Certificates and diplomas can serve as building blocks to degrees. They are also qualifications in their own right. Sadly, this message does not seem to have reached this year's CAO applicants. A glance at the acceptance figures for the first round of CAO offers shows that about 14,000 students accepted certificate/diploma offers compared to 16,000 last year.

The degree, undoubtedly, sits at the top of most CAO applicant's wish list. Students look at the list of certificates and diplomas on offer in the CAO handbook and may look no further than that. There is no indication in the handbook that these courses can be an excellent beginning for degree-hunters. Students must take the time to read through the college prospectuses to find out the add-on options open to them.

Add-on degrees are one- or two-year programmes which are usually open to diploma holders. The route is generally from two-year certificate to one-year diploma to two-year degree. Whether the route takes four or five years, it is covered by the free fees initiative and students are eligible to apply for maintenance grants.

To progress up the ladder from certificate to diploma, students need a merit in their exams. However, those with a pass can spend a year gaining relevant work experience and then return to college to study for a diploma. Some colleges are even more flexible and will accept a pass in a certificate with no work experience requirement. Students wishing to progress from a diploma to a degree must achieve a merit in their exams. In a few cases, there are also bridging exams to be taken.

While five years may seem a long time to spend studying for a degree, there is the built-in flexibility which allows a student to leave after two or three years with a qualification. Many students reach their full potential after the Leaving Cert and may benefit from the longer route. The subject choice in college may suit them better than the subjects they studied in school.

There is also a possibility of changing direction along the way from certificate to diploma to degree. For instance, Sligo RTC offers a two-year add-on degree in quality assurance which is open to graduates of engineering and science programmes. Many of the RTCs have informal links with British, Northern Irish and universities from this State, and certificate and diploma students may complete their studies in these colleges.

Some RTCs have more formal arrangements. For instance, Tralee RTC has a transfer arrangement with the University of Limerick for students who pass the advanced certificate in business studies.

The accompanying panel contains a list of add-on degrees available in the RTCs and Waterford Institute of Technology. Most Dublin Institute of Technology courses are complete in themselves and do not follow the ladder system (check the college prospectus for details).