There are still vacant places on some 25 degrees and 71 certificate/diploma courses. These places are open to people whether they have applied to the CAO already or not.
If you have not applied previously you must get an application form from the CAO (tel: 091 509800) and pay a fee of £18.
If you have applied already, there is no further application fee. A printout of your form will be returned to you and you must insert the course(s) with vacant places into your order of preference. You must insert your vacant place choice(s) higher in your list of preference than any offer which you have received to date, whether or not you accepted the offer. You may not re-order your original course choices.
Applicants for vacant places must meet the normal minimum entry requirements for the course(s) in question.
The following is an updated list of courses with vacancies available through the CAO:
Degrees
Athlone IT: AL032 polymer technology.
American College: CP110 liberal arts; CP120 international business; CP130 international tourism; CP141 behavioural science (psychology); CP142 behavioural science (applied social studies).
Dublin Business School: CP521 accountancy and finance; CP512 business studies; CP531 business studies (marketing).
Griffith College: CP400 business studies; CP401 accounting and finance.
LSB College: CP311 anthropology; CP321 arts; CP322 arts (psychology); CP342 business (marketing): CP343 business (organisational behaviour); CP361 tourism (language); CP362 tourism (marketing).
Portobello College: CP251 accounting and finance; CP252 business information management; CP253 business studies; CP254 marketing; CP255 human resource management.
Trinity College Dublin: TR037 information and communications technology.
University College Dublin: DN022 arts (evening modular course).
Certificate/diploma courses
Athlone IT: AL002 business studies (Cavan); AL004 office information systems (Cavan); AL005 office information systems (Greendale); AL009 plastics engineering; Al010 mechanical engineering; AL014 mineral engineering; AL016 science (applied biology); AL017 science (applied chemistry) ; AL019 professional accountancy; AL023 accounting technician; AL024 mechatronics.
Carlow IT: CW093 business (Wexford); CW095 office information systems (Wexford); CW048 business (Kilkenny); CW096 office information systems (Kilkenny).
American College: CP100 humanities.
Dublin Business School: CP522 business studies (accounting); CP542 business studies (computer applications); CP533 business studies (marketing).
Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, De- sign and Technology: DL121 audio-visual media technology.
Griffith College Dublin: CP415 legal studies; CP416 business studies; CP440 computing; CP490 interior architecture.
LSB College: CP320 arts in cultural studies; CP340 business studies; CP350 computing/information technology; CP352 business studies (office info systems).
Portobello College: CP202 computing; CP203 business studies; CP204 business studies (accounting and financial services); CP205 business studies (computer applications); CP206 business studies (marketing).
Dundalk IT: DK001 electronics (product development); DK002 electronics; DK008 civil engineering; DK009 construction studies; DK010 manufacturing engineering; DK011 mechanical engineering; DK012 biology; DK050 food science; DK051 chemistry; DK053 environmental science; DK203 computing (software development - German); DK252 applied cultural studies (German).
Limerick IT: LC026 computer-aided engineering (new course).
Letterkenny IT: LY002 accounting technician; LY005 corais eolais oifige; LY011 mechanical engineering; LY013 applied biology; LY014 applied chemistry; LY017 food science.
Sligo IT: SG103 business studies in languages and marketing/German; SG104 business studies in languages and marketing/Spanish; SG132 business studies in European business with German; SG133 business studies in European business with Spanish; SG301 engineering in civil engineering; SG303 engineering in mechanical engineering; SG304 engineering in computer-aided precision engineering; SG305 engineering in electronics engineering; SG306 engineering in automation; SG401 science; SG431 science in analytical chemistry; SG435 health science with physiology.
TRBDI: TN001 business studies (Thurles); TN002 sustainable rural development (Thurles); TN101 business studies (Clonmel).
Tralee IT: TL670 engineering (mechanical); TL700 engineering (manufacturing); TL440 science (applied chemistry); TL460 science (photonics).
Places in Britain and NI
Any remaining vacant places in third-level colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland will be advertised in the English newspaper, the Independent, on September 7th and 16th.
The British central applications body, UCAS, also publishes an interactive course vacancy list on the web. This service, which is updated on a daily basis, will continue until Friday, September 17th (www.ucas.ac.uk).
If you have applied to UCAS already you should have received a clearing entry form (CEF). If you haven't applied, write to UCAS at PO Box 67, Cheltenham, Glos GL150 3SF, England, requesting a CEF; or phone UCAS helpline at 0044 (1242) 227788.
The British Council advises that you shouldn't worry too much about the form, but instead turn first to the listings and contact suitable colleges. If they are interested in accepting you, the paperwork can be dealt with later.
There are fees, to a maximum of £1,025 sterling, payable in third-level colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland.
Post-Leaving Cert vacancies
St Peter's College, Killester: There are still some places on the following PLC courses: business, secretarial, childcare, community care, creche management, Montessori diploma, complementary health - arts therapy, introduction to engineering and construction, auto-engineering and sales, greenkeeping and golf course management, horticulture, art/drama and design portfolio preparation.
There are also some places left on the repeat Leaving Cert course. St Peter's is also enrolling for a wide range of adult courses - commercial photography, community and youth work, university foundation and Leaving Cert (standard and applied). Tel: (01) 833 6990.
College of Commerce, Dundrum: There are vacant places on the following courses: childcare, computerised office technology, certificate in information processing, certificate in travel and tourism, diploma in information technology. For more information phone (01) 298 5412.
Rechecks
If you wish to appeal the result of any of your Leaving Cert subjects, you need to get moving now. Appeal applications must be with the Department on Wednesday, September 8th.
The £25 fee per subject must be paid using the bank giro facility on your personalised application form (this form has a unique identification number). The Department of Education advises that students should pay the fee and return the form to the school next Monday or early Tuesday at the latest.
Tax relief and fees
The 1995 Finance Act provides for tax relief, at the standard rate, for tuition fees paid in respect of students attending full-time approved courses at approved private third-level colleges.
The 1996 Finance Act provides for tax relief, at the standard rate, for tuition fees paid in respect of approved part-time third-level courses in colleges approved for the Higher Education Grants Scheme or in private colleges which satisfy the codes of standards set down by the Minister for Education. Consult the Department's guide to third-level student support for more information phone (01) 873 4700.
Round two offers
The Irish Times will publish a Second Round Offers supplement next Tuesday. This will contain the round two cut-off points for certificates, diplomas and degrees in the CAO system. It will also include an analysis of the offers and advice on alternatives outside the CAO.