Applying to Irish universities with A levels

Scroll to see replies

Well I'm half Irish and have experienced both systems- In Ireland they do Leaving Certificate instead of A levels and they study a lot more than our usual 4 subjects, though they aren't taught to as high a level/ as much depth as A levels. I think because they do more subjects they look for more points.

Reply 181

StarsAreFixed

Original post by lydialydia15

can someone help please :frown:

i live in England and have applied through CAO to go to it Sligo in Ireland, but after several appeals student finance will not give me any money are there any other ways to get funding to live over there? I have realised i will not be able to go in september 2013 now but i plan to deffer my place and go next year... Does anyone know where i can get the finance..... Thanks

They would be pretty unlikely to, as you are planning on studying in a foreign country. You cannot get a grant here either, as you would need to be resident for a few years first. Sligo is small, but there would still be jobs going.

Reply 182

LearnAbroad

Im sorry, yes, you'd need 4 A Levels to get high enough points to enter those courses in Trinity.

Have you considered doing Psychology in the Netherlands [through English]. Check out programmes at U, Groningen and U. Leiden amongst hose listed on eunicas.co.uk

Reply 183

StarsAreFixed

Original post by katherinelambeth

I was just wondering if anyone knew how competitive it was to study Geography at either TCD or UCD and what English A level grades would be expected, as well as this do they count Music Grades for example Grade 8 on the piano and clarinet as points like they do with the Ucas system? Thank you

You cannot study Geography by itself at either university. At Trinity you either choose it as past of General-entry Science, or you combine it with one other arta/humanities subject in what is called TSM, Two-subject moderatorship. So the points depends on what you combine it with- if you choose a language, it would be low enough. If you chose Law, Psychology, English or History it would be very competitive, over 500 for the last two and well over it for the first two. TCD also has two new degrees, Earth Sciences or Geography and Political Science of which geography is a major part.

In UCD, the points for arts are average, in and around 360-80 I believe. You study 3 subjects for 2 years and drop to 3 for final year. In TCD TSM, courses are 4 years and you drop one subject in 4th year. All TCD degrees are 4 years except medicine and pharmacy etc. which are longer.

They don't care about your english grade, it's not relevant. They only want you to matriculate, ie. pass a certain amount of subjects- ie. have a pass in English, Maths and a foreign language to at least GCSE level. It's the points that can be the problem- if your course is 500+ you will need 4 A-levels and passes won't get you anywhere! There is nothing outside of your grades that they're interested in.

You need this page to see the points for arts in UCD, science and the two new geog degrees in TCD. http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=points You click on the year (2013 points are not out yet) and then click the third link. TCD and UCD are down at the end. Read the top- the first column is what the average person who got on the course that year got, and the second is what the last person who got a place got- this is the set points. If this column has an asterisk it means the course is very competitive.

You need to read the CAO handbook too to see how the process works, it has no relation whatsoever to UCAS- as indeed, why would it. http://www2.cao.ie/handbook/handbook/index.php You are counted as an Irish applicant as regards registration fee, so disregard any passages for non-EU students. But read anything about A levels etc. very carefully.

Reply 184

Lidia11

Hi,
Thinking of applying to Trinity to study Law with French. Just looked at the website and it says I need 565 points. Is this 565 UCAS points or does it mean something completely different. I'm pretty confused?? :confused:

Reply 185

anspailpinfanach

Original post by Lidia11

As described elsewhere on this thread, it's CAO points that count, not UCAS points.

Follow this link, about half way down is a table which lists the points for A-levels.

http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/requirements/matriculation/gcse/

565 points is extremely difficult. One possible combination is A*, A*, A, A (gives you 570 points).
If one of your subjects is Maths you get an extra 25 points.

If you have only 3 A-levels, (and an AS level in a 4th subject) you won't be able to get enough points to get into any of the top courses in Ireland - A*, A*, A*, a, with one of the A*s being Maths will only get you 540 points.

