Students

Stories related to third level students

AI is a threat to the essence of education

'AI’s application in education, in the form our Department of Education intends it to be used, should be resisted until we are satisfied that we can control these inherent risks'

Apprenticeships have changed, but people’s opinions have not

Nine out of 10 employers consider ‘serving your time’ as a valuable way to train and develop staff, notes State research

How students who scored more than 600 points approached the months before the Leaving Cert

From YouTube videos to whiteboards, last year’s Leaving Cert students share advice for making the most of the final stretch

State plans crackdown on English-language schools acting as ‘back door’ to work permits

Senior officials are ‘developing options to reduce [the] number’ of English language students here

‘How does education need to evolve to support children?’: Convention invites public to speak up 

Public invited to have their say into how education system needs to evolve

‘The Leaving Cert mocks were a wake-up call for my son’

For a student who has focused more on sport than study, realising they are not match fit in an academic sense can be sobering

I Wish Festival targets gender gap in construction and applied Stem subjects

Nearly 4,000 women students expected to attend RDS event in February

Post-Leaving Certificate courses play growing role as routes to work and higher education

Exploring PLC options is now considerably more straightforward in Co Dublin, thanks to a clearer, unified application system

Making the most of (and surviving) the Leaving Cert mock exams

Time for parents to provide reassurance and acknowledge work the child has done

Should you become a teacher in Ireland? I find it hard to recommend it these days

Having three unions in teaching is not a great thing; in fact, it’s quite a bad thing

What are the key factors to be aware of when filling out a CAO application form?

Every year some students miss out on round-one offers due to errors, omissions or failure to spot an important message

Here’s a study guide for the final months before the Leaving Cert exams

We got expert tips from two of Ireland’s leading study websites and their learning experts

Forget the CAO: Here are some alternatives to college

Apprenticeships, traineeships and PLCs provide alternative routes to exciting, well-paid careers

College Choice: Essential reading for Leaving Certificate students

We hope there’s something for every Leaving Cert student (and parent!) in today’s College Choice guide in The Irish Times

Key dates for 2026 CAO applications: from early-bird applications to Leaving Cert appeals

Here is every important date in the CAO calendar along with important links, reminders and information about fees

Things to consider when choosing an Irish secondary school for your child

Feeder schools tables are informative, but there are plenty of other requirements to consider when looking at schools

Feeder schools: How graduates of Irish second-level schools are progressing to third-level institutions

Pick up our supplement with The Irish Times today to find out everything you need to know

How do I choose the right secondary school for my child?

Apart from feeder schools lists, what else should parents and guardians consider?

Feeder Schools 2025: What you need to know about latest data for Irish schools

Data is compiled from State Examinations Commission Leaving Cert sits list and lists provided by higher education institutions

Feeder Schools: Six take-aways from this year’s listings

Deis has improved progression prospects of students in disadvantaged areas but Ireland is still not an equal-opportunity society for children

Feeder Schools: Why are further education and training progression rates not included?

Further education and training is a category that includes Post-Leaving Cert (PLC), apprenticeship and traineeship courses

Feeder Schools: How to make sense of school progression charts

14,000 of the 2025 Leaving Cert class decided that applying to the CAO was not right for them

‘My son has no idea what he wants to do after college, so how real is the CAO cut-off point?’

The February 1st initial deadline is in many ways an administrative carryover from a bygone era

Artificial intelligence is here ... and it is already rewriting the rules of education

‘As educators, our job is not to shield students from AI, but to prepare them for the reality of the working world’

Education matters: Places on medical and paramedical degrees in Ulster University

Ask Brian: There are places open to Republic of Ireland students, but applications must be submitted to UCAS by January 14th

Ireland’s outdoor primary school: ‘A lot of people panic about the weather’

The Outdoor Primary School (TOPS), in Greystones, Co Wicklow, functions outside the Department of Education’s remit, but staff and parents rhapsodise about the benefits of such an education

Virtual reality as a lifeline: ‘For some young people it’s the social’

Foróige GoVirtual seeks to connect vulnerable and isolated young people through virtual reality

‘My son is considering a trade or apprenticeship option, but should he make a CAO application too?’

Ask Brian: Now is the peak season for conversations among sixth years about their next steps

Secret Teacher: I handled that PT meeting incorrectly, even though I stand over what I said

Smiling like a self-assured Bond villain, the mother leaned in – ‘they don’t think they’re succeeding in your class’

Education matters: ‘My son is overwhelmed by college and is considering dropping out’

Ask Brian: Combination of new environment and a course that does not fit can leave even the most capable young people adrift

Ireland’s graduates: ‘Everyone I know is thinking of moving abroad or has gone’

Many find it tough to find work in their desired sector upon leaving college - a harsh situation each year that doesn’t seem to improve

A national conversation about the future of Irish education is about to start. It could be magical

It must make space for voices that are too often left out, and children and young people must be at its heart

Nursing and midwifery offer careers for those with aptitude, curiosity and compassion

A degree in nursing or midwifery is a foundation for lifelong learning, with job opportunities across diverse settings

Less forest ‘school’, more ‘nature immersion project that focuses on a child’s wellbeing’

A forest school in Co Clare offers no curriculum or classes, just a nature-based space, and activities that seek to spark children’s curiosities and interests

New Deis Plus plan for Ireland’s most disadvantaged areas needs to be bold

If Deis Plus is watered down, it will be horrifically depressing for everyone within education

‘What funding support is available if I secure a place in university?’

Budget changes to Susi funding include an increase in income threshold for the €500 student contribution grant

‘Points don’t define potential – work ethic and passion do’

Rickwang Tientcheu says he drifted through the Covid years of second level before building up his own app for students, Edu Éire

Should I consider allowing my child to study abroad?

About 90% of programmes in the Netherlands do not have a selection procedure and require only minimum entry requirements

‘It’s a rare opportunity’: Students share advice for study abroad in Europe

From budgeting to language learning, students reflect on their experiences studying abroad

Would it not be better if children could take the books home from school?

‘Reading for pleasure among teenagers is in decline, yet here is an opportunity to give every student in the country at least one free novel a year’

HSE to be required to take on clinical placement students in plans to combat under-resourced areas

‘We may have a fight on our hands,’ HSE boss Bernard Gloster says as number of speciality staff increases ‘exponentially’

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