Hopeful students anticipate college placements in second round

UP to 1,000 people are likely to be offered a college place for the first time when the Central Applications Office (CAO) makes second round offers today.

The CAO has received acceptances from more than 32,000 of the 44,751 applicants who were offered a place in the first round early last week. A further 4,600 people, including mature and overseas applicants, had previously accepted places on offer through the CAO.

Last year, more than 800 people who were unsuccessful in the first round received an offer at this stage and a similar number are expected to benefit today.

The offers are available to check by all applicants on the CAO website (www.cao.ie) from this morning and should also arrive to their home by post today.

Around 1,500 other applicants who were offered a place last week may be offered a place on a course higher on their preference lists.

Most of the offers being made this morning are likely to be for places on Level 7 (ordinary bachelor degree) or Level 6 (higher certificate) programmes, based on last year’s figures when almost 1,700 of the 2,200 new offers in the second round were made at those levels.

For those beginning life in college for the first time over the coming weeks, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) Rent Book 2006 should provide answers to some of their questions on accommodation.

The publication produced in association with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) includes sections about tenancy agreements, tenants’ rights and how students can choose rented accommodation to match their requirements.

Copies of the annual guide will now be distributed to thousands of students at colleges throughout

Ireland, helping to steer them through the minefield of mysteries surrounding rented accommodation.

USI welfare officer Kelly Mackey said demoralising pitfalls can await first-time renters who lack the necessary information about their accommodation options and tenancy rights but the publication should help clarify many of these matters.

The second round CAO cut-off points for all courses will be published in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner.