Applying to Irish universities with A levels
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Original post by OliviaA-R
We have to send GCSE certificates?? where does it say this? I applied the other day but I have no idea how it works 
where do you send the GCE/GCSE stuff to?
where do you send the GCE/GCSE stuff to?
Post them to the CAO. http://www.cao.ie/help_files/speccat_instr.htm They need to know that you satisfy the english, maths and foreign language requirement- they don't care about your final result, they just need passes in those 3. Do NOT send originals, send photocopies stamped by your school. Email them to make sure that it's okay you send them now- there's a contact us on www.cao.ie This is a very busy time for them, so I'd advise emailing rather than phoning.
I don't get why you applied to something you knew nothing about though? You should have read the CAO handbook, it's available on the website under 'downloads'. That link there when it says non-standard it means everyone outside of Ireland. Irish students don't need to post anything because our subject requiremnents are met by our final exams that we haven't sat at that point- but UK students need to proove they've sat those subjects in the past. You should have entered your GCSE's on the form somewhere though already so they will be expecting you to send the certs.
Original post by StarsAreFixed
Original post by StarsAreFixed
Post them to the CAO. http://www.cao.ie/help_files/speccat_instr.htm They need to know that you satisfy the english, maths and foreign language requirement- they don't care about your final result, they just need passes in those 3. Do NOT send originals, send photocopies stamped by your school. Email them to make sure that it's okay you send them now- there's a contact us on www.cao.ie This is a very busy time for them, so I'd advise emailing rather than phoning.
I don't get why you applied to something you knew nothing about though? You should have read the CAO handbook, it's available on the website under 'downloads'. That link there when it says non-standard it means everyone outside of Ireland. Irish students don't need to post anything because our subject requiremnents are met by our final exams that we haven't sat at that point- but UK students need to proove they've sat those subjects in the past. You should have entered your GCSE's on the form somewhere though already so they will be expecting you to send the certs.
I don't get why you applied to something you knew nothing about though? You should have read the CAO handbook, it's available on the website under 'downloads'. That link there when it says non-standard it means everyone outside of Ireland. Irish students don't need to post anything because our subject requiremnents are met by our final exams that we haven't sat at that point- but UK students need to proove they've sat those subjects in the past. You should have entered your GCSE's on the form somewhere though already so they will be expecting you to send the certs.
thanks
I did read the handbook but a few weeks ago just confused about it cause apparently my school will give no help with foreign/ non ucas applications. hmm didn't enter my GCSEs on the form anywhere though just exams i'll be taking this year was the only option. ahh don't have my AS certificates yet, gonna go yell at my school tomorrow thanks for you help Original post by OliviaA-R
thanks I did read the handbook but a few weeks ago just confused about it cause apparently my school will give no help with foreign/ non ucas applications. hmm didn't enter my GCSEs on the form anywhere though just exams i'll be taking this year was the only option. ahh don't have my AS certificates yet, gonna go yell at my school tomorrow thanks for you help
I did read the handbook but a few weeks ago just confused about it cause apparently my school will give no help with foreign/ non ucas applications. hmm didn't enter my GCSEs on the form anywhere though just exams i'll be taking this year was the only option. ahh don't have my AS certificates yet, gonna go yell at my school tomorrow thanks for you help If you want you should search 'Irish unis' or Trinityy or something- there's a good few threads I have really long replies in, think there might be one stickied at the top of this forum. I explain the CAO fairly briefly a few times- though bear in mind I was an internal applicant myself.
I'm not sure what the form looks like for you but I'd imagine you would have had to enter subjets taken, year, and what school you were in at the time. Maybe not. Give them an email anyway saying you applied last week, will have your GCSE and AS certs posted by Wednesday or whatever and you don't have them on your form, is that okay or do you have to amend your form..etc.
Original post by StarsAreFixed
Original post by StarsAreFixed
If you want you should search 'Irish unis' or Trinityy or something- there's a good few threads I have really long replies in, think there might be one stickied at the top of this forum. I explain the CAO fairly briefly a few times- though bear in mind I was an internal applicant myself.
