More than 43,000 apply for college courses ahead of deadline

MORE than 43,000 people have already applied for college courses ahead of the February 1 deadline.

Although figures are not available to show how many are adults who seeking to improve their qualifications after being made redundant, the numbers are much higher than at this time last year.

Those who applied online to the Central Applications Office (CAO) by Monday evening’s deadline totalled 43,051, compared to just over 36,000 at the same period in 2008.

More than 31,200 of the applications arrived in the last fortnight alone, which is likely to be attributable to the return of Leaving Certificate students after Christmas holidays.

Of the more than 68,000 applicants for 42,000-plus college places filled through the CAO in 2008, more than two-thirds finished school last summer. Around one-in-seven applications came from mature students (those aged 23 or over), and people with further education and third-level qualifications made up most of the balance.

The state examinations commission has also issued a reminder to people seeking to sit the Leaving Certificate as external candidates in June that they must apply by January 30.

Last year, 4,101 of the 55,500 who sat the exams were in this category, which applies to anybody who is not a student of a second-level school. This includes some repeat Leaving Certificate candidates and people returning to education. Around 1,400 of them took just one subject and a similar number sat seven subjects.

They are generally facilitated at a school being used as an exam centre, with the approval of the principal if there is suitable space. Dozens of prisoners undertake one or more Leaving Certificate exams at schools in the country’s prisons every year.

lApplication forms and details of conditions for external candidates are available from the state examinations commission, Cornamaddy, Athlone, Co Westmeath, or by calling [phone] or 6442703.