Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
606. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the 2020 CAO entrance points will be applied to the leaving certificate 2020 cohort that will be resitting exams in November 2020. [25281/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the HEIs Decisions on admissions, including deadlines for submission of applications or acceptance of offers, are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. As such, neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO.
I understand, based on the information available to me, that students who opt to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations in November and who receive an improved CAO offer on foot of these results will receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. As these offers are still part of the 2020 application cycle, they will be based on 2020 CAO points.
However this is only the case for courses on the student's 2020 CAO application that are a higher preference than any they have yet been offered. If they wish to apply for a course that is not on their 2020 application, they will need to submit a 2021 CAO application and will be receive offers based on 2021 points levels for these courses.
