Admissions
NI & UK Applicants
How to Apply, First Year
Students from UK and Northern Ireland who are considering going to college in the Republic of Ireland, and who wish to start at first year, should make their application via the Central Applications Office, more commonly known as the CAO.
The CAO application system is different from the UCAS system. There is an on-line tutorial and mock application form on the CAO web site. New users may find it helpful to use these to familiarize themselves with the CAO system and to practice making an application before submitting the actual application. The CAO may be contacted via their web site .
Alternatively, for a Handbook of instructions which lists the participating colleges & their programmes, and a paper application form, contact:
The CAO,
Tower House
Eglinton Street
Galway
Tel 00 353 91 509800
How Northern Irish and UK Exams are Assessed.
GCSEs, A-levels, VCE and AVCE are recognized for entry to Letterkenny IT and to other Institutes of Technology. Applicants from N.I can present combinations of these awards to meet the minimum entry requirements for LYIT and other Institutes of Technology. GCSE or O levels can be used to meet matriculation requirements but will not be awarded any points.
Applied A-Levels
- Matriculation requirements are based on the standard Academic A-levels that are included in the CAO’s automatic scoring system, (see 2012 CAO handbook page 11)
- A minimum of one such A-level (Grade E or better) will be required for entry to Level 6/7 programmes.
- A minimum of two such A-levels (Grade C or better) will be required for entry to level 8 programmes
Applied A-levels, on their own, will not meet minimum entry/matriculation requirements.
However, where matriculation requirements have been met, and applied A-levels are presented in addition, they may then be awarded points on the same basis as academic A-levels.
Level 7/6 (Ordinary Bachelor Degree/ or Higher Certificate)
Minimum Requirements
- Applicants must present a minimum of 5 recognised subjects
- At least one of the 5 subjects must be an A Level, at Grade E, or better.
- The remainng 4 subjects must be different from that presented at A level and may be drawn from
- A Level (Grades A-E)
- AS Level (Grades A-E) or
- GCSE (grades A, B, or C only)
- English (or Irish) at GCSE grade C higher must be included in the subjects presented.
- Mathematics at GCSE grade C higher is required for most programmes.
- Programmes for which maths are not required include
- LY407 Graphics (Art is requried instead)
- LY227 Creative Digital Media
- LY326 Hospitality Studies
- LY336 Bar Supervision
- LY346 Culinary Arts
Calcualtion of Points
Points for level 6/7 programmes will be calculated on the basis of
- A minimum of one A Level (Grade E or better) plus 3 other passes at AS Level
- A Levels counted for points must be obtained at one sitting
- AS Levels counted for points must be in different subjects to those counted at A-Level and may be carried over from a previous sitting
- GCSEs or O levels may be used to meet minimum entry requirements but will not count for points.
Level 8 (Honours Bachelor Degree)
Minimum Entry Requirements
- Applicants must present 6 recognized subjects
- At least 2 subjects must be A Levels, at Grade C or better
- The remaining 4 subjects must be different from those presented at A level and can be drawn from
- A Level (Grades A-E)
- AS Level (Grades A-E) or
- GCSE (Grade A, B, or C only)
- Mathematics and English (or Irish) must be presented at GCSE grade C higher.
- Science at GCSE grade C or higher is also required for Nursing.
Calculation of points for Level 8 Entry
A maximum of 4 A Levels will be counted when calculating points. Only A Levels obtained at one sitting will be counted for points. Combinations of a smaller number of A Levels and AS Levels can also be considered. The AS Level subjects counted for points must be different from those counted at A Level, and may be carried over from a previous sitting. Combinations include:
- Two subjects A Level plus 2 other subjects at AS level.
- One subject at A Level plus 3 other subjects at AS Level.
- Three subjects at A Levels plus 1 other subject at AS Level
- Four A Levels
Entry is competitive.
Colleges have limited places and whenever there are more applicants for a course than there are places available, colleges will select the most able candidates first. Thus, particularly for more popular programmes, achieving only the minimum requirement does not guaranteed a place.
Points are assigned to the exam grades presented and these points are used to rank applicants. Basically, your chance of being offered a place increases as your point score increases.
