CAO helpdesk: Put your questions on 2023 college offers to our guidance counsellors

Q: Dear Brian Howard and Deirdre Garrett and the Irish Times … I just wanted to wholeheartedly thank ye for all your help with tirelessly answering all our questions… it really means so so much … Best wishes.

A: You are most welcome, it is a tricky time for many with a lot of difficult decisions to be made and the associated emotions running high, so we are glad to help in any way we can.

Q: Is points for nursing in Trinity likely to fall in second round

A: There really is no way of knowing until all the replies are in from those that are currently holding offers. If some of them don’t accept their places, then more places will be offered in the next rounds. Last year the points did drop on the general programme from 434 to 429 so it can happen. Fingers crossed.

Q: My son has been accepted for his 3rd choice in Waterford University. . However, he has decided he wants to do his 5th choice, which requires lower points in TUD. How do we go about changing his course?

A: Unfortunately, once he received his 3rd preference offer all his lower preferences are now gone, even if he was entitled to a place on them. The system will try to move him up towards his top preference but will never offer him anything lower than what he has been offered.

Q: I have received my first round offer and am thrilled. However I was .75 off the next grade in 2 subjects if I appeal the result and get marked lower will I lose my college place?

A: In theory the colleges reserve the right to remove a place from someone who is not entitled to it, so if you drop your points and are no longer entitled to your place, this is something to think about. In practice I have not heard of one person who has lost a place like this. This is why we advise people to view scripts beforehand. At .75 you are very close, so it looks like it could be worth your while trying.

Q: Hello.. was there a drop in points for medicine last year during the 2nd round of offers..?? Thank you

A: Yes , UG dropped by 1 point & TCD by 4, so yes it does happen.

Q: Can I appeal 3 papers? I’m 5% off one grade, 1.25% off another grade. I’m 11 points short my 1st choice. What are the chances of getting an upgrade with these low % off? How do I make an appeal?

A: Yes you can appeal as many of your papers as you wish, bear in mind this year you have to pay for appeals - €40 per subject. You apply for appeals in the Candidate Self Service Portal where you got your results. Applications open on Sunday at 10am and close on Monday at 5pm - tight timeline. There is really no of knowing what your chances are. If you are viewing your scripts you will get someidea where you stand. Best of luck.

Q: Hi, I have 554 Cao points (41 IB). My first option was Biomedical (trinity) and my second chemistry (trinity). I received an offer for chemistry and I would like to know if I have any chance to receive another offer for biomedical at Trinity. Thanks!

A: Biological and Biomedical Science in TCD this year is 566. Last year it started at 578 and dropped to 566 at the last round. So there is hope and precedent for a drop. However there is no way of knowing until round 2 if there will be a drop or by how much. Fingers crossed.

Q: What were the points for TR311 please?

A: In the points chart for TCD it is saying n/a. Having spoken to somebody on the helpline in TCD the could not assist with this query. They suggest you put your query to academicregistry@tcd.ie and they will get back to you.

Q: Can you defer a college place to do a plc?

A: In order to defer a college place you must contact the admissions office to seek their approval. One of the reasons for deferral is to take a year to mature a little more or find out a little more about the course area in the likes of a PLC course. So yes, there would be many who would defer to do a PLC course.

Q: Hello, this year I got 41 points in IB and for the biomedical science course in Trinity the requirement was 42 points. In CAO points this would translate to 554 in comparison to the 566 points needed for the first round offers. Do you think there is a realistic chance where I could get an offer in the next rounds? Thank you!

A: Nobody will know for sure until round 2 offers on Sept 11th. Trinity is a very popular college. A drop of 12 pts would be a lot. But again, nothing will be definite until 2 pm Sept 11th.

Q: I have received first choice offer in level 7 list and a second choice offer in level 8 list. If I accept the level 7 first choice, is it still possible that I can receive a higher choice (first choice) in the level 8 list at a later date , and I could then accept it if offered ( i.e. - have already accepted the level 7 choice. )

A:Y es. Accepting your level 7 will have no impact on higher up preferences in your level 8 in future rounds.

Q: What were the points for TR548 pls?

A: 576 pts. Hope that this helps

Q: Can you tell me how many points Sociology and Middle Eastern studies at TCD was? Finding it hard to get that information in CAO website?

A: It was 496 points.

Q: My son received his first choice option in the Level 7 section but only his fourth choice in Level 8 courses. He is thinking of deferring the Level 7 offer and doing a PLC to ensure the Level 7 course is right for him. I understand that he has to reapply next year for the the deferred course. My question is: next year can he still reapply for the Level first choice he really wants?

A: In the deferral proceedure, you can defer one course and the following year apply for that one course through the CAO. If you apply for more than that one course then you loose the deferred place and are in open competition again for the all courses including the one that was deferred.

Q: Do you know how to to contact the addmission office in UCC as I can’t find anything except online forms but I didnt get any answer by filling in the form?

A: The number for admissions in UCC is (021)4903571.

Q: I want to ensure that the CAO is made aware that my irish and language exemption hadnt been uploaded into the CAO form even though I had sent all the relevant documents through in jan 2023. I have now hand delivered these too NUI yesterday again and even though they say I will be considered for round 2, for DN 700, I got 446 points higher than the 444 access points how does the computer know to relook at forms, it might automatically just look at lower points. How do I highlight this to CAO?

A: In round one you were deemed inelligible for course DN700 if you did not have a pass in a language and Irish or if you not have an exemption from these. It is unfortunate that your documents seem to have got lost in the system. When your Statement of Application Email was sent in May did you not check to see if the exemptions were in place? Now that you have supplied the documents again to the NUI and have spoken to them, they will be processed immediately and the CAO will be made aware of your exemption from languages and Irish. In round 2 you will now be deemed an elligible applicant for this course and if you are entitled to a place on the course on the basis of your points (which you are based on 446) you will be should be offered a place in round 2. The system is well used to handling this situation. If it puts your mind at ease you could email CAO to highlight the issue, but I’m sure they will be looking after this.

A: Can you please advise on the Leaving Cert marking policy please. My daughter achieved a scire of 89.75 in higher level LC English. We are very shocked that her score has not been rounded up by the requisite quaternof 1% making her score an HI and giving her an additional 12 points. I am not Irish and am therfore perplexed by this score. If you could shed any light on what she can do to remedy this, we would be most grateful. Thank you.

A: Scores like this are not automatically rounded up to the next whole number. There are many students who have scores such as this. I would refer you to the Candidate Information Guide 2 and 3 where you will get detailed information on the marking of examination papers and results. Both these guides are available on the State Examinations website www.examinations.ie .

Q: Hi. My daughter accepted her first choice which was business and is delighted. She logged into the university system and saw a reference to tuition fees being about €5,800. Does this include the government subsidy? My understanding was that fees were much lower. She’s a first time student and is an EU citizen. Thank you.

A: Tuition fees will be paid by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for Irish / EU nationals entering third level for the first time and who have been ordinarily resident in the EU for at least 3 of the 5 years preceding entry to third level. If you are eligible under the Higher Education Free Fees scheme you will have to pay the Student Contribution; the ‘free fees’ scheme will pay the other element of the published programme fee. A charge of €3,000 is payable by each student to cover non-tuition student services.

Q: Is DN700 points level the same irrespective of which options you have chosen?

A: Yes they are. 444 round 1, 2023.

Q: My son got Biomedical Engineering at University of Galway but is no longer sure he wants that at all. I hope he starts the course. How soon must he ‘drop out’ in the autumn if it really isn’t his thing - to not lose the government subsidy for the next 1st year of study when he re-applies and gets another course?

A: These dates can vary from university to university, so I would recommend he contacts the fees office in Galway to find out when they draw down the first tranche of fees from the Government. Usually colleges draw down fees from the government in two tranches. If he leaves before the first tranche is drawn down then the next first year will not be affected. Generally the first tranche is drawn down in October and the second in January, but I stress this varies from college to college and he needs to find out from the fees office in Galway.

Q: I am considering reapplying next year with my grades. I anticipate the point thresholds will fall as it looks like the government will come under more pressure from Universities to pull back on grade inflation. Is your hunch that we will see a little bit of downward pressure on minimum points next year?

A: Many students got a CAO offer and many courses and subject areas saw a drop in points this year. However, certain courses will always remain popular and hence won’t see a huge drop off in points.

Q: If my son refuses his first round offer he has received will he get any other offer of his other choices which are lower points

A: It depends what preference his offer was, i.e. first preference, second preference, etc. If the offer is his first preference he will not receive any further offers. If for example it was his fifth preference he then could possibly get an offer above his 5th preference is he becomes entitled to it. You can always move up your list but not move down. So fingers crossed.

Q: My son does got a college place last year but was not happy with the course and re-applied for this year. He got 2 offers but wants to defer a year, how does he do that without it costing more if he does it at a later date?

A: If your son completed first year in his last course he has now used up his free fees for the first year of a course. If he does first year again in another course he will not get the free fees for this new first year and could end up having to pay in excess of €6/7 thousand depending on the course. Whether your son starts the new course now or defers it for a year, it doesn’t matter, the above will apply.

Q: What are good reasons to defer a course? I’m planning to do a PLC as it is the best option for me financially

A: There are many different reasons why a student might defer a place. It may be as you mentioned, for financial reasons where a student may have difficulty affording college and may need to work for the year to save for going to college. Some may not be 100% sure the course is right for them and might want to do a related PLC course to see if the subject area is for them, - use the PLC as a taster year. Others might have different family circumstances that mean they need to defer for a year, etc. Deferring a place is a great feature of the system that allows students to take a breather for a year if they need to, safe in the knowledge their place is on hold for them.

Q: Can you tell me howmany points TR272 was ?

A: 522

Q: I am a few percentage points off my next grade up in English which would easily qualify me for my preferred course. However, with the 8% boost, my real marks are closer to the grade below. Would I be running to great a risk of being downgraded if I was to seek a recheck of my paper?

A: All candidates who appeal run the risk of being downgraded. I would advise you to make an application for viewing of script. You will be more informed after this and can then decide on whether to make an appeal or not.

Q: I am 10 points off my first choice. CAO offered me my second choice. If I appeal a paper and get the 10 points will I automatically get a place on my first course.

A: The college will give you a late offer if they still have places on the course. They may have to hold a place for you on this course for Sept 2024.

Q: My son has completed year 1 in University of Galway and has received an offer of another course. Can he transfer to year 2 of the new course. What would you advise.

A: I would advise you to phone the Admissions Office. I don’t know enough information about the original course and the new one that your son is entering into. It is not common practice though.

Q: How do I download copy of leaving Certificate results to send to Ulster university

Log into your account on the Candidate Self Service Portal and there is an option to print / save your certificate of provisional results.

Q: If I appeal and my points go up will I get the course I want this year or have to wait until next year?

A: The college will give you a late offer if they still have places on the course. They may have to hold a place for you on this course for Sept 2024.

Q: On appeals, can your oral grade for a language change/is it remarked?

A: You can apply to have it rechecked and the marking of these will be rechecked by the examiner.

Q: I got an offer from CAO but I decided not go to university. What can I do now?

A: If you have decided that university is not for you at this time there are many other options out there depending on your interest. Some of these include doing a PLC course, doing an apprenticeship, getting a job, gardai, military, training programme, taking a gap year, etc. There are lots of options out there so take your time to research what is out there and might be suitable for you.

Q: If on appeal you get the points for your 1st choice, can you leave the course you seected and join the 1st choice course in end Oct or the next year without incurring full tuition fees for 1st year?

A: If you get upgraded in October and become entitled to a place on your first choice you will be offered a place on this course. This may be an immediate start in October or if the college cannot offer this they will offer a deferred place for the following year. If you get offered a deferred place and meanwhile continue and finish first year in the course you accepted originally there very well could be a fees issue in your new first year course the following year. Contact the fees office for exact information for that college.

Q: Someone told my mother that I get extra CAO points in some universities because I have represented Ireland in a sport. Is that correct? If so, do I apply directly to universities for this? I’m probably too late this year but I’m doing a PLC anyway. Could I apply for this next year?

A: Yes, some colleges has elite sports scholarship schemes which may sometimes have a reducation in points as part of the scholarship. One that springs to mind is DCU. I think you are probably too late this year. I would suggest contacting the colleges you are interested in attending and asking them about their range of sports scholarships and what is included in the scholarship.

Q: Do you know when appeal results are likely to be issued? Is it possible that they could be issued in time for CAO Round 2 on the 11th of September?

A: Appeal results will more than likely not be available until October is previous years are anything to go by. They will definitly not be available for round 2 unfortunately.

Q: Is there a way to find out what courses become “available” regularly? We have some wishing for CK123 who didn’t put it higher up in preference. Just wondering if it ever appears in the “available” section or is that a non runner.

A: I don’t think that it appeared last year. Points didn’t fall from round 1 and round 2 in 2022. Try calling their Admissions Office.

Q: I finished my leaving cert in 2018 and finally applied this year to college. I got place for my first choice but I’m not sure to take the place because my circumstances. My question is if I don’t want to go to college what do I have to do? Simply just not clicking the accept button?

A: Not accepting it results in rejecting the offer. You could look for a deferral. Please refer to pg 28

Q: I have a DARE application, but still didn’t get my first 2 offers with making the points for my second option and all the entry requirements

A: If you have the points and met the entry requirements for your second preference then you should have been offered it yesterday. If this hasn’t happened then you need to contact the CAO to query why. Contact them through your application and give them all your details and see what they come up with.

Q: If a student gets his 1st Preference Offer L8 yesterday, but then Appeals/Rechecks his subjects and his points go up, is he eligible to apply for a course that he previously did not have on his CAO Llst ? In other words, can he reapply for ‘New’ courses that were not on his original CAO List?

A: No, the final date for changing your CAO is July first. Rechecks do not change this.

Q: My daughter is currently in TUD finished first year but has been offered a place in UCD. what are the costs involved in shifting courses in terms of annual fees and registration?

A: If she has already completed a first year in another course then she will have to pay the full economic cost for her second first year with no contribution from the government. Depending on the course it could be in the vicinity of €7000 or above. The best way to find out is to contact the fees office in UCD and seek their guidance on this.

Q: My son, a DARE applicant with an exemption from Irish, was expecting to be offered Arts in Maynooth which is 310. He got 301 but was hoping for an offer with DARE. Did he need to apply to NUI for an exemption from Irish in addition to his Department of Education exemption?

A: Yes. NUI require you to fill out an exemption form and send it to their head office along with proof of your DES exemption. NUI head office forward this to CAO and is used to override the language entry requirement. I suggest that you contact NUI office immediately on 353 (1) 439 24 24. Best of luck. Get back on if you need more support.

Q: CAO Round Two Offers - medicine. In some HEI, I note that not all candidates received an offer even though they obtained the necessary grades. Is there any way of knowing available places for Round Two medicine ? Is there any way of knowing likelihood of places being available in round two?

A: No, I’m afraid not. All the places that were offered yesterday are in the hands of the applicants and until the colleges know how many of them are not accepting their place they will not know how many places if any will be offered in round 2.

