Admission Procedures for Students with Disabilities

Standard Entry

The term standard entry refers to students who obtain, or expect to obtain, the necessary Leaving Certificate points and qualify for a place in a third level programme of their choice. Many students with disabilities will fulfil the necessary criteria to gain a place on a third level programme through the standard route.

Non-Standard Entry - DARE Route

Students with disabilities may qualify for a non-standard third level place. The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a supplementary admissions scheme for school leavers with disabilities which operates on a reduced points basis. DARE has been established by a number of higher education institutions as clear evidence shows that disability can have a negative impact on educational attainment at school and progression to higher education.

School leavers who have the ability to benefit from and succeed in higher education but who may not be able to meet the points for their preferred course due to the impact of a disability should apply to DARE.

Making a DARE Application

Students wishing to apply through DARE must indicate that they have a disability on their CAO application form. They will then have to complete the DARE Supplementary Information Form which can be downloaded from the CAO website under the My Application section. This form is divided into three sections:

• Section A – applicants must complete a Personal Statement which outlines, from their perspective, the academic impact of the disability or specific learning difficulty.
  
• Section B – applicants must return a Second Level Academic Reference completed by their school. This form provides background information on the applicant’s educational experience and helps to determine appropriate supports at third level.
  
• Section C – applicants must return the Evidence of Disability Form completed by the accepted Medical Consultant/Specialist.  This form provides verification of the applicant’s disability and helps to determine appropriate supports at third level.

• All applicants will be informed in writing by the end of June of the outcome of their DARE application.
• Applicants who are not eligible for consideration under DARE will be informed of the reasons for their ineligibility.
• An applicant can request that his/her application be reviewed should he/she have reason to believe that an error occurred during the screening process.

For more information please view http://www.accesscollege.ie/dare/index.php