Am I a Mature Student?

In UCC, a mature student is someone who is aged 23 years or above on 1 January in the year of entry, who wishes to pursue a full-time undergraduate degree programme.

When applying to UCC, candidates aged 23 years or above on 1 January in the year of entry will be considered Mature applicants even if they do not tick the box on their CAO application indicating they are a Mature applicant.

If applicants do not receive a Mature Student Offer in Round A, they will still be considered in Rounds 0 & 1 on the basis of QQI FET and/or School-Leaving Results.

How Do I Apply?

All interested applicants must make an application through the CAO to be considered for a place in UCC as a mature student. The CAO is an online application form that opens in early November and closes on 1 February each year.

Please check out the CAO website for more information on the application process as a mature student. They offer a specific video guide for mature applicants and an easy to understand presentation to assist mature applicants through the application journey.

When applying to UCC, candidates aged 23 years or above on 1 January in the year of entry will be considered Mature applicants even if they do not tick the box on their CAO application indicating they are a Mature applicant.

Mature applicants can also apply to UCC on the basis of Leaving Certificate or QQI FET results. You may submit an application under all three pathways, if applicable. Just ensure to tick boxes 1,2 & 8 on the Qualifications and Assessment Summary section, to be assessed under all three pathways.

For more detailed information on how to complete your application, visit our Mature Student Office. 

Mature Student Office Support

If you are considering applying as a mature student to UCC, you can meet a member of our Team to discuss your application. You can book an online appointment on a day that suits you.

All information on the application process and requirements can be found on the Mature Student Office website. You can also send a query to us using the prospective student webform and choosing the following options:

What is the MSAP?

If you are hoping to pursue an undergraduate programme in the College of Arts, you must sit the Mature Student Admissions Pathway (MSAP) assessment.

This is a two-hour exam that is designed to test your verbal reasoning and written ability skills. The MSAP is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

Once you have a CAO number, you can make an application to ACER for the MSAP. The timeframe for making an application for the MSAP falls in line with the CAO application deadlines. This is an online application process also.

ACER do not accept late applications for the MSAP.

For further details on the MSAP please visit the MSAP Ireland site. 

The MSAP 2023 testing window is between Saturday, 4 March 9AM (GMT) - Wednesday, 8 March 2023 5PM (GMT)

Mature Nursing Applications:

Admission to UCC's Nursing and Midwifery programmes is based on an assessment test with An Bord Altranais/Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

Applicants must make an application for their desired programmes through the Central Applications Office (CAO), familiarise themselves with the assessment information and book their assessment through the NMBI.

Please register and apply through the NMBI website to arrange your Nursing Assessment for our Nursing Programmes. For more information, please follow this link to the NMBI's Applying as a Mature Applicant page.  

Late CAO Applications for Nursing Programmes:

Prospective mature applicants who wish to apply for our Nursing and Midwifery programmes through the mature entry route can make a late CAO application from the 5 March. The CAO closing date is 1 May.

Please note, if you include other courses other than Nursing programmes, your application will not be considered for these programmes through the mature entry route.

Nursing applicants are assessed and admitted based on the NMBI test, which takes place in April. You can find out more on the College of Medicine & Health Requirements.