Prior to the enhancement of Leaving Cert grades which became embedded in the system from 2020 onwards, the numbers of students securing 625 points were between 250 and 300.
Post-Covid they have been about 1,250.
Similarly, those securing 600-points plus would have traditionally numbered about 1,250 pre-Covid. Post-Covid, their numbers have grown to about 3,500.
The grades-enhancement process has been unfair in many ways to the really high-achieving students who secured five or six H1s from the initial marking process. Their results could not be enhanced as they were already on maximum marks.
RM Block
They were joined prior to the allocation of CAO places by those who had secured H2s in the original marking process and who, following enhancement, were adjusted upwards to H1 grades.
With more than 3,000 students bunched up at the 600-plus points level, it was not unusual over the past few years to find a handful of courses – dentistry in Trinity and UCC, and economics and finance in UCD, for example – where there were more applicants on 625 CAO points than there were places available.
When that happens, a raffle effectively takes place among these students for offers of the available places, called random selection. There is no differentiation in the raffle among those who had 625 points prior to enhancement and those who secured it following enhancement.
[ Almost 9,000 college offers issued to students under ‘Round Zero’ of CAOOpens in new window ]
In 2025, some courses, such as Economics and Finance in UCD, which resorted to random selection in round 1, provided places to all 625-points applicants in round 2 a week later. Some dental school applicants on 625 points who missed out on round 1 in 2025 were not so fortunate. A new dental school was then opened by the RCSI in Sandyford in Dublin, with an additional 20 places offered in 2025. More than 1,000 applicants applied for these 20 places.
It will be interesting to see how the scaling back of average enhancement from 5.9 per cent to 4.5 per cent applied to the 55,357 current Leaving Cert students seeking a college place through the CAO will reflect itself in the numbers securing more than 600 CAO points.
The fact that 20,527 CAO applicants who sat the Leaving Cert from 2020 to 2025 will be competing for places next Wednesday, all of whom will retain their enhanced grades, will diminish the effect of the reduction of the numbers with more than 600 points in this year’s competition.
What about students who took exams other than the Irish Leaving Cert?
Those who will be less happy with decisions of previous ministers for education to continue the enhancement process, even at a reduced level, are 1,242 CAO applicants from Northern Ireland and 1,292 from Britain presenting A-Level awards, or students who sat the international baccalaureate in Ireland and elsewhere, as well as the 7,631 EU applicants to the CAO who are seeking places in Irish universities, now that they are treated since Brexit as international applicants in UK universities and must pay fees of £30,000 and upwards.
On which courses are we likely to see CAO points reductions?
One area where points may see a reduction will be where additional university places have been created for 2026 entry by Minister for Higher Education James Lawless. This builds on previous increases in places in these areas. The medicine places added are part of the agreement to increase places by 200 between 2022 and 2026.
In 2024, there were increases in occupational therapy (40 places), physiotherapy (10 places), pharmacy (10 places) and speech and language therapy (15 places).
These places are those specifically created and supported by additional funding in response to public-sector skills needs, not the totality of additional places that will be available as Higher Education Institutions increase their intakes organically in response to student demand.
[ Awarding extra CAO points for Irish is not the answerOpens in new window ]
There will also be expansion in nursing courses in Irish institutions, and the Department of Further and Higher Education (DFHE) is working with the Department of Health and the higher education sector to finalise additional numbers on these courses for next month. Munster Technological University has indicated a significant expansion, having already increased its intake last September. In addition, the DFHE is working with colleagues in Northern Ireland to examine continued nursing expansion.
As was announced in 2024, there are 25 places in medicine in Queen’s University Belfast being funded by the DFHE and the Department of Health this year. Discussions are ongoing with colleagues in Northern Ireland regarding places in other disciplines, including a focus on nursing and therapies.
In line with programme for government commitments to enhance the diversity of the public-sector workforce, and to create pathways in third-level education outside the CAO, work has been ongoing to create new routes into regulated professions in the health and social care sector.
Tertiary programmes
Tertiary degrees are a new form of provision in which students begin a course in a further education institution and complete it in the higher education institutions – providing a pathway into higher education outside the CAO.
Thus far, tertiary programmes have been developed in nursing, social work, social care and occupational therapy. In 2026, there are 150 places on offer in nursing, 20 in social work, 20 in social care and 20 in occupational therapy.
Apprenticeships are also being developed in health and social care professions. UCC launched an apprenticeship in social work in 2024.
The Health Service Executive, Tusla and the Probation Service are the employers involved in this apprenticeship. A social care apprenticeship is in the late stages of development, with the first intake in 2025, and the cohort size is to be determined.
How will CAO applicants know if they have secured an offer?
Applicants will access their offer through viewing their account on the CAO website from 2pm on Wednesday, August 26th.
Many applicants will receive two offers from their level-eight and level-six/seven lists. They can accept only one, by 3pm on Tuesday, September 1st.
