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Advanced Entry

Advanced Entry Policy and Procedure

Version number: 2.0

Revision date: March 2025

Policy Owner: Deputy President and Regiatrar / Admissions Officer

Approval by: Academic Board 02 April 2025

Review: Every three years

Contents

Purpose of the policy

Advanced Entry is a transfer to a year beyond first year from another third level institution. An Advanced Entry application can be made by a current third-level student in a fulltime programme in another institution who wishes to advance their programme of study at UCC1. 

Definitions

Cognate Programme of Study/Compatibility: A cognate programme refers to courses in the same or related discipline or specialisation for the purposes of assessing applicants for entry or for recognition of prior learning.

Academic Performance: Applicants must have successfully completed all modules in their current programme to be eligible for an Advanced Entry place. Order of merit relevant to other applicants may be applied in circumstances of limited availability.

First Year Change of Course: Facility whereby registered UCC students may apply to change to the first year of another UCC programme. First Year Change of Course Policy

Internal transfer: A transfer to a year beyond first year from one UCC programme to another UCC programme. Internal transfers are not covered by Advanced Entry. Internal transfers are processed by the relevant College Office. Enquiries should be directed to the College Office.

UCC Apply: Platform through which Advanced Entry applications are made and processed.

Policy Statement

Scope

This policy applies to EU/EFTA/UK applicants who wish to enter UCC at a year beyond first year, having already completed either a level 7 in full or at least a year of a level 8 (Honours Bachelor degree) in another institution.

Criteria

To be considered for Advanced Entry, the following criteria must be met:

  1. The applicant must be transferring from a Level 8 Honours programme or have completed a Level 7 Ordinary Degree in full*.
  2. If applying on the basis of a completed year of a level 8 programme, the applicant must have successfully completed 60 ECTS to progress to the subsequent year. Applicants must have achieved the credits as a registered full-time student in the other institution.
  3. There must be a vacancy in the course for which the student has applied.
  4. There must be compatibility between the two courses/programmes.
  5. Applicants must have successfully completed all modules in their current programme. Order of merit can be applied in circumstances of limited availability.
  6. Applicants who are resitting examinations in Autumn of the year of application are not eligible to apply for Advanced Entry.
  7. Only applications submitted with all the required documentation will be considered.

* Some programmes have additional rules and/or extra routes. These are listed in detail on the Advanced Entry webpage.

The following conditions and restrictions apply:

  • Deferred Entry is not available for Advanced Entry.
  • Due to capacity, some programmes and/or years of a programme may not open for applications in a given year.
  • Applicants joining a programme which is subject to Fitness to Practice and/or Garda Vetting will be required to complete this upon registering for the programme.
  • Current UCC students wishing to advance their qualification or transfer across programmes within their College should apply directly to their College Office or avail of the Change of Course system. Advanced Entry is not applicable in these circumstances.
  • There is no Advanced Entry into Dentistry (CK702) or Graduate Entry Medicine (CK791). Entry to these programmes is into Year 1 only, via CAO.
  • Advanced Entry to the Medicine, Pharmacy, and all Nursing & Midwifery2 programmes is restricted to applicants admitted to their current course via the CAO process.

Procedure

Applications are ordinarily open from April to July for entry in September of the year of application and are made through UCCApply. A non-refundable administrative fee is required to process each Advanced Entry application. The following outlines, broadly, the procedure:

Applicant submits application via UCCApply. They upload their supporting documentation as soon as possible. Applicant supplies supporting documentation including full transcripts from current programme.

  1. Admissions Office assesses eligibility of each application and sends eligible complete applications for review by the nominated Academic Assessor. The Academic assessor is notified through UCCApply that application is ready for review.
  2. Academic assessor requests further information from applicant, if needed, via UCCApply and Admissions Office.
  3. Academic assessor makes decision.
  4. Admissions Office communicates decision to applicant via UCCApply.
  5. If applicant is in receipt of an offer, they will be given a timeframe in which to accept.
  6. If accepting the offer, the Admissions Office will provide instructions on registration to the applicant.
  7. Due to capacity issues, some programmes can only determine availability late in the summer and applicants may not hear a decision until August.

Roles and responsibilities

Admissions Office: Processes applications via UCCApply, liaises with the academic assessor, and communicates with applicants regarding the process and decisions.

Academic Assessor: Assesses individual applications and is the decision-maker in respect of each application. 

Applicant: Submits application according to this policy and the guidelines set out on the Advanced Entry webpages. It is the responsibility of applicant to assess the compatibility of their current programme with their desired UCC programme, by comparing the curriculum of both. 

Related Policies and Procedures

Applicant Appeals Policy

Applicant Complaints Policy

CAO Handbook

Deferred Entry/Deferrals policy

EU Assessments Policy

First Year Change of Course Policy 

HEAR and DARE

Medical Applicants not ‘In Good Standing’

Overarching Admissions Policy

Student Garda Vetting

Student Fitness to Practise Policy

Student Data Protection Notice

Transfer/ Advanced Entry Policy

UCC Book of Modules

Withdrawals Policy (including leave of absence)

 

 1 Three-year rule: Candidates must pass/progress within 3 academic years of the date of first registration for first year. Applicants can find the rule for their desired programme in the UCC Book of Modules 

2 CK710 General Nursing; CK712 Children's and General Integrated Nursing: CK720 Mental Health Nursing; CK730 Intellectual Disability Nursing; CK740 Midwifery 

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Contact for further information

Email: catherine.burke@ucc.ie 

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