2023-24 Fees Information for Ukrainian Students

Ukrainian students under Temporary Protection who begin an undergraduate course in 2023-24 will be charged the EU fees rate. The Irish Universities Association (IUA) have been in discussion with the government on fees and funding for this year, and per their 10 August press release, “On August 8th 2023, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris T.D. confirmed that the supports offered to Ukrainian students for the 2022/23 academic year will be extended for the coming academic year, including to those Ukrainian students starting 1st year of university in September 2023. This will include payment of tuition fees and a financial stipend for these students.”

Full details on fees and funding will be made available on the Government’s Ukraine website (gov.ie/ukraine) as soon as possible. Once this information is available, we will also update it on this page.

If you are a student who was admitted to an Irish university last year (2022) and are continuing your course or need to repeat modules, you can find further information on the current guidance on the IUA press release.

What level of English do I need?

Courses in UCC are normally taught and examined in English, which means you will need to demonstrate your ability to learn through English in order to be eligible to compete for a place. It is not currently possible to meet the English language requirements through the IEE/NMT, so you will need to provide an acceptable grade in one of our Recognised English Proficiency Exams. 

If you are sitting your Irish Leaving Certificate, you will need a minimum of a H7/O6 to meet the English language requirement. 

How do I meet the specific subject requirements?

All UCC courses have specific subject requirements that students must meet to be eligible to compete for a place. You can find a list of the Irish Leaving Certificate subject requirements on each course page, and then use the table below to compare your grades from Ukrainian qualifications to their Irish equivalent. 

Irish Leaving Certificate: Students should be aware of the Third/Other language requirement. Unfortunately, Ukrainian isn't currently offered as a language option for the Irish Leaving Certificate, but applicants are welcome to sit one of the languages offered in the Irish Leaving Certificate as part of their exams to meet the other language entry requirement (where applicable).

IEE/NMT: We will accept subjects at Attestat level to meet O6/H7 or O2/H6 requirements, as per the table above. However, please note that you must use IEE/NMT results to meet higher-level requirements. 

NB: The table above is NOT used for points conversion, only for entry requirement equivalence. For points conversion see "How do I work out my points score?" below.

How do I work out my points score?

If you meet the entry requirements, you are eligible to compete for a place on the course. Whether you are using the Irish Leaving Certificae, IEE, or NMT results, your score will be converted into CAO points. You can use the table below to convert the average IEE/NMT score to CAO points, based on the average of your best 3 results. 

Please note that the maximum points score available using the NMT/IEE is 525. To attain over 525 points, additional points will be awarded for successful completion of a first year university examination taken provided it is taken in a recognised 3rd level institution at a level equivalent to that of the programme applied for. Please note that in some cases, specific subjects may be needed to meet entry requirements.

There are no bonus points available for Mathematics with this qualification. 

How to Apply

The Central Applications Office (CAO) is the main applications processor for universities in Ireland. Applying through the CAO is done in the first place via their website. You can apply for 10 level 8 courses and 10 level 6/7 courses on one application, and these can be for a range of courses in UCC and in other universities at the same time. 

The CAO application process for September 2023 entry is now closed; applications for September 2024 entry will open on the 6 November. 

We always advise all students to rank their courses in genuine order of preference. You will always be offered the highest course you are eligible for, so it is not possible to be offered a lower choice on your list. 

You will need to send a number of documents to support your application once you've completed it:

• Temporary Protection Letter
• If providing the IEE/NMT: 
  • Attestat certificate
  • IEE/NMT certificate
  • IEE/NMT results

All documents should be certified copies rather than originals where possible, with the CAO application number written at the top of the page. Any documents which aren't in English must be accompanied by an official translation. 

Supporting documentation can be posted to the CAO at Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway.

Offers for school-leaving students are made in Round 1, which is usually in August/September.  

EU Status

Ukraine is not currently part of the European Union. However, under the Temporary Protection Directive, students who have arrived in Ireland since 24th February 2022 will apply for September 2023 entry through the Central Applications Office (CAO), in the same way as Irish and EU students. They will need to meet the EU entry requirements as outlined above. 

It is essential for students to send a copy of their Temporary Protection letter along with the rest of their supporting documents to the CAO as part of their application. Non-Irish qualifications are usually assessed in June or July, so all documents (including the Temporary Protection letter) need to be sent by this point - if documents aren't submitted, you will not be eligible to be assessed. 

Medicine

Medicine is one of the most popular courses at UCC. The entry requirements for Medicine include a H4 in Chemistry and a H4 in Physics or Biology, as well as an O6/H7 in Maths and a third/other language. In the IEE, these equate to a 190 in Chemistry as well as Physics or Biology, and a minimum of 160 (or 4 in the Attestat) in Maths and another language. In reality, to achieve the high points needed for Medicine, candidates presenting IEE would need to present 190s across the board as well as having completed Year 1 of a university programme in order to be considered eligible. Entry to Medicine for CAO applicants also requires the HPAT. You can read more about entry to Medicine in the Undergraduate Entry to Medicine brochure.