Q: My daughter is under DARE. She got 543 points. She had applied for OT in Trinity and her second choice was Speech and Language in Trinity. Points for OT were 544 and SLT 545. However she was offered SLT, her 2nd choice which was higher points. I am guessing it’s something to do with Dare. Can we query this.

A: She may have faced less competition from other DARE applicants for SLT programme. I would advise you to contact the Access Office at TCD. You could ask if a transfer was possible? Also, accepting a lower preference course in an earlier offer round will not prevent you from receiving an offer in a subsequent round of a course higher up on your course choices list if you are deemed eligible. Should a place become available in a later round, and if you are entitled to this place, you may receive an offer which you can choose to accept or ignore.

Q: I have been offered my second choice. I am appealing 2 papers. I will also be requesting a deferral. If my deferral is accepted, will this affect my chance of being offered my first choice, in the event my appeals are successful.

A: No. No matter whether you accept or defer your round 1 offer, you still remain in the running for a higher preference place and if you become entitled to a higher preference place (even through rechecks) you will be offered it regardless.

Q: For the first time in two years random selection has not been applied for dentistry courses. Do you think there’s a chance that cao points go slightly down for next round?

A: I’m afraid there is no way of knowing. All the places that were offered yesterday are in the hands of the applicants and until the 2 dentistry colleges know how many of them are not accepting their place they will not know how many places if any will be offered in round 2.

Q: My daughter got 555 points in LC. She has both HEAR and DARE but she’s offers 4th choice of engineering common entry in AUS which is 110 points less than she got. She also applied for radiation therapy in TUD and for that she’s only 10 points short and speech and language therapy in TUD and for then she’s more than required points. Please tell me why she’s not offered a place ine TUD for any of these courses even with HEAR and DARE? Please help

A: Did she meet the maths req of O6/H6 for this course in TUD? Check the entry requirements for both courses. CAO will issue an offer once all minimum requirements and CAO points are met (DARE candidiates may get an offer on a reduced points basis). Get back on if you need more help.

Q: I was offered my 2nd choice but want my first which is TUD 856 computer studies (infrastructure) which is 441. I got 432 points. Is there any chance will be offered it in the second round?

A: Is it TU857 you are asking about? This is Computer Science infrastructure. This course took a big jump this year to 441 from 415 last year so there may be scope for a slight drop back in the next rounds. But whether it will go down to 432 is hard to know.

Q: If you accept your first choice but really want your second choice but it hasn’t come up yet what do you do?

A: If you are offered your first choice then you will never be offered anything below this as the CAO is trying to get you as near as possible to your first choice. Once offered this all lower choices disappear from your list. It doesn’t matter whether you accept, reject or defer the first choice offer.

Q: By mistake I did not put my exam number on my CAO application. I did very well in my Leaving Cert. However I did not get any offers. I have now updated my exam number and have emaled the CAO to ask if I could be considered for second round offers. Is there anything else I can do?

A: No, you will just have to wait until round two and hope that if you are entitled to a place on a course, you will be offered it.

Q: My son wishes to defer what is the process?

A: If you go to www.cao.ie, click on handbook and scroll to page 28. All instructions for defferals are listed here. In essence, don’t accept the place, apply to admissions office of appropriate college for deferal asap and they will get back to applicant very quickly with decision. If granted you don’t need to do anything.

Q: I want to apply for one of the available places on CAO. Should I first accept my round one offer in case i am unsuccessful? Its confusing.

A: Yes, I would accept what you have been offered so you have something. Then go through the available place proceedure putting the available place course some above what you have been offered and then you will be considered it for the next round. If you are offered it your previously accepted place will be gone.

Q: How can UCD Ec and Fi be 618 points? There is no obvious combination of grades to give this figure.

A: The points score of the last person to receive an offer in that round is the cut-off point for that course, i.e. the points that are published for that course for that round. It could be European results converted to CAO points that are giving that figure.

Q: My exam number was not linked to my CAO application , I have added and corrected the application , will I be considered for a second round offer ?

A: Yes. CAO will make you an offer once you meet entry requirements and cut off points. Providing that there is places available on this course after round 1 offers.

Q: If I defer my course can I still apply for vacant places?

A: Yes you can.

Q: My son received his 1st pref which was Marine Engineering MT764. However he is finding it very difficult to get his Medical (Seafarers) Cert issued, and has since decided that in fact he would prefer Electrical Engineering MT745 (which he has the points for but it was his 2nd pref on CAO). If he can’t accept the Marine Eng offer anyway due to medical Cert issue is there a chance he can get an offer on his 2nd pref? MT745 does not show on Available Courses right now though.

A: Only if MT745 appears on available places. He must put this as his first choice. He may then get offered it in round 2. As it stands CAO only offer courses higher up on your course choices list if you are deemed eligible. He received his first choice and all courses that lie below this are now obsolete. He could contact the college admissions office and seek advice regarding internal transferring. Or hope that it comes up under available places. I hope that I have answered your question. The best of luck.

Q: What are the points for TCD Computer Science & Business? (It’s not easy to find on CAO website)

A: 578 in round 1 2023

Q: if you do your first year in college and u want to transfer into the first year of another course in college, do they consider your leaving cert or the first year in college’s credits? and is it true u have to pay 3000 for the first year of the course you transfer to?

A: You make a new CAO application. You will be charged tuition fees as government only pay for you to do first year once. You need to contact the fees office of your college. Financial implication of this can be quite high.

Q: Is it possible for the arts CAO points to drop?

A: It will depend on the take up rate from yesterday’s offer. If deferral rate is high then more places become available to be offered in round 2. Colleges won’t even have this information yet. It is a waiting game until Sept 11th. The very best of luck and I hope that you get an offer.

Q: If I’m one point away for the points required by my first choice, is there a good chance of being offered it in a later round?

Q: What is the expected points cutoff for Medicine in Galway 2023 in final round of offers?

A: No way of knowing I’m afraid, there are too many unknown variables to consider at this stage. A lot will depend on what the curent people who have been offered places do - accept/defer/reject.

Q: If appeal results are not out until October, should you not accept second choice offer and wait?

A: Yes, if you have an interest in the course. If you don’t you could be left with no course at all.

Q: Can you tell me if International Commerce in UCD DN660 had 2nd round offers in the past few years? My daughter is only 1 point short

A: It didn’t drop from in points in any CAO rounds 2022. You never know though. Stay positive. It will depend on the number that defer or reject yesterday’s offer. I don’t have access to that information and UCD wouldn’t even know that yet. Nobody will know for certain until round 2 offers are issued on Sept 11th. The very best of luck.

Q: Is it possible to find out how many points CAO has calculated? I am a German high school graduate and can only roughly estimate the points. I also don’t know if my advanced Math subject was recognized as one. I received a good offer at DCU but would like to know if my preferred course at Trintiy is within reach.

A: I would contact the admissions office in TCD quoting your CAO application number and ask them what points they have for your application to their course. They are the best placed people to help you in this regard.

Q: I had applied for medicine at Galway and have 729* points and obviously random selection didn’t go my way in the 1st round. Is there any realistic chance i can get into medicine this year? Does it happen often or rarely ? And how do / why would points drop for Medicine for the 2nd round( if they do at all)?

A: Points will drop if not all yesterday’s successful applicants take up their offer. This course was 736* and went to 735* in round 2, 2022. We will not know unitl round 2 offers out Sept 11th. The very best of luck. I hope that you get an offer. Hard being so close.

Q: If I take my round 1 offer and start the course and through appeals get a course for 2024 will I have to pay the fees again?

A: Yes there is a possibility you may have to if you complete the year on your round one course. Contact the fees office in the college you are hoping to get into and ask them about the fees situation for you, given you have already completed a first year in a different course. Mention that this all came about as a result of an appeal.

Q: I got 554 points is there reasonable chance I will get DN600 DN610 OR TR081 round 2?

A: There is really no of knowing. It is in the hands of the people who were offered places on these courses yesterday. If they all accept the places then no more places may be offered and points will not lower in the next rounds.

Q: Despite having HEAR and DARE I got my fourth choice. I met all minimum requirements for the courses above. I was only 5 points off radiation therapy and this is definitely going to take a toll on my mental health as the fourth choice was in place as a security course as I was confident I would get one of my top 3. I come from a rural background and after working hard I found this result to be very unfair. What should I do now and should I keep any hope for an offer in round 2?

A: I feel that you should accept yesterday’s offer. Accepting a lower preference course in an earlier Offer Round will not prevent you from receiving an offer in a subsequent round of a course higher up on your course choices list if you are deemed eligible. Should a place become available in a later round, and if you are entitled to this place, you may receive an offer which you can choose to accept or ignore. Accepting the new offer will automatically cancel the previous acceptance. Points may go down but nobody will know for certain until Sept 11th. I would advise you to look at the content on your course offer. Is there a career pathway that could have you working with patients within the medical field?

Q: My son has the points for the course on his CAO form above the one he was offered however he is 0.5 per cent off the maths requirement for the course so is going to appeal his maths. That will take some time so wondering what if he gets offered another choice above the course with the maths requirement in future rounds of offers before the appeal relevant to this course is determined. In other words will he ever be offered a place on that course if he meets the maths requirement or will it be skipped over by the CAO.

A: My sense of this is that currently he is not a qualified applicant for the Maths req. course, so has not been offered a place on it. he is going to to get a recheck on his maths over the next few weeks. In the meantime if he becomes entitled to an even higher course in round 3 for example he will be offered that and he will have bypassed the Maths req. course. So even if he brings up the maths it will not give hima place on the course. CAO will always try to get him to his highest preference course possible.

Q: I was offered my 4th choice on Cao. My fifth is a preferred course now and I have 65 extra points for this. Is there any possibility of getting this course now? Ag in UCD

A: No, once you are offered your 4th choice, all course below that are now gone from your listings. You can always hope to move up but never down.

Q: If I get my first choice but don’t want it now - will I get other offers in next round if I don’t accept it?

A: No, once you are offered your 1st choice on a list (level 8 or 6/7) then you will not be offered anything else on that list. In the eyes of the CAO you are in the course you most wanted - your 1st choice.

Q: I had applied for medicine at Galway and have 728 points is there any chance i can get into medicine this year

A: It came out at 729 * and random selection. Hope that points will fall in round 2. You need to meet all requirements and points before CAO issue you an offer. The best of luck.

Q: I can’t find the points for the Business with Law joint honors course in Trinity, course code TR580

A: The points for Business and Law are 602.

Q: My daughter got 600 points , her first choice was 545 she did not get an offer . Can you explain why as she met the entry requirements

A: If she got 600 points and she is sure she has met all the entry requirements then she should have been offered a place. I would contact CAO with all her details and seek an explanation as to why she hasn’t been offered a place. She could also email admissions in TCD to see what is going on.

Q: I am applying on the my Baccalauréat Results from 2022. CAO have not yet received the results . Does this mean I have no hope of getting my 1st choice in the next round?

A: This very much depends on what course is your 1st choice and if the university has any places left on this course. If some applicants who were offered a place on the course today decide not to take up a place they were offered then your chances improve. It might be a good idea to speak to the admissions office in the university in question. They will not know who is accepting or not their places until the reply date but they may tell you if they have more places to offer in the next rounds.

Q: I got 150 points over the requirement for my first choice and did not get offered a place on TU modern music course, they say there may be a glitch

A: A requirement for entry into this course is an audition. Did you audition for a place on this course?

Q: I got more than 70 points over my course requirements for my first choice and am 100% sure that I have all the minimum subject requirements met, the same for Choices 2 and 3, but only got an offer for my 4th choice. What do I do? Something is not right.

A: CAO will issue you an offer once you meet all requirements and cut off points. Contact CAO. Are you exempt from Irish/ Language?

Q: My daughter who has DARE got her 4th choice in DCU but woukd really prefer her 2nd choice. She was 41 points below the 2nd choice, and 85 points below the 4th choice but got the 4th choice. Is there a chance she could get the 2nd choice in the later rounds?

A: Yes this could be possible but she would need DARE applicants to reject their offer received today. This would open up a space to make an offer to the next DARE applicant. The best of luck.

Q: Hi, I got 613 points in my Leaving Cert. I put Veterinary Medicine as Number 1 and Radiography as number 2. I was a day late submitting my practical application for Veterinary Medicine and I feel as a result I missed out on todays offers as a result of my huge blunder, but I got offered my 2nd choice of Radiography. Really all I want to do is Veterinary. I don’t know what to do!!! Should I accept Radiography and do that for a year and apply next year for Veterinary or should I take the year and get work experience with a Vet and apply for Veterinary again next year??? Any advice welcome

A: I would try to speak with someone in admissions in UCD and in the Vet department and get a sense of what is possible and what is not. E.g. if you started Radiography, could you possibly transfer to Vet after 1st term? Speak to them and see what the possibilities are. If there are no possible options within UCD then I would consider taking the year out and getting good work experience with a vet, maybe earn some money and reapply next year for Vet Medicine. In this way you will not use up one years subsidised fees and will pay the normal €3,000 next year.

Q: My daughter got 589 points in her LC she didn’t get her 1st choice (589) due to random selection she is appealing 2 papers one is currently 89.25% if her points increase can she be offered a place on her 1st choice course

A: Yes, if her points increase and she becomes entitled to a place she will be offered this in probably October. If she goes above 589 she will be entitled to a place outright.

Q: I received 600 points, and my chosen course - Clinical Speech & Language Studies at TCD was 545, 10 points less than last year. I didn’t get a place. I met all of the entry requirements. Could you explain why I didn’t get a place please?

A: If you got 600 points and you are sure you have met all the entry requirements then you should have been offered a place. I would contact CAO with all your details and seek an explanation as to why you haven’t been offered a place. You could also email admissions in TCD to see what is going on.

Q: I got 564 points. my first choice is Law options in UCD which is 565 points. what are the chances that the required points for this course will fall in round two?

A: Last year this course dropped from 569 to 566 so it can happen. This is in the hands of those who were offered places today. If all accept their place, then theoretically no more offers will be made and the points will not drop. If some do not accept their place for whatever reason then further offers will be made and points may drop.

Q: Hi. I got 564 points in the leaving cert. my first choice is law with politics in UCD which is 565 points. is there any chance that the points required for this course will drop in round two as they have a history of doing so. thanks in advance

Q: I would like to appeal one or two exams. Would this change my UCD offer that I have already accepted?

A: I advise viewing your scripts first before appealing. If you are in danger of going down a grade then be careful appealing these subjects. If you are close to going up a grade then you are generally safe to appeal. While the appeal is happening you have your place in UCD and if you are upgraded and become entitled to a new offer, it is your choice whether to stay in UCD or move to the new course.

Q: How many points was TR324 Film and Spanish in Trinity?

A: Film Studies and Spanish was 578.

Q: I didn’t receive the cao offer that I wanted however I was 2% off getting a distinction that I needed. What can I do? Who can I contact?

A: You can appeal your LCVP results and any other subjects you feel you might be upgraded in and hope your points go up. Also there is a chance the points needed might come down in the next rounds so fingers crossed one of these might give you the right result.

Q: In principle, am I correct to assume that an English student would be charged 2,500 for a degree course at Trinity under the Free Fees Scheme and with the 500 euro contribution that it looks like we would receive from SUSI if we apply soon?

A: You are best placed to contact the fees office in TCD and give them your details. They will be in a position to tell you what your fees will be.

Q: If you have already accepted your CAO offer can you still add on a course from available places?

A: Yes, it is almost identical to using the change of mind facility. You can add a course to whatever position above the one you have been offered and you will be offered it if entitled to a place in the next round.

Q: Any ideas as to when we will be informed of a date for the appeals results to be released? Are all results typically released at the same time or as soon as your paper is re-corrected? Based on previous years or predictions, when can we expect to have results by?

A: SEC will first need to identifiy the number of appeal applications and subjects made by candidates. The deadline for this is not until Sept 4th. I expect that we will hear a date for results shortly after this. Results from appeals tend to be in mid/ late October.

Q: I received an offer today, my second choice so I am very happy. But I live abroad and may ask for a deferral to give me time to organise everything, find a room etc. If I defer, do I lose the possibility of getting a better offer (my first choice)?

A: No. You may still be offered higher preference courses in future rounds. Asking for a deferral will have no impact on your inclusion in future rounds.

Q: Are the points for economics courses up on down in Trinity & UCD?

A: DN710 increased by 2. Can you send me the code for Trinity Economic courses that you want me to investigate.

Q: I sent in a question earlier - I got 589 points per the attached Trinity are indicating 590 for Joint Honours Maths and Spanish. But apart from involving LCVP in your score 590 is not really a result one can achieve?

A: It could be someone with LCVP or it could be someone from another country calculating their points according to their results in their school leaving examination.

Q: My daughter was offered a place in UCD but would rather do another course there which she hadn’t put on her CAO. The points are similar and she has enough to do both? Could she swap courses if she contacts UCD directly?

A: Every college has their own rules about internal transfers. I would advise you to contact admission office at UCD either by email or by phone.

Q: My son got enough points for his first choice but never linked his exam number to his cao application. We have done so now. Will he get a spot on his chosen course?

A: If the college have space on his first choice course then they will offer him a place in round 2. It is up to the admissions office in the college. A phone call to them tomorrow might be no harm.

Q: Submitted a question earlier but didnt mention the course. First choice DC123 and got 520 points but forgot to put my exam number on CAO. Am I depending on someone rejecting their offer and me getting it in round 2 now?

A: Yes if the college have offered all places. I would be confident that you will get an offer in round 2.

Q: I received first round offers today into college, it wasn’t my first choice but I dont have enough points for that. Should I accept first offer or wait to see if I get it on next round of offers. I don’t want to be left with no course if I refuse first offer. Thanks

A: Accepting a lower preference course in an earlier Offer Round will not prevent you from receiving an offer in a subsequent round of a course higher up on your course choices list if you are deemed eligible. Should a place become available in a later round, and if you are entitled to this place, you may receive an offer which you can choose to accept or ignore. Accepting the new offer will automatically cancel the previous acceptance. If you accept your offer online you will receive an acknowledgement email, and you can check that your acceptance has been recorded online at www.cao.ie

Q: Veterinary nursing UCD 518 points. Is it likely to drop much for round 2 offers?

A: Nobody will know until round 2 offers are made on Sept 11th. It didn’t drop last year. It was 500 in round 1 and 2 2022. Point drop in round 2 will be dependent on the take up on offers released today. The best of luck.

Q: Hi I got 420 in my LC and I applied to Agricultural Science in UCD (specifically Equine Science branch) and online I see the points for the course being 400 (on careers portal website) However I didn’t receive an offer and I know these points aren’t last years as last years are 419 or in that region. I’m wondering if this is a mistake of the CAO or have the points gone up as I was surprised that I didn’t receive an offer.

A: I would advise you to check to ensure that you have met the necessary entry requirements for this course. CAO should email you a statement of application if no offers have been received. You need to check that everything is correct on this statement. Contact CAO if you identify any errors on this statement.

Q: My daughter is considering reapplying next year. She had 546 points and needed 500 points for the course. It was her 8th choice. Can she reapply next year in the hope points fall for her preferred courses and safe in the knowledge that she is very likely to get onto the course she won a place on this year. It will also give her more time to find accommodation.

A: Yes. She will need to make a new CAO application. CAO will open in November. Anothe roption would be for her to start with her course that she got offered today and still reapply to CAO for higher preference courses. A tuition fee would be charged if this was to happen.

Q: Is it possible to defer a college place AND pursue a QQI pathway through a Plc in the hope of getting her dream university next year? Or are a deferral and a QQI pathway application mutually exclusive on the CAO form next year?

A: If you defer a college place, to take up that deferred place next year you must apply through the CAO and only place that course on the CAO form. If you put any course on the form (even if coming from a PLC course) you loose the deferred place and are back competing with everyone in the normal way for the places on the CAO form.

Q: If I accept the CAO offer I got, will I still get offers in the second round?

Q: I got my first choice Level 8 offer and my third choice level 7 offer. My preference overall is my first or second choice level 7. If I accept the level 8 course does this rule me out for higher offers in round 2 at level 7?

A: Accepting a lower preference course in an earlier Offer Round will not prevent you from receiving an offer in a subsequent round of a course higher up on your course choices list if you are deemed eligible. Should a place become available in a later round, and if you are entitled to this place, you may receive an offer which you can choose to accept or ignore. Accepting the new offer will automatically cancel the previous acceptance. If you accept your offer online you will receive an acknowledgement email. Accepting your level 8 will not affect future round offers for your list of level 7 and 8 courses.

Q: Is there anywhere I can find out how many spots on a course are reserved for HEAR students? I couldn’t find the policy information on the HEAR website or on the ATU Letterkenny website about how many spaces there would be. I was hoping I might get an offer as I was very close to the points criteria but unfortunately not yet as of round 1

A: You could email or contact the admissions office of the college in question. I couldn’t find this info either. Make sure that you check the requiremenst for this course. Best of luck.

Q: My son did his leaving cert in 2020. He started his level 8 course in the November. All his course was on line and he didn’t like the course so he dropped out in March. He has reapplied to the CAO this year and has been offered a place in another course. What will the fees cost us as parents this year?

A: It is likely you will have to pay the full economic fee for this 1st first year as the government have already subsidised one first year. It depends on the course what these fees might be. It will certainly be in the region of €6500 or above. Contact the fees office in the college involved to get there advice.

Q: My daughter got an offer for biotechnology in Athlone but is hoping she might get another offer on the second round … does she have to accept that offer now? Also she is looking at a plc in Dunboyne in science but if she does the plc and doesn’t like the science course can she progress to college next year and take up a totally different course?

Q: My son received an offer for his third choice. He doesn’t know whether to accept this or do a plc (he has his place) which may lead to an offer of his 1st/2nd choice next year. If he didn’t get an offer through plc would be still be able to accept his deferred place?

A: Yes but he can only place this deferred course on next years CAO. Otherwise he will lose this deferral. Please read about deferrals on pg 28 of this link

Q: I am a student from Northern Ireland had applied to Trinity via CAO and their Feasibility study but is seems I have not managed to secure a place in my chosen courses in round 1. Is there any chance that I can still be offered a place? I only did 3 A levels so I am already down in points despite achieving AAB *including Maths. Please can you advise if there is anything further I can do or if I can go on a waiting list or consider other courses at Trinity?

A: I think the best thing you can do this evening is to put your query to the admissions team in TCD and see what they come back with. they will have all the facts about your application. Tomorrow, I would follow up with a phone call and try get an assessment of where your application is at.

Q: I am looking to find out if the DARE scheme offers are all sent out in round1? I seen online the lowest entry for round 1 offers for my course was 589, would this have included DARE applicants or are these kept confidential?

A: They would be teh points reached by the last candidate who got a place on this course. Not a DARE applicant on a reduced points basis.

Q: I got almost 50 points over my second choice and 100 over my third but was offered my fourth choice

A: Hi please ensure you have the minimum entry requirements and/or any subject/grade requirements for the courses in question. These must fulfilled as well as the points in order to be made a course offer.

Q: I have been offered Nursing in Trinity. My first choice was Sports science and Health . Is there any path way to study Sports Science and Health if I accept Nursing?

A: There are many masters in the area of Sport Science. Entry requirements may vary from one institution to another. Look at the link and check out the requirements here. Many options and opportunities from a nursing degree that can involve sport injuries and recovery.

Q: My son got no offer today from the CAO despite appearing to get the points needed for a course in UCD - what should I do?

A: If he is entitled to an offer it should be in his CAO application account. If no offer is there then he should have received an email with his statement of application included. If neither of these have happened then he needs to contact CAO with your CAO details and ask what is happening with the application.

Q: My daughter has been offered her second choice Psychology in UL. Her first choice is Psychology in Galway (531 points). She achieved 530 points. Could she be offered her 1st choice in Galway in second round? She has secured campus accommodation in Galway which has to be paid by Friday.

A: She may receive an offer of Psychology in Galway on a second round. Liaise with the student accommodation office in relation to her campus accommodation.

Q: Get the points and requirements wasn’t accepted

A: Contact CAO. Something not right.

Q: I have been offered my fifth choice and I’d like a choice I gave beneath this. If I don’t accept what I’ve been offered might I be offered something below it?

A: All courses below your fifth choice are now obsolete. You will only be offered a course which is higher on your list in a subsequent round or rounds. You will not be offered something below it.

Q: The date for submitting appeals is the 3rd September. What date does one receive the answer to the appeal?

A: This date has yet to be released. Usually mid/late October

Q: I got 500 points on the Leaving Cert and need 509 points for Accounting and Finance at DCU. Am I likely to get an offer in the second round?

A: You may get a second round offer but there’s no guarantee. There was no change in the points for this course between the first and second round offers in 2022.

Q: I got 500 points on the Leaving Cert and need 509 points for Accounting and Finance at DCU. Am I likely to get an offer in the second round?

A: You may get a second round offer but there’s no guarantee. There was no change in the points for this course between the first and second round offers in 2022.

Q: How can I choose my second choice when I’ve been offered my first choice

A: You can’t. Once you are offered your first choice your second choice disappears from your listing. You can never down your choices.

Q: I’m planning to appeal two of my papers. I was wondering that if both go up a grade, and I get the points for my no.1, will I definitely get an offer for that course in either Round 2/3? I’m only asking this as I’m worried the course would fill up. If it did fill up and I later got enough points, would I still be eligible?

A: If you are upgraded you should get an offer but you may have to wait for 2024 academic year.

Q: I got 589 points and missed out on first choice by 1pt. Websites are saying 590 for my course - but 590 isn’t a possible score....?

A: Can you resubmit your question and include the course code, please

Q: No offer yet but have enough points

A: Have you received a statement of application record by email? If so check that everything is ok on this. If everything seems fine and you have no offer email the CAO to query what the problem may be.

Q: I didn’t get any offers so far and I also didn’t get a Statement of Application email today. What now? (I’m foreign if that adds anything)

A: Contact CAO immediately. Contact details in link

Q: Should I recieve both a level 8 and level 7 offer. I Got my level 8 choice but now I prefer my level 7? What can I do?

A: Many students receive both a Level 8 and Level 7 offer if they fulfill the criteria. Consider your offers carefully and yes you can accept your Level 7 offer if this is your preferred choice

Q: If l reject my 2nd offer and l did not receive any offer in other rounds for my 1st offer because the points weee not lowered. Can l still go back to my previous 2nd offer

A: Unfortunately not.

Q: Why do the colleges show required points being numbers that are mathematically impossible to achieve like a 618 or 605 etc

A: The maximum Leaving Cert points one could receive is 625. Entry to some courses may require a portfolio in addition to Leaving Cert points and some of these courses may have cut off points higher than 625 as a result.

Q: I have accepted my dream course in Trinity. My final results in 2 subjects were 0.8975 and 0.8850 and while I don’t need an upgrade to H1 for my course I’m wondering if I should appeal / request a recheck if I think there may be a chance of increased marks when I review the scripts.

A: Well done on being offered your dream course. Just remember that a grade can also be downgraded as well as upgraded which if this was the case could potentially mean you could lose your offer. It is very unlikely that you will be downgraded but it is something to consider.

Q: Hi I was meant to apply for Arts degree in Business but instead I put in for Bachelors degree in Maynooth is there a way I can change or do I have to wait until next year my points were 368.

A: Did you get offered MH101, Arts in Maynooth? If so you can study Business as one of your 3/4 subjects. Maynooth offer a transfer option at end of year one into many different Business degrees ( subject to meeting certain requirements). Look these details up on NUI Maynooth website. Contact admissions office if you are looking to transfer courses within the college. The best of luck.

Q: I cannot find the Available places tab on CAO. I know it doesn’t go live till tomorrow but other years the tab was there with a note displayed when it opened. Where will it appear this year (under courses or resources? or does a student have to log into their application to view the list?)

A: You are correct, it will probably appear tomorrow when the available places open at 12noon.

Q: I got 509 points and was offered business information systems in NUIG.I did not get my first course of Commerce and German which was 519. I should have put Commerce down 2nd but I put it down 3rd. Is there any way I can get it now?

A: Assuming BIS is your second preference, then everything below that is now gone from your CAO listing. You can hope to move up but never down. So through the CAO you will never be offered a place on Commerce.

Q: What are the rules on foreign Leaving Certificates? How do I calculate my points?

A: Have a look at this document and you may find what you want there.

Q: I got offer for my 2nd choice Computer Science. Prefer my 1st choice at DCU. I am 8 less DCU points of 498. I want to appeal 1 subject. If am downgraded after appeal, will that make my points lower? If DCU lowers point for 2nd offer to 490 which was what l initially got, will l be considered? Or will l be based on downgraded appeal result qnd and reduces my chances of been taken at DCU. What do you advise?

A: My advice is to view your scripts very carefully before you make a decision to appeal.If you are downgraded you potentially could lose your current offer. This will be at the discretion of the college.

Q: I am a European student applying from Spain. I got the equivalent of around 520 CAO points which is more than enough for several of my choices, however I received no offers today. Who should I contact to see if there has been a mistake?

A: If you are entitled to an offer it should be in your CAO application account. If no offer is there then you should have received an email with your statement of application included. If neither of these have happened then you need to contact CAO with your CAO details and ask what is happening with your application.

Q: What is the current CAO points for UCD Engineering? My son got 531 & is happy to be offered his 3rd choice. I’m just wondering if there’s a chance he’ll be offered UCD Engineering in round 2.

A: 567 Points. To be quite honest I don’t see Engineering is UCD droping to 531. Last year it dropped by 11 points but down to 531 seems a bit too big a drop.

Q: If you didn’t recieve any offer today what happens

Q: In what time frame should I expect emails to come in? Should I have gotten an email immediately when the offer season began, or should I give it a few hours/a day?

A: If you are an applicant applying on the basis of a school leaving exam, you should receive your offer today. The offers will be in your CAO account and you should also have received the offer by email around 2pm today. If you are not entitled to an offer you should have received an email with your statement of application record.

Q: Having received his 1st choice my son has decided to defer, what do we have to do?

A: Refer to pg 28 on the CAO handbook. Link attached

Q: Hi, I got 601 points in my leaving cert and met all entry requirments for economics/modern language trinity college (577) and I wasn’t offered a place.

