Disabled and disadvantaged students offered 1,650 college places

STUDENTS with disabilities and from disadvantaged backgrounds have been offered more than 1,650 places in colleges under an expanded scheme to widen third-level access.

Around 10,500 applicants for college entry through the Central Applications Office (CAO) this year also registered to be considered through the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) and Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) schemes, up significantly on last year when they were opened up for the first time.

In 2009, more than 3,000 people applied for college under the HEAR scheme and almost 700 accepted places.