CAO issues more than 3,400 offers in second round

The Central Applications Office has issued 3,428 offers in the second round of Ireland’s college admissions process, giving thousands of applicants another decision to make before the Sept. 9 deadline.

The offers went to 3,197 applicants and included 2,507 places on Level 8 courses and 921 on Level 7/6 courses. Some 1,270 applicants received an offer for the first time. Among those receiving Level 8 offers, 1,089 secured their first-preference course, while 80% of Level 7/6 offer recipients received their first preference.

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It is important that they take the time to decide between these courses and inform CAO before the reply date of this Wednesday, 9 September at 3pm if they wish to accept the new offer.

Applicants can accept a Round Two offer until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. Those who do not want to accept a new offer should take no action, because their previous acceptance will remain in place. Accepting the new offer automatically cancels an earlier acceptance.

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If this is an applicant's first offer, they can choose to accept this offer, and this will not prevent them from receiving a higher preference course in a later offer round if they are deemed eligible.

CAO head of communications Eileen Keleghan said applicants should consider their choices carefully. “It is important that they take the time to decide between these courses and inform CAO before the reply date of this Wednesday, 9 September at 3pm if they wish to accept the new offer,” she said. Applicants receiving their first offer can accept it and remain eligible for a higher-preference course in a later round, although Keleghan said most offers had already been issued and the new offer might be their only one.

Applicants who did not receive an offer can consider further-education courses, apprenticeships, reapplying next year or repeating the Leaving Certificate. The Available Places facility lists almost 150 courses, and the CAO said additional offers would be issued weekly through early October. Applicants could check their accounts from 2 p.m., with points charts available on the CAO website from 4 p.m.

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It is important to note, however, that most offers have been issued at this stage and this may be the only offer that they will receive.