A: Check to see if you met the minimium entry requirements. Check to see if there is a subject specific requirement. Did you receive any offers? If not then CAO should haev emailed you a statement of application. You need to ensure that the CAO and exam number on this is correct. If not, then contact CAO.

Q: I missed out on architecture in UCD by 1 point. Do you think they will reduce the course points from 567 to 566 in the next round? I’m absolutely devastated.

A: So sorry to hear this, to miss a course is hard but to miss it by one point is even worse. The good news is that last year it did drop by one point from 556 to 555* in the final round. I hope this works out for you.

Q: Hello, I have not received an offer or a statement of application yet. Have all offers been given out or is the process still ongoing? Thank you!

A: If you are entitled to an offer it should be in your CAO application account. If no offer is there then you should have received an email with your statement of application included. If neither of these have happened then you need to contact CAO with your CAAO details and ask what is happening with your application.

Q: My child got 488 and wants to study Computer science in DCU (1st choice) . Cut off for DCU is 498.He got offer for NUI MAYNOOTH which is 2nd choice. Do you think cut off for DCU will drop down? He prefers his 1st choice and considers to appeal 2 of the subjects.

A: Points in round 2 will drop if there is still space on this course. It is too early to tell if this will be the case or not. Appeal results date has not been announced yet. I imagine that results of appeals will be mid/late October. CAO must make an offer then if your son meets all req and cut off points for his DCU course. Your son can then chose to switch to DCU or defer his place at DCU until Sept 2024.

Q: Hi I didn’t get my top 3 choices due to the fact I’m exempt from languages due to dyslexia I sent a nui form in February but it doesn’t seem that it was applied this to my cao account

A: You should have received a letter from the NUI confirming your exemption/waiver from Irish and/or a 3rd Language shortly after you submitted your application for same. I would advise phoning the NUI on 01-- 4392424 to confirm they received your earlier application.

Q: In what time frame should I expect emails to come in? Should I have gotten an email immediately when the offer season began, or should I give it a few hours/a day?

Q: I got 601 points in my leaving cert and met all entry requirments for economics/modern language trinity college (577) and I wasn’t offered a place.

Q: I missed out on architecture in UCD by 1 point. Do you think they will reduce the course points from 567 to 566 in the next round? I’m absolutely devastated.

Q: I have enough points for no 6 and no 7 on my CAO but as of 3.15pm I have no offers. I meet the requirements so why have I not got an offer

A: CAO should have emailed you your statement of Application. Be sure to check that your CAO number and exam number are correct. Contact CAO if this is the case.

Q: I have received a great offer for second choice. I am 3 points off TR054 for Round 1. I think I might be in with a chance of a later offer. Worrying about accommodation and whether to chase UCD on campus accommodation… I have to release Aspen accommodation by Sep 9th. What if I get late offer in TCD and have given up my accommodation?

A: Speak to Aspen about this. Ask what would happen if this scenario arrived. Best of luck.

Q: My son has been offered a course in TUD but had chosen a course overseas. Can he accept and defer the TUD course? Are there financial implications for doing this?

A: Yes he can accept and defer his place at TUD. Please ensure he emails the admissions officer at TUD with his name as it appears on his CAO, his CAO number and course code of the offer he wishes to defer. He must also set out the reason/(s) for deferral and mark ‘Deferred Entry’ clearly in the subject matter of his email. He must re-apply for his course through CAO by 1st Feb 2024 if he intends to study his deferred course for the 2024 academic year.

Q: Is there an option to transfer from LM 090 to MI005 after year one?

A: Each college has their own rules about internal and external transfers. I would advise you to contact the colleges in question. Contact their Admission Offices. The best of luck.

Q: I am a French International baccalaureate and I submited a CAO application. As of now I did not receive any offer. Should I worry? I am eager to study in Ireland but I do not understand quite well the equivalence between the international French baccalaureate and the Irish system. Also will I receive a summary of my number of points to understand if I have a choice in Round 2. THis is important for me to understand if I have to accept a French university or not. 11th of September is so far away . Thanks for your answer

A: This document from the CAO website lays out the Entry Requirements Criteria for EU countries. France is on page 42. I would suggest having a read of this. If you were entitled to an offer you should have received it today. If you are not entitled to an offer you should have received an email with your statement of application record from CAO. You need to make sure all the information in this is correct.

Q: I got offered my 5th choice. I only want choice 1-4 do I need to accept to get an offer in Round 2

A: Accepting or rejecting today’s will have no impact on future rounds. CAO will offer you a course higher up on your preferences if you meet round 2 cut off points, regardless of what you do with today’s offer. I would advise you to accept today’s offer incase you don’t get higher preference offers in future rounds.

Q: I missed out on Medicine in Galway by random selection, what are the chances that there will be places available in round 2 and is there anything I should do in the meantime?

A: It will all depend on the number of successful applicants that accept today’s offer. If five don’t accept today’s offer then the next 5 waiting in the queue will be made an offer in round 2. All candidates are given a number. Highest numerical numbers are placed in order of merit when using random selection. I hope that it works out for you.

Q: I’m one point off my course. Should I accept my offer and wait for Round 2? I’m appealing some of my grades but I don’t know when or how that will have any effect.

A: Yes you should accept your offer and wait for Round 2. If you appeal your grades and one or more are upgraded you may be offered your preferred course of choice.

Q: My son did A-Levels achieving 311 points through the equivalence to do his first choice L7 course TU721. However he never received any offer and we are puzzled as to why as he far exceeded the minimum grade in maths and has an Irish language exemption. Previous grades from the IB system - MYP were posted in to CAO and are shown in supporting documents. What do you think went wrong with his application?

A: I would put all of this in an email to CAO and TU Dublin admissions querying why he was not offered a place. They are the people best placed to advise on what is happening with your son’s application.

Q: I missed out on medicine in Galway due to Random selection. I have 729 points. Is there a chance of places becoming available in subsequent rounds or is that it?

A: It will all depend on the number of successful applicants that accept today’s offer. If five don’t accept today’s offer then the next 5 waiting in the queue will be made an offer in Round 2. All candidates are given a number. Highest numerical numbers are placed in order of merit when using random selection. I hope that it works out for you.

Q: I haven’t received an offer yet but I am nearly 80 points over the requirement, are some offers delayed.

A: Did you check your email? Have CAO emailed you your statement of application? You need to check to see if you have met all entry requirements. Then check your statement to ensure that CAO have the correct CAO and exam number for you. Contact CAO immediately if you identify an error.

Q: In My Application Section it is mentioned There are no offers available to you at this time. Does this mean that I received no offer? How can I check the minimum requirements? I mentioned I am a foreign student, EU based with US qualifications.

A: If there are no offers in your CAO acount you should check your registered email. If you do not receive a Round One Offer you should receive a Statement of Application email. You need to check this to make sure everything is correct. If it is then unfortunately you are not entitled to an offer at this stage.

Q: Hi, today I got my first CAO offer, I didn’t get the offer I was hoping which is Psychology in NCI, I got 328 points but qualified for HEAR and DARE so thought I might get an offer, could you guys give me any advice on why I might not have gotten the offer?

A: If you were offered your first choice on your Level 8 it means that all other course choices below this on your Level 8 list are now obsolete. In order to be offered Psychology it should have been entered as your first preference on your list.

Q: My daughter has been offered a place to study Philosophy at Trinity next year which she is very pleased about. She is an A Level student from England with 542 points. She needed 500 points for the course. She has not been offered accommodation in halls. Our options are 1. Try to get the offer deferred and pay sizeable deposit 2. Reapply next year, assuming she will likely have sufficient points to be offered a place. I am thinking option 1 is better because she has a better chance of being offered accommodation in halls if she has already been accepted on the course before 2024 CAO applications begin. Also - would seeking a deferral now rather than leaving it a couple of days to ponder what to do make it less likely we will be granted a deferral? Do you have any thoughts?

A: Please read pg 28 of the CAO handbook regarding making a deferral. I think that you should make contact with the college in question. I think that it would be reasonable to see a deferral on the grounds of no accommodation. That is my thought on it. Contact the college as soon as possible. The very best of luck.

Q: I’m a DARE applicant and I was hoping to get a place in primary teaching via DARE, but I haven’t received an offer. I meet all the criteria but obviously there are more DARE applications than places offered. My question is, do I have any chance of getting an offer in later rounds with my DARE application or are later rounds purely based on points?

A: You may. This will depend on the number of successful DARE applicants who defer or don’t accept today’s offer. This will not be known for another few days. You will have to wait until round 2 offers are made on Sept 11th at 9 am.

Q: If I reject my first round offer, will I be offered courses on second round?

A: Yes but only courses that lie above today’s offer on your CAO list. CAO can offer higher preference courses than today’s offer but all courses that lie below become obsolete.

Q: My son has only received his 3rd choice offer and is now considering a PLC course instead for a year. Is it too late to apply and get a place for PLC course for this academic year as he did not apply for any PLC courses as part of CAO?

A: Contact the College of Further Education. I would be confident that you will get a place. Do not delay as PLC places will fill up very fast.

Q: How much primary education at DCU dropped?

A: It was 506 last year, CAO 2022, Now 487 in round 1 2023.

Q: I put science in Maynooth as my first choice and received it. Science in NUIG was my second choice I would now prefer to do that and have received the necessary requirements and points yet have not received an offer what should I do now?

A: CAO will make you an offer of the highest preference course on your CAO list. Once they have made you an offer all courses that lie below this offer become obsolete. If you received your first choice then you will not receive any other level 8 offers in future rounds. It is not possible to change or receive an offer for Galway in CAO 2023.

Q: My daughter got a low offer on her CAO and doesn’t want to accept it. Does this rule her out of any future offers in future rounds?

A: No. CAO will continue to make offers that lie above today’s offers regardless of whether you accept or reject today’s offer. I would suggest that she accepts today’s offer as she may not meet requirements and CAO points may not fall.

Q: When do offers for GCSE applicants come in?

A: I would advise you to contact UCAS.

Q: I got 556 points and my first choice DN201 is 560 points. Do I have a chance of getting a round 2 offer?

A: This course dropped eleven points from round 1 to round 2 in 2022. Nobody will know what will happen in round 2 2023 yet. It will depend on a number of factors such as the number that defer from today’s offer and the number that may reject today’s offer. This will not be known for another few days.

Q: I did my Leaving Cert in 2022, did 1 year in TU Dublin. I reapplied to the CAO for new course in Athlone stsrting 2023. I got no offer today.

A: Check that you have met minimum entry requirements for courses on your CAO. You must meet all requirements as well as CAO cut off points. Contact CAO If this isn’t the issue. CAO sent a statement of application back in May. Did you check to ensure that your statement of application had the correct exam number and CAO number for you?

Q: My daughter got offered her 1st choice but during the summer changed her mind and would like the second choice. Is there a way for her to apply for the second choice?

A: No. I am afraid not. There may be a chance of changing courses if both course are in the same college? You should contact the admissions office of the college, if this

Q: Hi folks, my daughter was offered her third choice, Nursing DCU. Is it possible for her still to receive an offer for either choice one or two in subsequent rounds, even if she accepts this offer from DCU?

A: Yes. Accepting today’s offer will have no effect on future rounds. You may still get offered courses of higher preference regardless of what you do with today’s offer.

Q: I want to defer the course I have been offered; if I do, does it mean I cannot be offered something higher up my list of preferences in the next rounds of offers.

A: No it doesn’t. Deferring today’s offer will have no effect on future rounds. You may still get offered courses of higher preference regardless of what you about today’s offer.

Q: My daughter received offer from TUD today, she may have put what she thought she would get as her first choice as opposed to her real preference. Should we accept and then wait to see other offers - or is she likely to be offered another choice further down her list if she accepts first choice.

A: CAO will not make offers for courses that lie below todays course on your CAO. CAO may make offers for courses higher up than today’s offer but not courses that are listed below today’s offer.

Q: If I receive my first choice on the CAO, can I transfer to my second option

A: No and you will not receive any other level 8 offers in future rounds. This is because you have received your first course choice.. However, it could be a possibility if both courses are the same college. If they then contact admissions for that college.

Q: I did not get offer today, could I clarify what the reason? May be something wrong?

Q: I made a mistake in my CAO order can I be offered a lower course in Round 2?

A: No. All offers that lie below today’s offer have now become obsolete. You can only get preferences that are above today’s offer on your CAO list.

Q: What is engineering points in UCC this year?

A: CK 600 came in round 1 at 520 pts

Q: Is it likely that LM121 computer science common entry will rise in points due to the 8% grade inflation

A: ROUND 1 2023, LM121 402 pts. Best of luck

Q: Can I appeal a subject

A: Yes you can. You can appeal any or all subjects. Application for appeal is online via your portal. This facility opens at 10 am, Sept 3rd and closes at 5 pm Sept 4th. The fee to appeal a result is €40 per subject for Leaving Cert and €15.50 for Leaving Cert Applied.

Q: My son sat A levels-do we have any grounds for appeal as these grades were not inflated as leaving cert was

A: No. CAO will make an offer if and when he meets all entry requirements and cut off points. Appealing would have no effect on his offer in Round 1 on Wednesday.

Q: My child got more than enough points for his first choice (BA in NUIG). However he wishes to appeal one of his subjects. Would appealing knock him out of the first round offers until he gets the re-check?

A: No. CAO will make an offer if and when he meets all entry requirements and cut off points. Appealing would have no effect on his offer in Round 1 on Wednesday.

Q: Hi, I am thinking of the new Business Degree in Mayo College of FET in a Castlebar. It appears to be year one of a business degree with no fees with progression to year 2 in ATU. What is the catch.

A: More pathways to college have been introduced this academic year. Please see link below https://nto.hea.ie/courses/. No catch. Just more alternative pathways to college.

Q: My son got 400 points but got a H8 in maths. He was hoping to go to St Pats/DCU . Are there any other options for him to get there. He will appeal the maths.

A: Is there a PLC entry route into this course? He could repeat his Maths and then combine his new maths grade with his CAO 2023 points and apply again next year. Repeating his maths is allowed for minimum entry requirement purposes. But CAO points must be calculated from one sitting only.

Q: Hi. My son is one mark short of the points required last year for for law. However he thought he did better in one of his exams and is keen to have the paper rechecked. If his recheck results in an upgrade and he surpasses the points required in round one, will he get a place or will he have to hope that all places are not filled and then get it in round 2?

A: Round 2 offers are out Sept 11th. No date for results from appeals has been released. It will probably be mid/ late October. Appeal results will not be ready in time for CAO round 2. Once appeal results are out, CAO will offer succesful candidates a place if there are still places available on this course. Otherwise CAO will commit to keeping a place for the candidiate on this course commencing Sept 2024/25. The very best of luck.

Q: Where can I apply for repeating?

A: You might consider contacting your post primary school. Your Principal may be able to help or direct you elsewhere.

Q: Should I repeat the leaving cert? I don’t think my academic ability is capable of college courses as this year I have not put in the best efforts in study and my teachers have not completed the courses with me. But my concerns are that the points I have achieved this year (510) are not bad but not good enough to get me into the course I wanted. ( but because of the easy marking this year for fairness it has put me into some kind one of advantage ) I’m scared that if I repeat the points I get will not be as high as adjustments may be made for next year LC students.