I'm not sure what the form looks like for you but I'd imagine you would have had to enter subjets taken, year, and what school you were in at the time. Maybe not. Give them an email anyway saying you applied last week, will have your GCSE and AS certs posted by Wednesday or whatever and you don't have them on your form, is that okay or do you have to amend your form..etc.
I'm not sure what the form looks like for you but I'd imagine you would have had to enter subjets taken, year, and what school you were in at the time. Maybe not. Give them an email anyway saying you applied last week, will have your GCSE and AS certs posted by Wednesday or whatever and you don't have them on your form, is that okay or do you have to amend your form..etc.
yeah i think i'll call them tomorrow see what they say- it says at the top of the form to post my certs off but you're right i think they need my GCSEs on the form etc. think i will have to amend the form
thank you for all your help
Original post by bethma
Original post by bethma
Irish universities are NOT harder to get into!!!
The irish educational system is lower than the uk, for medicine you only need B, C at A Levels (at trinity!!!)! so doing psych there would be low too!
The irish educational system is lower than the uk, for medicine you only need B, C at A Levels (at trinity!!!)! so doing psych there would be low too!
You're so dumb.
Original post by bethma
Irish universities are NOT harder to get into!!!
The irish educational system is lower than the uk, for medicine you only need B, C at A Levels (at trinity!!!)! so doing psych there would be low too!
The irish educational system is lower than the uk, for medicine you only need B, C at A Levels (at trinity!!!)! so doing psych there would be low too!
Maybe you should read up on the points system. You are looking at basic matriculation requirements- no course has its points satsified by these. Psychology needs A*A*A*B in Trinity. That is not the same as what's required in UK unis, it's far higher. EDIT: here's Oxford's requirements, a lot less:
'Oxford:From 2013 entry, the entrance requirements will be
• A-levels: A*AA'
Medicine needs A*A*A*B also, though preferably A*A*A*A* because there's a medicine-only exam added onto that, and the better your grades are before that the better your chance. Oxford's requirements are the same again- A*AA. This is only 420 points in our system. Psychology and Medicine hover around 560 in Trinity.
It should have been obvious from this thread that I know what I'm talking about anyway.
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by StarsAreFixed
Maybe you should read up on the points system. You are looking at basic matriculation requirements- no course has its points satsified by these. Psychology needs A*A*A*B in Trinity. That is not the same as what's required in UK unis, it's far higher.
I have been calculating my CAO points, but I'm concerned that I may be adding up to give myself more than I actually have?
I have A*A*A at A level and A's at AS. One of my A2s is also maths which I believe give me an extra 25 points...
So if I add them up that's:
2 A*s: 150 x 2 = 300
2 A's: 135 x 2 = 270
--> 300 + 270 = 570
plus 25 for maths = 595 ?!?!?!? is that possible?
** thanks! **
Original post by gkb
I have been calculating my CAO points, but I'm concerned that I may be adding up to give myself more than I actually have?
I have A*A*A at A level and A's at AS. One of my A2s is also maths which I believe give me an extra 25 points...
So if I add them up that's:
2 A*s: 150 x 2 = 300
2 A's: 135 x 2 = 270
--> 300 + 270 = 570
plus 25 for maths = 595 ?!?!?!? is that possible?
** thanks! **
I have A*A*A at A level and A's at AS. One of my A2s is also maths which I believe give me an extra 25 points...
So if I add them up that's:
2 A*s: 150 x 2 = 300
2 A's: 135 x 2 = 270
--> 300 + 270 = 570
plus 25 for maths = 595 ?!?!?!? is that possible?
** thanks! **
Your A at AS is worth less, it's worth 65. So you have 500 points. From TCD website: Bonus points for Mathematics:
Students presenting A-Level Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Pure Mathematics will be credited with an additional 25 points for achieving a grade E or above.
