Welcome to The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2025. Using the form below, you can submit any questions you have about this year’s process, from points and Leaving Cert results, to appeals, deferrals and more.
Our education experts Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be on hand from 12pm on Friday to give you quick and clear feedback as you navigate college offers, choices and deciding your next steps over the coming days.
You can follow our live coverage of today’s Leaving Cert results here: Grades deflate as number of H1 grades awarded falls.
Q: I only meet the cut off point for my 6th choice and below will I get offered it? - Anonymous
A: No way of knowing. We will all find out at the same time on Wednesday when CAO issues the offers and cut off points for 2025. Bit of a waiting game. But stay positive. - Deirdre
Q: With a combined score of 716, (HPAT and LC points), how likely is it to get accepted into medicine in NUIG as a student eligible for DARE? - Dairine
A: Stay positive. You will be competing against other DARE candidates. I obviously don’t have access to their results or course preferences. Hence I cannot say for definite. Do get back on and let us know how it goes. We wish you the very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Wondering if you think points for UCD medicine will drop and if so, by how much? - Maire
A: If you have a look at some of the previous answers you will see it is almost impossible to make a definitive comment on this as there are so many variables at play, especially this year. Unfortunately, we will just have to wait until Wednesday when the admissions officers have had their meetings and allocated whatever places they have funding for. - Brian
Q: Considering all factors this year I am short ten points. Would you say there is a fair chance courses will drop by ten-ish points as results are generally lower? - Aisling
A: Courses have dropped by this number of points before. No way of knowing until CAO release cut off points for 2025 on Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: Is it likely to get offered your 6th choice on your CAO? - Anonymous
A: CAO will offer you the highest preference course where you meet minimum entry requirements and CAO cut off points. - Deirdre
Q: Will course points drop due to the deflation of points achieved? - Sinéad
A: In principle yes they will due to the drop in grade inflation. However, there are other factors which may affect points also. There are extra applicants from this years LC class of 25 and there are increased numbers of last years LCs applying this year and also an increased amount of non Irish applicants also. So it is very hard to know where all of these factors combined will leave points for individual courses. - Brian
Q: Will 2 H6, 2 H5 and 2 H3 get me mechanical engineering? - Sean
A: Please elaborate, what college etc... - Deirdre
Q: Have any more general nursing places been added to SETU? Do you think points may drop for this course? - Jennifer
A: The most definitive way to find out about numbers of places in courses is to contact the admissions team in the particular college, SETU in this instance. I have not come across additional places being added specifically to SETU but this may still be the case. If this is the case and the reduction in post marking adjustment you could be lucky and see a reduction in points. - Brian
Q: Would you have any idea if demand is up for PE with geography in UL? - Mary
A: Unfortunately, we don’t have figures for individual courses so can’t help you there. It’s a waiting game until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: Will points for law in UCD go up dramatically as the CAO mentioned a 20% increase in demand for that course? - Blake
A: Demand certainly pushes up points. But who knows. It will depend on the points received by interested candidates for this course. No way of knowing until CAO release offers on Wednesday at 2pm. - Deirdre
Q: Do you think points are likely to drop by 3-4 points? Particularly for medicine. -Amy
A: I hope so. More places have been put in place and undergraduate level. I would hope that the extra supply would ease the pressure on cut off points for this course. It will depend on the CAO points received by other interested applicants. No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: When you view scripts will it give exact % mark, so if I got 69.5%, could I go up a grade? - Jean
A: 12 noon on Tuesday you will be able to see marks allocated to each component and subject. You will also be able to see your marks before and after grade adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: University of Ulster had advised that five minimum grades are required for my course which I have achieved, is five the minimum? I contacted them and got two different responses as to whether they accept grades from six Leaving Cert subjects. It says minimum five subjects. I have enough points with six. Will six subjects apply? - Carla
A: I am not sure what is in your offer, but looking at a UU publication here it is saying that all Leaving Certificate subjects can be used to calculate UCAS tariff points and it is saying that minimum requirements are passes at H6 or above in four subjects. - Brian
Q: Do you have any indication of the amount of applicants for UCD Veterinary Nursing this year. My daughter is within a few points of the first round of offers last year 499 but I know it went down to 481 in the 2nd round? - Helen
A: The demand for Veterinary courses have slightly risen. I have no way of knowing as I don’t have access to all relevant data. We won’t know exactly until CAO releases offers on Wednesday. I hope that it works out for you. - Deirdre
Q: If I have primary teaching in Marino as my number 1 on my CAO and I achieved 465 points and achieved the entry requirements but the points for last year were 473 how likely is it that I will get my number 1 choice? Are the points likely to go down for primary teaching? - Leah