A: Only you can answer this. Would you consider deferring and doing a PLC in an area that you feel that your interested in? It may allow you to mature and ensure that this area interests you. PLC can also be used as a back door entry into a lot of college courses. If you repeat you can use the points achieved from the highest leaving cert sitting.

Q: In the case that my son does not get his first choice but we successfully appeal to get more points which puts us over the required points total, will he be offered his first choice then?

A: Yes. CAO will make him an offer if there is still places on this course. If the course is full ( mid/late October) then CAO will secure him a place for academic year 2024/25.

Q: Is it likely that Government and Political Science CK122 will remain at 423 points, or will it increase due to the 8% increase in marks?

A: I don’t see the points for this course increasing due to this years post-marking adjustment. There was a similar post-marking adjustment last year also. Both the process this year and last year have meant the grades this year and last year have been maintained at a similar level and should mean courses by and large will have the same points.

Q: Hi I did my leaving cert in 2022 and got 431 points. I did not accept my offer or defer, but instead reentered the CAO this year with new courses. My top few choices were 430-450 points as I was expecting grades to begin to fall to pre-covid levels. However since the news of the points inflating again by another 8%, I’m abolsutely crippled with stress about the offered on Wednesday. My question is, if I’m offered my 5th choice (which is a course I highly doubt I’ll stick to and enjoy) should I decline the place, and hope for my first choices (EPL in DCU, Law BCL DCU, LAW LLB TUD GRANGEGORMAN) (I only put 5 courses on the CAO a form)

A: Accepting (or rejecting) an offer on Wednesday will not rule you out of being offered higher course preferences in future rounds. I recommend that you accept your offer. CAO can only make offers of courses that lie above this offer on your CAO in future rounds. All courses that lie below Wednesday’s offer become obsolete.

Q: Are points for pharmacy courses likely to increase?

A: There is a possibility of Pharmacy points increasing as there is a 12% increase in first preferences applications for Pharmacy. This stat does not guarantee a points increase as there are other factors at play also, however it could be an indication of a points increase unless the number of places is increased to counter this.

Q: When I appeal when can I expect a reply

A: No date confirmed yet. Based on previous years it looks like mid to late October.

Q: Got high enough points but only passed 5 subjects. Does that preclude me University?

A: For all level 8 honours degree programmes you need 2 H5s and 4 O6/H7s as a minimum, so if you have only passes 5 subjects you will not be offered a place on these programmes. Level 7 & 6 programmes have a minimum of 5 O6/H7s so you could be made an offer on this list.

Q: Can you please explain to me how everything works. when can I view my scripts and how do I appeal and when. When are the round 2 offers? If I accept round 1 can I still accept a round 2 offer?

A: You must apply to view your scripts. This application is made through your portal account. Viewing of manually marked scripts takes place on one of two three hour sessions on Saturday, Sept 2nd. Online marked scripts can be viewed online from 9 am Sat Sept 2nd to 9 am Sunday, Sept 3rd. Application and payment for appeals can be done online via your portal account. This facility opens at 10 am Sunday, Sept 3rd and closes at 9 am on Sunday, Sept 4th. CAO round 2 offers will be made at 2 pm on Sept 11th. Accepting a new offer in round 2 will override your acceptance of a CAO offer in round 1. Hope that I have answered your questions.

Q: Is it possible to repeat one or two subjects of any topic to add on to this years CAO points in 2024?

A: No, unfortunately not. You cannot combine Leaving Certificates for the purpose of calculating points. Points must be calculated from one sitting of the LC.

Q: I don’t have enough points and I already know I made my parents disappointed is there no way I can make my course?

A: Have you looked at doing a PLC for this academic year. PLC can be used as an entry route into third level for 2024/25. Nobody will know 2023 cut off points until 2 pm on Wednesday. Maybe spend time researching possible back door routes? There are alternatives to the CAO worth considering. It could be worth exploring what’s available at nto.ie where from September, students will be able to earn a university degree through a new unified pathway to tertiary education that sits outside the traditional CAO points system. More information here. You could also explore further education and training (FET), consisting of an extensive range of post-Leaving Cert (PLC) courses. More information on CAO-linked PLC/FE courses is available from careersportal.ie while details of every PLC/FE course in the country are available through the qualifax.ie website

Q: Medicine Galway 2022 has an asterisk beside 736 first round offer and an asterisk beside the second round offer of 735. So did everyone on 736 get an offer? I have 737, what do you think?

A: Yes everyone on 736 would have been made an offer. Remain confident. Hopefully a greater supply of college places on health courses will ease pressure on points for 2023. The very best of luck.

Q: When the actual % result for each subject is available to view on Tuesday, will that be the actual result or inflated result?

A: You will see your component marks, total marks, post marking adjustment, final marks and actual result and examination grade. To assist with understanding your examination results a Candidate Information Guide 3 - Understanding your exam results will be made available through your portal on Monday 28th August.

Q: GY303 General Science was 462 points last year. I am a DARE student and got 441 points. Do you think the points will go down. Or DARE points might help get the place?

A: I would be confident for you but too many variants to consider. I don’t have access to all necessary data. I think that you should stay positive and hopeful. Nobody will know for certain until 2 pm on Wednesday. The very best of luck. I hope that you are successful with getting a place on GY303.

Q: Should I be worried with 460 points for Humanities at UCD?

A: I think you should be fine on 460 for Humanities. It started on 442 last year and dropped to 423 in the final round, so I don’t see going above 460.

Q: Is it likely MH101 Arts Maynooth will remain at 336 points. Know difficult to say but appreciate your hunch.

A: I would be confident of it staying at 336 or very close to this figure. Points history for MH101, 2021 338, 2022 round 1 339, 2022 round 2 336.

Q: I have applied to IADT to study Animation and have a combined score of 995. Last year the cut off was 1001. There is a new course this year also 3D Animation. Should the points drop a bit with the new course?

A: I am going to copy an answer I gave below as it is very similar to this question except we are talking about Animation and the new 3D Animation course. Psychology started at 564 round one and finished at 552. Is there scope for it to drop below this? With the new course coming on stream, it could go either way depending on where the places for the new course are coming from. If they are taking some places out of DN720 for the new course DN620 it could reduce the number of places in DN720 and possibly push points up. if they have received funding for separate new places for DN620 then this could pull some applicants from DN720 and possibly reduce the points slightly. You could ask this question to UCD but at this stage its probably best to wait until Wednesday and see what happens.

Q: How are the dare points calculated with CAO offers on Wednesday?

A: This varies from college to college, and can depend on a number of factors such how many DARE places are set aside on the course for DARE candidates. So essentially what happens on a course is all DARE eligible applicants for the course are put into a merit list based on their points. Those with certain sensory conditions can be moved to the top of the list and those who qualify for both DARE and HEAR are moved up the list also and are given priority. Then, e.g. if there are 8 DARE places and 10 applicants in the merit list based on the above, the top 8 people are offered a DARE place. They’re points could be a lot lower than those in the main order of merit list for the course.

Q: Hi folks. I got 339 pts and am looking for Arts in Maynooth. It was 338 pts last year. Will I make it?

A: NUI Maynooth Arts went to 336 in round 2 of CAO 2022. I would be confident that you will make it. Nobody will know for certain until 2 pm Wednesday. Stay positive and the best of luck.

Q: How is Fare applied to your CAO for a TUD college place

A: TUD admission officer will liaise with CAO. CAO will then make an offer to successful DARE candidiates

Q: My daughter has a place in pre-physio at Coláiste Íde in Finglas. How will this one-year course count towards getting a physiotherapy education?.

A: It will not offer entry into level 8 chartered physiotherapy courses in Ireland. It may help when applying for physiotherapy courses in the UK or abroad. You would need to check this out with the PLC college in question. Best of luck.

Q: Would 566 points secure a place on UCD law course DN600

A: Points for this course dropped from 2021 to 2022. 2022 round 1 569 and 566 in round 2. Let’s hope that this pattern continues and you get an offer. Unfortunately, nobody will know for certain until 2 pm on Wednesday.

Q: DN720 Psychology UCD was 552 points last year. Given a new course Psychology and Crime has been added do you think the points for DN720 might be lower this year?

A: Psychology started at 564 round one and finished at 552. Is there scope for it to drop below this? With the new course coming on stream, it could go either way depending on where the places for the new course are coming from. If they are taking some places out of DN720 for the new course DN620 it could reduce the number of places in DN720 and possibly push points up. if they have received funding for separate new places for DN620 then this could pull some applicants from DN720 and possibly reduce the points slightly. You could ask this question to UCD but at this stage its probably best to wait until Wednesday and see what happens.

Q: Would 566 points be good for Law course UCD?

A: Points fell for DN600 from 2021 to 2022. Points also dropped from round 2022 round 1 (569 pts) to round 2 (566 pts). Let’s hope that this pattern continues. Nobody will know for certain until 2023 points are released on Wednesday.

Q: Really hard to know. Started at 465 last year in round one and finished at 451. In 2021 the cut off points were 467

A: I would suspect not. That would be a huge drop for a popular course. Nobody will know for definite until CAO release offers on Wednesday at 2 pm. But my guess would be a no.

Q: Do you think TR021 round 1 points will remain the same for this year?

A: Really hard to know. Started at 465 last year in round one and finished at 451. In 2021 the cut off points were 467

Q: I’ve got 467 points and I’ve put TR144 and DN530 as first and second choice. Do I have some chance? I’m 25 points over last year 442 points for DN530, but I’m scared because it went up 83 points if compared to 2021. Are the points going up this much again this year? Also, TR114 was 424 in 2022, which means I’m 43 points over. Is it likely they’ll rise this much with this year’s grade inflation?

A: TR114 went down in points last year. I would be confident that you will receive your first choice. Nobody will know this for certain until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. Stay positive. The very best of luck. Remember that

Q: Is there a possibility of changing the college now . I know it’s closed July 1st. Is there any possibility at all. Also, is there an option swap with swap with students between the city for the same course.

A: No I’m afraid not. After July 1st no changes can be made to your CAO application. You can add vacant places, but that is the only change allowed post July 1st. Unfortunately there is no facility to swap similar courses in the CAO.

Q: When you appeal an exam do you get the opportunity to comment on where you think you could possibly be entitled to additional marks?

A: Yes. Viewing of scripts gives you the opportunity to make comments for the attention of the appeal examiner. There are two different processes this year for viewing of scripts. Viewing online through the Self Portal and viewing in person at your school for scripts that were corrected manually. Application for viewing of scripts opens at 5 pm on Tuesday until 8 pm on Wednesday, August 30th.

Q: My daughter has applied for midwifery but based on last years points she’ll be 20 points short. She should be ok for General Nursing. Are nursing points likely to go down?

A: It is quite possible that the points for some nursing programmes may fall slightly. If there are additional places in some medical and therapy courses and with the addition of the new tertiary education programmes with pathways into nursing, it is possible that there could be slightly less demand for nursing programmes or indeed similar demand but with slightly lower point applicants. There is no way of knowing for sure but there are possibilities this year.

Q: All of the top 5 courses on my sons’ list only have one round of offers according to a website I visited. Where can I get more information on this. The courses are on business topics in DCU & TUD

A: The only definitive place to get points information is on the CAO website where it will give you points information for previous years. For the majority of courses it will give the first round cut off points and also the end of season (final) cut off points. If the end of season points are less than the first round cut off points then this indicates that more offers were made after round one. If they are the same, this indicates no offers were made after round one.

Q: Are dare places always given according to highest points?or does the admission officer decide based on the applicant’s form plus results ?

A: No. Admission officer will place them in order of merit depending on their disability. More severe disabilities or candidates with multiple disabilities may be higher up on the list of DARE places. Candidates that are both HEAR and DARE eligibile will be bumped up.

Q: The CAO points requirement for Computer Science in Trinity (TCD) is 555. What were the initial and final round requirements last year, and how is this likely to be affected by 8% Leaving Cert grade inflation?

Computer Science TR033 first round 2022 570, final round 2022 555* points.

Q: Leaving Cert results: 8% grade inflation outrageously discriminates against applicants to Irish universities from abroad, including children of Irish expatriates and Irish diplomatic staff. “Global Irish”? Will CAO adjust by a similar margin those with Cambridge “A” level or other results?

A: Interesting point. Certainly the inflated grades will make it more difficult for the huge number of those outside of Ireland trying to gain a place in our third level education system.

Q: I just got 567 points and I’m thrilled. My first choice is Animation at IADT. My portfolio score was 400, bringing me to a total score of 967. Last years points were 1001. Given that IADT have just introduced another very similar course and the fact that I am a HEAR applicant (7 out of 32 HEAR places allocated), do you think I have any chance in bagging a place on the course.

A: It should in theory. But nobody will know for certain until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. The very best of luck.

Q: I have been awarded a sports scholarship. How do the bonus points get acknowledged to the CAO?

A: The college will make contact with CAO.

Q: I’m an EU student applying to MTU 831 through CAO. This course required 434 points in 2022 and I should get 487 points (looking at CAO documentation). With the grades inflation in Ireland and an increase of 5% in Engineering courses applicants, should I be worried?

A: Stay calm and remain confident. I would be confident that you will receive an offer.

Q: Is it OK to choose Ordinary Maths for doing Psychology degree?

A: You need to check the entry requirement for each course. Maths requirement tends to be O6/H7 but can vary. Therefore, you can do ordinary maths and still progress onto a level eight in Psychology. Be sure to read course content as maths and statistics are a part of this course content.

Q: My son got 499 points and his first choice is UCD (last year 544 points) and 2 choice is TU Dublin (301 points) if he accepted the first offer from TU Dublin, will he still receive 2 offer from UCD and can he change to the second offer

A: Yes, if your son gets his second choice, he will still remain in the running for his first preference in round two or beyond. Regardless of what he does with his round one offer (accept or not), if he becomes entitled to his first prefenrence he will be offered it and it is up to him if he wants to accept it or not.

Q: If you are offered your first choice in first round, but you have now changed your mind and would prefer your second choice, what should you do? Reject your first offer, hoping that your second choice is offered in round 2?

A: CAO will only offer courses that lie above your Wednesday offer in future rounds. All courses that lie below Wednesday’s offer become obsolete and will not be offered in future rounds. Rejecting Wednesday’s offer will not result in receiving course choices that lie below this on your CAO. If you get your first choice then you will receive no more offers in future rounds.

Q: Did forensic and pharmacuetical science in TUS make round two offers last year ?

A: This is a bit bizzare. On the CAO website it is showing first round cut off at 475 but end of season final round at 488 which makes little sense to me. I would suggest sending an email to the TUS Limerick and asking them this question as the figures are a little strange. Normally if second round offers are made the points would go down not up.

Q: My sons first choice was 475 last year and he achieved 476. His second choice was 505 points. If his first choice course remains the same will he be offered a place or is there a chance if his second choice reduces to 475 he would be offered tvat instead. Realise its odd putting a second course with higher marks but he just really wanted his first choice. Guess im asking will offers be made against preferred listing or the higher course points first.

A: He will be offered the highest preference course that he meets all requirements and points for. If points don’t change this would result in him receiving his first choice. All other courses that lie below Wednesday’s offer will become obsolete. He can not get offered courses that lie below this in future rounds. Only courses that lie above Wednesday’s offer can be made in future rounds. Hence, if he secures his first course choice on Wednesday, no more offers will be made to him in future rounds from his level 8 list.

Q: I am eleven points over my arts degree in UL for LM002 is there a good likelihood I will get a place

A: Yes, I think you have a very good chance of getting an offer on LM002. Last year it was 347 and the year before it spiked at 360, but I would be surprised is it jumped to that level again. At 358, you are in a very good position to offered a place on the course.

Q: If Higher maths had fewer H1&h2 grades will combined 6 subject points be lower this year for high point courses like law

A: It may. Nobody will know for sure until 2 pm next Wednesday. Candidates points to play a role in determining CAO cut off points.

Q: I was wondering what was the first and last round points last year for Trinity Engineering? My son has 554 points and not sure if these will be enough for his first choice Engineering at Trinity.

A: Engineering, First round 2022 569, final round 2022 565*

Q: I can’t fine DARE allocation numbers for UL

A: I cannot seem to locate this information. I would advise you to email UL admission/Disability officer. The very best of luck.

Q: I’ve been accepted into a pre nursing PLC course in Carlow College of further education. I aim to study nursing on completion of this course. I’m very disappointed with my maths result as I only achieved an 07. Will it be possible for me to enter into a nursing program in Ireland without having to repeat my L/C maths?

A: Your results from your PLC should override Leaving Cert requirements. You can view your marks in Maths come Tuesday. You can then decide whether to view script or not. It is possible to repeat just the one subject. This may be beneficial if you were to change your mind regarding career path.

Q: My top choice is a course in Trinity. Will my O2 in Maths be used to calculate my total points despite having 6 better non-maths results

A: In the first instance TCD will see have you met the entry requirements for the course. If you meet the entry requirements you are deemed a qualified applicant for the course and at this stage they will look at your points. For points purposes they will take your six best subjects to calculate your points total.

Q: I’m eleven points over my course points with an arts degree in ul is there a good chance I have the points

A: I would be confident but nobody will know for certain until 2 pm on Wednesday. Stay positive.

Q: As of the 2022 points I’m 23 points above what I need for my psychology course in Galway, do you reckon I’m safe or is it likely for the points to jump above this?

A: Last year Psychology was 545 and the year before it was 564 which was very high for this course but you still would have made it on 568. I think based on this courses history, you are in with a very good chance of getting offered a place .

Q: Do you expect DC012 points to change this year ?

A: The cut off for this course in 2022 was 368 which was a considerable drop from 409 the previous year. Whether 2021 was the exception and 368 is more the norm for this course or vice versa is the question. I am not saying the points will change but it is a course that could creep back up towards the 2021 mark. No way to know for sure - just have to wait and see on Wednesday.

Q: My daughter is 9 points short for her first choice and 1 point short for her second. Has she any chance of getting either. We are going to review papers and appeal if necessary.

A: It really is very hard if not impossible to answer this question. It depends on so many variables: what are the courses, are the numbers on the course tha same as last year, how many have applied and what points level have they and where is your daughter in all of this mix. It might be helpful to have a look at the courses on qualifax and see what the points history is and this may give you a rough indication of the lightlyhood of the courses droping in points.

Q: Our son got 579 points, is DARE eligible, hoping for 1 of top 5 choices, TCD in 577-613 range last year, TCD DARE info mentions approx 10% points allowance for DARE students. Any view on his chances of these 5? Thanks

A: I would be confident. DARE reduction in points will depend on the number of DARE places available on the course as well as teh points of other DARE applicants. Stay positive. Nobody will be able to give you an answer on this until offers are released on Wednesday. The very best of luck.

Q: I am eligible for DARE this year. If I decide to reapply for a different course next year, can I carry my eligibility for DARE forward, or do I need to reapply for it ?

A: Yes. You can carry your eligibility forward for one year providing that you make a CAO application for 2024/25 and complete your DARE details. Please see the following link for carrying forwrad DARE eligibility https://accesscollege.ie/dare/how-do-i-apply/carrying-forward-eligibility/

Q: Engineering in UCC is my first choice. It was 510 last year. I got 554. But i am worried as Engineering seems to be very popular this year. Could the point go up alot?

A: While we hav no definitive way of knowing what is going to happen specific courses I think it is unlikely that this course will reach 554 from 509, the cut off last year. For the last three years Engineering in Cork never breached 510 so I don’t see it happening this year. Best of luck on Wednesday.

Q: I have applied for PPE at UCD which was 440 points last year. I have 455 points. I think applications for social sciences were down this year, does this mean we should expect a drop in points this year for entry or will this not be the case due to Foley’s decision to inflate?

A: A fall in demand for a course can cause points to drop. Other factors play a role in determining of points. Interested candidates and supply of places will affect points. I do not have access to all information. Nobody will know until 2 pm Wednesday. I would be confident. The best of luck.

Q: I’m an EU student applying through CAO and am very concerned about grade inflation in Ireland as I did not receive this advantage from my school. Does the CAO consider this when interpreting grades?

A: Please view this link. CAO will carry out the procedure stated in this document

Q: If I get an offer for a place to study my (e.g.) 4th choice course and don’t want it. Will I be eligible to be offered my 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice in subsequent rounds if I refuse the 4th choice offer?

A: Yes. No matter what you do with your 4th preference offer, you will remain in contention for a higher preference offer in subsequent rounds and if you are made a higher preference offer, you decide whether to stay with your 4th preference offer or accept the new higher offer.

Q: Did architecture in TUD offer round 2 and 3 places last year? If so what points was it at then? My daughter is 8 points short. She has more than enough for her 2nd choice architecture in Sligo but heart is set on TUD. Just wanted to see likelihood if any of any point drop. We know we have to wait till Wednesday for round 1 and also have the option of appealing one or two exams or repeat interview and portfolio next year.

A: Last year Architecture in TU Dublin had a cut off in round one of 645. The cut off for the final round was also 645 which would indicate that no further offers were made after round one. Last year it remained at 644, so from this information you would assume it is unlikely to drop by 8 points this year. There is a strong chance your daughter will be only offered Sligo.

Q: My son did well in LC but did not get a high enough score in Hpat for medicine. If he takes a course this year and repeats Hpat, he needs to start the process early in the year. If at the end of the year he gets offered medicine but decides he wants to stay in the current course does he just not accept next years CAO offer and stay in his course?

A: Yes. He will have to make a CAO 2024/25 application and insert Medical level 8 courses. The choice will be his come August 2024. He may get an offer in round 1, 2024. If he wishes to stay in orginial course then he should not accept CAO 2024 offer. The best of luck.

Q: I’m short 3 points for my first choice course on CAO. What happens now. Is there any chance I’ll get in on 2nd or 3rd round offers?

A: Yes of course. CAO must make you an offer once you satisfy all course requirements and CAO cut off points. If points fall and you now meet all necessary req and round 2 points, then you will recieve an offer. Providing that this course lies above your original CAO offer. You can only get courses that lie above Wednesday’s offer in future rounds.

Q: Can I defer a place but reapply for the course I really want next year? (Both courses are in the same college if it makes any difference)

A: Please see pg 28 of this document, rules regarding deferral

Q: I got 521 points this year and have DARE. The course I applied for is 535 maths and pe teaching in pats, what are my chances of getting it , also if I get it can I defer for a year?

A: I think you have a good chance but it all depends on the number of people applying for this programme who have qualified under the DARE (and HEAR) scheme and under what category. Then untimately it will depend on their and your points if there are too many applicants for too few places. Good information here about this for DCU

Q: My son is an EU applicant (IB student), the calculated CAO points for him is 556 and he is aiming for Engineering at TCD (2022- 555* at EOS). With the Maths exam results at LC being lower, do you foresee points coming down & what are chances for him getting in?

A: I would advise you to stay positive. There are too many factors that influence points. I cannot make a perdiction on this. Nobody will know for certain until CAO release offers at 2pm on Wednesday. The very best of luck.

Q: Hi, I received 431 points yesterday. The course, I had hoped to pursue requires 434 points I will be making an appeal on one of my subjects. Is there any possibility that the course will be offered to me if I am 3 points short? Thank you in advance.

A: CAO will make an offer once the candidate meets all entry requirements and cut off points. You will be made an offer if you meet requiremenst and points drop to 431. This could happen on Wednesday or in future rounds. Also the possibility that points may rise or remain unchanged. Fingers crossed and the very best of luck.

Q: If I accept an offer this year and defer but then change mind during the year, can I apply for another course through the CAO next year?

A: Yes. To take up a deferred place the following year you apply through the CAO and just put down the deferred course. If you introduce any other course on the form then you are in open competition and your deferred place is gone. The procedure is laid our here: DEFERRING A PLACE If you wish to defer an offer of a place you do not accept your offer. Instead, you must email the Admissions Office of the appropriate HEI immediately. You must give your name as it appears on your CAO application, quote your CAO application number and the course code of the offer you wish to defer, and set out the reason(s) for the request. Applicants must mark “DEFERRED ENTRY” clearly in the subject line of the email. You can also check the website of the relevant HEI to see if they have a deferral policy available online that you can refer to. The email must arrive in the Admissions Office of the institution at least two days before the reply date shown on the Offer Notice. The HEI will communicate their decision to you directly. If the deferral is not granted, you may then accept the offer for the current year, providing you accept the offer by the reply date. You must send all communications about deferrals to the appropriate Admissions Office and not to CAO. TAKING UP A DEFERRAL In order to take up a deferred place you must: 1. Re-apply through CAO in the succeeding year and pay the appropriate application fee. You must complete the application form in full and follow all of the instructions carefully; 2. Place the deferred course as your first and only preference on the application form; 3. Indicate your deferral by ticking the Deferred Applicant indicator box in the Course Choices section on your application.

Q: Is there a very high chance all course will inflate upwards for example with an arts degree are the points going to be a lot more competitive this year than last year?

A: I predict that Arts courses are going to stay similiar to 2022. These courses have a large intake. Nobody will know for sure until Wednesday at 2 pm.

Q: What is the appeals process and how long does it take? Will it be in time for further CAO offers?

A: Students are generally advised to view their scripts before deciding whether to appeal or not. While rare, scripts can be marked downwards as well as upwards and it is a good idea therefore to see how close you are to the threshold before applying to appeal. Timelines for candidates to apply to view Leaving Cert scripts and to lodge appeal applications are very short and the deadlines will be strictly applied. Anyone wishing to apply to appeal their exam results can do so from 10am on Sunday, September 3rd until 5pm on Monday, September 4th. Students will use the CSSP to view examinations scripts, to make an appeal application and to access their appeal results. Examinations Appeal Fees will be charged at a rate of €40 per subject at Leaving Certificate; €14.50 per subject at LCA; and €32 per subject at Junior Cycle. This fee is refunded in the event of a successful appeal. The SEC states it will not accept late applications. It is not possible to commit to a specific time frame for the issue of the appeal results until the number of appeals is known. Every effort will be made to process appeals as quickly as possible and candidates will be notified of this date as soon as possible. Candidates will find information about the services provided by the SEC on its website Examinations.ie. If a candidate needs to contact the SEC, the email address for candidate inquiries is candidateportal@examinations.ie and the phone number is 090-6442702.

Q: I got 577 points and I’m worried because the course I want was 588 points last year. Should I keep hoping I get it or should I focus on a different course?

A: Your CAO order of preference can no longer to changed. I would advise you to look at the course content, structure and assessment for all courses that you feel you may be offered. Maybe your first few courses have similiar content but in different colleges.

Q: My son did very well with 521 points. However when we looked at CAO all his Level 8 choices are above this. I understand that he will probably get offered level 7 but is there any option of a late change of mind for CAO.

A: Unfortunately not, the last changes that were allowed were before July 1st. The only possible change that is allowed at this stage is to add courses that are in the vacant place list. These will go live next Thursday at noon.

Q: I got an O7 in Maths - Is this considered a fail. I understand the different pathways into courses and the possibility of sitting a Maths Competency Test but if an employer asks whether I passed or failed my LC Maths, what answer do I give if I was awarded an O7? I am weighing up my options with regards to repeating my LC Maths but am not sure if this is considered a fail. Thanks in advance.

A: Anything lower than a O6 means that you did not pass the exam. You can repeat this subject on it’s own and use your 2024/25 grade for entry requirements. You cannot use it for CAO point purposes. Maths Competency exams are generally for those who did not secure the H4 at Higher Level Maths.

Q: What is points for primary teaching this year 2023 please

A: This will not be known until 2 pm, Wednesday, August 30th.

Q: Can 250 points secure a college place?

A: Yes, there are many courses, particularly at level 7 and 6, that require less than 250 points. There are also many courses that require no points and are listed as AQA - all qualified applicants, i.e. they met the subject entry requirements for the courses. If you look up vacant places on the CAO website which will go live next Thursday at noon, you will find courses that require less points than 250.

Q: It appears that an Irish exemption, although sanctioned, was not processed by the school. This is a DARE student who has enough points for a CAO course. The application has been submitted today. Will the student be able to avail of the exemption retrospectively?

A: NUI office automatically send this to CAO. You must apply directly to UL and Trinity yourself. The responsibility for processing exemptions lies with the CAO applicant not the school.

Q: Are points likely to come down for Arts in Maynooth, my daughter is short by 16 points

A: I do not forsee a huge change in points accept for courses that have a greater supply of places for 2023 intake. I imagine that the Arts at Maynooth will be similiar to last year. 16 points would be a big drop. This is a very popular course at NUI Maynooth. Nobody will know for sure until 2 pm Wednesday, August 30th. The very best of luck. Many PLC offers pathways into Arts at NUI Maynooth.

Q: Are points for courses going to be the same as last year?

A: It is likely that points for courses will be in line with last year, given that grades this year are broadly in line with last year. However, where extra places have been added to courses, points for these courses may drop. There may be point drops and increases on specific courses due to slight increases/decreases in demand but overall it is expected they will be in line with last year.

Q: Will the points for primary teaching going to go down?

A: Without doubt points for primary teaching will drop this year due to the extra places given to the teacher training colleges. By how much is the question. Will they drop by 20 points, it is too hard to call. 20 points seems a lot for primary teaching to fall, but if there was ever a year for it to happen it could be this one due to the unprecedented number of extra places being allocated. Fingers crossed you will reach the threshold.

Q: My son has missed out by ten points for entry to NCAD; with portfolio points included. What are his chances of getting in on 2nd round. Also I would love to know what points all current lecturers got in CAO so as to make a genuine roadmap for students.

A: It will depend on the number of interested candidates for 2023 and their points. Nobody will know for sure until Wednesday.

Q: Is it possible to get to your CAO course with lower points in the second or third round

A: No. If you are offered for example your 5th preference, then all lower preferences disappear from your form. If you become entitled to a higher preferennce course you will be offered it but never a lower preference.

Q: Should I accept a lower Cao offer in round 1

A: I recommend you to accept your offer on Wednesday. You may still be offered higher course preferences in future rounds. You may get offered courses above Wednesday’s offer but never courses that lie below it on your CAO order of preference.

Q: Last year engineering UCD was 577 and reduced to 566 in the final round. I got 578 points, is it likely that I’ll get a place? Also is it random selection from students at/above the requirements or would they allocate places to students with the most points and make their way down?

A: I think you are in with a very good chance with 578, I’m not convinced that it would go above that. Random selection is used if for example they had 2 more places to offer and the next 3 people on the order of merit list had the same points and were equally entitled to a place on the course. In this instance random selection would be used to pick two applicants to be offered the last two places.

Q: Short 20 points for primary teaching but with shortage will they lower points as more places are added?

Q: Are we able to view our scripts online? and is this before or after round one offers are out

A: Manually marked scripts must be viewed at your school. Online marked scripts can be viewed online from 9 am Sept 2nd to 9 am Sept 3rd.

Q: I got 300 points & am applying for DKIT business courses. Entry requirement is min. 2 H5s however I only do one higher level subject (H5 PE). Will I be able to get an offer?

A: No it is not possible. CAO will only make an offer when a candidate meets minimum entry requirements and the required points. 2 H5 and 4 O6/H7 are needed for all level 8 programmes. You could look at doing a level 7 with the option of a level 8 add on later.

Q: The course I want is 470 points, I got 530 points. I’m worried that by some sporadic that the points will jump 50 points and I’ll miss my course. How likely is this?

A: Unless there is a major change in some aspect of the course, e.g. change in number of places, it is unlikely a course would jump by 50. I think under normal conditions you should be ok with 530 points.

Q: My son got H4 today in a subject that all indicators were for a H1 or maybe H2. Teacher thinks something must have been omitted in the adding up. He has DARE. If his points increase after rechecks can he get DARE access to his first choice course? There is one nominated DARE place on the course.

A: I am slow to give an answer to this as I am not 100%, it could be yes or it could be a deferred place the following year. Ultimately, it will be the admissions officer who would make a call on this, so I would send an email to both CAO and the admissions office of the college involved and get a definitive answer from them.

Q: Is it possible to get a cohort of remarks for 2 papers as I am 10 points short for my college of choice

A: I am not sure what you are asking here, but if you are asking about appeals, you can appeal as many subjects as you wish and if you are upgraded in them all, then these new grades have to be taken into account. So if you appeal two subjects and get upgraded then you may have enough to close the 10 point gap for your chosen course.

Q: I got 625 points in leaving cert but 161 in HPAT. Is there any chance of getting in to Medicine?

A: You have a moderated score of 726 which is short of the cut off for the lowest Medicine course last year. However, there is talk of extra places in the medical area and this will hopefully reduce points on medical courses, but by how much we don’t know. These extra places mean you have a slight chance but we won’t know for definite until the admissions officers do their work and offer places on Wednesday. Good luck.

Q: What percentage is HEAR offering on reduced points this year?

A: The reduction in points for places on courses in the HEAR scheme varies enormously from college to college and course to course. There is no one size fits all. If you go to the accesscollege.ie website you will be able to see the policies of the various colleges in the HEAR scheme and this might give you an idea of possible reductions in points.

Q: Why do the need to be results artificially increased to stay in line with last year?

A: Because of the 60,000 approx. students applying through the CAO this year, there are about 12,000 to 15,000 of those who sat their Leaving Certificate in ‘20, ‘21 or ‘22, who would have much higher grades than applicants from ‘23 and could skew the offers being made to the class of ‘23. So at some stage a gradual process of reduction in inflated grades will need to commence over a few years to return to normal grades.

Q: I’m in a bit of a pickle, when I did my LC I didnt think I was going to get enough points to do dentistry and so I applied for a college abroad. When I received my results I ended up getting the points however i didnt put dentistry at all in my CAO list. What should I do? Go or not to go?

A: Yes, this is a tricky one. If you decide to go, it presumably will be an expensive year and if you decided to stay on and finish the course it could prove costly over the duration of the course. One option is to take a year out and apply for Dentistry next year and presumably get an offer then. What will you be offered in the CAO this year? Remember if you do one first year then if you change course and do another first year in a new course you will have to pay the full economic fee for the second first year. Can you defer your place abroad for one year and then decide whether to do it next year or maybe dentistry at home. If you decide to start a course this year, you need to think carefully why you are starting the course and why. Best of luck with the decision.

Q: I didn’t get enough points for 9/10 of my CAO courses. I’m 7 short for 1/9 of them. Is there a chance I could still get it?

A: Nobody will know for sure until Wednesday when CAO issues results and 2023 points. The very best of luck.

Q: Is there anyway I can find out my exact percentages in each subject ? Or what I got in my Irish oral?

A: Yes. All candidiates will have access to their marks via the portal. Marks can be viewed from 12 noon on Tuesday, August 29th. An application for viewing of scripts can be made from 5 pm Aug 29th to 8 pm Aug 30th. You will know more then.

Q: I got 545 points and was hoping to study commerce in UCD which was 555 points last year, I want to appeal my English exam and if I get the appeal my points will be increased to 559 which going off last years points would get me a space, I was wondering if that happens how late into the year would I join the course?

A: No date has yet been confirmed for the final round of offers after the appeals, but based on previous years it is normally around the middle/end of October. Two things can happen, you could be offered the place to start late in October or they may offer you a deferred place for the following year. It depends on the course.

Q: Is it worth getting subjects like physics rechecked?

A: It would be worth looking at the marks attained in each subject. This will be available to you at 12 noon on Tuesday, August 29th. You can then apply to view your scripts. You should be able to make a more informed decision regarding appeals then. The best of luck.

Q: On my son’s CAO list he put 1. UCD Engineering 577 points 2. TUD 470 points. 3. NCAD Product Design 486 points. My son got 579 points. He wants to go to NCAD, he did well in his portfolio. Can he refuse UCD and TUD if they offer a place and go for NCAD.

A: No. All courses that lie below the offer made on Wednesday will become obsolete. No offers lying below Wednesday’s offer will or can be made in future rounds. Only courses that lie above Wednesday’s offer can be made in future rounds. If your son gets offered his first choice then no other offers will be made in further rounds. Hope that things work out.

Q: I got 734 and my course was 735* last year, do you think it will go down with extra places and 9% less demand

A: Demand and supply do have an impact on cut off points. Points of interested candidates also affect points.

Q: Is there a good chance that law & business in UCD could drop by two points?

A: It depends on factors such as supply of places, demand for course, points of interested candidates etc. Any change in any one variable can affect points. Nobody will know for certain until 2 pm on Wednesday.

Q: Do you know where the additional 60 places in medicine are being allocated to and are these places for CAO applicants only? Also, what is the total number of places for medicine in ROI offered via CAO?

A: Please read figures shown in article linked here

Q: I see that first choice CAO applications were down 17% for veterinary in UCD, is that likely to lower the points requirement?

A: This may or may not have an impact. Other candidates points and supply of places will determine the cut off for 2023. I don’t have access to this information and hence cannot give you a definite answer. We will have to wait until points are released on Wednesday. The very best of luck.

Q: We won’t know until Wednesday for certain - but is there is any likelihood of CAO points rising dramatically across most areas? Or are the likely to remain on par with last year.

Q: I’m 19 points below my second choice will I hopefully have an offer on round 2? It’s for an Arts degree in Galway

A: Points may fall or rise. Nobody will know for sure until offers are made at 2 pm on Wednesday.

Q: My daughter got 487 points in her leaving cert. The course she wants is Architecture in TUD which was 645 last year that includes 200 possible points from interview and portfolio. My daughter got 150 points for that part. 150+487 is 637 points so 8 short is it still possible she could get a place?

A: It is still possible. Points may or may not fall. Nobody will for sure until CAO offers are made next Wednesday. The best of luck.

Q: If I am short 2 points from points entry level for my chosen course, is there still a chance that I may be offered a place on it?

A: You are definitely in with a chance being so close, but unfortunately there is no way we can be sure about changes on a specific course. It’s just a waiting game I’m afraid until Wednesday.

Q: I got 532 points, my second choice is Physical sciences in Trinity for 524 points, is it possible that i get a place

A: This course was 553 last year in round one and in the final round was 524 possibly after appeal results were factored in. You are definitely in with a chance but maybe not in round one. We will have to wait until Wednesday to see for sure.

Q: Is it worth getting papers rechecked? My sons trachers think he should get three checked. And can he see the papers?

A: He will be able to see his extact mark in each subject at 12 noon on Tuesday, August 29th. Best to make the decision after viewing marks and possibly viewing of scripts.

Q: If the higher maths top grades have lowered will it affect high level point courses

A: One of the factors that affects points for courses is the number of people who apply for the course places and the standard of their results, so if lower Maths grades lower the points of individual applicants then yes this could lower the overall points for some courses.

Q: I got an O7 in maths I’ve been accepted on a plc course but am wondering will this affect my ability to get into college after completing my plc?

A: No your PLC results should override this requirement. Double check this with the Guidance Counsellor at your PLC college.

Q: Course is 300 points. I got 298 points should I be worried

A: We will only know for certain on Wednesday. This small differential will give you a chance.

Q: I received 520 points and hoping to study Physics in Trinity. Do you think the points will remain the similar this year?

A: Physics in TCD was 593 in round one last year and it dropped to 525 in the final round. I am not sure it will drop any lower than this, so it could be quite tight with 520 points.

Q: I’ve gotten enough points for my second Level 8 choice (not enough for my first choice). I would prefer my first choice at level 7. How are the Level 7′s offered in relation to the Level 8′s?

A: Your level 7 list and accepting a level 7 will have no impact on future offers from your level 8 list. Many candidates will receive an offer from both lists. It is the candidiates choice as to which level to accept. The best of luck.

Q: I received 540 points and my first choice course in UL required 543 points last year .Can I still get that course? Choice course in U.L. required 543 points

A: Yes, there is a possibility that a course could drop by 3 points. Assuming the numbers of places on the course stay the same, then it will depend on the numbers applying for those places and the standard of their LC grades. We will only know for certain on Wednesday but with this differential you are in with a chance.

Q: If I accept my level 7 first choice in round one, can I still be offered a level 8 offer in round 2?

A: Yes providing that you do not receive your first choice in round 1. Your level 7 list and accepting a level 7 will have no impact on future offers from your level 8 list. The best of luck.

Q: I received 507 points in my exams, the course I would like is 553, it is social policy and politics in Trinity. Is there any chance I can still get this course?

A: Nobody will know for sure until Wednesday when CAO issues resukts and 2023 points. I would be surprised if a popular course in Trinity falls by that much. Best of luck.

Q: If I get offered my 2nd choice and on subsequent rounds get offered my first am I correct to say that I can stay with the 2nd choice offer if I have accepted it?

A: Yes. You decide which one you want. Do you want to stay with the original one you accepted or do you want to accept and take up the second offer you received, it is your decision.

Q: I sat the leaving cert last year and got 601 points. I resat the Hpat this year and got 200 points. I should get an offer for medicine. Trinity is my first choice and NUIG my second. Looking for reassurance.

A: With a new score this year of 761, I think yes you should be fine for an offer on a course that was 741* last year in Trinity and 735* in Galway.

Q: When will LC students see the actual results breakdown per subject

A: On Tuesday at noon students will be able to see their marks in all components of their exam.

Q: If I accept a place on Round 1 and a higher course becomes available in later rounds, will I be still be offered this?

A: Yes. Whether you accept an offer of a place on a course or not in round one, if you become entitled to a higher preference course in subsequent rounds you will be offered a place on the higher preference. It is your choice whether to stay with your first round offer or take up the subsequent round place.

Q: If your appeal results in a downgrade can you keep original grade?

A: No. However, the college may allow you stay on your course ( even if you now do not have the points due to being downgraded). This is at the discretion of the college. Downgrades are less common than upgrades. I would advise you to view your marks and scripts before you make a decision.

Q: Is 577 points enough for Law in UCD

A: Law in UCD (DN600) finished at 566 last year, so assuming there are no major changes in numbers of places on the course, I think you should be good with 577.

Q: I believe I have received the points for an engineering level 8 course but I don’t think I have got the minimum Maths grade required. I know I have the option of sitting a Maths entry exam but I’m just wondering will I still be offered a place even though I didn’t meet the minimum requirement in Maths or will I be offered my second or third choice?

A: CAO will only make an offer when a candidiate has satisfied minimuim entry req, subject specific requiremenst and CAO cut off points. You will not be made the offer unless you meet the specific Maths grade required.

Q: I got 421 points. I wanted 445 points to get social science in UCC. Any info available on how social science CAO points will go this year?

A: In the July stats from CAO there seems to be a drop in mentions on the CAO form in the region of 6 per cent for courses in the broad area of social and behavioural sciences. There is no way of knowing how this will impact on the points for specific courses, but it could indicate a drop for your course but by how many and if at all we will have to wait until Wednesday to see.

Q: I received my results this morning, and would like to to find out how I go about making an appeal

A: Candidates will see their marks for each subject come noon on Tuesday, August 29th. Application for viewing of scripts must be made from 5 pm Tuesday 29 August to 8 pm on Wed, August 30th. You can make an online application to appeal come 10 am Sunday Sept 3rd. The application to appeal will close at 5 pm on Monday, Sept 4th. There is a €40 appeal fee per subject.

Q: What if I accept a course while waiting on an appeal and the appeal is successful and I then could have got a higher offer? Do I then get the higher course?

A: Accept your course. CAO must make an offer if your appeal is successful and you now meet all requirements for a higher up course. You will be given the choice to join this course (albeit late providing that there is available place) , defer to academic year 24/25 or stay on your original course. The choice will be yours to make.

Q: Regarding the NUI EXEMPTION for students with dyslexia etc in Irish. Is that null and void if I did a foreign language as well.

A: No, not necessarily so although the NUI might look for a rationale for seeking an exemption in Irish and doing a foreign language.

Q: My son is DARE approved. He is 66 points below the points needed for his preferred course. Is there a maximum points discrepancy allowed between the cao points for 2023 and what a DARE applicant might have?

A: This can vary amongst third level colleges. You won’t know for definite until Wednesday. The amount of points reduction given to DARE students depends on their CAO points, number of DARE candidates wishing to enter this particular course and the number of reserved DARE places.

Q: Can you please explain the process regarding interviews and random selection?

A: A situation may arise when 4 candidates all have the same number of CAO points and only three places are available on the course. Random selcetion is used in this situation. Each candidiate is given a randomly generated number. The 3 candidates with the highest numbers will get these three places. The fourth candidate will miss out due to random selection.

Q: If you fail maths ordinary level does that mean you fail your Leaving Cert

A: No. It just means you will not be able to take up a place on a course that requires a pass in Maths.

Q: I got 625 points but only 261 in HPAT. Is there any chance of medicine?

A: If you got 625 points in the LC that equates to 565 moderated points for the HPAT. Add 261 brings you to 826 points for medicine. Last years cut off for medicine were a good deal below this figure so I think you should be very safe.

Q: What do you reckon are the chances that the points for courses that were 601/613 last year like actuary in UCD will go up?

A: Unfortunately there is no way of knowing for sure. but the only definitive way of knowing for sure is to wait for Wednesday when the offers come out. Best of luck.

