‘I had an idea what I wanted to study but it sparked other interests, for sure’
Delia-Sara Fandache is a fourth year business and Spanish student at DCU and ICADE Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid
Second Level
News and advice on the second-level education system.
Studying in the UK: ‘It forces you to step outside your comfort zone’
From navigating the application process to adapting to new learning environments, students from the Republic share their experience of studying in Britain and Northern Ireland
WorldSkills Ireland 2026 guide: Planning your visit and what to expect
The event at the RDS offers industry talks, hands-on experiences, demonstrations and chances to speak to employers and education providers
‘I knew from day one I wanted to work in the music industry’
‘I knew from day one I wanted to work in the music industry,’ says Kathryn Mason
Irish interest in education is boarding on obsession
Classroom to College: Higher Options supplement is an essential guide for Leaving Cert students
Irish teenagers getting weaker at maths and reading, new international research shows
OECD says ‘increased digitalisation’ and ‘falling rates of reading for enjoyment have coincided with weaker literacy outcomes’
How to make the most of your time at Higher Options 2026
Key to this event highlighting choices in further education, training and careers is to prepare beforehand while leaving room to discover something unexpected
A place to map out your future: Higher Options conference offers an ideal opportunity for students
Higher Options and WorldSkills Ireland event has a wide range of representatives to help you decide what to pursue after the Leaving Cert
Higher Options 2026: Don’t miss these speakers on sports, law and engineering
Find out about potential careers from Teneo’s Kelli O’Keeffe, barrister Joy-Tendai Kangere and NCAD course co-ordinator Enda O’Dowd
‘I was the first to benefit’: How Donogh O’Malley’s introduction of free secondary education changed Ireland
Plaque unveiled on 60th anniversary of historic announcement in Clare village where O’Malley passed away
Students with additional needs are not alone in negotiating third-level life
Third-level disability supports are there to support students with their learning and adjustment to college life
‘I got to talk to people who had done the course or were teaching the course’
Ronan Meleady is a fourth year law and politics student at the University of Limerick
Humanity misses climate target, booking.com scam ads, and Belfast cafe hit by US sanctions
Early Edition with Aideen Finnegan
Most primary and secondary students refused to go to school at least once last year
Anxiety, difficulties engaging with lessons and friendship problems cited as reasons in Barnardos study
My daughter’s classmates have left for a grind school and she is desperate to join them
Grind schools have grown in popularity but they are not a guarantee of high achievement
The issues worrying students – and parents – when it comes to Leaving Cert 2026 results and CAO offers
Next Tuesday at 3pm is the cut-off point for receipt of acceptance of CAO round-one offers
A parent’s guide to helping your children start college life
‘Almost 4,500 every year in Ireland do not progress from year one to year two … There’s a lot of unhappy students and parents’
Advice for college first years: ‘You need to force yourself to go to at least one club’
If initially it can seem a bit hard to break into circles, clubs and societies are key to settling in to college life, says one fourth year
Reality of Irish schools is far from ‘placing children at the centre’
An overstretched system is placing school communities under serious strain
Cost of college: How much can you expect to pay for third-level education in Ireland?
Rent, food, travel, books, laptops and the €2,500 contribution fee add up to a considerable amount for students and families
Starting college: ‘The social life, making new friends, new connections, the education’
New horizon beckons for teenager who hails from DRC but has progressed from St Aidan’s Community School in Tallaght
Relief at securing a college place: ‘I’m just going to enjoy Galway city’
Having been denied Dare, Grace McNamara is very excited to have secured an arts place
CAO points and college places: Good news and bad for the class of 2026
For some, the good fortune of high points is countered by the misfortune of random selection
How to study at third level and what to expect in your first year
Many students find the change from learning at second level challenging, but there are a variety of supports in place
Education matters: ‘Committing to something for four years, I needed to think about it’
When the offer came through, Alex Murphy was unsure if he wanted to pursue the course
‘It felt like I’d won’: CAO delight on anniversary of teen’s diabetes diagnosis
Danny Goff says moving to Maynooth will pose challenges, but he can’t wait to get started
CAO round one offers bring delight, surprise and disappointment
Applications for veterinary medicine, physiotherapy and medicine all increased this year
Got a CAO offer? The temptation is to accept immediately, but take your time
How to accept or defer – and what happens if you get an upgrade in your Leaving Cert points
Skills-based FET courses versus traditional university education: Which are the real routes to opportunity?
What are the outcomes for respective graduates, particularly on durability of skills and earning potential, in the age of AI?
What is an apprenticeship and would it work for me?
Being paid while you study is a key factor, and there are more than 80 programmes available across all sectors of the economy
Apprenticeships: ‘It’s hard, working and studying at the same time’
A social media post planted the idea of an accounting technician’s apprenticeship in Lauren Hickey’s head
What’s college life like for disabled students?
Specialised disability support services are improving, but stigma still exists and transition to third level can be a challenge
‘Sending just one secondary school child back to school could cost more than €1,000′
Conor Pope’s guide to surviving the September squeeze on your finances
Restricted courses: It’s difficult when everyone around you is going, ‘oh, you’ll get in’
Students typically apply for restricted courses earlier in the CAO process
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices