Why CAO points have increased again in 2025
From 14,845 applicants at its launch in 1977 across five universities, the CAO application process has grown to an all-time high of 89,308 across 30 institutions. In 1977 there were 69 degrees on offer, today there are 1,110 at level eight and 351 at levels six/seven. No matter how fast the system expands to meet the ever-increasing demand among applicants, expanding by 5,299 this year alone, it cannot keep pace. This results in CAO points requirements for courses offered today increasing in 50 per cent of cases, reduced in 42 per cent and remained at 2024 levels in 8 per cent.
In 2024, 56 per cent of applicants secured there first-preference course. This dropped to 51 per cent this year. 83 per cent secured one of their top three preferences in 2024. This has dropped to 80 per cent in 2025. At level six/seven, 92 per cent secured their first preference in 2024, dropping to 90 per cent this year.
The increase in CAO points requirements in 50 per cent of courses has occurred even though the 51,350 CAO applicants who sat this year’s Leaving Cert had their grade enhancement cut back from 7 per cent to 5.9 per cent over and above pre-pandemic levels. This took about 68,000 grades out of the system. Driving the CAO points requirements ever upwards was the fact that 19,780 applicants, who retained the 7 per cent enhancement, applied for courses through the CAO this year. So too did 6,695 applicants from other EU countries, 1,137 from outside the EU, 1,163 from Britain and 1,140 from Northern Ireland. The Republic is a hugely attractive destination for those seeking a relatively low cost, in terms of fees or registration charge (€3,000), in the English-speaking world.
Technological universities increase access and enhance regional development
The emergence of the technological universities (TUs) through the amalgamation of the institutes of technologies has brought cutting-edge university education to virtually every corner of Ireland. With the prohibitive cost of accommodation in our major cities, the presence of TUs has allowed many to take their degrees while living at home.
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Reduced enhancement of grades reflected in the points for courses over 600
The failure of some applicants in 2024 to secure their first-choice course, even though they had a perfect score of six H1s was recognised as an absurd outcome. The Department of Education through the State Exams Commission addressed this issue in how they structured the reduction in the enhancement process. The reduction in the percentage of H1s secured by this year’s Leaving Cert grades is reflected across the board in the offers made to students today. This is evidenced by the absence of increased points requirements in many courses requiring more than 600 points.
Even though a conscious effort was also made by the universities and other colleges in their offers to eliminate random selection, it still occurred in 25 programmes - two of them in Trinity at 625 points (Dental Science, and Management Science and Information Systems Studies). Random selection is the process whereby students competing for the last places on offer on the lowest points score to secure a place found themselves in a raffle for those places. They have done this by creating extra places to match the number of applicants on that points score. In UCD, the State’s biggest university, only one course – DN440 Biomedical, Health and Life Sciences – is on random selection in round one.
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Will members of the LC class of 2025 challenge the reduced enhancement process?
The Government’s decision to endorse the elimination of the enhancement process over several years through a very gentle glide pathway will be tested in the coming days as those 2025 Leaving Cert students, who missed out on their dream course by a handful of points, consider their options. They could consider taking their grievance to the courts, but it might not be the wisest of moves. There are so many factors determining who did and did not get an offer of a course place. Among them are the increased numbers of applicants, universities’ policies in offering significant numbers of places to QQI PLC graduates, the change in the grading structure for A levels in Northern Ireland and Britain, and the number of places offered through Hear (an admissions scheme designed for those under 23 from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds) and Dare (an admissions scheme that offers reduced points to school-leavers with a disability).
It would take a very brave judge who would isolate the reduction in the enhancement process as the key reason for the failure of any specific applicant to secure an offer, thus undermining the entire 2025 CAO offer process.
Is the Dare scheme fit for purpose?
The number of applications through the Dare scheme increased by 17 per cent this year. The number now stands at 12,039 up from 10,255 in 2024. Dare has become mammoth, requiring a huge amount of work on the part of applicants, parents and psychologists in both the public but also the private sectors. Not forgetting the staff in the universities who have to now plough through more than 12,000 applications. The number of places offered to Dare applicants on each course is four to five maximum, and that figure has remained relatively constant over the years since the scheme was introduced. The numbers receiving an offer is very small as a proportion of the overall numbers seeking a place. Is it time to go back to the drawing board to ensure those with significant disabilities are supported in securing their dream college progression option?
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