CAO is an abbreviation for Central Applications Office which is the organisation that processes applications for places at third level institutions in the Republic of Ireland.

https://www.cao.ie/

Between 55,000 and 65,000

2024: 62,700

2023: 58,006

2022: 58,056

2021: 57,952

Statistics from the CAO show most students scoring from 400 to 499 points.

2023 Scores:

625 points 952 1.6%

600 - 624 1,848 3.2%

500 - 599 11,378 19.6%

400 - 499 15,852 27.3%

300 - 399 13,902 24.0%

200 - 299 8,233 14.2%

100 - 199 4,022 6.9%

Less than 100 1,819 3.1%

Total: 58,006

2022 Scores:

625 points 1,122 1.9%

600 - 624 2,083 3.6%

500 - 599 11,353 19.6%

400 - 499 15,367 26.5%

300 - 399 13,667 23.5%

200 - 299 8,466 14.6%

100 - 199 4,083 7.0%

Less than 100 1,915 3.3%

Total: 58, 056

2021 Scores:

625 points 1,342 2.3%

600 - 624 1,988 3.4%

500 - 599 12,133 20.9%

400 - 499 16,189 27.9%

300 - 399 12,865 22.2%

200 - 299 7,544 13.0%

100 - 199 3,623 6.3%

Less than 100 2,268 3.9%

Total: 57,952

To ensure that you will be considered for a place on a third level course, you need to make an application through the CAO by 1st February (17:00) in the year of your LC exams. Late applications, in some circumstances, are accepted up to 1st May (17:00). You are not allowed to make more than one application in any given year. Applications open in November of the year before you do your LC exams. If you want to begin third level in 2025, then, you would need to submit your application between November 2024 and 1st February, 2025.

CAO Handbook with lists of available courses:

https://www.cao.ie/handbook.php

You can make your application on-line through the CAO website:

https://www.cao.ie/

The grade you obtain in English in the leaving cert would be finalised by calculating the percentage of marks you scored over the two papers. English is allocated a total of 400 marks: 200 for Paper 1, and 200 for Paper 2. This percentage would then be valued in terms of the points system used to determine eligibility for third level courses.

Example:

If you scored 280 out of a possible 400 marks across both papers, you would have a score of 70 percentage marks ((280/400) x 100). This would give you a H3 grade at higher level and a O3 grade at Ordinary level.

Grades are referred to in abbreviated form; higher level are prefixed with H, and grades at Ordinary level are prefixed with O.

The grade in this example is highlighted below on the table showing distribution according to percentage marks:

Note: 70 < 80 means any score from 70 up to 79; more than 69 and less than 80.

The CAO awards points, as you would expect, by taking scores from the six best subjects you have been examined on.

Points from Grades across Ordinary Level (OL) and Higher Level (HL) are shown on the table below. You will note that a maximum of 56 points can be scored at ordinary level; an O1 is equivalent to a H5.

You can calculate points from grades obtained with the Qualifax points calculator:

https://www.qualifax.ie/points-calculator

There are 10 levels of educational qualification in Ireland. This is referred to as the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), and was established in order to locate any and all qualifications on one scale.

The kinds of qualifications in question include those rewarded at second level, such as the Leaving Cert. At third level, they are the qualifications obtained through recognised institutions.

The framework guarantees that qualifications are valued as they should be nationally and internationally.

Second Level School Studies:

Junior Cycle:

Level 1 Certificate

Level 2 Certificate

Level 3 Certificate

Leaving Certificate:

Level 4 Certificate

Level 5 Certificate

Third Level; Undergraduate Studies:

Level 6: Advanced Certificate

Level 7: Ordinary Bachelor Degree

Level 8: Honours Bachelor Degree

Fourth Level; Postgraduate Studies:

Level 9: Masters Degree or Postgraduate Diploma

Level 10: Doctoral Degree or Higher Doctorate

The points for third level courses vary year by year according to the number of places available, and the number of applicants for those places. It should be noted, also, however, that some courses will require higher scores than others in some subjects. You would need to have a high aptitude for mathematics to begin a degree in physics or engineering. If you were to study literature or history, on the other hand, that level would not be required but it would be an advantage or necessary to have scored well in English.

Qualifax, for example, details how the points required to obtain a place in the degree (level 8) in Accounting & Finance at Dublin City University varied over a four year period:

2023: 509

2022: 529

2021: 544

2020: 510

A general idea of the kinds of points needed for a variety of degree (level 8) courses in 2024:

Over 600:

Architecture, Technological University Dublin: 645

Interior Design, Technological University Dublin: 638

Dental Science, Trinity College Dublin: 625

Dentistry, University College Cork: 625

Pharmacy, University College Cork: 613

500 to 600:

Music, Cork School of Music: 600

Business Studies and French, Trinity College, Dublin: 564

Actuarial Mathematics, Dublin City University: 577

Business and Law, University College Dublin: 555

Art, ATU, Galway: 552

Computational Thinking, Maynooth University: 532

Mechanical Engineering, University of Galway: 532

Psychology, University of Galway: 531

Accounting and Finance, Dublin City University: 509

Architecture, University of Limerick: 511

Computer Science, University College Cork: 510

Philosophy, Trinity College, Dublin: 500

400 to 500:

AI and Machine Learning, University of Limerick: 498

Education (Primary Teaching), Mary Immaculate College: 497

Agricultural Science, University College Cork: 496

Biotechnology, University of Galway: 463

Law, Maynooth University: 462

Social Science, University College Cork: 445

Humanities, University College Dublin: 444

Applied Language & Translation Studies, Dublin City University: 442

Music, Trinity College Dublin: 442

Biotechnology, Maynooth University: 431

Journalism, University of Galway: 418

Languages, University of Limerick: 403

Communication Studies, Dublin City University: 400

300 to 400:

Journalism, Dublin City University: 388

Arts, English, University College Dublin: 378

IT Management, MTU Cork: 353

Business, TUS Limerick: 339

Architectural Technology, ATU Galway: 332

Agricultural Engineering, ATU Galway: 327

Hospitality Management, MTU Cork: 326

Creative Design, ATU Sligo: 323

Arts, English, Maynooth University : 310

Computer Science, ATU Donegal: 308

Architectural Technology, MTU Cork: 306

Agricultural Engineering, MTU Kerry: 301

200 to 300:

Veterinary Bioscience, MTU, Kerry: 300

Accounting, MTU, Cork: 293

Construction Management, Dundalk IT: 288

Business, ATU, Donegal: 282

Arts, Mary Immaculate College: 280

Sports Coaching and Performance, SETU, Waterford: 265

Business, SETU, Carlow: 260

Accounting and Finance, Griffith College, Dublin: 252

Community and Addiction Studies, TUS, Limerick: 235

Sports Science, TUC, Thurles: 219

Business, TU Dublin, Talaght: 211

Arts, SETU, Waterford: 210

The same degree at different institutions will not require the same points. Here are some comparisons in 2024:

A degree (level 8) in Early Childhood Care & Education:

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick: 390

Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone : 263

An Arts degree (level 8) in English:

University College Dublin: 378

Maynooth University: 310

An open Arts degree (level 8) :

Mary Immaculate College: 280

University College Cork: 300

Dundalk Institute of Technology: 228

A degree (level 8) in Mechanical Engineering:

University of Galway: 532

TUS, Athlone: 309

A degree (level 8) in General Nursing:

University of Limerick: 423

Dundalk Institute of Technology: 380

University College Dublin: 403