of the list get the first places. Some disability groups get bumped up to the top of the lists also, so this can have an effect also. - Brian
Q: I did my leaving cert before Covid. I have 578 points. Is there any chance of UCD vet med coming down to that? - Sadie
A: I think to be honest 589* down to 578 might be a long shot but it is impossible to know. If the new Vet courses were up and running this year there might have been a better shot but without them this year it might not drop by too much. - Brian
Q: Is there any indication whether CAO course points will decrease this year? - Orlette
A: More than any year this year it is impossible to pinpoint what is going to happen with the points for individual courses this year. There are so many variables: extra LC applicants from this year, extra applicants from previous years, extra applicants from abroad, lower post marking adjustment, etc. to allow any definitive projections to be made. We will all just have to wait until next Wednesday for sure - Brian
Q: Just wondering how my results can differ so much from my mock exams. I have never gotten lower than a H2 in English and I received a H4 in the Leaving Cert. I’ve been a H1 student in biology and got a H4. - Erin
A: Unfortunately this can happen for a variety of reasons. I would recommend applying to view these subjects to see what went wrong and caused this drop in grades. If you can get your teachers to view the scripts also, that would be very informative. - Brian
Q: With moderated LC points and HPAT, my daughter has 733 points. Last year that would get her into 3 out of 5 medical schools. Is there any indication that CAO points could go up this year due to re-applicants using last year’s LC? - Robert
A: It is just a guessing game at this stage. Nobody will know until CAO release offers and then release CAO cut off points 2025. This will be done from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: How long to get a re-mark? - Rona
A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. - Deirdre
Q: Will I have enough time to appeal my subject and start the college year? - Mairead
A: The results of the appeal process should be known on the 26th September. You may have already started on another course by this time and may have to make a decision as to whether to move to a new course or stay with the course you have already started. - Brian
Q: Do the DARE points for UCD courses change dramatically year to year or are they likely to be close to previous year’s points requirement? - Mark
A: Anything can happen as the variables vary. It will depend on the points received by other DARE applicants who have expressed interest in this course. - Deirdre
Q: What does FM mean on LCVP subject? -R. Brady
A: This is Merit grade - 65 to 80%. - Brian
Q: Do deflated marks affect a lot H1 students? - Gabriel
A: I cannot imagine so as they are somewhere in the bracket of 90-100% pre and post marking adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: Where can i get the breakdown of my LCPE result? - Éabha
A: This will be available on your CSSP at 12 noon Tuesday, August 26th. Candidates will see their marks including for each component as well as teh post marking adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: What does the full breakdown of results mean for Tuesday? Do you get the breakdown of oral and written for a language? - Mary
A: Yes, you get the marks for all components of the subject. On Tuesday 26 August you will be provided with additional information about your examination results. You will be able to view your component marks, details of any Post-Marking Adjustment marks applied and the final graded mark for each subject. Section 2 above provides some preliminary information about the approach to the Post Marking Adjustment this year. The SEC will provide more details on Results Day. You may also see supplementary information which indicates that there is some aspect of the result that was not typical in the processing of results by the SEC. The indicators presented are as follows with an explanation provided of what these mean:
Candidate confirmed absent - Candidate has been marked absent for one or more mandatory components in a multi-component subject.
Assessor’s mark used for this component – The examination session was incomplete and the SEC provided a result in this component based on a range of information.
Invalid Practical coursework – The coursework has been deemed invalid as could not be authenticated by the school authority.
Extrapolated mark - In cases where a candidate has an exemption for a subject under the RACE scheme then the marks in the subject will have been extrapolated from the other components.
