OVER HALF OF people who received an offer for a Level 8 course from the CAO got their first choice.

A total of 83,543 people applied for third level places this year, 56,571 of whom have received an offer in the first round.

• The results are now available here on The Journal 

There were slightly more mature student applicants this year. The number went from 6,980 to 7,365.

There were also more applicants for the DARE scheme, an alternative admissions scheme for school-leavers whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second level education. 

Some 29,173 (56%) Level 8 offers are for the applicant’s first preference course, and 43,280 (83%) Level 8 offers are for one of their top three preferences.

CAO applicants can check if they have received an offer by logging in to their account using the ‘My Application’ facility at www.cao.ie.

Successful applicants will also receive an offer notification via email and a text message if they have selected this option on their application form. Separate emails and texts will issue in respect of Level 8 and Level 7/6 offers.

It is possible that applicants may receive two offers at the same time: one from the Level 8 list and one from the Level 7/6 list. Applicants must choose between these lists and can only accept one offer per offer round.

Eileen Keleghan, Head of Communications for CAO, asks applicants 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.

“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.”

If an applicant has not received an offer they will receive a ‘Statement of Application’ email.

Successful candidates now have until 3 September to accept or decline their offer.

Unsuccessful candidates in this round may receive an offer in the next round on 9 September.