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. To balance this the post marking adjustment has fallen and this could lead to a reduction in points. Where does this leave the points for Marino? This is the million dollar question as with other courses. I personally don’t think the points for primary will fall significantly if at all, but we will have to wait and see. - Brian
Q: Hello, my son got 613 and also is entitled to DARE. He has applied for Ec and Fi at UCD and Global Business at TCD, how confident should he be of getting into either of those courses? - Pauline
A: Stay positive. You will be competing against other DARE candidates. I obviously don’t have access to their results or course preferences. Hence I cannot say for definite. Do get back on and let us know how it goes. We wish you the very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: I want to have home economics rechecked - Emma
A: You can apply for an appeal. The appeals process and payment opens at 10 am on Sunday 31st of August and closes at 5 PM Monday, September 1st. An appeal application can be made through your CSSP. - Deirdre
Q: My child is 3 points off for nursing, could the points for this reduce? - Paula
A: It is possible. Nursing is a very popular choice. No way of knowing until 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: I am 11 points short for my desired course but I am eligible for DARE, is it likely that I’d be offered a place via DARE? - John
A: Let’s hope so. It will depend on the points achieved by other DARE applicants. Some DARE applicants will get priority over others due to the severity of their disability. - Deirdre
Q: If you refuse your first CAO option in the hope you get a course on lower points, is the risk all places have already been awarded even though you would have enough points? - Kieran
A: All courses that lie below the course offered to you in round 1 will become obsolete (deleted). You can only get offered courses that lie above this course in your CAO order of preference. I would advise you to accept your offer as this won’t impact you getting higher offers in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: Would you see the points for Trinity engineering or environmental science and engineering in trinity dropping or staying the same? - Patrick
A: From looking at the stats for Engineering, demand seems to be up for courses in this area by July 1st. This would generally be an indicator that points for these courses would be on the way up. However, with the lowering of the post marking adjustment percentage for this year, this could balance this out in the other direction. So as you can see, it is almost impossible this year to predict with any level of accuracy. - Brian
Q: Does the UCAS system allocate places based on six leaving cert subjects? - Maria
A: This is not the same for all universities so it is advisable to check your offer to see if it is mentioned in the offer and if not contact admissions to see what they have to say. Some will allow you to use any subjects you are studying in the LC, others may put a cap on the number of subjects. - Brian
Q: I scored 601 points, which is above the 556 required for my first choice course, however last year the course went to random selection. How does this work? Does it mean that people below a certain point cut-off point were randomly selected or that all students no matter their points were randomly selected? Is there a chance I won’t get my course? - Sandro
A: CAO random sampling is a system used by the Central Applications Office for college admissions in Ireland when multiple applicants have the same score for the last remaining places on a course. Each applicant is assigned a completely random, lottery-like number for each course choice; the applicant with the highest random number among those with identical scores is awarded the place. - Deirdre
Q: I got 462 and a H3 in Irish which is the requirement for primary teaching through the medium of Irish in Marino, I also have DARE. Last year the points were 467 (minus the TEG, which I have done). Do you think it’s likely with the 5 points difference that I could be offered a DARE place. I understand it is impossible to know if the points will go up but I couldn’t find any statistics in relation to my course. - Jessica
A: I would stay positive. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 27th. Being 5 points off and a DARE applicant, I would be hopeful. Do let us know how you get on. Best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter would like to get UCD Landscape Architecture and has DARE. Last year points were 400 and she got 445. I know you can’t tell but would you expect she has enough to get in? - Sally
A: I would be confident. I would be hopeful. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 PM on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: What is the process for appeals? - Helen
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide 2. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open Sunday 31st of August at 10am and close Monday 1st of September at 5pm. - Brian
Q: Will CAO points for general nursing drop in SETU ? (As more nursing availability in other colleges such as Maynooth and Queen’s). - Sarah
A: Hard to say. The hope would be that it would. Nursing is a very popular course though. Unfortunately, no way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: My son had to sit three exams in one day and did significantly worse in two of those exams than he had expected (had been predicted to get H1s, got H3s). When we are appealing, can we raise this as an issue? I had flagged it with the SEC beforehand (he had 9 hours of exams that day, and has anxiety) but at the time but got nowhere. - Emma
A: I would advise you to wait until Tuesday. Your son can access the exact marks received in each exam and each component. Viewing of scripts can also help when deciding on whether to appeal or not. - Deirdre