So if you satisfy that then you have 525. What are you aiming for? This is enough for the vast majority of courses- Med, Pharm, Vet, Dentistry, Law and Psych (at Trinity. It is enough for psych anywhere else) being the exceptions. This is the reason it's seen that you need 4 A-Levels for competitive courses here, they're impossible without it. But that's still a brilliant score, I hope it's enough for the course you want.
Wow thanks StarsAreFixed for helping with all this .
One question to people; is it safe to assume that the only A-level not accepted by Trinity is General Studies? Looking at their website, they won't take GS into account when doing the points conversion.
I'm doing 'Critical Thinking' as a 4th A-level (it's on the OCR board so all's fine in terms of validity), and a few unis in the UK won't accept it as a full qualification (it's very new, there's debate as to its difficulty etcetc,). Am I ok applying to Trinity and assuming they/CAO will accept it?
It's not listed as a 'non-acceptable A-level' anywhere that I can see but I thought I'd check.
.One question to people; is it safe to assume that the only A-level not accepted by Trinity is General Studies? Looking at their website, they won't take GS into account when doing the points conversion.
I'm doing 'Critical Thinking' as a 4th A-level (it's on the OCR board so all's fine in terms of validity), and a few unis in the UK won't accept it as a full qualification (it's very new, there's debate as to its difficulty etcetc,). Am I ok applying to Trinity and assuming they/CAO will accept it?
It's not listed as a 'non-acceptable A-level' anywhere that I can see but I thought I'd check.
Physical education, General studies and Media studies are not acceptable.- from this page http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/requirements/matriculation/gcse/ I would be wary of assuming they'll accept this. The fact that it doesn't say it should mean it'll be fine, but Trinity are tough on these types of subjects and I'd imagine they haven't gotten around to looking at it yet since it's new but that it will go onto the not-acceptable list in the future. Best to give Admissions or International Admissions a ring or an email and check it out. http://www.tcd.ie/Admissions/undergraduate/contact-us/
Trinity themselves would not be fans of non-traditional subjects, so that is one major reason they are against them. The other more important reason is that Irish students can only present traditional subjects, we don't have anything other than these. So it would of course be unfair if someone presenting media, general PE and critical thinking got a place over someone presenting Irish, english, maths, French (all compulsory), Geography, Economics and Physics.
You can use an AS instead of a fourth a-level. Points are considerably lower for them though, they are listed on the first link. It would mean you wouldn't be able to get Med, Pharm, Vet, Law, Psych and some others.
Trinity themselves would not be fans of non-traditional subjects, so that is one major reason they are against them. The other more important reason is that Irish students can only present traditional subjects, we don't have anything other than these. So it would of course be unfair if someone presenting media, general PE and critical thinking got a place over someone presenting Irish, english, maths, French (all compulsory), Geography, Economics and Physics.
You can use an AS instead of a fourth a-level. Points are considerably lower for them though, they are listed on the first link. It would mean you wouldn't be able to get Med, Pharm, Vet, Law, Psych and some others.
Yeah thanks I'll give them an email . When I say very new I mean relatively so; the A-level has been going for six years so I'd have thought they'd have got round to blocking it by now. Sorry, I could have been clearer there.
I'm on my way to getting a AAAAB/AAABB in July, (main three are in Economics, Maths and Physics). If they don't accept Critical Thinking as well as General Studies then I guess I'll present my AS grade in either History or Music and hope for the best (I think a place would be very unlikely in this instance). I'll also get a few extra points for the Maths as I understand it.
Indeed, I'm not going for those anyway so I should be in with a chance (if CT turns out to be accepted). Applying for Economics (in a variety of forms, BESS etc.) which still seems to be quite high up there in terms of competitiveness but not as bad as Medicine etc.
Thanks for your help.
. When I say very new I mean relatively so; the A-level has been going for six years so I'd have thought they'd have got round to blocking it by now. Sorry, I could have been clearer there.I'm on my way to getting a AAAAB/AAABB in July, (main three are in Economics, Maths and Physics). If they don't accept Critical Thinking as well as General Studies then I guess I'll present my AS grade in either History or Music and hope for the best (I think a place would be very unlikely in this instance). I'll also get a few extra points for the Maths as I understand it.
