Key dates for CAO applications

Timeline for the 2019 college application process

June 5th: Leaving Certificate written examinations begin and continue until Tuesday 25th June.

June 26th: Applicants under 23 who sat the HPAT test earlier in the year receive results to enable them to factor these marks into their final consideration of course choices before July 1st CAO deadline.

July 1st (5.15pm): Final date for any amendments to course choices and order of preference on all CAO applications for entry to college in September 2019. Most current year Leaving Cert applicants make their final course choice decisions/amendments during this "Change of Mind" period in May-June each year.

Initial CAO offers during first week of July: The CAO makes more than 6,000 offers to mature (over-23) applicants, and to applicants who accepted and then deferred places in 2018. These offers are made by post and online on CAO.ie and remain open for a week. Mature and deferred applicants who may be away from home should ensure any offer in early July is dealt with, as offers lapse if not accepted within a week.

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July 22nd: An exceptional closing date for current third-level students who wish to drop out of their current college course and re-apply for a new list of choices through the CAO (€ 60 fee).

Round Zero offers, early August 2019: More than 2,000 places on courses are offered to applicants presenting further education (FE) awards and to an additional cohort of mature applicants. Applicants for graduate medicine are also offered places in this round. Offers are open for one week.

Tuesday, August 13th: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) delivers 2019 Leaving Cert results to more than 700 schools, and makes them available through a secure online service at examinations.ie from noon. Full analysis of the results in Irish Times supplement.

Thursday August 15th: The CAO releases round one offers to candidates online at 2pm. Minimum points required for entry to each course will be available on the CAO website, and on the Irish Times website as soon as they are released.

Friday August 16th: Students who wish to view one or more of their Leaving Cert scripts must return the form which accompanied their Leaving Cert results to their school, indicating which papers they wish to view.

Tuesday-Wednesday, August 20-21st: Leaving Cert students who are unhappy with a grade and wish to view their marked exam scripts may view them in their school, along with one person of their choice. The scripts cannot be viewed by anyone else unless the student is present. There is no financial charge for viewing marked exam scripts. Schools will provide students with a specific time and date to view scripts.

Friday, August 23rd (5.15 pm): Closing date for receipt of acceptance of CAO round one offers.

Friday, August 23rd: Students who having viewed their scripts and then decide to appeal a result must submit an application online to have their paper remarked. A fee of €40 per subject applies, which is refunded in the case of an upgrade.

Wednesday August 28th: The CAO releases round two offers to applicants. The minimum points required for entry to each course are released on the CAO website at 10 am, on that date.

Friday 30th August (5.15 pm): Closing date for receipt of acceptance of CAO round two offers.

Week of September 16th: Results of Leaving Cert appeals released by the SEC. The appeals process used in previous years took approximately eight weeks from the date provisional results were issued until appeals results were notified. The new measures being introduced reduce that process to five weeks. Final offers of places by the CAO will be made following the release of appeal results.

Brian Mooney

Brian Mooney

Brian Mooney is a guidance counsellor and education columnist. He contributes education articles to The Irish Times