How do I Apply - General Information

Applications for entry to the first year of all full-time undergraduate honours degree programmes are processed through the Central Applications Office (CAO), for Irish and EU/EFTA/UK applicants. You can apply online by following the link below:

Date of Application

Completed applications must be received in the CAO normally on or before 1 February of the proposed year of entry.

Late Application

A late application may be made to the CAO between 6 March and 1 May (5.15pm) inclusive. Late applications from mature students applying through the mature student entry route are not accepted. Late applications are not accepted for restricted programmes, which are: 

• CK104 Arts-Music:
• CK112 Theatre and Performative Practices
• CK114 Social Science - Youth and Community Work
• CK115 Social Work; (Mature applicants only)

Minimum Age Requirement

CAO applicants for full-time degrees must normally have reached 17 years of age by the 15 January of the year following entry to UCC. If you are younger than this, you can make a special application for exemption from the age requirement. Applications must be made in writing to the Admissions Officer, and should be accompanied by a letter of support from the School Principal and a parent/guardian.

Points Calculation

Points are calculated on the basis of the six best-recognised subjects taken at one examination sitting.

The one examination sitting restriction is applicable for points purposes only and does not affect the separate minimum entry requirements of the National University of Ireland i.e. it is still possible to satisfy the minimum entry and additional programme requirements over more than one year (except in the case of undergraduate entry to Medicine (CK701).

Entry Requirements

As well as meeting the points requirements for the course you're interested in, you need to meet minimum matriculation and subject requirements. You can find the entry requirements for each course on the Requirements section of the course page or search by applicant type on the Entry Requirements and Points section of the website.

Allocation/Acceptance of Places

The CAO will inform all applicants applying on the basis of school Leaving results as soon as possible after the issue of the Leaving Certificate results (usually mid-August) of the outcome of their applications. Those offered places will be asked to accept their offer with the CAO by a specified date. In the case of an applicant who fails to reply by the specified date, the offer will lapse and the place will be offered to the candidate next in order of merit, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Availability of Places

University College Cork reserves the right to limit the number of admissions to any programme in light of the availability of places for that programme. Where it is found necessary to limit entry to a particular programme, places will be allocated on merit to qualified applicants. Except in the case of HEAR applicants, DARE applicants, applicants of mature years, QQI FET applicants and applicants for Medicine (both undergraduate and graduate entry), such merit will be assessed on academic performance in school-leaving examinations only. University College Cork will score those presenting for the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination in accordance with the CAO scoring scheme.

Random Score

UCC generally distinguishes between EU/EFTA/UK applicants on equal point scores by appending to each score a random, computer-generated number. Where there are more applicants than there are places at the final cut-off point for a particular programme, the random number system is applied to select students. It should be noted that entry points are not predetermined, but depend on the number and standard of applicants in a particular year.

Exceptional Late Application Process

An EU/EFTA/UK student registered in any year of an Irish third level programme that they accessed via CAO, who is competing on the basis of school leaving results, may make a late application to the CAO from 1 June up to 22 July for the first year of another programme (apart from Restricted Application programmes). These late applications must be stamped by the Admissions Office of the currently registered Institution. Applicants must write their previous CAO application number on the top of Page 1 of the Application Form. All late applicants are required to pay an additional CAO application fee. 

Other Application Routes

In some cases, applications will not be through the CAO. Find more information on entry requirements and how to apply for non-CAO courses by following the links below: