CAO countdown: Deadline surge of applicants expected

A surge of applications for third-level courses is expected on Friday ahead of the 5.15pm deadline for CAO change-of-mind applications.

A record 76,000 people have applied to study at third level this year, with points increases likely across a range of courses linked to the economic recovery such as architecture, engineering, construction and business-related courses.

CAO communications officer Eileen Keleghan has advised applicants not to make changes to their application based on assumptions about their Leaving Cert exam performance.

“Every year we experience a surge in last-minute amendments to CAO applications,” she said.

“What we would like to advise applicants to avoid doing is making changes to their order of preference or course choices based on how they feel they have performed in their examinations.”

Last year, more than half of all applicants availed of the CAO’s change of mind facility at least once.

Ms Keleghan said if applicants follow the golden rule of placing all of their courses in a genuine order of preference, they will be offered the course highest up on their preference list for which they are deemed eligible.

She also advised candidates to double-check course codes. All applicants will receive an email containing any changes.

Policymakers in particular are keen on students to apply for courses in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, where there is a shortage of graduates to meet demand from employers.

Growth area

Minister for Education Richard Bruton and Minister of State John Halligan have encouraged students to consider a career in this growing sector.

Mr Bruton said that the ICT sector employed 105,000 people, an increase of 40 per cent since 2010.

“The sector is growing and changing. Vacancies will continue to arise both within the ICT sector and in the wider economy, and there are many different types of roles to suit different interests and talents,” he said.

"Ireland is home to 10 of the top 10 global technology companies, nine of the 10 global software companies and all of the top 10 'born on the internet companies'. In addition, indigenous ICT companies are growing and many are on their way to becoming tech multinationals in their own right."

He also called on parents to encourage their children to explore university and career options in the sector.

To help meet the demand for ICT skills, higher education institutions are offering a range of courses.

In addition, more than 2,000 free courses are available to those unemployed via the Springboard initiative.

Latest available figures show the biggest increases in applications for degree level courses are in in architecture and engineering/technology (+13 per cent), nursing (+11 per cent), business and construction-related courses (+8 per cent).

The biggest reductions were in areas such as agriculture (-23 per cent), veterinary medicine (-7per cent) and arts/social sciences (-2 per cent).

The provisional date for the first round of CAO Offers is August 22nd.

All applicants will be notified by post and email if they have received an offer and will have until 5:15pm on August 29th to register an acceptance.

Second-round offers will be available online from 6am on September 1st.