HEAR/ DARE/ QQI Equivalents

If you did the Leaving Certificate, you may already be familiar with the HEAR and DARE schemes. HEAR stands for the Higher Education Access Route, and DARE stands for Disability Access Route to Education. These schemes are intended to make access to university fairer, by potentially reducing the Leaving Cert points requirements for students experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage or a disability that may have affected their education. 

If you are applying to university with your Level 5 qualification only, you cannot apply to HEAR or DARE, as these schemes are tied to the Leaving Cert. specifically. However, some universities run equivalent schemes for QQI Level 5 applicants, which you can learn more about below. 

Remember, if you are applying to college with your Leaving Cert results only, apply to HEAR and DARE if you are eligible to do so. If you're applying to college with your Level 5 results only, use the schemes below instead. 

Access TU Dublin is a programme designed to support students from backgrounds that are under-represented in higher education. It provides a range of supports, including academic, financial, and personal to help students succeed before and during their time at TU Dublin. Through the Access route, eligible applicants may be offered a place on a course with reduced QQI points, provided they meet the basic entry requirements. Once on the programme, students can access guidance, mentoring, study skills workshops, and sometimes financial assistance. The scheme is open to people who meet certain criteria, such as low family income, such as attending a DEIS school. As well as making a CAO application, applicants must also complete an Access application, which is available on the TU Dublin website. Please note, you will need to provide supporting documents, which will be requested when you send in your application. 

Link: Access TU Dublin 

Like the Access TU Dublin programme, Access DCU, also known as the Access to the Degree Entry Route (ADER), is a programme that helps students from disadvantaged backgrounds gain entry to Dublin City University with additional supports. Through ADER, eligible applicants may receive a reduced points offer for their chosen course, as long as they meet the minimum entry requirements. The programme aims to make university more accessible by offering academic guidance, personal support, and sometimes financial assistance throughout a student’s time at DCU. To be considered, applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria, such as having a low family income or attending a DEIS school, and like Access TU Dublin, applications are made through the CAO, followed by a separate ADER application through the DCU website with supporting documentation. 

Link: Access DCU (ADER)