Basis for Computation of Points
- The Maximum number of points that can be scored by any candidate presenting school leaving examinations is 600
- A maximum of 4 A Levels will be counted when calculating points.
- Only A Levels obtained at one sitting will be counted
- 1 GCE A Level is deemed equivalent to 1.5 x 1 Leaving Certificate Higher subject
- Each GCE AS Level subject is equivalent to half of an A Level
- GCSE or O Level achievement can be used to satisfy matriculation requirements but will not be awarded any points
Points Table
| GCE/AVCE Double Award | GCE/AVCE “A” Level | GCE/VCE “AS” Level | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A*A* | 300 | ||
| A*A | 285 | ||
| A*B/AA | 270 | ||
| AB | 255 | ||
| A*C | 250 | ||
| BB | 240 | ||
| AC | 235 | ||
| A*D | 225 | ||
| BC | 220 | ||
| AD | 210 | ||
| CC | 200 | ||
| BD | 195 | ||
| A*E | 190 | ||
| AE/CD | 175 | ||
| BE | 160 | ||
| DD | A* | 150 | |
| CE | 145 | ||
| A | 135 | ||
| DE | B | 120 | |
| C | 100 | ||
| EE | 80 | ||
| D | 75 | ||
| A | 65 | ||
| B | 60 | ||
| C | 50 | ||
| E | 40 | ||
| D | 35 | ||
| E | 20 |
Note that, no points are calculated until matriculation requirements are met. The specific matriculation requirements for each programme are listed on the programme description pages on this site. However, in general, in order to matriculate, Maths and English (or Irish) must be among the subjects presented. Some programmes specify additional particular subjects and/or grades, e.g.
- GCSE grade C or better in Art is required for Graphic design,
- GCE grade C or higher in Maths, Science and either Irish or English, is required for Nursing.
Non Standard Applicants
Besides GCE, VCEs, etc. applicants can also apply based on BTEC, HND, GNVQ, or other qualifications. Details of the qualification should be supplied on page 4 of the CAO application form (if applying for entry to first year) or on the college application form (if applying exemptions or for advanced entry, i.e. to years 2, 3, or 4).
Where the qualification presented is not listed by the IoTCEF, whether or not it will be recognized, and at what level, will depend on the learning outcomes achieved and on how those learning outcomes fit in with the pre-requisites of the course for which application is being made. To enable the admitting college to judge this, the applicant should attach both of the following
- the transcript of results
- a copy of syllabus of the course on which those results are based.
If the applicant is still undertaking the course at the time the application is submitted and does not have final results available, this should be stated on the application form. The final results must be forwarded as soon as they become available.
Late results: Important Caveat.
Colleges are required to have rated all applicants before round 1. The ratings and rank order of candidates eligible to be considered for round 1 are normally finalized in early August. Any results that have not been submitted by that date are unlikely to be considered for round 1. This is of particular concern to applicants who are interested in high demand courses, such as nursing and childcare, which tend to fill up quickly. When any programme fills on round 1, no later offers will issue. Therefore any results that were not submitted on time for round 1 will not be considered. If you are interested in high demand programmes please ensure that relevant results reach the CAO by early August.
Results that are submitted too late for round 1 will only be considered if there are still places available on later rounds. However please note that colleges will have rated all applicants prior to round 1 and will not normally revisit applications. If you submit late results to the CAO, particularly for any non-standard exms or “A-level equivalent” exams, is it important that you notify the college that they have been submitted, otherwise they may be overlooked.
Send late results to the CAO as soon as they become available.
CAO will scan your documents and make them available to colleges via ADEST. This may take a couple of days. You can speed thing up if you also send copies directly to Registry at LYIT or call Registry to let us know to look out for your late documents on the CAO system.
When calling the college applicants will need to supply the following information:
- CAO number
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Details of new information forwarded to CAO and date sent.