Q: I received 740 points including the HPAT and LC. It is likely that I will have to go for interview for medicine. I have Trinity and RCSI as my first 2 choices. If I have enough points, could both call me for interview or only one? With regards to offers do I have to accept a lower offer and then hope the interview goes well?

A: There is no interview requirement for undergraduate medicine in Ireland. One receives an offer based on meeting entry requiremenst and CAO cut off points.

Q: If more people apply to a course than there are places available, give. That all these people meet tre minimum entry requirements and points requirements, are places randomly allocated?

A: If more people apply for a course than there are places then all the people who apply are listed in order of points, those with the higher points at the top all the way down to the lowest points applicants. Then those at the top get offered the places. E.g. if 100 apply and there are only 50 places then the top 50 people get the places. If there is one place left to be offered and the next two people on the list have the same points then random selection will be used to decide who gets the place.

Q: Our son has actually done better than he had expected and is now worried that he could be offered his first choice even though he would prefer his second. Must he accept his first offer, and is it possible to then be offered his second?

A: If your son is offered his first preference in round one then all course preferences below this disappear. If he does not accept his first preference he will not be made any further offers.

Q: It’s likely that I will have more than enough points for my second choice but I’d rather choose my third choice - both similar courses in same third level facility. What, if any, options I’d I have to switch at this stage?

A: If for example you are offered your 2nd preference then all lower preferences disappear and you will never be offered them. If you become entitled to a higher preference course you will be offered this in the next round. So in effect, you can move up your list of preferences but not down. However, you should contact the college in question. This may be possible after you register. You must have the entry req and points for other course. Space must be available on this course also. It is then at the discretion of the college.

Q: My son got a H3 in biology. He was a H1 student and even got a H1 in his mocks. Can he have his mark reviewed?

Q: How many points are required for pharmacy?

A: The 2023 CAO points will not be known until 2 pm, Wednesday August 30th. 2022 final cut off points for all three Pharmacy courses were 613*

Q: I received 331 points in my Leaving Cert I placed the course I want now in 6th place. My results today means I may be offered a higher course on my CAO list is their anyway to get this course?

Q: What role do colleges have with allocation of Dare places?

A: The Admissions Officer of each college determines who gets DARE places.

Q: Link modules FM result on the certificate ..what does that mean ???

A: This stands for a merit and equates to 46 CAO points.

Q: My son wanted global business (Canada) in DCU. He got 543 points and is a good bit off. He wants to get three subjects rechecked. Is there any point? Even if he moves up points he still wont have enough.

A: I would recommend that he views his marks in each subject. This will be available to all leaving cert students via their portal come 12 noon on August 29th. I feel that this might aid his decision. The facility to view examination scripts is provided free of charge. The fee to appeal a result is €40 per subject for Leaving Cert.

Q: Will the breakdown of marks in subjects that had practical/project elements (Music, History etc) be available on the portal on Tuesday?

A: Yes, from midday on Tuesday, you will be able to see your marks for each component of your exams.

Q: Should we wait for a recount until we know placement second choice. As first choice wasn’t achieved. Ten points short to second choice

Q: If I turn down the first option I get offered through CAO, what happens then?

A: If you turn down your first preference offer on the CAO then you will not be made any other offers in the next rounds. You could have a look at the list of available places and include some if interested but no other options are available to you in the CAO. Of course you can look at some of the other options which may be available to you outside the CAO. These are outlined in today’s supplement in The Irish Times.

Q: What advice do you have about appealing. I am short for my preferred course. And, re 2nd and 3rd round offers. Do points drop by much?

A: I would advise you to view your scripts first. Application to view scripts opens from 5 pm Tuesday, August 29th to 8 pm Wednesday 30 August. All candidates will be able to see exact marks for each subject on their portal by 12 noon, August 29th. You will be able to make a more informed decision regarding an appeal after viewing marks.

Q: Just wondering is there a chance points will go down, my sister is 13 points off her course.

A: Unfortunately there is no way of knowing for sure, there is a chance of course but the only definitive way of knowing for sure is to wait for Wednesday when the offers come out. Best of luck.

Q: What are my points?

A: You can use this calculator to calculate your results: https://careersportal.ie/courses/calculator/pointsCalculator.html

Q: Hello, my son got the points he needed for his 1st choice, but failed one subject so does not have the minimum requirements for any course on his first CAO list. He did only 6 subjects. He’s been granted DARE. He was very happy, but that changed quickly when he looked at the requirements. Is there anything that can be done? How important are the minimum requirements?

A: CAO will only make an offer once a candidate meets the minimum subject and course requirements and CAO cut off points. Minimum entry requirements for any level 8 will be two H5 & four O6/H7. Level 7 courses require 5 subjects. Your son will not receive a level 8 courses given the information that you supplied but may get a level 7. He could use this level 7 as a pathway to a level 8.

Q: Will CAO points be inflated to match the higher demand for courses due to the inflated grades of this years LC?

Q: My son got enough points for the course he wanted, but got a H8 in Maths. What are his options now?

A: If a higher grade in Maths is required for the course above the H8, then points will not be considered. Entry requirements must be met before points can be considered. Entry requirements do not change.

Q: I am 7 points short of my 2nd choice - what are the chances off being offered the course?

A: Supply of places and demand for places is what determines cut off points. It will depend on points received by other interested candidiates and number of places being made available on this course for academic year 2023/24. No way of knowing until Wednesday, August 30th at 2 pm.

Q: If I am lucky enough to be offered a place and accept it but if I have a lower point course further down in my preferences could I still be offered that course in the second round, or is it only if it is a higher points course?

A: If for example you are offered your 5th preference then all lower preferences disappear and you will never be offered them. If you become entitled to a higher preference course you will be offered this in the next round. So in effect, you can move up your list of preferences but not down.

Q: How long does it take to receive the appealed results

A: This date has not been released yet. Late October would be a good guide. It will depend on the number of appeals being made. This will not be known until after Sept 4th.

Q: I am delighted with my 521 points LC. My first choice course was 522 points last year and my other choices are all just under 500 points. Thinking the course points may rise again this year, so my first choice may creep up and I may fall short by a few more points, and may not get offered it on Round 1 or 3. What is your advice ? Can I accept another course on Round one and then change to my first choice, if I got it on round 2 or 3. Just slightly confused on it.

A: Yes is the answer. Accepting a second or third preference in Round 1 does not rule one out of receiving a higher preference offer in future rounds. You will be offered your first choice if and when you meet minimum requirements and cut off points.

Q: Does a PLC course in Ireland count if you are applying to UCAS in the UK?

A: Yes, e.g. many Irish students who do nursing in the UK will firstly do a pre nursing plc here in Ireland and use this to apply to a nursing degree in the UK.

Q: I’m off my course by 9 points and I feel two of subjects (Irish and Italian) I should’ve achieved higher in both. What are the chances of my appeals being approved and does it guarantee me a spot in my course?

A: A larger percentage of appeals tend to go up as opposed to a grade down in the appeals process. You will need to view your marks. You can apply to view your exam scripts via the candidiate self portal from Tuesday, 29th August. LCA must email viewlcascript@examinations.ie. Anyone wishing to apply to appeal their exam results can do so from 10am on Sunday, September 3rd until 5pm on Monday, September 4th. The date for the results from appeals is not known yet. CAO must make you an offer to you if minimum requirements and 2023 cut off points are met. If course is full the the college will reserve a place for you on this course for academic year 2024/25.

Q: My daughter has applied through UCAS. How does it take UCAS to confirm places

A: The university should confirm the place within a day or two if you have met the conditions of the offer. I always recommend ringing the admissions office to make sure they have your results, even though they are sent to UCAS by the SEC.

Q: Will the points for Creative Music Production at IADT Dún Laoghaire go up this year?

A: I’m afraid we have no way of knowing for definite as there are so many variables we are not aware of, i.e. number of places, number of applicants, grades of applicants. We will have to wait until Wednesday to find out for definite.

Q: How and when can my child review the exam scripts to decide whether or not to appeal results?

A: You can apply to view your exam scripts via the candidiate self portal from Tuesday, 29th August at 5pm until Wednesday, August 30th at 8 pm. LCA must email viewlcascript@examinations.ie. Anyone wishing to apply to appeal their exam results can do so from 10am on Sunday, September 3rd until 5pm on Monday, September 4th.

Q: How can I view a script (PE) and how do I appeal?

A: You apply to view your PE script in the Candidate Self Service Portal from Tuesday 29th August at 5pm. If you wish to then apply to appeal the script you again do this in the Self Service Portal from Sunday 3 September at 10am.

Q: I got higher points than I expected to get. Can I change my selection to a higher point course?

A: You cannot change your CAO application at this stage, July 1st was the last date you could change your application I’m afraid.

Q: I got a H4 in English, I have never received less than H2, how can I find out my percentage?

A: You will get all your component marks on Tuesday in the Self Service Portal. To see your complete script and marks you should apply to view your scripts on Tuesday 29th from 5pm.

Q: How do I find out my exact percentage in honours maths as I may appeal if its near to a higher grade. I normally do better than the grade I got.

A: Candidates will see their marks including marks for each component via their portal account. This will be available by 12 noon on Tuesday, August 29th.

Q: Were the French results bad this year? I’m usually a H2 student and got significantly worse.

A: The number of H1, H2 and H3 grades was actually slightly up this year over last year in French. I would suggest applying to view your script maybe with your French teacher to see what might have caused the drop in grade from normal.

Q: My son will most likely get his course but wants to go next year and will defer if it is accepted by the college. He wants to try for a different college next year - does he have to cancel that or just apply to cao again and not lose the deferral?

A: If he is granted a deferral by the college, then he must apply through the CAO next year just putting down that course he deferred and he will be offered it next year. However, if he wants to apply for other courses next year on his CAO, then he is in open competition again and his deferred place is gone.

Q: Will I be offered a H8 and H7 course through the CAO?

A: Yes, if you applied for both level 8 and level 7 courses you could be offered a course from each list and it is up to you to decide which one you want to accept.

Q: I’m 4 points short for my course. What should my next plan of action be?

A: You are short 4 points based on last years points, they could be different this year, so you need to wait to see what happens on Wednesday.

Q: I got a H2 in maths and in Irish. Should I appeal?

A: The only way to know is to view your scripts in these subjects and this will inform your decision.

Q: I’ve applied for a course in UL that was 476 last year, 468 in 2021. I got 487 today. With the grade inflation since last year, is it likely that the points will increase to above what I have.

A: There is no way of knowing the exact points for individual courses for this year. However, the grades are very much in line with last year, and one would assume that 487 points would give you a very good chance of getting an offer on this course which was 476 last year. This is assuming there was a similar number applying for this with similar grades as last year. But you will have to wait until Wednesday to know for definite.

Q: How do I get my daughters results rechecked or even see her actual percentage

A: This is done through the process of viewing and appealing exam results. Applications can be made through the Candidate Self Service Portal where your daughter got her results this morning.

Q: My daughter had ATT in RCSI as her first choice but got a H5 in Maths even though the course needed a H4, will that mean there is no way that she will be offered the course?

A: I’m afraid not. You must meet the course entry requirements in order to be elligble to have your points considered for a course. Entry requirements must be met and do not change.

Q: How can I find out what percentage I got and how close I am to a different result?

A: The best way to do this is to view your script. You can appy to do this through the Candidate Self Service Portal. This application opens on Tuesday 5pm, 29th August.

Q: I got 197 points but my course was 250, although I was accepted for DARE. I’m wondering if it’s possible to still be accepted to the course.

A: Yes it is, but it is very difficult to say at this stage how likely you are to get an offer as it depends on a number of factors. How many places were set aside for DARE candidates on the course? How many people who applied for that course were DARE candidates and/or HEAR candidates? The answer to these questions will determine the likelihood of you being offered a place. You will have to wait until the 30th to find out I’m afraid.

Q: I got 358 in my Leaving Certificate. I want to do LLB hons, is there any college who can consider me from North or South?

A: In the north you apply for courses through the UCAS system. If you do not have an offer you are happy with currently, then your option is to look at a process called clearing, to see if any university up north has an unfilled place in Law. This link may be of some help . In the south, there are courses in Law at less than 358, e.g. SETU on 310 last year. Again I am not sure if you have already made a CAO application or not. If not the equivalent to Clearing up north for down in the south is Vacant Places in the CAO system. These courses will go live on 31st August at midday. You could have a look here to see what courses are on offer. Some of the private colleges offer Law degrees below 358 and may allow you to apply directly at this stage, e.g. griffith College or DBS.

Q: Getting a fail in French - surely I should have received some grade?

A: Not sure of your question here. Every percentage in a subject results in a grade. If you get 0 to 29 per cent you get a grade 8. If you get 30 to 39 per cent, you will get a grade 7, etc. Something should appear beside your subject name even if you get a low percentage.

Q: What could have gone wrong my daughter basically got rated as FM for her LCVP after getting a distinction in her pre and what steps should we take now?

A: Unfortunately, getting a result in a mock paper does not automatically indicate a similar result in the Leaving Certificate. The marking of a mock paper and the marking of a LC paper could have been carried out very differently and hence the results can be different. Also the LC exam on the day might not have gone as well as your daughter hoped and hence a lower result than expected. I would suggest look at the component marks next Tuesday and possibly apply to view the script to get an idea of what went wrong. This may lead to an application to appeal the LC result.

Q: How can I appeal my results?

A: Subjects can be appealed through the Candidate Self Service Portal from 10am on Sunday 3 September until 5pm on Monday 4 September. it is advisable to view scripts before deciding to appeal results.

Q: Do they often reduce results on appeal? My son is one point short of his preferred course but was surprised at one of his results which is lower than expected. Would it be advisable to seek a review of that paper or would that run the risk of reducing his overall points score futher and making the chances of him getting the place more remote?

A: Results can go down as well as up in appeals, so it is very advisable to view scripts before deciding whether to appeal a subject or not. If the result obtained in the subject is very near the grade below the one achieved, one should be careful about making an appeal as the grade could drop and likewise if the result is near the next grade up then it may be a good idea to appeal the result.

Q: Will courses go up this year or stay around the same

A: It is always hard to predict but due to the fact that this year’s grades are being maintained at the same level as last year means points on the whole are likely to stay at last year’s high levels. For more see Brian Mooney’s article What impact will the 2023 results have on the CAO.

Q: I am planning to defer my course till september 2024. How will i notify the college or CAO?

A: An applicant who receives an offer of a place but wishes to defer for a year can only do so with the agreement of the the educational institution in question. You must immediately contact the admissions office of the college making the offer and outline the reasons for a deferral. You must remember to reapply to the CAO next year.

Q: Do LC results determine university admission, and do students have only a week or two from today to arrange housing and move-in details for the Fall semester?

A: Yes, for the most part LC results do determine university admission. Offers of places in university will be made next Wednesday and when students have their offer they will immediately start the difficult task of finding accommodation. Some might be lucky enough to get on campus accommodation others will have to start looking elsewhere for private accommodation options.

CAO helpdesk: Put your questions on 2023 college offers to our guidance counsellors

The helpdesk is now closed. Many thanks to our readers for submitting questions.

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