Environmental courses pique students' interest, while agriculture and nursing dips

Cut-off points, the minimum number of points a student needs to obtain to be offered a place on a particular course, are largely determined by demand, and by how many places are available.

College applications for courses in nursing and agriculture appear to have dipped this year, while environmental, arts, humanities, and language courses have seen their applications increase.

In total, 83,803 people have applied to the Central Applications Office (CAO) this year for a college place, new data issued this week show. This figure is broadly in line with the record numbers that applied last year.

Cut-off points, the minimum number of points a student needs to obtain to be offered a place on a particular course, are largely determined by demand, and by how many places are available.

The latest data published by the CAO shows that 47,538 students changed their preferred college course before July 1. This is an overall increase of 8.1% when compared to 2021.

The CAO also published data on the total number of mentions each course category received across students' applications, as well as the number of first preferences they received.

Environmental courses saw students' interest peak this year, with first preference choices increasing by 40% when compared to 2021. Arts, humanities, and language courses also saw increased interest this year, as did architecture and construction and information and communication technologies.

Meanwhile, agricultural courses recorded a decrease in the number of first preferences it received this year compared to last, as did courses in the hygiene and health services category, and transport services.

Nursing and midwifery courses, which saw points soar since the onset of the pandemic, also dropped in mentions this year, falling by 27% less first preferences in 2022 when compared to last year, and 25% overall fewer mentions.

First preferences for traditionally 'high-point' courses such as medicine, primary school teaching, and veterinary medicine dipped slightly this year with their overall mentions on students’ CAO applications decreasing by 1%, 8%, and 2% respectively when compared to 2021.

Meanwhile, level 8 courses in secondary teaching were mentioned more this year on students’ CAO applications, with a 9% increase in the number of students putting these courses as their first preference.

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Level 8 pharmacy courses, including pharmacy technician, also decreased in overall mentions this year, falling by 7%, and 11% in first preferences when compared to 2021.

The first round of college offers is expected to be issued to students this year on Thursday, September 8.  Last year, entry to several high-point courses was determined by a lottery, as points surged overall due to grade inflation brought on by the ‘hybrid’ Leaving Cert.

This year students sat traditional exams, with Education Minister Norma Foley promising students that the overall set of results will be no lower than what was achieved in 2021.