So you only get a Interview and not a place on your chosen subject on the C.A.O

arsenallegend

Stupid question to ask but this is my first time applying trough the C.A.O. So basically your paying your 40 euro just to get a interview instead of getting a place straight away on your chosen subject.

Larianne

No.

€40 is the administration fee the CAO charge for processing however many thousands of applications for third level courses.

Courses have different application procedures.
Some require you to go for an interview.
Some require you to sit an entrance type exam, example MSAP.
Some only require your application and hold no interviews, exams etc. You are given a place based solely on what you have written on your application form.

[Jackass]

Yeah, the 40 euro covers the costs of the CAO of putting together tens of thousands of applicant profiles, ordering the preferences, coming up with points requirements for students sitting the leaving cert, and organising and releasing details sent to CAO to the relevant universities etc. - It's a massive operation.

After that, it's up to the college.

Some colleges (such as DCU) require you pay roughly 30 euro as well to them and to fill out a DCU specific application form and send to them as well as the CAO process.

UCD require the CAO application and then if they are interested in enrolling you in the course you will be called for an interview and assessed on that basis.

TCD require that you apply directly to them as well as the CAO, but with no fee to them, and interview is held if they are interested...

IT Talaght & DIT judge you based on your CAO application and as far as I know, don't require direct application or interview...

These are losely based around most courses, but depending on the course this can vary, from interview to apptitude test, to exam, depending on the college and course.

But the CAO fee is purely just an administrative fee for being in the positio of applying to the colleges, and then college procedure takes over, but you're not assured a place or even interview from that fee alone...

Postit

[Jackass] wrote: »

Some colleges (such as DCU) require you pay roughly 30 euro as well to them

Not true; http://www.dcu.ie/registry/mature.shtml

entropi

Postit wrote: »

Not true; http://www.dcu.ie/registry/mature.shtml

True that. I applied to them last year and they never charged a cent, either did UCD, DIT or IT Carlow.

To the OP: an interview is not guaranteed either, my DCU one was very specific with the people they chose for interview, I was one of eight called, with over a hundred turned away. You get lucky, sometimes you dont.

Larianne

UL do charge you for the direct application to the college! Well for Physio anyway. :pac:

You need to read everything!