30% hike in non-school leavers seeking college place

THE unemployment crisis has prompted a 30% rise in college applications from mature students and other non-Leaving Certificate students.

The number of overall entrants through the Central Applications Office (CAO) seeking third level places by the February 1 deadline was up 6% on the same time last year.

The numbers sitting the Leaving Certificate this year who have submitted CAO applications is up just under 1%, to 44,090, according to statistics presented to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) yesterday.