EU/EFTA/UK Applicant FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the difference between EU/EFTA/UK and International Students? | For admission purposes, all applicants are categorised into two categories: EU/EFTA/UK or International (non-EU). EU/EFTA/UK Applicants have been deemed eligible for EU fees by the UCC Fees office, find out more here. They apply through the CAO. International Applicants are Non-EU applicants and pay International Fees. They must apply directly through the UCC International Office. |
| How do I apply? | EU Applicants apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) www.cao.ie |
| What do I need to provide? | When submitting an application to the CAO it must be accompanied by the following documentation (or followed by the documentation if applying on-line):
In the absence of these documents and translations, the application may not be processed. Applicants who are awaiting current year examination results must forward their results as soon as they become available to the CAO. |
| When will I know if I have received an offer of a place? | Offers are issued in a number of Rounds. Offers are issued to candidates according to the following CAO round schedule. |
| Is my school-leaving exam recognised? | You can find out what exams we recognise by consulting the EU/EFTA Entry Requirements Guide published by the CAO. |
| Do I need to write a personal statement? | If you are applying on the basis of a school-leaving exam alone and are not a mature applicant, you do not need to provide a personal statement or accompanying letters of recommendation. You will be assessed on your grades alone. |
| How will my grades be assessed? | We assess all EU/EFTA/UK applicants in July. Your grades will be converted into Irish Leaving Certificate grades and you will be given an equivalent points score in accordance with the following document published by the CAO. |
| What are "Points"? | Points are awarded to students based on their scores in their Leaving Certificate or equivalent. Students' points are used as a queuing system for courses, with the places offered to those students ranked in order of merit from highest to lowest until the course is filled. |
| What is a "Single Sitting"? | As points for Irish school-leavers are calculated based on a single sitting of their Leaving Certificate, EU/EFTA/UK qualifications are assessed on this basis also. For example, repeating a subject means that subject cannot be used to improve your previous year's point score. |
| What are "Specific Subject Requirements"? | For most courses there are specific subject requirements that need to be met from your school-leaving certificate. These may include Mathematics, a specific science subject such as Chemistry or a language subject may be required. English is required for all courses in UCC. |
| How are places allocated to students? | UCC will instruct the CAO to make a number of offers for each course. The applicant is placed on a list for each of their eligible courses. Their position on the list is determined by their points score relative to the other eligible applicants for that course. |
| How do I find Accommodation? | For accommodation queries, you can contact our Office of Accommodation and Community Life. |