I Wish Festival targets gender gap in construction and applied Stem subjects
Nearly 4,000 women students expected to attend RDS event in February
Students
Stories related to third level students
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’
CAO applications: How can I help my son complete the process properly?
Any correspondence from the Central Applications Office must be dealt with promptly
AI: Are we empowering students - or outsourcing the skills we aim to cultivate?
AI literacy is essential for preparing students to succeed in a future shaped by this technology
‘We are considering encouraging our son to skip transition year’
Ask Brian: This programme shakes up the traditional, formal education system and introduces students to new ways of learning
‘You’re kind of transient’: The bittersweet life of an Erasmus Mundus master’s student
Erasmus master’s courses involve moving between two or more European universities
Not having a special class is not a sign of a school’s non-commitment to inclusion
You cannot impose a vision of inclusion without attending to the granular context in which schools operate
‘I was horrified that any parent would give a nine-year-old a smartphone’
Ask Brian: More than a quarter of primary schoolchildren and a third of secondary school students are now using artificial intelligence
Cheating in college: notes, smart watches, whispering, ignoring the clock, and someone else sitting the exam
Cheating during exams is almost always pre-planned, and the means of cheating remain familiar
As the presidential election comes into view, it’s important young people pay attention
Politics is boring. That is, unless you care about education, climate change, healthcare, housing, jobs or many other issues.
‘After a summer of unemployment, there was a massive change in my life’
‘What I learn in college becomes real for me during my working week’ – ATI apprentice Niall McClave
‘Ireland is lagging behind’: How third-level students estranged from their families must fight for grants
Many face a maze of paperwork and rules to access Susi support, leaving some at risk of dropping out
What to focus on at college open days
Key to moving to higher or further education is to concentrate on curriculum content, college facilities and accommodation or public transport
College open days 2025/26: Key details for NCI, NCAD, technological universities and other institutions
What to know and what to expect at open days around the country
When are university open days taking place?
Here are the key dates and what to expect at Ireland’s university open days
What questions should a prospective third-level student ask?
Going to college open days can help you figure out what might suit your student life
Returning to education: ‘I dreamed of doing more but those dreams seemed out of reach’
Demand for adult education is rising, yet resources are shrinking, says AONTAS
Education Minister says €500 fee reduction introduced amid ‘shrinking budgetary pool’
Students criticise cut, having had consecutive ‘once-off’ reductions of €1,000 in last three budgets
‘Devastating’ budget: Students say €500 cut in college fees is an ‘effective increase’
Over 1,000 new places in medicine, nursing and other healthcare courses will be provided under €5bn allocation to education
Irish card users spend more on education in August as summer holidays wound down
Credit and debit card customers also spent less money abroad than in July, says Central Bank
Galway students face 18% rise in private accommodation costs
Residential Tenancies Board says rent pressure zone rules apply irrespective of length of tenancy
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices