19,200 CAO applicants still waiting for offers

THERE are 2,152 fewer people than a year ago still with no offer of a college place from the Central Applications (CAO) office despite a jump in the points needed for hundreds of courses.

But the wait must continue for nearly 19,200 of this year’s applicants for the limited number of places likely to come up over the next seven weeks. A year ago there were 21,330 people without any college place available at this point.

While the smaller number may be largely down to a drop of almost 1,400 applicants to 76,238, colleges have given 905 people more than this time last year their first offer of a place.

This could also indicate, however, a greater proportion of places being taken up by this year’s Leaving Certificate applicants — 44,769 who sat their exams in June applied to the CAO.

The number of mature students competing for places has fallen, although there has been a spike in people using further education qualifications to access higher education.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland president Bernie Ruane said that while there is still a chance for many of those left disappointed today, anyone offered a place should treat it as the only offer they will get because there is no guarantee of any more courses being offered.

Of the 49,408 people receiving offers today, 36,685 have the chance to take up a level 8 (honours bachelor degree) course — just over half of those who listed one of more than 860 courses at this level on their form.

For 17,415 applicants, they are being offered the course at the top of their level 8 list. But more than 10,000 others have been offered entry to their second or third choice.

The 35,873 people offered a level 7 or 6 (ordinary bachelor degree or higher certificate) place include almost 28,000 who are getting their first preference out of 440 courses.

All but 2,138 level 7 and 6 places offered represent one of the first three courses listed on the recipient’s CAO application.

Before today, more than 7,100 people had already accepted places through two earlier offer stages for applicants who may have needed to make visa arrangements. These applicants also include people whose courses have set aside places for mature students or others not competing directly with Leaving Certificate students.

The 19,178 people still hoping to be offered a course, as well as those waiting on a place higher on their application list, must wait until September 1 for round two offers.

Last year’s second round, saw less than 1,500 applicants receive their first offer, but more than 2,500 got a second or third offer after points on a small number of courses fell.

However, the CAO will list courses that have places available for fresh applications on its website from midday tomorrow.

Each year, dozens of degree and higher certificate programmes are opened up to existing and new CAO applicants due to a shortage of applications or low uptake by those offered places.