The other thing to note is that 565 points is the cut off for this year - but it may be more or less next year, it varies depending on the results of who applies. Points levels are not set in stone. If you are borderline, you'd have to hope that it is a less popular course next year.

HTH

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 186

Rivastro

So I posted earlier in the year about applying down south and I have a few updates about my experience.

I'm a Northern Irish student so I went through the whole UCAS system and received four great offers but I also applied through the CAO system for Trinity College Dublin. Last week I received by A level results giving me A*A*A*A*A but one of those I completed a year early and therefore was not counted by CAO. So with my A*A*A*A, it gave me (150 + 150 +150 +135 +25), a total of 610 because one of my results was in Further Mathematics (bonus 25).

So on Monday, I received an email from CAO at 8am with notification of an offer from my first choice. Overall, the CAO system was very little hassle compared to UCAS but studentfinance has been much more complicated. Overall, I would advise any students to consider universities in Ireland, just be sure to keep 4 A levels to Upper Sixth.

Reply 187

quantum-101

Hi,
I was wondering what are the chances of getting into mechanical engineering (University of Limerick in Ireland) if your predicted grade is B in Maths in A-Levels.

Reply 188

Helen_in_Ireland

Original post by quantum-101

Hi,
I was wondering what are the chances of getting into mechanical engineering (University of Limerick in Ireland) if your predicted grade is B in Maths in A-Levels.

The basic (matriculation requirements for Mechanical engineering are here: http://www3.ul.ie/courses/MechanicalEngineering.php

Last year the CAO points required (first round; last round) were 485;420

Places are not offered by predicted grades but after you receive your actual results. Each A level grade receives a certain number of points - A* = 150 points, A = 135 etc. AS levels are also counted as points on a lower scale
http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=scoring&s=gce

If you get the equivalent of 485+ points you are almost definitely accepted onto the ME course but in 2014 the last person to gain a place only had 420 points.

Eg. A level results of A*A*B a would get you 485 CAO points (150 + 150 +120 + 65)

Reply 189

ameenameenameena

Hi, I did exactly the same last year, applied to Ireland with A Levels. I got my first choice at UCC but ended up staying in the UK. Take predicted grades and conversions with a pinch of salt. They points for courses change year on year. You don't get accepted on predicted grades, offers are given out once exam results are received. CAO don't ask for predicted grades, it's different to UCAS. On the CAO form you get ten options, in preference order. Put your first choice first and don't be put off applying because of predicted grades. Even if you don't get onto it at the end of the day, you will be offered a place on one of your preferences (I imagine you're lower preferences will want lower points). It is worth ringing CAO to see if they accept your school A Levels but it is unlikely. It will be your AS from year 12, and 3 A Levels in year 13. If you're serious about getting into a ROI Uni work your butt off this year. It's your actual grades over any statement or predictions that get you in.

Reply 190

Gemmazx

Read the CAO handbook but still kinda confused. I was just wondering for applying to Ireland is it all on the points or is there a personal statement kinda thing as well that counts? Do they interview? Looking to apply for medicine. Thanks

Reply 191

DK_Tipp

Original post by Gemmazx

For Medicine you have to sit the HPAT.

http://www.hpat-ireland.acer.edu.au/

Note that HPAT Ireland should not be confused with HPAT Ulster which is sat by Physios/OTs/SLTs/Radiographers etc in Northern Ireland.

Reply 192

Cmk1

Hi, can anyone tell me if i can apply to the likes of UCD after my Alevel results day on 13th August for 2015 entry?

Reply 193

Padraig14

So from what I've read, if I were to achieve A*A*A* at A level and an extra A at as level, I would have trouble trying to get into medicine down south? This seems ridiculously difficult..

Reply 194

Amelia488

I only have 3 AS levels, but still could possibly get the adequate points for my course at TCD if i achieve A*AA, at A2. However, I think I read somewhere that you wouldn't be considered for application if you didn't have an extra AS level, even if you achieved the adequate points. Does anyone have any clarification on this? :smile: