Progression to Universities and Institutes of Technology (IoTs)
Liberties College and Trinity Access Programmes


All educational and training qualifications are placed on the National Qualifications Framework, which has10 levels. Courses in this prospectus are at Levels 5 and 6. Courses in Universities and IoTs are at Levels 7 and 8. All Universities and IoTs accept growing numbers of applications on the basis of performance in FETAC Level 5 assessments. In many cases holders of the FETAC Advanced Certificate (Level 6) may apply for advanced entry. UK institutions are open to applications and offer advanced entry to holders of Edexcel HND qualifications. Progression opportunities for FETAC graduates are growing each year. There are now real and substantial opportunities for PLC students to progress to third level.

A few basics:
• Learners working towards FETAC Awards may apply for places in Higher Education courses through CAO, as Leaving Certificate students do.

• Some PLC courses have links that allow students to apply directly to enter the second year of a university/IoT course.

• Some courses have made agreements that enable a student to apply to enter the third year of a university/IoT course.

• Mature students (over 23 yrs.) and Access programme students may apply directly for places through routes defined by each institution.

Requirements for entry to higher education courses are set by the Admissions Office of each institution. Information is hard to find, so it may be necessary to speak directly to Admissions Offices. FETAC offers guidelines on http://www.fetac.ie/hels/. CAO provides detailed information at www.cao.ie (click on FETAC Information). Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS)(CAO): Under this scheme places are reserved in named courses for applicants holding particular FETAC Awards. A full Award (eight modules) is always needed and there are minimum requirements. If there is competition points are calculated, using this scale: Distinction – 3 pts; Merit – 2 pts; Pass – 1 pt.

The Pilot Scheme (CAO): Nineteen HE institutions allow applicants to apply through CAO for places across a range of courses, using a points system like the Leaving Certificate. Again, a full Award is required and there are minimum requirements. The Pilot Scheme awards points on the scale: Distinction – 50 pts; Merit – 35 pts; Pass – 20 pts., so an applicant with 8 Distinctions will have 400 points, and so on.

Other: Universities and IoTs are asked to recruit at least 15% of their intake from a mix of categories – mature applicants, disadvantaged, special needs and so on. They are also keen themselves to find students who can take up places in the second or third year of courses. Admissions Offices offer entry routes for all these places and usually accept direct (i.e. not via CAO) applications . Examples of access routes from Liberties College are:

• Edexcel HND students (Media / Interior Design) may apply for advanced entry (second year) to UK Universities and to many IoTs; agreements allowing applications to enter the third year of degree courses from HND courses will be signed in 2008.

• HE Access course students may apply directly to Trinity College (Arts/Social Science) and to other universities using the Higher Education Access Route

• Mature students of Youth and Community Work may apply to NUIM for admission (with credit) to the Diploma in Youth and Community Work. More progression links will be added in 2008.