Find out more about applying to University generally, and about our university’s admission process.

There are a wide variety of ways to access higher level education. The CAO, DARE and HEAR schemes and accessing higher education as a mature student are some of the most common ways of getting into university. Learn more about these routes in this post.

Knowing more about the application and admissions process will enable you to prepare, and think about whether you require any support or adjustments through this process.

Central Applications Office (CAO) 

The most common way of getting into third level education in Ireland is through the CAO. This is based on the Leaving Certificate examination results. Achieving the required number of points qualifies the student for the course of their choice. 

The CAO Application Process 

You can apply to the CAO online at www.cao.ie. Before starting your application, it is advised that you read and understand the CAO Handbook, which can be found here. This will guide you through the application process and give you more information on supplementary admissions such as DARE and HEAR. Your SNA or guidance counselor will be able to go through this with you. 

You can watch a video on the CAO process here. 

How does the system of CAO offers work? 

In the first round of offers, students are offered the highest preference on their CAO Application to which their points rating entitles them. 

Once they have been offered their highest choice, the student is excluded from further consideration for any course which is lower than the place offered. 

The student may still be eligible for a course of higher preference if a place becomes available later on.  

There are a number of options available to the student if they are not offered their first course choice in the first round of CAO offers. These include: 

• Offer of another course choice further down the CAO list 

• Offer of a similar course at a lower level 

• Offer of their preferred course choice in the second or subsequent rounds 

• Offer of their preferred course choice on successful appeal of Leaving Cert Results 

• Additional available places coming available through the CAO website 

• Other options outside the CAO 

When an offer arrives, you should read through the offer and instructions carefully. To accept the offer, you will need to log into the CAO system using an access code and password and submit acceptance of the offer. 

The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) 

The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is the most common way that students with a disability or specific learning difficulty apply for 3rd level courses.  You submit your application with your CAO form. Students on the autism spectrum automatically qualify. A student who applies to college through DARE may enter a course up to 12.5% below the standard CAO points requirement.  

For more information on DARE click here. 

The HEAR Scheme 

Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a college and university scheme which offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Eligibility for the HEAR Scheme 

HEAR applicants must meet a range of financial, social, and cultural indicators. To be eligible for the HEAR Scheme, you must meet Indicator 1 Low Income plus a specific combination of two other indicators. 

The indicators are: 

• Income (you must meet this indicator) 
• Medical Cards 
• Means-Tested Social Welfare Payment 
• Socio-Economic Group 
• School 
• Area 

Children in Care of the State / HSE / TUSLA can also apply for the HEAR scheme. 

To find out more about HEAR, including the combinations that allow you to take part in the Scheme, click here. 

What are ATU’s Entry Requirements for the HEAR Scheme? 

• Be eligible for HEAR. 

• Meet ATU’s minimum entry requirements: Grade H5 in two higher level subjects and Grade O6 in four ordinary or higher-level subjects including Maths and English or Irish. 

• Meet any specific entry requirements of the course you are applying for. 

• Achieve a minimum of 300 points in the Leaving Certificate. 

• ATU allocates up to 10% of first year places on ALL courses at reduced points entry to students entering through the HEAR/Access ATU routes.  

Applying to University as a Mature Student 

ATU has a diverse student body and strongly encourages applications from mature candidates who wish to study towards obtaining a third level qualification. Mature students are those aged 23 years, or above, on 1st January in the year of entry. 

Mature students have a wealth of knowledge and experience with which they make a valuable contribution. ATU adopts an ethos of lifelong learning and is continually working towards wider entry routes for mature students in order to increase participation of adult learners. 

How do I apply? 

All mature candidates (presenting with EU/Non-EU qualifications) applying on the grounds of mature years should apply ONLY through the Central Applications Office (CAO), www.cao. Please see the special mature application procedures below. This replaces the old supplementary form. 

In the case of mature applicants, ‘other’ experience, apart from performance in examinations, may be taken into consideration – this may be work experience, further studies, or other such experience deemed to be relevant to the application. For some programmes it may be necessary to meet specific educational requirements, such as Leaving Certificate Science for science-based programmes or higher-level mathematics in the Leaving Certificate for engineering programmes. Depending on the programme, mature applicants may have to attend tests/assessments or interviews, which are generally carried out in March/April each year. Applicants will be contacted directly for further information. The University will inform applicants of the outcome of their application; however, official offers will be issued by the Central Applications Office (CAO) in early July. 

• What is the application process for your chosen course?
• What do you need to submit to support your application?
• Do you need to write a personal statement?
• Do you need to provide evidence in the form of a portfolio of work?
• When are the deadlines for applications?
• When should you expect to hear if your application has been successful?
• Who do you need to contact at your chosen university to discuss disability support?

You can find out more about the admissions procedures at https://www.atu.ie/study/undergraduate/undergraduate-entry-routes