Admission Process For Higher Study in Ireland

With the exception of colleges in Northern Ireland, application for most full-time undergraduate courses is made through a Central Application Office (CAO). The CAO provides an application pack with a handbook which lists all the courses on offer and gives information on how to apply. The CAO may be contacted at:

Central Applications Office

Tower House
Eglington Street
Galway
Tel: +353 91 563269/509800
Fax: +353 91 562344
Website: http://www.cao.ie
Email: help@cao.ie

Application Direct to University

The following Higher education institutes receive direct applications both paper based application and online applications:

• American College, Dublin
• Athlone Institute of Technology
• Dublin Business School
• Dublin City University
• Dublin Institute of Technology
• Griffith College
• Institute of Technology Carlow
• Institute of Technology Sligo
• Institute of Technology Tralee
• National College of Ireland
• National University of Ireland Galway
• National University of Ireland Maynooth
• Portobello College
• Royal College of Surgeons
• Shannon College of Hotel Management
• Tipperary Institute
• Trinity College Dublin
• University College Cork
• University College Dublin
• University of Limerick

Academic Year Ireland

The academic year typically runs from September to June and is divided into either two or three semesters with holidays in December (Christmas) and April (Easter).

Most universities run a semester-based system and adopt a modularization system to allow greater flexibility for students. University teaching generally involves a programme of lectures supplemented by tutorials, practical demonstrations and laboratory work (as applicable).