Helping Colleges Interpret Results
By comparison with Irish School-leavers, UK & NI applicants present a wider variety of documents. These come in differing formats from a variety of exam boards. It can be difficult for colleges,who are unused to these awards to make sense of what is being presented to them. Bearing in mind that these documents often arrive quite late in the day and at a very busy time, speedy processing of results might be facilitated if they were accompanied by an official covering letter stating the significance of the documents being presented. Any such letter should be on School or College notepaper and from a school Guidance Counselor or Head of Faculty, not from the applicant. Colleges would consider such a statement though they would not, necessarily be bound by it. Statements should be brief (4 or 5 lines), factual, and confined strictly to interpretation of the award. They should attempt to express the significance of the award in terms of generally accepted equivalence within UCAS/UK/NI system. No assumptions /statements should be made regarding equivalence to Irish Exams, as that is a matter for the admitting college. In general admission for non mature applicants in the Republic of Ireland is on the basis of academic results only, not on the basis of references or personal statements. Therefore, it is only interpretation of the award/grade that matters. Reference to, or comment on, the qualities or abilities of the individual presenting the award may be omitted. Comments on the following lines would be useful-
- Type, duration, depth: e.g. This (Name of ) award follows on foot of a vocational programme consisting of 20 class-contact hours per week over a two-year period,
- Assessment methods: e.g. The programme leading to this award is assessed by continuous assessment XX%, and terminal exam XX%
- Identification of component and final grades, e.g. the award is made up of components taken over XX sessions. The component grades are XX, Y,Y ZZ. The final Award/Grade is XX.
- Accepted equivalence in UK/NI. e.g. The grades presented are generally considered equivalent to grade XX at A-level The grades presented would earn XX points on the UCAS tariff.
- Merit relative to other candidates for the same award, e.g. The grades presented are in the XX percentile for this award.
Mature Applicants
Mature applicants, (Those over 23 by January 1st in the year of entry) can apply for any programme on the basis of relevant life or work experience, even if they do not have academic qualifications. Click here for a FAQ for mature applicants: Mature Applicants
Advanced Entry to LYIT
Students and who have successfully completed one, or more, years of Higher education in N.I. or the U.K. and/or who have achieved post A-Level qualifications may be eligible to have that learning and/or qualification recognised. Depending on the learning outcomes achieved, such students may be eligible for Advanced Entry. The CAO only deals with applications for first year. Applications for Advanced Entry should be submitted directly to LYIT before April 1st, .
Alternatively you may e-mail Cathy Mcgowan, or write to the Registry at LYIT to request a copy. Along with the completed application form, please submit
- A course descriptor document for the programme on which your application is based, preferably one in which Learning Outcomes are listed.
- A copy of your results to date.
Offers of places for advanced entry (i.e. into year 2, 3, or 4) issue directly from the college Registry, usually in July.
See Advanced Entry Page for more information.
A two-year foundation degree, at level 5 on the UK framework, will permit advanced entry into related programmes at LYIT. For instance, the following foundation degreees will permit entry into Year 3 of the BB in International Tourism & Hospitality Enterprise.
FSc Degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management (Validated by the University of Ulster)
FSc Degree in Travel and Tourism Management (Validated by the University of Ulster)
Funding your Education at LYIT
Information on fees is available here
Students who met the criteria outlined will not have to pay any tuition fees.
Students may apply to their Education and Library board for financial assistance.
Students may also apply for a student loan from the board to cover the living and travel expenses.
Living costs in Donegal are however amongst the cheapest in Ireland with accommodation being available to rent from approx £30 sterling per week.
National Qualification Authority of Ireland
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland is the Irish centre for the recognition of international awards, known at Qualifications Recognition - Ireland. The Authority represents Ireland in a European Network of centres known as ENIC/NARIC (European National Information Centre/National Academic Recognition Information Centre) and NRP (National Reference Point) which promote the recognition of international awards throughout Europe.
If you have completed a qualification outside Ireland and wish to use in order to gain employment or undertake further studies in Ireland, this body may be able to help or to direct you appropriately. They have produced a chart which gives rough comparison between qualifications from Ireland & the UK & Northern Ireland. It is important to note that this makes it possible to draw broad comparisons between qualifications and their levels, rather than direct equivalences, for each country.
Click here to find links to documents describing the broad view of qualifications such as
- General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)
- General Certificate of Education (GCE) A Level
- General Certificate of Education (GCE) AS Level
- Higher National Diploma (HND)
- Higher National Certificate (HNC)
- Foundation Degree