www.cao.ie

CHANGES TO ROUND 1 AND ROUND 2OFFERS SCHEDULE

At the request of the higher education institutions, a detailed review of the offers and acceptances processing schedule took place in 2017. A number of different models were discussed by admissions officers and CAO, with agreement being reached by all parties on the following dates:

Round 1 Offers available at www.cao.ie on Monday, 20 August at 6am

Round 1 Acceptances Friday, 24 August by 5:15pm

Round 2 Offers available at www.cao.ie on Wednesday, 29 August at 10am

Round 2 Acceptances Friday, 31 August by 5:15pm

The changes to the schedule were requested by the higher education institutions in order to allow applicants the opportunity to obtain and accept a Round 2 offer in advance of HEI registration, which will commence in the first week of September for many institutions.

Points data files will not be made available to media in advance of Round 2 offers due to the changes to the processing timetable. CAO will circulate the points data to media on Wednesday afternoon.

Please Note: Available Places will be open and accepting applications from the 21 August, however no offers will be processed based on Available Places applications until Round 3.

IN THIS ISSUE

Changes to Round 1 and Round 2 Offers Schedule

CAO Autumn Conferences

Changes to Applicant Literature

Important Dates

Statement of Application Record

Change of Mind

The Offer Rounds

DARE HEAR Updates

Summary of Applications to 1 February 2018

APRIL 2018

www.cao.ie

CHANGES TO APPLICANT LITERATURE

Please note the following changes to the CAO’s postal correspondence with applicants:

Change of Course Choices StatementWhen applicants use the Change of Mind facility they will no longer receive a postal Change of Course Choices Statement.

Instead, they will continue to receive an automatic email and can also log in to their account to verify that all of their changes have been recorded. It is hoped that the elimination of this postal element will help to remove confusion over the most up-to-date course data held on file by CAO. Applicants will continue to receive the main Statement of Application Record in the post in May.

No postal offers in Round 2Round 2 offers will be available online only.

Acknowledgement of AcceptanceApplicants will no longer receive postalacknowledgment of their offer acceptance. On accepting an offer online, applicants will receive an email notification and can also log in to their account to view their current offer acceptance status. A receipt of acceptance will be available to download for those who require documentation.

CAO AUTUMN CONFERENCE

Dates and venues

The dates and venues for the 2018 CAO Autumn Conferences, in association with the Institute of Guidance Counsellors and the higher education institutions, are:

The Autumn Conferences provide an opportunity for guidance counsellors to have direct contact with CAO and HEI staff in a local centre. They are an excellent occasion for the exchange of views and information.

HEIs have many opportunities to convey information to guidance counsellors; it is hoped that these conferences will enable guidance counsellors to convey information to HEIs and to have a dialogue with HEI representatives. The conferences should be regarded as a locus for collaboration between colleagues, and we hope that the availability of light refreshments will encourage informal contacts.

The full schedule and booking details will be circulated in September.

APRIL 2018NEWS

www.cao.ie

Mid-August

Current year Leaving Certificateresults issued.

20 August (06:00)

Round 1 offers available from 6amonline - also issued by post, e-mailand SMS text.

21 August (12:00)

Available Places facility opens.

24 August (17:15)

Reply date for Round 1 offers. There will be no postal Acknowledgment of Acceptance sent to applicants from 2018.

29 August (10:00)

Round 2 offers available from 10:00am online.

31 August (17:15)

Reply date for Round 2 offers. There will be no postal Acknowledgment of Acceptance sent to applicants from 2018.

Early September

HEIs begin registration.

September/October

Offers issued and acceptances recorded on a weekly basis.

Early October

Results of Leaving Certificate appeals released.

17 October (17:15)

Offer season ends.

5 March (12:00)

Late application facility opens.

1 April (17:15)

Latest date for HEAR/DARE supporting documentation to arrive in CAO.

1 May (17:15)

Closing date for late applications.

4 May (12:00)

Online Change of Mind facilitybecomes available (Free).

Before 15 May

Late paper applicants will be sent a Statement of Course Choices.

