Q: Will grade inflation impact the CAO this year? 

A: Yes, grade inflation is expected to be one factor. A record number of people applied for college places this year, and demographics coupled with Brexit and the pandemic, as well as strong Leaving Cert results, are likely to result in fluctuations in CAO cut-off points. 

These are the minimum number of CAO points required to gain entry to a course. But we won't know the full extent of these fluctuations until later this evening, or what courses are affected. 

Q: What should I do if I receive the offer I want?

A: Accept it! Round 1 offers will be available online today from 2pm, and they will also be issued by email and text. 

You have until 3pm on Monday, September 13, to accept. After you’ve accepted, you will receive an email from the CAO, and the college will contact you directly about registration. 

Any questions about the upcoming term should be directed towards the college’s admissions office.

Q: What happens if I receive the offer of a college place, but it’s not the one I want, and I don’t want to accept it?

A: If you are sure this offer is for a college place that you absolutely do not want, you do not need to accept it. You don’t need to take any further action, and your name will remain on the waiting list for any courses higher up on your list of preferences.

Q: What do I do if I don’t receive an offer today?

A: Don’t panic. You may receive an offer of a college place in the next rounds. Round 2 offers are issued on September 20 from 10am. Round 3 offers will issue on September 28, and Round 4 will issue on October 5. 

In the meantime, you might want to consider registering with the CAO’s ‘Available Places’ facility. If the colleges have any places that remain unfilled in particular courses, vacancies will be listed here. 

This year, it will open on September 8. If you didn’t receive an offer today, the CAO also advises students to quickly double-check that their account information is correct, and to contact it if you spot any errors.

Q: Can I apply to defer my offer?

A: You can, but if you want to defer your place, don’t accept your offer. You need to email the college’s admissions office immediately, with your name, your CAO application number and the course code of the offer you want to defer. 

Give them the reason why you’d like to defer, and mark “DEFERRED ENTRY” clearly in the email’s subject line. 

Your email must get to the college at least two days before the ‘reply date’ shown on the offer notice. The college will let you know its decision. If it does not grant you a referral, you can then accept the offer for the current year providing you accept by the reply date.

Q: I sat written exams, and opted for an accredited grade in the same subjects. When will I know more information about which was which?

A: Today at 5pm students will get more information about their written exams and their accredited grades through the Leaving Cert portal. Students will be able to access their written examination component marks, and final marks, as well as their accredited grade estimated marks and accredited marks. Students will also be able to apply to view their marked exam scripts, view their scripts online, and make an application to appeal.

Q: I want to appeal a result, what do I do?

A: Students who sat exams and opted for accredited grades can apply for either, or both, appeals processes, regardless of which generated their final result. Keep in mind that there are two separate appeals processes this year, for which students must apply separately. If you are considering appealing a written exam and would like to view your scripts first, you must apply to do so this evening. 

There is a very short deadline for applying to view scripts this year — between 5pm on Tuesday, September 7, and 8pm on Wednesday, September 8. 

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) will provide two viewing of scripts services this year; In schools for subjects marked on paper, and online for subjects marked online. 

The viewing of scripts marked on paper will take place in schools on Saturday, 11 September, from 9am to 5pm, with an additional optional session, at the discretion of the school, potentially on the morning of Sunday, September 12. 

The marking schemes will also be available on www.examinations.ie. 

If you spot a clear discrepancy between the mark awarded, and the grade you received, when you view your script, ask the organising superintendent at the viewing session for a Rectification Outside of the Appeal Process Form (Form ROAP1). 

This only applies in cases where it is clear the total mark is inconsistent with the grade awarded to you. 

You can appeal an accredited grade but keep in mind that the appeals process focuses on checking for errors in the transmission of data along the process, and does not involve an appeal of the school-based estimate you received, or of the standardisation process. 

Applications for appeals begin at 9am on Saturday, September 11, closing sharply at noon on Monday, September 13. 

Appeal applications must be made through the Leaving Cert portal. If your appeal is successful then the relevant college will either instruct the CAO to offer you a place to begin immediately or to offer you a place deferred to next year.

Q: What if I am still unhappy with the outcome of my appeal? 

A: If you are not happy with the outcome of your appeal, you may request an appeal review by the Independent Appeals Scrutineers.

Q: When will we know how the appeals went? 

A: We don’t know yet. The SEC has said it cannot commit to a specific timeframe as to when students will get their appeal results until it knows the volume of appeals it will receive. 

It says it is continuing to engage with the Department of Education, the Department of Further and Higher Education, and other higher education stakeholders on this timeline.

Q: Are there additional college places this year? 

A: Yes, roughly 4,600 new college places have been created. We don't know where the courses are located, but the Department of Further and Higher Education provided a breakdown on the number of places, and the subject they are in. 

They include 40 in architecture; 726 in arts and the humanities; 127 in art, film, and media; 15 in dentistry; 122 in education; 417 in health and health sciences, including medicine, nursing and pharmacy, 23 in veterinary.