The collaborative schemes HEAR (Higher Education Access Route) and DARE (Disability Access Route to Education) have been developed by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) with the overall aim of widening access and participation in higher education for school-leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds or with a disability.
Over the years 2006-2011 the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has allocated €1.1m through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to support the development of these schemes by the IUA and participating institutions. Both schemes have now been mainstreamed and are being sustained through the overall core grant allocation of each participating institution.
In 2012 thirteen institutions participated in the DARE scheme for school-leavers with disabilities. These are NUI Maynooth, Trinity College Dublin, NUI Galway, University College Cork, University College Dublin, University of Limerick, Dublin City University, Dublin Institute of Technology, Mater Dei Institute, National College of Ireland, Pontifical University Maynooth, Athlone Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology.
Each college or university taking part in the DARE scheme has allocated a limited number of places on a reduced points basis for students entering through DARE. This number or quota is different for each college and university. Details of the quotas on the website of each college and university that takes part in the scheme (see www.accesscollege.ie) and are summarised in the following tables.
Information on the number of places being offered through the DARE scheme by each institution and faculty is not immediately available, but is being sought from participating institutions and will be forwarded to the Deputy. The overall number of applications, offers and acceptances through the DARE scheme for the academic year 2011 are detailed in the following tables. The number of applications has risen in 2012-13 and data on the final numbers of offers and acceptances for the academic year just starting will be available shortly.
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Application data
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DARE
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DARE
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Years
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2011
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2012
|
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Applications
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2551
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2,941
|
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Eligible Applications
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1279
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1,482
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Offers
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473
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-
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Acceptances
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419
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-
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Quotas 1st Year of
Undergraduates places DARE 2012
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AIT
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CIT
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DCU
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DIT
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Mater Dei Institute
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NCI
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NUIG
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Places are available on all Programmes for successful candidates. There is no set quota.
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2%
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5% of places on all courses
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5% of places on all courses
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Up to 10% on each undergraduate programme
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No restriction on the number of students who can come through DARE.
No set quotas
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20% quota in all courses; divided across 3 access target groups (i.e. HEAR, DARE & Mature Students)
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NUIM
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TCD
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UCC
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UCD
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UL
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Pontifical University Maynooth
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4%
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22% (with a baseline of 18%) quota in all courses; divided across 3 access target groups (i.e. HEAR, DARE & Mature Students)
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Minimum 5% of 1st year intake 3 % on reduced points quota in all undergraduate programmes
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Minimum of 15% in all courses; divided across 3 access target groups (i.e. HEAR, DARE & Mature Students)
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5% of places on all courses
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4%
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