Q: If I appeal and I end up getting lower in a subject, and lower points overall, will they kick me out of my college course? - Addison
A: I imagine that this would be highly unlikely. Be careful of rechecks with subjects and grades that are required for minimum entry requirements. - Deirdre
Q: Can I get into my course if my point is lower than the course requirements? - Suey
A: Unless you are DARE or HEAR eligible? Both are an entry scheme that offers entry via point reduction. One must meet minimum entry requirements and course cut off points before a CAO will make an offer. - Deirdre
Q: If my daughter is offered and accepts a 3rd place course on her CAO, plus is going to request an appeal/recheck of her results, what happens if the appeal brings up her CAO points score to give her her 2nd choice, does she get a new offer or does she wait? - Eimear
A: If your daughters grades improve in the appeals process then whatever course she would have been entitled to with the higher grades must be offered to her, regardless of what she has already accepted. The only question is when the college can offer the higher preference place. The colleges will try to offer her her upgraded place this year but if they cannot they must offer her a deferred place for next year. - Brian
Q: Are there more places available for Children and General integrated nursing this year? - Sarah
A: The introduction of new courses and the overall rise in interest for nursing programs suggest a potential increase in the number of available places for Children and General Nursing for the 2025 CAO cycle. - Deirdre
Q: My son has applied for primary teaching in Mary Immaculate College. Last year the points for this course were 488 plus a H4 in Irish. My son got 518 and a H3 in Irish, surely the points won’t jump up over 30 points for this course, should he be confident enough with these points of getting his course? - Noreen
A: I would stay positive. Nobody will know the exact cut off points for 2025 until CAO release the offers at 2 Pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: I got 348 points today and I want arts joint honours politics and law in DCU. I am a HEAR and DARE student. Is it likely I’ll get in since I’m only 10 points short and have HEAR and DARE? - Shane
A: I would say there is a good chance but it depends on the standard of Leaving Certificate results of the other DARE candidates looking for a place on this course as those with the higher points have a better chance of being offered a place. - Brian
Q: Can you appeal if you were sick on the day of an exam with a doctor cert? - Caroline
A: The appeals process does not cover situations where students were sick on the day of the examination. You are appealing the correction of your exam script using the official marking scheme. If a student is sick on the day of the examination this is dealt with on the day by the exam superintendent and the school authority. - Brian
Q: If you have qualified for DARE but get the points needed for a course, are you then placed in the general pool of applicants or are you among the other DARE applicants? - Emma
A: You are among the general applicants but you can still avail of the services provided to the DARE students by the college. - Deirdre
Q: Is it likely that points for Biomedical Science will drop this year? - Karen
A: Demand for Biological Science courses was up as the CAO closed on the 1st July thus indicating a possible increase in points, however as we know the post marking adjustment rate was lower this year indicating a possible reduction in points. Where one meets the other we don’t know, i.e. will there be a net increase or decrease in points. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until Wednesday to find out. - Brian
Q: My son failed maths. His first choice was business in Shannon which has maths as a requirement. Is there any possibility of him getting a place? He is approved for a DARE place. - Maeve
A: Unfortunately not, no matter what points your son has or indeed the fact that he has qualified under the DARE scheme, he is not deemed a qualified for this course and will not be offered a place. - Brian
Q: My daughter received 1 H2 grade, 2 H3 grades, 2 H4 grades, 1 H5 grade, 1H6 grade in maths (all higher level). The careers portal calculator gives her 445 points, but she tells me this in incorrect because she doesn’t benefit from the extra 25 for higher level maths as the 25 is only added after the top 6 grades are chosen which seems unfair given that she still did higher maths regardless of result. 1) It’s a disgrace that the official calculator is incorrect, 2) it means that if had she done worse in the subject she got a H5 in, she would actually have benefitted from the 25 extra points for maths and received overall 10 points more. Should we appeal the H5 result and seek a lower grade!? Or is there anything here that can be appealed in relation to the rule? - Joe
A: With these grades, your daughter will get the bonus 25 points to bring her points to 445. - Brian
Q: Will the grade change I get if my appeal is successful have the additional 5% grade inflation boost? - Alexa
A: If your appeal is successful and you get a new grade, then the post marking adjustment will be applied to that grade as if you had that grade from the beginning. Not every grade in the Leaving Certificate got a 5% increase, this is an average figure across the Leaving Certificate. - Brian
Q: I am over the point request for my first choice Engineering in Trinity but this course went to lottery last year. Is there a chance that even though I am over the point request I may still not be offered it? - Damien
A: I would remain hopeful. But I cannot say for definite. Nobody will know the answer to this until CAO release offers and publish the CAO cut off points for 2025. This will happen from 2pm on Wednesday, 2025. - Deirdre
Q: Will medicine points stay the same or drop with 500 extra applications? - Áine
A: No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. The hope would be that the extra places will relieve pressure on the points for this career area. - Deirdre
Q: I got 243 points, but my course requires 300 points. Do I still have a chance? - Nazim
A: No way of knowing until CAO release offers at 2 pm on Wednesday. Best of luck. There are plenty of other options. Get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: I have been offered a place in Poland to study veterinary medicine. I have applied for agricultural science in UCD also. Is it possible to defer ag science for a year in case going to Poland doesn’t work out for me? - Sorcha
A: Absolutely. Please view page 32 of the CAO handbook. Get back on if you need more support - Deirdre
Q: How likely is it that course requirement points will go down this year? - Mairead
A: It will depend on the places available on each course, the popularity of a course and the points of interested candidates. No way of knowing this until 2 PM next Wednesday. - Deirdre
Q: How do I know which scripts will be available to be viewed online? - Kevin
A: Please click this link and go to page 12. Here you will find the list of all Leaving Cert subject 2025 that were corrected online. You should have received a copy of the Candidate Information Guide 2. - Deirdre
Q: I got 454 points which converts to 138 tariff points and I am hoping to go to St Mary’s University College Belfast to study primary physical education. Last year it required 142 points and 156 the previous year. I passed my interview and also had a very strong reference. How likely am I to get in? - Shane
A: I would contact them asap with your results and they may be able to confirm if they are going to continue with your offer even though you are short some tariff points. The UCAS system is not as black and white as the CAO system so I think there is still a good chance that they may confirm your offer. Contact the admissions tutor as soon as possible. - Brian
Q: I want to know if my son can repeat two subjects (maths and chemistry) to improve his grade and points - Sajid
A: You cannot combine Leaving Certificates for the purposes of calculating points. Points can only be calculated from one sitting of the Leaving Certificate. - Brian
Q: What exactly is grade deflation and how does it work? - Michael
A: For the past number of years since 2019, grades in Ireland have been inflated to take into account the effects of the disruption to learning that Covid caused. This year the rate of this grade inflation has been decreased from 7.5% on average to 5.9% on average. This decrease in the rate of grade inflation is now being referred to as grade deflation. - Brian
Q: How will grade deflation affect students looking to study outside Ireland? - Roger
A: As a result of lower levels of grade inflation students will more than likely end up with lower grades and this may mean they will not get the grades required for courses outside of Ireland. If they are achieving at the higher end of grades the effect of lower grade inflation may not be as great. - Brian
Q: My first choice is a new course so there are no points yet. When do I know the points allocation for the course? - Tiernan
A: Not until next Wednesday when first round offers are made. - Brian
Q: If I appeal a subject and it goes up a grade, will I be offered a spot in round 3 or 4 with my new points? - Jack
A: Yes providing that there is space on this course. If this course is full you will be offered a deferred place on this course for 2026. One would have to reapply to CAO 2026 and list this one course only. - Deirdre
Q: If 100+ people achieve the points required for a course, but the course only allows 50 people, are the 50 people with the highest points among the 100 accepted or does it go to a lottery among the 100 applicants? - Ryan
A: The fifty with the highest points get in. The cut off point for this course is the points received by the last successful candidate. It may come down to random selection. All students that meet this cut off point will be given a random electronic generated number. If there is four places available then the four students with the highest number are selected for the course. Courses that used random selection have an asterisks (*) beside the points. - Deirdre
Q: I have been told that if I accept the very first offer I am given, even if it’s not really what I want, that every other course on my CAO list disappears and only the first choice on my CAO list remains for when the second round of offers come in. Is this true? - Ayesha
A: Once you receive an offer on Wednesday then all course choices that lie below on your CAO become obsolete (deleted). You can only get offers that lie above your original offer in future rounds. - Deirdre
Q: I think UCD Radiology DN410 has been allocated extra places. How many of those additional places will be set aside for DARE applicants? For context I scored 529 points. Have I a chance of a place? - Juliette
A: Each college will have a targeted number of DARE places per course. Please view UCD’s DARE link. - Deirdre
Q: If I got 477 points and DARE, will I get primary teaching in St. Pat’s, DCU? - Rachel
A: DCU reserves 5% of places for DARE students. It will depend on where you are in the order of merit (queue) with the other DARE candidates. Some disabilities get placed further up in the queue. Please view this link for more details https://www.dcu.ie/disability/disability-access-route-education-dare - Deirdre
Q: If you appeal a grade, can it only go upwards? Any fear of the grade going down? And at what percentage is it worth a re-check, for example if a grade is at 63, is it likely to get a 7% increase? - Jen
A: An appeal can result in a grade going up as well as down. The closer you are (percentage wise) to the next grade the better. You will be able to view your marks for each subject on your CSSP at 12 noon on Tuesday 26th August. You will be able to make a better judgement then. Please get back on if you need more support. - Deirdre
