A surge in CAO applications this year is reflected in increased interest across a wide variety of disciplines, new data from the CAO shows.
In February, it emerged that applications for third-level courses for the coming year had increased significantly, rising by 8.5% on the previous year.
Now, a breakdown of applications received by the February closing date shows first preference Level 8 applications up in many areas as a result.
Interest in nursing courses has risen by 25%, engineering and architecture and construction courses have seen a 22% surge in first-preference applications. First preference applications to primary and secondary teaching are up by 9% and 5%, while the number of students putting medicine as their first choice has risen by 6%, and the smaller number choosing dentistry has risen by 41%.
By February, the CAO had received 83,424 applications, an increase of 6,525 from 2024. Much of the increase is likely down to rising demographics, as numbers attending second level here continue to surge.
There has also been a significant increase in applications from those over the age of 23; applications in this category have risen by 944 or 15%.
The news comes as Leaving Certificate results are set to fall this year as a gradual return to normal marking begins.
After several years, during which results were boosted by around 7.5% in order to compensate students for the detrimental effect of the pandemic on their years at school, this year's results will be adjusted by only around 5.5%. The aim is to bring them closer to the level of results awarded in 2020.
The rise in CAO applications will concern Leaving Certificate students aiming for courses where there is competition for limited places. There is some concern that, in some cases, this year's students may be vying for a college place with applicants from previous recent Leaving Cert cohorts who benefitted from a greater level of artificial inflation to their core results.
The CAO has also recorded a significant rise in the number of students applying under the disability access route. There have been 12,056 applications received this year under DARE, which is an increase of 1,800 compared to last year.
The number of applications from students wishing to avail of a special route for those from disadvantaged backgrounds has fallen slightly.
Head of communications for CAO, Eileen Keleghan, said: "The majority of CAO applicants will be permitted to use the Change of Mind facility when it opens on 6 May to add, remove or re-order course choices, which will result in changes to the figures released today.
"Late applications are also being accepted up to 1 May at 5pm.
"1 May at 5pm is the final date by which an application can be made to CAO for 2025 entry, including for those students currently attending higher education who may be considering reapplying to CAO for a different first year undergraduate course," she said.
