Most of the 1,000 vacancies in the hi-tech industry can be filled by graduates of free courses announced by the Government and employers yesterday.

RISING college fees in Britain look likely to put more pressure on for third-level places here as there has been a drop of almost 20% in Irish students applying to study across the Irish Sea.

More than 150 A-level students were awarded lower grades than they achieved, an exams body admitted today.

UK Telecoms group BT has received more than 100 applications for each of its apprenticeship places this year, the company said today.

An education analyst has said the Government's decision to look at reintroducing third-level fees here has prompted a rise in applications to British colleges.

LEGAL questions surrounding falling numbers crossing the border to attend college has delayed a new law to speed up grant applications and payments for almost 60,000 students each year.

FEWER Irish students crossed the Border or the Irish Sea to take college courses last year because of the introduction of college fees in Britain, a report has found.

IRISH students who applied for places in colleges in Britain and the North have been advised to check if their applications were affected by systems problems there.

MORE than 2,500 Irish students are beginning courses at colleges in Britain and the North each year, official figures have revealed.

Education Minister Noel Dempsey has announced that Irish Leaving Cert results are to be included in the UCAS system for admission to colleges in the North and Britain.