This is detailed in Candidate Information Guide 3 which will be available on Monday 25 August. - Brian
Q: How accommodating are UCD and Trinity when in regards to places after appeals have been marked? - John
A: Generally, if they can offer a place after the appeal results they will. If not it will be a deferred place the following year. - Brian
Q: Can a student view their paper online or do they have to go into their school to do it? Do they have to have the teacher with them? - Joanne
A: Any scripts that were corrected online this year will be viewed at home online. Access will be given to view these scripts over the 24-hour period; 9 AM Saturday 30 August and 9 AM Sunday 31 August. All other scripts/subjects will be viewed in school. Manually Marked Scripts Candidates will be assigned to one of two three-hour sessions on Saturday 30 August; Session 1. 9.30 AM – 12.30PM, Session 2. 2PM – 5 PM. You do no need a teacher present to view scripts. - Brian
Q: My points are lower then I thought they would be. Is there a chance my course point could drop too? - Jennifer
A: Points will drop if the demand for that course has fallen. Points are determined by the points achieved by the last candidate that receives a place on this course. Hence, students results affect cut off points for courses. There are many other options that you could look at. Points can also fall in future rounds. Please get back on if you need more information. - Deirdre
Q: Do you have to view your scripts if you want to appeal? - Michelle
A: No. It is advisable however to view scripts before appealing as remember grades can go up as well as down - Brian
Q: Any idea when we will know what funding SUSI will provide for my son? - Sarah
A: You should be able to see this at this link. The level of maintenance and fee support depends on your income and the number of dependents in your household. - Deirdre
Q: My son only got sufficient points for his 5th and 6th choices on CAO. Will he be offered one of those, or how does that work? - Mags
A: CAO will work out your son’s entitlement to all his choices and then he will be offered his highest choice that he is entitled to. - Brian
Q: What are the odds that OT (occupational therapy) in Galway will come down 21pts I’ve put it first but now I really want my second choice and don’t want OT in Galway? - John
A: As per the previous question it is very hard to know. Places look to be remaining static in OT and possible extra demand from extra CAO applicants from this and last year make this hard to predict what is going to happen. It is unlikely that there will be a 21 points reduction. - Brian
Q: My daughter is short 18 points for Speech Therapy in Galway. Last years points requirement was 544. What is the likelihood of these courses dropping in points? - Orla
A: This is a very hard one to predict. As far as I am aware there are no extra places in SLT in Galway this year. There is high demand for SLT this year and there may be applicants from last year seeking some of the places available this year with their higher post marking adjustment. With all of this going on, it is so hard to predict what is going to happen. I would say that an 18 point reduction is probably unlikely. - Brian
Q: Will primary teaching points drop or rise this year? - Jordan
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: I got 477 points but I want to study primary teaching in DCU. Do you think I have any hope of getting into DCU? - Jordan
A: This course finished at 478 last year so you are in with a chance but really there is no way of knowing until next Wednesday. Best of luck. - Brian
Q: When can I see the 2025 points for courses? - Brenda
A: The 2025 points will be published on Wednesday at the same time as round one offers. - Brian
Q: When can you appeal a subject grade? - Fiona
A: You can access your marks and post mark adjustments at 12 noon on Tuesday. Application for viewing of scripts opens at 5pm on Tuesday, August 26th. Application for appeal and payment opens at 10am August 31st and closes at 5pm Monday Sept 1st. - Deirdre
Q: I required a scribe for my Leaving Cert how is this reflected in my results? - Jason
A: The same marking scheme would have been applied to your script. You may or may not be DARE eligible. No extra grade inflation would have been assigned to you for having a scribe. Please get back on if you have anymore questions. - Deirdre
Q: How do we calculate the extra boost? Or has it already been added onto our grades? - Shayla
A: It has already been added to your final grade that you received today. You will be able to view a full breakdown of results at 12 noon Tuesday, August 25th. - Deirdre
Q: How long does it take to have a result rechecked? - Conor
A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. - Deirdre
Q: Is there a way we can see the percentage marks? - Caitriona
A: On Tuesday 26th August from 12 noon, you will have access to your marks including for each part of the exam. - Brian
Q: How do we appeal a subject grade? - Isabelle
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open 10 AM Sunday 31 August at 10am and close Monday 1 September at 5pm. - Brian
Q: We are getting one subject checked. If the grade increases my daughter would most likely have the points for her first choice on CAO. Should we accept her second choice next week and hope that she gets first choice in second round offer? - Alli
A: Absolutely. Make decisions next week as if your daughter is not going to get any further offers in the future. Then if she does get a higher offer it is a bonus, but at least she already has something. - Brian
Q: Is there a back door route for the Science Education Course in UCC? - Orla
A: There are a quota of places for QQI PLC graduates for this course. Details are at this link: https://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=fetac_search - Brian
Q: If my son’s mark in a subject increases after an appeal and gets him to the points required for a course he applied for, will a place on that course be made available for him? - Dave
A: This very much depends on the college in question. In most instances the college will try to facilitate the upgraded student with a place after the final round of upgrades but in the event that they can’t a deferred place for the following year will be made. - Brian
Q: Will there be more primary places in DCU? - Jordan.
A: The only way to know this definitively is to email admissions in DCU and get an answer from them. - Brian