Before End of May

Statement of Application Record sent to all applicants.

1 July (17:15)

Change of Mind closes.

5 July (06:00)

Round A offers for certainnon-Standard categoriesof applicants - applicantsreceive an offer by post,by e-mail and SMS text.

22 July (17:15)

Exceptional closing date for late applications for those already attending a participating HEI.

2 August (06:00)

Round 0 offers for certain non-standard categories of applicant - applicants receive an offer by post, by e-mail and SMS text.

APRIL 2018NEWSIMPORTANT DATES

www.cao.ie

NEWS

In April, we will post communication to guidance counsellors in advance of our mailing to all CAO applicants in early May.

The documents that you will receive will help you to guide your students through the upcoming phases of the application process, including the careful review of the ’Statement of Application Record’.

The Statement of Application Records are currently in print and will be distributed to students in early May.

Included in the mailing you will find:

1. A letter to guidance counsellors

2. A copy of the letter to applicants

3. The Important Changes document

STATEMENT OF APPLICATION RECORD

APRIL 2018

Informing CAO of errors or omissions in the Statement of Application Record

If there are any errors or omissions identified in the document, applicants must indicate the changes on the Statement of Application Record and return it to CAO immediately at CAO, Tower House, EglintonStreet, Galway.

Applicants are also advised to obtain a certificate of posting.

Applicants who have applied using the Late Application facility will receive their Statement of Application Record before the end of May. If they do not receive this document by this date they must contact CAO via the ’Contact’ facility at www.cao.ie.

We ask that you advise your students to check that the following items are recorded completely and correctly:

1. Personal DetailsDate of birth, place of birth (Ireland Yes or No), telephone

number and CAO application number.

2. Course ChoicesPlease ensure that all Level 8 and Level 7/6 course codes

are correct and recorded in the desired order of preference.

3. Exemptions and Examination InformationDetails of any Irish or third language exemptions and all relevant examination taken, or to be taken, have been recorded by type, year, number and (for exams already

taken) subjects/levels/grades.

www.cao.ie

THE OFFER ROUNDS

A step-by-step video guide to viewing and accepting an offer online will be available in the Student Resources section of www.cao.ie

Round A – 5 July at 6.00am

Some offers for mature (incl. mature nursing/midwifery) and other applications will appear on the CAO website from 6.00am on Thursday, 5 July. It is very important that such applicants are available to accept these early offers as they arrive.

Round 0 – 2 August at 6.00am

Some offers for applicants who are mature or presenting QQI FET/FETAC awards for consideration for certain courses will appear on the CAO website from 6.00am on Thursday, 2 August. It is very important that such applicants are available to accept these early offers as they arrive.

Round 1 – 20 August at 6.00amRound One Offers will appear on the CAO website from 6.00am on Monday, 20 August. Also on that day, the minimum points required for entry to each course will be published on the CAO website (www.cao.ie), in national newspapers and on media websites.

The Reply Date for acceptance of Round One offers will be Friday, 24 August at 5:15 pm. Please note that some HEIs will contact applicants who have been offered places rather than waiting until after the reply date; this is because registration and orientation will commence as early as 1 September in some HEIs.

CHANGE OF MIND

The CAO ‘Change of Mind’ facility opens on 4 May at 12 noon.

In 2017, 44,144 applicants used the Changeof Mind facility.

This facility, which is free of charge, will be available to all applicants (with the Exception of some restricted-category applicants) up to 1 July at 5:15pm.

The ‘Change of Mind’ facility will remain open after the close of the 2018 LeavingCertificate examinations, however CAO advises students to be careful about making changes to their application based on assumptions about examinations results.

All applicants are advised to log in to their account via ‘My Application’ before the Change of Mind deadline of 1 July at 5:15pm to verify that their course information is correct.

Applicants will receive an automatic email when they make changes to their course choices.

APRIL 2018NEWS

www.cao.ie

NEWS

DARE HEAR Application Outcomes

DARE HEAR application outcomes will be available online from Monday, 25 June. All applicants will receive email notification about the outcome of their DARE/HEAR application.

