Inclusive schemes open doors for wide cohort of students and ease path to college 

Education Correspondent Jess Casey looks at schemes that improve access to college for students with disability and from disadvantaged backgrounds

Students who qualify for HEAR, DARE, or both schemes in some cases, may be offered a course of study even if their total Leaving Certificate score is lower than the general admissions cut-off. Picture: iStock

There are two main schemes that aim to help improve access for students preparing for third level, and there are some important changes this year to take note of.

The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a third-level alternative admissions scheme open to students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, while the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a similar scheme open to students who, as a result of having a disability, have experienced additional educational challenges.