Q: It appears that the results of an appeal will not be made known until after the first round of college places have been offered. How does this work if my daughter has a successful appeal and all the college places have been allocated? - Mary
A: Your daughter will be offered a deferred place on this course for Sept 2026, regardless of the CAO points for this course in 2026. She will have to make a CAO application for CAO 2026 only putting this one course on her list. - Deirdre
Q: My daughter is lucky to have done well with a solid buffer of points for her first choice CAO over what was required last year. However, she feels one result was way off what she expected. Is there any point in appealing once marks are released or is it little more than speculation given a higher mark isn’t really ‘required’. - James
A: I would recommend your daughter views the script first and if she feels there is an issue and she is not near dropping to a lower grade in the subject, then she might consider making an appeal. - Brian
Q: My daughter got 319 points and was accepted as a Dare applicant but her first two courses are 400 points. Is there a chance she could get it or will offers be in line with her points - Gillian
A: I would advise you to contact the Access office at this college. Applicants tend to have to be with 60 points of their chosen course. That is the general rule of thumb. But again I would advise you to contact the college in question. The very best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Will primary school teaching points be reduced this year? How many points will you need for to be accepted as a dare student for primary school teaching? - Katie
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. Again with the DARE scheme we have no idea what the points will be for primary teaching. You could ring the colleges you are interested in and see if they can give you more information but they might not be able to answer your question until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: I am likely to get offered my 3rd choice however would prefer my 4th choice. Both courses are in Trinity. Is there any way of checking if the college would allow me change to 4th choice? - Ben
A: I would advise you to contact their Admissions Office. Internal transfers can happen, but the candidate would need to meet the entry requirements for the course and the CAO points. Obviously availability on the course would have to be looked at. Each college has their own rules on internal transfers. The best of luck. - Deirdre
Q: Is it possible after getting it appealed to go up two grades? Is it possible to go up two grades after appealing? - Thomas
A: The appealing process is designed to ensure that the original marking scheme was applied correctly to all your answers. If an error was made in adding up your marks then yes an increase in a grade may be possible. Your grade can go up as well as down. - Deirdre
Q: If you appeal and its granted, does this affect your DARE offer? - Karen
A: I don’t fully understand your question. A successful appeal may result in a higher preference offer in a future round. You, the candidate, have the choice to stay with your original offer or move to your new one. I hope that I have answered your question. - Deirdre
Q: I’m very disappointed, my 2 best subjects in which I’ve never received lower that H1s only got H4s. My teachers are also very surprised and want me to appeal after I view my scripts. If my results are lowered on appeal, my points reduced, can any offer already made and accepted be withdrawn? - Simone
A: That is the choice of the college that you register with. I feel that it would be highly unlikely. But I would advise you to contact the college in question. Be sure to meet the entry requirements before and after the appeal. The appeals process opens at 10 am on Sunday 31st of August and closes 5pm Monday, September 1st. - Deirdre
Q: Do you rate UCD as better college than NUI Maynooth? - Gordan
A: UCD would be ranked higher than Maynooth university in many of the world and other ranking organisations. However many of these rankings are to do with a lot of issues other than undergraduate teaching and courses. There are many students who would much prefer the smaller more country feel of Maynooth and feel UCD is too big for them and vice versa, many would feel UCD is the right fit for them. Ultimately the answer to this question varies from person to person. - Brian
Q: I got 418 points and my course is exactly 418 points. It’s law with criminology in Maynooth, do you think I’ll get the course with these points? - Julianne
A: I would remain hopeful. But I cannot say for definite. Nobody will know the answer to this until CAO release offers and publish the CAO cut off points for 2025. This will happen from 2pm on Wednesday, 2025. - Deirdre
Q: I got 369 points in my LC today but the points for my preferred course were 390 points last year. How likely do you think I will get my course? - Emily
A: I can’t say, unfortunately. CAO will release 2025 cut off points for all courses from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: Would you please advise if points for construction management and engineering will increase in UL this year - Eoin
A: I can’t unfortunately. CAO will release 2025 cut off points for all courses from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: I would like to know how long I can see the result online (when it will be closed) and how I can get the actual certificate without going to school. I also would like to know how long the access to data of each component will be available after the 26th August. - Alana
A: When you go online you can print off a copy of your results. The results will be there for 2/3 weeks. Your school can give you a printout also if you wish. the breakdown of results will not be there for the same length of time according to the State Examinations Commission (SEC). These will only be available for a limited amount of time. The SEC Candidate Helpline is 1800111135 if you want to speak with them.