Applicants can log in to their CAO account and select the DARE/ HEAR Application Outcome to view the outcome of their DARE HEAR application.

Detailed information on the DARE HEAR Assessment, and Review and Appeals Process is available at accesscollege.ie

DARE HEAR UPDATES

APRIL 2018

Ineligible ApplicantsIneligible applicants who have grounds for making a Review and Appeal application can do so from 12pm on Monday, 25 June.

To make a Review and Appeal application, applicants must complete the online Review and Appeals application form by 5 July 2018 at 5:15pm. Review and Appeal applications must be made online through the CAO ’My Application’ facility.

Where applicable, applicants must provide documentation (objective documentary evidence) by 5:15pm on 11 July 2018 to CAO, Tower House Eglinton, Street, Galway.

www.cao.ie

NEWS

In March 2017, the CAO board of directors appointed a StrategicPlanning Sub-committee to be tasked with drafting a new Strategic Plan for 2018-2023.

The subcommittee set about this task in three phases:

1. Data Collection

2. Strategic Plans and Priorities

3. Implementation and Alignment

After consultation with a number ofkey stakeholders, including invaluable feedback from admissions officers in participating HEIs, the data collection phase has now been completed.Strategic Plans and Priorities have been identified, and a draft of the final Strategic Plan document is under review.

SUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS TO 1 FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 2018

The Central Applications Office (CAO) released 2018 application data up to the Change of Course Choices closing date of 1 March.

Choices closing date of March 1st. The data provided at this stage is interim data and is subject to change when Late Applications are taken into account and when the Change of Mind facility closes on 1 July at 5:15pm. Speaking about the application figures, communications officer for CAO, Eileen Keleghan, commented: “The majority of CAO applicants will be permitted to use the Change of Mind facility when it opens on 4 May to add, remove or re-order course choices, which will result in changes to the figures released in March”.

“Late applications are also being accepted up to 1 May at 5:15pm”.

“All CAO applicants will receive a Statement of Application Record before the end of May. This Statement will contain details of important information held on file for an applicant - including course choices and examination details. Any errors or omissions identified in this document must be communicated to CAO immediately” she added.

Registered applicants can log in to view and edit their account information using the My Application facility. Changes to course choices can be made using the Change of Mind facility between the 4 May and the 1 July at 5:15pm –restrictions apply.

The data shows applications by course classification, level and by address group. 72,643 applications were received by CAO by 1 February closing date - a decrease of 3,443 (-4.5%) applicants on the previous year.

There was a total of 8,539 applications from applicants over 23 years of age - down 1,168 (-12.0%) applications from 2017.

6,571 applicants indicated that they wish to be considered for the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) – an increase of 186 (+2.9%) from last year.

A total of 10,465 applicants indicated that they wish to be considered for the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) - a decrease of 1,023 (-8.9%) from 2017.

To apply to CAO go to www.cao.ieand click on Apply.

www.cao.ie

NEWSSUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS TO 1 FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 2018

Overall Summary Table

Category 2018 2017 Difference % Change

Total Applications 72,643 76,086 -3,443 -4.5%

Level 8 Applications 62,751 65,294 -2,543 -3.9%

Levels 7/6 Applications 30,739 34,345 -3,606 -10.5%

Number of Level 8 First Preferences by Course Classification

Category2018First

Preferences

2017First

Preferences Difference % ChangeIsced Narrow Field

(011) Education 4,868 4,669 199 4

(021) Arts 7,074 8,097 -1,023 -13

(022) Humanities (except languages) 1,887 1,955 -68 -3

(023) Languages 651 659 -8 -1

(028) Interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving arts and humanities

109 95 14 15

(031) Social and behavioural sciences 4,351 4,170 181 4

(032) Journalism and information 492 668 -176 -26

(041) Business and administration 8,531 8,700 -169 -2

(042) Law 2,477 2,507 -30 -1

(051) Biological and related sciences 2,473 2,256 217 10

(052) Environment 198 234 -36 -15

(053) Physical sciences 954 1,492 -538 -36

(054) Mathematics and statistics 508 537 -29 -5

(058) Interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving natural sciences, Mathematics and statistics

