Third Level Admissions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 March 2021

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

Questions (627)

Marc MacSharry

Question:

627. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a student (details supplied) who sat the leaving certificate exams in November and December 2020 and gained an additional 70 points as a result, will be offered a higher preference course on their CAO application 2020 despite accepting the offer of a lower preference course in the absence of the additional 70 points they now have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11134/21]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

The CAO process applications for undergraduate, and some postgraduate, courses on behalf of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Decisions on admissions, including deadlines for submissions of applications, are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO in this matter.

Students whose November Leaving Certificate results entitled them to a higher preference offer based on their 2020 CAO application will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. Such offers are part of the 2020 application cycle, and therefore will be based on the 2020 CAO points.

If a students' improved results does not bring them into consideration for a higher preference choice based on their 2020 CAO application they may choose to submit an application for 2021, if they have not already done so. Although the initial deadline for CAO applications has passed, the late application facility will be open from 5th March to 1st May, allowing students to apply for all non-restricted courses.