THE FIRST ROUND of CAO placements have been published, offering 85,894 places in college, university or another educational institution to 57,296 applicants. 

This represents a rise of more than 2,000 in the number of applicants receiving an offer compared with last year. The number of people receiving an offer for their first preference course also rose.

At Level 8 more than half (54%) of offers are for the applicant’s first preference and 82% of offers are for one of their top three preferences, an increase on last year’s figure of 79%.

Nine out of  every 10 Level 6/7 offers are for the person’s first preference and 98% are for one of their top three preferences.

CAO ‘points’ dropped very slightly but remained close to last year’s levels.

Applicants can check to see if they have received an offer by logging in to their account using the ‘My Application’ facility on the CAO’s website. Round One offers must be accepted by 3pm next Wednesday, 14 September.

Successful applicants will also receive an offer notification via email and a text message if they selected this option on their application form.

Separate emails and texts will issue in respect of Level 8 and Level 7/6 offers. Postal offers are not being issued.

Some applicants may receive two offers at the same time: one from the Level 8 list and
one from the Level 7/6 list. People in this situation must choose between these offers and can only accept one offer per offer round.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris welcomed the news that more than half all students received first preference offers from the CAO.

“This cohort of students completed most of their Leaving Cert cycle under the cloud of Covid-19, and all the challenges to learning that brought. They showed incredible drive, understanding and flexibility to ensure the system worked, and for that I want to thank them, and of course their teachers,” Harris said.

The minister said he wanted to remind students that “there are so many different pathways available as you prepare to take the next steps in your life.”

“Education is a lifelong journey and there is a huge range of options for you to develop knowledge and skills, and achieve your full potential,” he said.

Eileen Keleghan of the CAO urged people to carefully consider any offers received in this round.

“One of the common queries that we receive at the offers stage is around order of preference,” she said.

“Applicants who receive a lower preference offer can accept this offer, and it will not prevent them from receiving an offer of a course higher up on their courses list in a later round should a place become available and they are deemed eligible.

“Those who have received an offer in this round should also consider the current offer carefully as it may be the only one they will receive,” Keleghan added.