857 838 19 2

(061) Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)

3,193 3,789 -596 -16

(071) Engineering and engineering trades

3,195 3,025 170 6

(072) Manufacturing and processing 371 415 -44 -11

continues next page

www.cao.ie

NEWSSUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS TO 1 FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 2018

Number of Level 8 First Preferences by Course Classification

Category2018First

Preferences

2017First

Preferences Difference % ChangeIsced Narrow Field

(073) Architecture and construction 1,745 1,733 12 1

(081) Agriculture 348 327 21 6

(082) Forestry 17 27 -10 -37

(084) Veterinary 950 1,044 -94 -9

(088) Interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving agriculture, forestry and veterinary

480 519 -39 -8

(091) Health 13,044 13,066 -22 0

(092) Welfare 2,015 2,193 -178 -8

(101) Personal services 1,873 2,164 -291 -13

(102) Hygiene and occupational health services

72 79 -7 -9

(104) Transport services 18 36 -18 -50

Total Applications 62,751 65,294 -2,543 -4

Specialist Groups(001) Primary Education 2,783 2,578 205 8

(002) Secondary Education 1,781 1,710 71 4

(003) Dentistry (including Dental Nursing and Hygiene)

319 319 0 0

(004) Medicine 3,218 3,273 -55 -2

(005) Nursing and midwifery 5,494 5,376 118 2

(006) Pharmacy (including Pharmacy Technician)

340 325 15 5

(007) Art, Design and Media (techniques and production)

2,539 2,795 -256 -9

(008) Veterinary Medicine 557 612 -55 -9

continues next page

www.cao.ie

NEWSSUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS TO 1ST FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 2018

Number of Level 7/6 First Preferences by Course Classification

Category2018First

Preferences

2017First

Preferences Difference % ChangeIsced Narrow Field

(011) Education 98 140 -42 -30

(021) Arts 2,009 2,269 -260 -11

(022) Humanities (except languages) 123 143 -20 -14

(031) Social and behavioural sciences 352 418 -66 -16

(032) Journalism and information 150 157 -7 -4

(040) Business, administration and law not further defined or elsewhere classified 24 52 -28 -54

(041) Business and administration 6,105 6,514 -409 -6

(042) Law 335 371 -36 -10

(051) Biological and related sciences 2,243 2,515 -272 -11

(052) Environment 151 180 -29 -16

(053) Physical sciences 1,194 1,323 -129 -10

(061) Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) 1,955 2,341 -386 -16

(071) Engineering and engineering trades 3,231 3,511 -280 -8

(072) Manufacturing and processing 266 298 -32 -11

(073) Architecture and construction 1,281 1,317 -36 -3

(081) Agriculture 599 686 -87 -13

(082) Forestry 43 57 -14 -25

(084) Veterinary 922 912 10 1

(088) Interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving agriculture, forestry and veterinary 11 8 3 38

continues next page

www.cao.ie

CONTACT

NEWSSUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS TO 1ST FEBRUARY 2018

APRIL 2018

Number of Level 7/6 First Preferences by Course Classification

Category2018First

Preferences

2017First

Preferences Difference % ChangeIsced Narrow Field

(091) Health 2,246 2,600 -354 -14

(092) Welfare 3,477 3,793 -316 -8

(101) Personal services 3,710 4,542 -832 -18

(102) Hygiene and occupational health services 51 46 5 11

(104) Transport services 163 152 11 7

Total Applications 30,739 34,345 -3,606 -10

Specialist Groups

(003) Dentistry (including Dental Nursing and Hygiene) 649 732 -83 -11

(006) Pharmacy (including Pharmacy Technician) 309 400 -91 -23

(007) Art, Design and Media (techniques and production) 1,056 1,190 -134 -11

If there are any items that you would like to see included in a future edition of CAO News, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Central Applications Office, Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway

091 509800

ekeleghan@cao.ie