Q: If I do a PLC in order to get into the course i didn’t get enough points for, how does it work? - Rachael
A: Some CAO courses don’t link with PLC courses, some CAO courses have a quota of places set aside for PLC applicants and some CAO courses allow PLC applicants apply alongside LC applicants for all its course places. To get further information on this Higher Education Link Scheme go to this link and you will see how the system works: https://www.cao.ie/?page=scoring&s=fetac&bb=studentresources - Brian
Q: I got 520 points in the mocks, but 413 in the real exams. I’m way below any course I put down on my CAO (MH208 being the lowest). Do I have any other options apart from repeating? I’m absolutely gutted. - Sean
A: I am very sorry to hear this. There are a few options here.
1) Look at PLC courses. Some of the courses you listed on your CAO list could accept applications from PLC course applicants.
2) Vacant places. After round one on the CAO some courses are listed on the CAO website under Vacant or Available places. You can add these to your CAO account at that stage if you wish.
3) National Tertiary Office courses. If you go to NTO.ie you will see the range of courses available here. They accept applications until the end of September.
4) Private colleges - these accept direct applications to some of their courses so if it is and option, check their websites.
These are just some options to think about. - Brian
Q: How many points can HEAR give you? I received 327 points and need 368. Will I be likely to get my 368 course? - Emily
A: Firstly, impossible to definitively answer this question - too many variables to consider. However, I have seen courses drop by this amount in the HEAR and DARE scheme so it could be possible. We will just have to wait until Wednesday to find out for definite. - Brian
Q: Could you see accounting and finance in DCU dropping points? - Oisin
A: Unfortunately, I have to say there is no definitive way of knowing if this will happen or not, especially this year with so many factors changing this year. It is not a very high demand course so there is a chance but we will have to wait until Wednesday for round one offers to know for sure. - Brian
Q: If my sister gets her second option and accepts it but gets her points for her first option after appeals can she change to her first option? - Orla
A: Yes. If, having accepted a place in round one, you become entitled to a higher preference in a subsequent round including the appeal results round on 26th September, you will be offered the higher preference course and it is up to you if you want to move to the new course or not at that stage. But there is no guarantee of this so it is a good idea to accept something in round one. - Brian
Q: Are DARE places based on the number of points achieved by the student, or randomly allocated? i.e. does more points make a difference if you are being considered for a DARE place - Sam
A: The answer to this question can vary somewhat from college to college. I would direct you to www.accesscollege.ie - DARE to get a lot of information about how colleges offer places. Essentially, if there are 5 places set aside for DARE on a course, then all DARE eligible applicants compete for these 5 places. All these applicants are ranked in order of their points and the people at the top of the list get the first places. Some disability groups get bumped up to the top of the lists also, so this can have an effect also. Priority is given to applicants with physical disabilities, applicants who are blind or deaf and those who are both DARE and HEAR eligible. - Brian
Q: For Northern Ireland universities, where an offer is based on H3 x 6 benchmark, will they factor in 4 above and 2 below to get a place? - Fi
A: It depends on the offer that was made and the conditions attached to it. Depending on the demand for places on the course, the admissions office may be happy to confirm the place if the overall tariff points are similar. Contact the admissions office of the college involved and see what they have to say. - Brian
Q: How do l appeal one of my subjects? - Eric
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide 2. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open Sunday 31st of August at 10am and close Monday 1st of September at 5pm. Just choose the subject you wish to appeal. - Brian
Q: How does DARE work re point reduction for a course? How many points are usually deducted? - Susan
A: Unfortunately, this is an impossible question to answer in this format and the answer can vary from college to college. I would direct you to www.accesscollege.ie DARE to get a lot of information. Essentially, if there are 5 places set aside for DARE on a course, then all DARE eligible applicants compete for these 5 places. All these applicants are ranked in order of their points and the people at the top of the list get the first places. Some disability groups get bumped up to the top of the lists also, so this can have an effect also. - Brian