Indeed, I'm not going for those anyway so I should be in with a chance (if CT turns out to be accepted). Applying for Economics (in a variety of forms, BESS etc.) which still seems to be quite high up there in terms of competitiveness but not as bad as Medicine etc.
Thanks for your help
.(edited 12 years ago)
Oh right 6 years is plenty of time I would say, I'd say they'll have to accept it so. BESS is 460ish, it's not in the super-competitive zone of 500+ so I wouldn't panic or anything about that, it would of course be far higher because it is in great demand and a great course, except for the fact that there are hundreds of places so that drives the points down.
^ as far as I can tell, the application is always 'sent off'. It's not like UCAS where you fill everything in and send it all off at once.
So CAO can see your choices list now, and I think the last date to amend them (without a fee) is Feb 1st. Maybe someone can confirm this.
I agree that the whole CAO system is a bit antiquated (I had to send them a self-addressed postcard so they could confirm receipt of my certificates :P). Considering their funding and the size of the operation though I guess it gets the job done.
So CAO can see your choices list now, and I think the last date to amend them (without a fee) is Feb 1st
. Maybe someone can confirm this.I agree that the whole CAO system is a bit antiquated (I had to send them a self-addressed postcard so they could confirm receipt of my certificates :P). Considering their funding and the size of the operation though I guess it gets the job done
.(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by genius017
Ive filled out the application form online
how do i know if it has been sent off
cao is way too confusing
how do i know if it has been sent off
cao is way too confusing
Once you've been supplied with a CAO number, your application is confirmed. The number should start with 12. I started in 2007- mine started with 07. The reason why it's not like a final application where you send it off and forget about it is because you can change any details at any time by clicking into your application- so it's much more fluid. If you start panicking that you want to change the order of your courses- not a problem, 2 seconds to change them is all it will take.
It's not confusing, it's just totally different to UCAS. It works great in a tiny country, it would fail pitifully in the UK.
Have you sent your GCSE certs? They need them not for the grades but to check you passed English, Maths and a foreign language. This is because all Irish students present all of these subjects and Irish at Leaving Cert level (final exams) so they want it to be fair.
Original post by notoxa
I agree that the whole CAO system is a bit antiquated (I had to send them a self-addressed postcard so they could confirm receipt of my certificates :P). Considering their funding and the size of the operation though I guess it gets the job done.
I agree that the whole CAO system is a bit antiquated (I had to send them a self-addressed postcard so they could confirm receipt of my certificates :P). Considering their funding and the size of the operation though I guess it gets the job done
.Probably because you're a non-traditional applicant and they don't pay too much attention to inconveniencing a total minority of applicants. I on the other hand just had to fill out the form and pay the fee
Original post by StarsAreFixed
Once you've been supplied with a CAO number, your application is confirmed. The number should start with 12. I started in 2007- mine started with 07. The reason why it's not like a final application where you send it off and forget about it is because you can change any details at any time by clicking into your application- so it's much more fluid. If you start panicking that you want to change the order of your courses- not a problem, 2 seconds to change them is all it will take.
It's not confusing, it's just totally different to UCAS. It works great in a tiny country, it would fail pitifully in the UK.
Have you sent your GCSE certs? They need them not for the grades but to check you passed English, Maths and a foreign language. This is because all Irish students present all of these subjects and Irish at Leaving Cert level (final exams) so they want it to be fair.
It's not confusing, it's just totally different to UCAS. It works great in a tiny country, it would fail pitifully in the UK.
Have you sent your GCSE certs? They need them not for the grades but to check you passed English, Maths and a foreign language. This is because all Irish students present all of these subjects and Irish at Leaving Cert level (final exams) so they want it to be fair.
Yeah i have sent them off,
Thanks guys
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