Applying to college with your Level 5 qualification

This is a really good explanation of how the QQI/FET Level 5 application system works. It is well worth taking a few minutes to read through it.

The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes almost all of the university applications in Ireland with one form, including Level 5 applications. You apply online, and can include 10 Level 6 and 7 courses and 10 Level 8 courses on your list, giving you 20 choices in total. It is important to list your choices in order of preference, rather than in order of points requirements, with the choice you want the most at the very top of your list, working your way down. If you are applying with your Level 5 qualification, there is some important information that you need to know. Read about it below, and when you're ready, learn more about the CAO here . 

If you have also taken the Leaving Cert. or equivalent school-leaving exams from another country, you can also include these in your application and are encouraged to do so. When you are filling in your CAO form, you will be given a list of options to select. You don't just have to choose one -- select every option that is relevant to you, to give yourself the best opportunity to be offered a place on one of your chosen courses. Leaving Cert. applicants, you will need to provide your exam number. Applicants using school-leaving results from another country, you will need to provide the details in your form, and post your transcripts (by mail, not email!) to the CAO. There is more information here . 

It is really important to check that your qualification is accepted for the college course that interests you. While some courses will accept any Level 5 or 6 qualification, many will not and will ask for a specific qualification instead. They might also require you to pass certain modules, or to achieve particular grades in these modules. 

This video from DCU explains it well. Don't want to watch a video? There is a good explanation here also. You can check the requirements for the courses that interest you here. If you need help, just drop in to the guidance room. 

Like the Leaving Certificate, your QQI Level 5 award can also be converted into points. It uses a different system to calculate them, however, and you can achieve a maximum of 390 points in total. Distinctions receive 50 points, Merits receive 35 points and Passes receive 20 points. Your points calculation will automatically draw from your best 8 results. 

It is well worth your time to read this explanation of when (and if!) your QQI/FET points are used during the application process. 

To apply to college with your Level 5 award, you will need to achieve a full/major award. This means that you need to pass all of your modules at a minimum. For example, if you pass seven out of eight modules, you will not receive a full QQI Level 5 major award and will in most cases not be able to use your qualification to apply to college. Many courses will require you to achieve more than a passing grade, and you are encouraged to aim as high as possible, as the process is competitive. 

Many courses will require you to complete your major award in one year. Some will allow you to complete it over two years instead. You can check this by entering in the course code into the box on this page. If you see ONE, you need to complete your major award in one year. If you see CMB, you can complete it over two years instead. Please note that the majority of the courses here run over one year only. 

You can check the minimum entry requirements for the courses that interest you here. You will notice that for example, a course might require five distinctions at a minimum to apply. However, you are encouraged to aim as high as possible with your grades, as the process can be competitive for some courses and the more distinctions you can achieve, the better the chance you have of being offered a place. 

Make sure to check that you are taking all of the required modules in your Level 5 course for the college course that interests you. For example, some courses require Maths for STEM, which is not offered in all further education colleges. If you are not taking the required modules, you will not meet the minimum entry requirements.

Some college courses set aside a quota of places for QQI/FET applicants. Others do not. The colleges usually publish their quotas on their websites. There will be links on the pages below, just scroll down to find them. 

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) 

Dublin City University (DCU) 

Maynooth University (MU) 

Munster Technological University (MTU) 

Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) 

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) 

University College Cork (UCC) 

University College Dublin (UCD) 

University of Galway (UG) 

University of Limerick (UL)