You're one of the lucky ones. The post has arrived and you're holding one if not two offers of a third-level place.

What happens next? Your offer notice will show only the course code, so you must consult the CAO handbook to check the full title of the course. More than one offer? If you filled out both the certificate/diploma and the degree lists on your application form, you may receive an offer from each list. Of course, you can only accept one of your two offers and you have until Wednesday, September 1st, (the CAO reply date for first-round offers) to make up your mind. If the offers were not your first choice, remember you can accept a place without affecting your chances of receiving a higher-preference offer in later rounds.

So you have your first choice. Congratulations. All that hard work has paid off and you have a place on the course of your choice.

Unfortunately, each year, the College Places helpline receives a number of tearful phone calls from students who have suddenly realised they don't want to be lawyers and would rather be doctors after all. There is no change-of-mind facility at this stage.

If you are offered your first preference you will not be made any further offers from that list. (The degree and certificate/diploma lists operate independently.) Effectively, the computer wipes out all choices below the one you were offered, so when it comes to first preferences, your choices are to accept the offer or re-apply next year. The basic CAO rule is that you can always move up the list but you can never move down.

As with most rules there is one possible exception. If there are vacant places advertised on your course of choice, then you may apply for these, regardless of where the course stood on your order of preference.

OK, so I can't change course choice, what about swapping college? You have been offered science in TCD but now you have decided you would like to move out from home and try your luck in NUI Galway. Sorry, but it's not possible to arrange a transfer or swop at this stage. You must stick with the list of courses in the order in which you sent it to the CAO. If students could negotiate private arrangements among themselves or with the colleges, it would cause chaos.

How do I accept an offer? You have until 5.15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 1st, to pay the deposit and accept the offer. If you do not accept your offer by this date, the place will be offered to someone else. The CAO asks that you do not accept an offer unless you intend to avail of it.

In some cases you may have to pay a fee. The fee schedule contains two columns: standard and grant status. You should consult the grant column if you have been notified by your local authority or VEC that you are eligible for a grant or if you have applied for a grant. Otherwise, consult the standard column.

If you who fall into the grant category you must pay £250 if you are accepting a place in one of the five private third-level colleges - American College, Griffith, Dublin Business School, LSB or Portobello.

There are also varying amounts to be paid to the seven universities - ranging from £30 in DCU to £50 in TCD. These are the local levies which are not covered by your grant. This marks a change on previous years where this levy was paid at registration. The CAO has indicated that no grant applicant will lose his or her place if they do not pay the levy at this stage.

There are three parts to your CAO offer notice. Part A is the giro form which goes to the bank. Part B you keep and part C (stamped by a bank if necessary) must be returned to the CAO. Get a certificate of posting - preferably use one of the custom-made certificates in the back of the CAO handbook.

You want to reject an offer? Easy - simply do nothing. If you don't accept an offer by the reply date, you are deemed to have rejected it.

Contacting the CAO: Applicants receive an enquiry form with their offer notice. The CAO advises applicants to use this enquiry form to submit any questions to the CAO.

It also advises applicants not to worry about the time taken to deal with written enquiries. CAO aims to answer by immediate return of post.

The CAO can be contacted by telephone at (091) 509800.