Third-level hopefuls opt for education, law, and business courses, CAO says

While demand for teaching courses remains strong this year, primary school teaching has recorded 5% fewer first preferences. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Prospective third-level students continue to be drawn towards education, law, and business college courses but the recent popularity of environmental studies seems to have waned slightly.

The Central Applications Office (CAO) has published its latest data on first-preference applications for college courses this year following the close of its ‘Change of Mind’ facility at the beginning of the month.

With 83,801 applications, the numbers applying for college courses in 2023 are broadly in line with last year. Since May, 46,886 applicants have changed their course choice, a reduction on the numbers applying to change courses in 2022.

Environmental courses, which saw a boost in popularity in recent years, have seen first-preference applications decrease this year; level 8 courses saw 19% fewer first-preference applications, and level 7/6 are down 23%.

Overall, environmental courses were mentioned 4,763 times as level 8 courses and listed 543 times as a first preference.

Veterinary, medicine, and nursing and midwifery also saw their first preferences decline this year. These courses saw a boost in popularity throughout the pandemic. 

Veterinary and medicine

Overall, veterinary courses were mentioned 14% less than in 2022, and first preferences are down 17%. First preferences for medicine and nursing and midwifery courses are down 9% when compared to 2022. Business and admin courses had the most mentions overall by CAO applicants, with 67,468 total mentions, and 10,323 first preferences.

Law saw its first preferences increase by 5% when compared to last year. Applications for interdisciplinary programmes and qualifications involving natural sciences, maths and statistics are also up 5% when compared to 2022.

Meanwhile, while demand for teaching courses remains strong this year, primary school teaching has recorded 5% fewer first preferences. This breaks down to 8,744 mentions overall, and 2,450 first preferences. On the other hand, secondary school teaching has seen a first-preference boost of 14% on 2022. 

Demand for courses in the arts also remained strong this year, with 55,330 mentions overall, and 8,721 first preferences. Maynooth University welcomed that its arts degree has again attracted the highest number of first preferences across the CAO. 

While level 8 applications remain relatively static on a national basis, Maynooth University recorded a 1% increase in the number of applicants.