Chemical engineering degrees:

Cork Institute of Techology: fouryear BEng in chemical and process engineering; 30 first-year places; second round cut-off in 1999 - 460 points.

UCD: four-year omnibus engineering degree; second-year specialisms include chemical engineering; second round cut-off in 1999 - 375 points.

Special subject requirements

In addition to points, students must fulfill special Leaving Cert subject requirements to secure a first-year place. UCD requires a minimum of a higher-level B in maths while CIT requires a higher-level C in maths.

Salaries:

Sample starting salaries in the Republic: £18,000 to £22,000 per annum.

A recent survey carried out by the British Engineering Council claims that chemical engineers' earning has increased by 14 per cent, with an average salary of £52,024 sterling.