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As the 2019 CAO deadline fast approaches for Kerry’s 3rd level college applicants, Guidance Counsellor, Billy Ryle, looks at what students need to do…
CAO application season is in full swing and with 80,000 plus applicants, about 2,500 from Kerry, competing for about 48,000 college places, it’s vital to submit a complete application form in time.
Stay focussed and be aware of key dates and the important tasks to be done in the weeks ahead.
The 2019 CAO online application remains open until 1st Feb. Open your CAO interactive online account via “Apply” on www.cao.ie, by 20th Jan to get a discount rate of €30.
After that, the fee increases to €45 until the 1st Feb. The closing date for online Change of Course Choices, which is free, is also 1st Feb.
Continued below…
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You may use the online Change of Course Choices facility, fee €10, from 5th Feb to 1st March to add any restricted courses not already listed. Restricted category applicants may also use this facility.
All other applicants should use the free Change of Mind option, between 6th May and 1st July, to make any course changes.
Course choices and preferences may be changed as often as desired, free of charge, between 6th May and 1st July.
If you submit a Change of Mind, it cancels all the previous course choices, which you have submitted.
The two categories (Level 8 and Level7/6) are completely separate from each other for this purpose.
Any restricted application course, added for the first time via a Change of Mind won’t be considered unless it shares the same assessment procedure with a course you had applied for by 1st Feb.
In early July, offers of places (Round A) will be issued to deferred applicants, mature applicants and to those who need to make visa arrangements.
In early August, offers of places (Round Zero) will be issued to certain non-standard categories of applicants such as FET/QQI and graduate applicants.
Following Rebecca Carter’s successful High Court Case against the State Examinations Commission (SEC) last year, CAO plans to release details of the finalised 2019 offers and acceptance schedule in early 2019. That information should be available fairly soon.
2019 CAO Common Points Scale
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• 25 bonus points are awarded for Higher Level Maths for H6 or above if Maths is one of the six subjects being counted for points calculation
• Foundation Level Maths: F1 and F2 are valued at 20 and 12 points, respectively
• LCVP: Distinction, Merit, Pass are valued at 66, 46 and 28 points, respectively
CAO 2019 TIMELINE
• 20th Jan: apply by 5.15pm to avail of the online discount rate of €30
• 20th Jan: register for HPAT (Under Graduate Med.) test
• 1st Feb: online change of course choices (free) closes at 5.15pm
• 1st Feb: normal closing date, at 5.15pm, for applications (€45 fee)
• 2nd Feb: register for GAMSAT (Graduate Medicine) test
• 3rd Feb: register for MSAP (Mature Students) test
• 5th Feb: online facility to amend course choices opens at noon (€10 fee)
• 23rd Feb: HPAT-Ireland test takes place
• 1st March: closing date, at 5.15pm, for amending course choices
• 1st March: completed online HEAR)/DARE forms must be submitted by 5.15pm
• 5th March: late online application facility opens at 12.00 noon (€60 fee)
• 9th March: MSAP test takes place
• 23rd March: GAMSAT test takes place
• 1st April: HEAR/DARE supporting documentation must arrive in CAO by 5.15pm
• 1st May: closing date, at 5.15pm, for late applications
• 6th May: online change of mind facility (free) opens at 12.00 noon
• 31st May: Statement of Application Record sent to all applicants before this date
• 1st July: change of mind facility (free) closes at 5.15pm
• Early July: Round A offers of places are issued to certain categories of applicants
• 22nd July: exceptional closing date, at 5.15pm, for late applications (fee €60) from those already attending a participating Higher Education Institution (HEI)
• Early Aug.: Round Zero offers of places are issued to certain categories of applicants
Following Rebecca Carter’s successful High Court Case against the State Examinations Commission (SEC) last year, CAO plans to release details of the finalised 2019 offers and acceptance schedule in early 2019.
