Student who fled Ukraine offered college course after achieving 625 points in Leaving Certificate

Taisiia Korenska with principal of Castlecomer Community School Pat Murphy.

A Ukrainian student who enrolled in a secondary school in Ireland just two years ago has received an offer for her top college choice after achieving a remarkable 625 points in her Leaving Cert.

Taisiia Korenska will now study biomedical engineering at Dublin City University after securing the maximum possible points tally in her exams.

She had enrolled at Castlecomer Community School in Kilkenny when she arrived in Ireland in 2022 after being displaced by the war.

“I really wanted to get over 600 points,” she said. “I didn’t expect I’d do so well.” 

Ms Korenska put her success down to three factors. The first was how tough her former school in Ukraine had been.

“It was very stressful there,” she said. 

“You had to work the hardest you could to not lose your place in the school. 

"But there, I was a little above average, yet I was working too hard, I would say.” 

Another factor was that she was studying 13 to 14 subjects in Ukraine compared to the six that counted towards her Leaving Certificate points total.

“Maths is the same, it’s the language of numbers. English was of course the hardest one. But I really liked studying in Ireland. It was easier here than in my former school. It gave me an opportunity to enjoy school.” 

Ms Korenska speaks fluent English but said she was actually "bad at English” while she lived in Ukraine.

“I was decent in theory, but didn’t have enough practice,” she said. 

“But that changed when I came to Ireland. Especially with the Irish accent.” 

The other aspect she put her success down to was “just luck”. 

Although she had to flee her home due to the war, the young student feels lucky that she now lives somewhere that she really likes.

“I love Ireland,” she said. 

We managed to settle in the countryside. My mum took her car with her and it allowed us to settle in somewhere that’s not the city. It’s going good right now. We still have some problems and adversities. But, for what it is, it’s going really well.

Mel Broderick, the career guidance counsellor at Castlecomer Community School, paid tribute to Ms Korensa’s “incredible achievement”.

“She worked very hard,” Ms Broderick said. “You have that added element that English wasn’t her first language. And having not done a Junior Cert in Ireland. But she did exceptional [work] throughout the year, and really deserves it.” 

The top student landed on biomedical engineering at Dublin City University after considering astrophysics at University College Cork.

“But then I thought I wouldn’t be able to find a proper job,” Ms Korenska said. 

“I recognised I should maybe do something a little more practical. But something I really liked too.

“Of course, I’m excited. I really like studying. It’s something I’m really good at.”