Applying for college and the CAO

The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes college applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The HEIs decide who gets places on their courses and they tell the CAO to make offers to successful candidates.

The CAO is responsible for processing applications and recording acceptances for HEIs, but all decisions on admissions are made by the individual institutions and not by the CAO.

What undergraduate courses are available?

Undergraduate courses available in universities and institutes of technology include:

• Higher certificates (Level 6)
• Ordinary Bachelor degrees (Level 7)
• Honours Bachelor degrees (Level 8)

You can find a list of the courses on offer and information on how to apply in the CAO Handbook.

In general, you should apply directly to the appropriate HEI (and not through CAO) for any courses not mentioned in the CAO Handbook. See the CAO Handbook to find out when you need to apply directly to the HEI.

You apply for almost all full-time third-level education undergraduate courses through the CAO. You apply using the CAO portal.

Tools to help you get your application right

The CAO has information and tools to help you make your application and make sure you get it right.

The CAO Handbook

Make sure you read the most recent version of the CAO Handbook (pdf) before starting your application as this has helpful information about the different stages of the application process.

Online demo application form

You can make a practice application using the online demo application form. This allows you to see what the application form looks like and what information is required.

Personalised CAO Handbook

You can create a personalised CAO Handbook that you can view on your phone or smart device in the CAO Handbook app.

You create your personalised CAO Handbook by choosing:

• The level of study you are interested in (Level 6, 7 or 8)
• Where you would like to study (you can choose different HEIs)
• What subject areas you are interested in (eg, Business and Law or Social Sciences)
• What specific courses you are interested in from the list of options presented based on your previous answers

Your personalised CAO Handbook will have links to dedicated website pages for your selected courses. These pages have details of minimum entry requirements (if any), what you will study during the course, electives, available scholarships, graduate career options and further studies. It also provides general information about the CAO application process and what happens at each of the different stages.

A video showing you how to use the personalised CAO Handbook is available on the CAO website.

Creating a personalised CAO Handbook is not the same as making an application to CAO.

Step 1: Create an account on the CAO website

The first thing you need to do is register an account on the CAO portal.

1. Go to CAO.ie and click ‘Apply’.
2. Enter your personal details (make sure you enter your name as it appears on your birth certificate or passport).
3. Enter a valid email address – the CAO and HEIs may contact you by email, so you need to make sure you provide a valid email address that you check regularly (if you don’t, you might not get your offer).
4. Select which qualification you are applying with (this is usually your Leaving Certificate but can include other qualifications like Post-Leaving Certificate courses leading to a Level 5 award, or GCSE award from the UK).
5. Choose your payment method.
6. Create a password.
7. If you are paying with a debit or credit card, you will be redirected to a third-party payment facility (your card details won’t be stored on the CAO system). You will be brought back to the CAO website to complete your application when the payment has been made.
8. Click ‘Proceed with application’ – you will get your CAO application number and an email with both your CAO number and a verification code.

If you don’t receive an email, your application has not been registered successfully.

Step 2: Provide qualification and assessment details

You need to log back into the account you just created to provide details of your qualifications and assessments. This just means you need to enter your current school and check the box to say that you will be sitting the upcoming Leaving Certificate exams.

If you have already completed the Leaving Certificate, you need to enter your exam year and exam number.

Step 3: Confirm if you are applying for a student grant

You should tick the option that says you wish to be considered for a student grant if:

• You have already applied to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for a student grant, or
• You plan to apply for a student grant

If you confirm on your CAO application that you wish to be considered for a student grant, the CAO will provide your details to SUSI.

However, ticking this option on your CAO form does not mean that you have applied for the student grant. If you have not already applied for the student grant, you will still need to apply to SUSI. Read more about getting a student grant.

Step 4: Matriculation requirements and exemptions

Some HEIs have minimum entry requirements for language (called ‘matriculation requirements’), for example, you may need Irish to be able to do certain courses.

You can seek exemptions from these requirements in certain circumstances. You need to contact the Admissions Offices of the HEI you are applying to. You should do this as soon as possible.

The CAO has no role in processing exemption applications.

