At National College of Ireland, we are dedicated to highlighting alternative entry routes into third level education.
Students who have just received their Leaving Certificate results should be aware that the Available Places facility opens today, August 29th, 2024.
What is Available Places?
Available Places is a facility that highlights places that are still available on selected programmes for CAO Applicants. This means you still have the option to choose to study at NCI in September! There are a number of courses currently available on the Available Places facility, which can be viewed on our Available Places Courses page.
Students interested in exploring NCI’s Available Places options can explore areas of marketing, childhood education and care, as well as business and data science.
Who can apply for Available Places?
Students who have already applied to the CAO this year but have not selected the courses offered on Available Places can submit an Available Places application free of charge. Students can also make an Available Places application if they have not applied to the CAO before now for a fee of €45.
What are the minimum requirements?
Applicants do not need to meet the points requirements for these courses however, students do need to meet the minimum entry requirements for the courses selected. You can find this information if you visit the course pages listed on our Available Places Courses and click the 'Minimum Entry Requirements' tab.
How to apply for a place?
If you are an existing CAO applicant, you can insert the courses listed on the Available Places Courses page into your current application in the 'My Application' section on the CAO Website.
New applicants need to visit the Available Places to submit a new application.
An important thing to keep in mind is that students should place course choices in order of preference, like in their original applications. Put your top choice down first, your second favourite down second, and so on. If you have any questions about our courses listed under Available Places, you can contact our School Liaison Officer Sophie Costello.
How does Available Places benefit students?
The Leaving Certificate year can be an uncertain time for many students. When all the stress of the exams has ended, some students may feel that they did not put a course down on their CAO choices that they should have, or perhaps when they have a better gauge of how they feel they did, they may wish they had have put some more choices down. When the Available Places facility opens, students have another opportunity to expand their CAO options or apply for courses they didn’t put down in the first place. For students who maybe did not get the exact results they were hoping for, the Available Places facility showcases course options that may suit them. Regardless of how things played out on results day, the Available Places facility gives all students another opportunity to expand their study options for September. We hope that knowing that there is always another way in gives all students some peace of mind as they make their decisions about what and where they will study this September.
Important information about the Alternative Maths Exam for Data Science
Students who put down NCI Data Science courses on their CAO choice list who did not attain a H5 in maths can apply to sit NCI’s Alternative Maths Exam for Data Science
Students who have not previously put down Data Science courses on their CAO choice list can do so now through the Available Places facility, and they can now also apply to sit the Alternative Maths Exam for Data Science if they are concerned about their maths result.
Why Choose National College of Ireland?
At National College of Ireland, we want to not only ensure that you meet your education ambitions, but we also want to ensure that your learning experience supports you personally through the services and supports we offer. Our mission is ‘to change lives through education’: choose your programme, and we will work with you to help you succeed. Located at the heart of the ISFC, NCI is one of Ireland’s most innovative third-level institutions, we work closely with industry and professional bodies to ensure courses remain closely aligned to industry needs, and we welcome international students from all over the globe. We strive to continually provide a warm, welcoming, supportive environment so that all students can thrive in their academic, professional, and personal life. We look forward to welcoming new students this September.
#ChangingLivesThroughEducation