Know Your Rights: CAO late application

Question

The closing date for applying to college was 1 February. Can I still apply?

Answer

You apply for almost all full-time undergraduate courses through the Central Applications Office (CAO). This includes, for example, university and institute of technology undergraduate courses such as Higher Certificates at Level 6 and degrees at Levels 7 and 8. The closing date for 2017 CAO applications was 1 February 2017. However, late applications are allowed up to 5.15pm on 1 May 2017.

There is a fee to apply for courses through the CAO and late applications are subject to an increased fee. Late online applications cost €50. You may change the courses you picked or the order of courses on your application. This Change of Mind facility is free. It opens on 5 May and closes on 1 July 2017 at 5:15pm.

If you are a mature applicant who wants to be assessed on mature grounds, or if you want to be considered for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes, most colleges will require you to have applied to the CAO by 1 February 2017. There are also some restricted courses which cannot be applied for after 1 February 2017.  

The CAO provides a handbook that lists all the courses on offer and gives information on how to apply.

Decisions on offers of places are normally made in August and September, after the results of the Leaving Certificate have come out. A detailed schedule of the offer rounds is in the CAO handbook.

It is important to note that there is no central applications body for Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses. Students must apply directly to the individual colleges. You should check the closing date for PLC courses with the college where the PLC course is taking place.

Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.

Know Your Rights has been compiled by Boyle Citizens Information Centre which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 0761 07 6330

Address: Elphin Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon

Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service - 0761 07 4000