Q: I did my leaving cert before Covid. I have 578 points. Is there any chance of UCD vet med coming down to that? - Sadie
A: I think to be honest 589* down to 578 might be a long shot but it is impossible to know. If the new Vet courses were up and running this year there might have been a better shot but without them this year it might not drop by too much. - Brian
Q: Is there any indication whether CAO course points will decrease this year? - Orlette
A: More than any year this year it is impossible to pinpoint what is going to happen with the points for individual courses this year. There are so many variables: extra LC applicants from this year, extra applicants from previous years, extra applicants from abroad, lower post marking adjustment, etc. to allow any definitive projections to be made. We will all just have to wait until next Wednesday for sure - Brian
Q: Just wondering how my results can differ so much from my mock exams. I have never gotten lower than a H2 in English and I received a H4 in the Leaving Cert. I’ve been a H1 student in biology and got a H4. - Erin
A: Unfortunately this can happen for a variety of reasons. I would recommend applying to view these subjects to see what went wrong and caused this drop in grades. If you can get your teachers to view the scripts also, that would be very informative. - Brian
Q: With moderated LC points and HPAT, my daughter has 733 points. Last year that would get her into 3 out of 5 medical schools. Is there any indication that CAO points could go up this year due to re-applicants using last year’s LC? - Robert
A: It is just a guessing game at this stage. Nobody will know until CAO release offers and then release CAO cut off points 2025. This will be done from 2pm on Wednesday, August 27th. - Deirdre
Q: How long to get a re-mark? - Rona
A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. - Deirdre
Q: Will I have enough time to appeal my subject and start the college year? - Mairead
A: The results of the appeal process should be known on the 26th September. You may have already started on another course by this time and may have to make a decision as to whether to move to a new course or stay with the course you have already started. - Brian
Q: Do the DARE points for UCD courses change dramatically year to year or are they likely to be close to previous year’s points requirement? - Mark
A: Anything can happen as the variables vary. It will depend on the points received by other DARE applicants who have expressed interest in this course. - Deirdre
Q: What does FM mean on LCVP subject? -R. Brady
A: This is Merit grade - 65 to 80%. - Brian
Q: Do deflated marks affect a lot H1 students? - Gabriel
A: I cannot imagine so as they are somewhere in the bracket of 90-100% pre and post marking adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: Where can i get the breakdown of my LCPE result? - Éabha
A: This will be available on your CSSP at 12 noon Tuesday, August 26th. Candidates will see their marks including for each component as well as teh post marking adjustment. - Deirdre
Q: What does the full breakdown of results mean for Tuesday? Do you get the breakdown of oral and written for a language? - Mary
A: Yes, you get the marks for all components of the subject. On Tuesday 26 August you will be provided with additional information about your examination results. You will be able to view your component marks, details of any Post-Marking Adjustment marks applied and the final graded mark for each subject. Section 2 above provides some preliminary information about the approach to the Post Marking Adjustment this year. The SEC will provide more details on Results Day. You may also see supplementary information which indicates that there is some aspect of the result that was not typical in the processing of results by the SEC. The indicators presented are as follows with an explanation provided of what these mean:
Candidate confirmed absent - Candidate has been marked absent for one or more mandatory components in a multi-component subject.
Assessor’s mark used for this component – The examination session was incomplete and the SEC provided a result in this component based on a range of information.
Invalid Practical coursework – The coursework has been deemed invalid as could not be authenticated by the school authority.
Extrapolated mark - In cases where a candidate has an exemption for a subject under the RACE scheme then the marks in the subject will have been extrapolated from the other components.