In May, you will receive your Statement of Application Record from the CAO. You will be asked to log into your account to make sure your details are correct. If your exemption has been granted, it will be recorded there (see ‘Statement of Application Record’ below).

Step 5: Add your courses to your application form

You must add your courses to your application form in your order of preference. You can choose Level 8, Level 7 and Level 6 courses.

You can add up to 10 courses at any or all of these levels. To add a course:

• Click ‘Add Level 8 course choices’ or ‘Add Level 7/6 course choices’
• Enter the course codes for your choices (for example, D132 is the code for Level 8 Bachelor of Journalism in Dublin City University)

You need the course code to add it to your list. You can find the course codes by using the ‘Courses’ search function that appears on the form when you click to add a course – you can search by institution and course title or keyword.

What order should I put my courses in?

It is very important that you list your courses in your genuine order of preference. Do not list them based purely on how you think you will perform in your Leaving Certificate exams.

You will be offered the course highest on your list that you’re eligible for. So, if you are offered your first choice, you won’t be offered your second choice – but if you are offered your third choice, you might still be offered your second and first choices in later rounds.

Taking up a deferred college place

If you are taking up a college place you deferred from the previous year, you should choose your deferred course as your first and only preference. If you select any additional courses, you will forfeit your deferral and will be relying on your points again to secure your course place.

Read more about taking up a deferred college place.

Step 6: HEAR and DARE

You should confirm on your CAO application form if you wish to be considered for:

• The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR), a college admissions scheme for school leavers from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.
• The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE), a college admissions scheme for school leavers with disabilities who have experienced additional educational challenges.

You must meet certain criteria to be eligible for these schemes. If you are applying for HEAR and/or DARE, you must complete these parts of the application form by 5pm on 1 March 2025.

Read more about HEAR and DARE.

Step 7: Double-check your details and log out

You should double-check your choices and other details on your form one more time to make sure that everything is correct.

Then, scroll to the bottom of the page and click ‘Log Out’ to exit. All of your details have been submitted to the CAO.

The CAO application portal for 2025-2026 opened on 5 November 2024 and closes on 1 February 2025.

The closing date for online applications at the discounted fee of €30 is 20 January 2025.

Read more about key dates for CAO applications and CAO application fees.

What is a restricted-application course?

Some courses are ‘restricted-application’ courses. These courses have early assessment or interview procedures, sometimes as early as February in the year before college entry.

For example, if you are applying for a course in the National College of Art & Design, you may be expected to submit a portfolio of work in early February of the year you are applying.

When selecting courses on your application form, you can tell if a course is restricted as it will say ‘(Restricted)’ beside the course title.

If you want to apply for such a course, you must include it in your CAO application in time, so that the relevant HEI can arrange the early assessment.

Check the websites or prospectuses of the HEIs for further information about courses with restrictions and deadlines.

You can change your mind about a course selection at certain times. Depending on when you wish to make a change to your CAO application, you may have to pay a fee.

What is a Statement of Application Record?

Before the end of May, you will be sent a Statement of Application Record email from the CAO. This will ask you to log into your CAO account and verify that your information is correct.

If you have not received this by early June, you should contact the CAO immediately to make sure your application was received – if you don’t do this, you might be in danger of not getting offers at the offer stage.

Read more about the Statement of Application Record in the CAO Handbook.

You will get your college offers by email from the CAO. You will be offered the course highest on your list that you are eligible for.

If you don’t get your first choice in Round 1, you can accept a lower preference course if you are offered it – this will not stop you from getting an offer in a later round for a higher preference course.

If you do accept an offer of a higher preference course in a later round, this will automatically cancel your acceptance of a lower preference offer.

When are college offers made?

The dates college offers are sent to students vary from year-to year.

• Round 1 offers are usually made a short time after the Leaving Certificate results have been released (usually sometime in August).
• Round A offers for those not waiting on Leaving Certificate results, such as mature students are generally made in July.
• Round Zero offers for graduate entry medicine candidates and other categories are usually made in early August.

You should check the CAO website for up to date information on key dates relating to CAO offers.

Read more about applying for college and entry requirements.

Find more information about applying through the CAO in the most recent version of the CAO Handbook.