This is detailed in Candidate Information Guide 3 which will be available on Monday 25 August. - Brian
Q: How accommodating are UCD and Trinity when in regards to places after appeals have been marked? - John
A: Generally, if they can offer a place after the appeal results they will. If not it will be a deferred place the following year. - Brian
Q: Can a student view their paper online or do they have to go into their school to do it? Do they have to have the teacher with them? - Joanne
A: Any scripts that were corrected online this year will be viewed at home online. Access will be given to view these scripts over the 24-hour period; 9 AM Saturday 30 August and 9 AM Sunday 31 August. All other scripts/subjects will be viewed in school. Manually Marked Scripts Candidates will be assigned to one of two three-hour sessions on Saturday 30 August; Session 1. 9.30 AM – 12.30PM, Session 2. 2PM – 5 PM. You do no need a teacher present to view scripts. - Brian
Q: My points are lower then I thought they would be. Is there a chance my course point could drop too? - Jennifer
A: Points will drop if the demand for that course has fallen. Points are determined by the points achieved by the last candidate that receives a place on this course. Hence, students results affect cut off points for courses. There are many other options that you could look at. Points can also fall in future rounds. Please get back on if you need more information. - Deirdre
Q: Do you have to view your scripts if you want to appeal? - Michelle
A: No. It is advisable however to view scripts before appealing as remember grades can go up as well as down - Brian
Q: Any idea when we will know what funding SUSI will provide for my son? - Sarah
A: You should be able to see this at this link: https://www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/full-time-undergraduate-income-thresholds-and-grant-award-rates/ The level of maintenance and fee support depends on your income and the number of dependents in your household. - Deirdre
Q: My son only got sufficient points for his 5th and 6th choices on CAO. Will he be offered one of those, or how does that work? - Mags
A: CAO will work out your son’s entitlement to all his choices and then he will be offered his highest choice that he is entitled to. - Brian
Q: What are the odds that OT (occupational therapy) in Galway will come down 21pts I’ve put it first but now I really want my second choice and don’t want OT in Galway? - John
A: As per the previous question it is very hard to know. Places look to be remaining static in OT and possible extra demand from extra CAO applicants from this and last year make this hard to predict what is going to happen. It is unlikely that there will be a 21 points reduction. - Brian
Q: My daughter is short 18 points for Speech Therapy in Galway. Last years points requirement was 544. What is the likelihood of these courses dropping in points? - Orla
A: This is a very hard one to predict. As far as I am aware there are no extra places in SLT in Galway this year. There is high demand for SLT this year and there may be applicants from last year seeking some of the places available this year with their higher post marking adjustment. With all of this going on, it is so hard to predict what is going to happen. I would say that an 18 point reduction is probably unlikely. - Brian
Q: Will primary teaching points drop or rise this year? - Jordan
A: As far as I am aware the extra places that were granted by the Department of Education last year are not being granted this year so this would lead one to believe that points are unlikely to drop this year for Primary Teaching, but there is no way of knowing for definite until Wednesday. - Brian
Q: I got 477 points but I want to study primary teaching in DCU. Do you think I have any hope of getting into DCU? - Jordan
A: This course finished at 478 last year so you are in with a chance but really there is no way of knowing until next Wednesday. Best of luck. - Brian
Q: When can I see the 2025 points for courses? - Brenda
A: The 2025 points will be published on Wednesday at the same time as round one offers. - Brian
Q: When can you appeal a subject grade? - Fiona
A: You can access your marks and post mark adjustments at 12 noon on Tuesday. Application for viewing of scripts opens at 5pm on Tuesday, August 26th. Application for appeal and payment opens at 10 am August 31st and closes at 5 pm Monday Sept 1st. - Deirdre
Q: I required a scribe for my Leaving Cert how is this reflected in my results? - Jason
A: The same marking scheme would have been applied to your script. You may or may not be DARE eligible. No extra grade inflation would have been assigned to you for having a scribe. Please get back on if you have anymore questions. - Deirdre
Q: How do we calculate the extra boost? Or has it already been added onto our grades? - Shayla
A: It has already been added to your final grade that you received today. You will be able to view a full breakdown of results at 12 noon Tuesday, August 25th. - Deirdre
Q: How long does it take to have a result rechecked? - Conor
A: The appeals results issue date is provisionally set for 11 am September 16th. This date is subject to change. The number of appeals will affect this date being met. - Deirdre
Q: Is there a way we can see the percentage marks? - Caitriona
A: On Tuesday 26th August from 12 noon, you will have access to your marks including for each part of the exam. - Brian
Q: How do we appeal a subject grade? - Isabelle
A: All the details regarding appealing subject grades can be found in the Candidate Information Guide. Applications for appeals are completed online in the Candidate Self Service Portal. Applications open 10 AM Sunday 31 August at 10am and close Monday 1 September at 5pm. - Brian
Q: We are getting one subject checked. If the grade increases my daughter would most likely have the points for her first choice on CAO. Should we accept her second choice next week and hope that she gets first choice in second round offer? - Alli
A: Absolutely. Make decisions next week as if your daughter is not going to get any further offers in the future. Then if she does get a higher offer it is a bonus, but at least she already has something. - Brian
Q: Is there a back door route for the Science Education Course in UCC? - Orla
A: There are a quota of places for QQI PLC graduates for this course. Details are at this link: https://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=fetac_search - Brian
Q: If my son’s mark in a subject increases after an appeal and gets him to the points required for a course he applied for, will a place on that course be made available for him? - Dave
A: This very much depends on the college in question. In most instances the college will try to facilitate the upgraded student with a place after the final round of upgrades but in the event that they can’t a deferred place for the following year will be made. - Brian
Q: Will there be more primary places in DCU? - Jordan.
A: The only way to know this definitively is to email admissions in DCU and get an answer from them. - Brian
