Record numbers accept CAO places

A record number of students have accepted college places in the first round of offers made last week.

A total of 37,645 applicants had accepted offers by yesterday’s deadline, according to the latest figures from the CAO.

This was 474 more than the 37,171 acceptances in the same period last year and represents more than three-quarters of the 49,862 applicants who received an offer last week.

Round two offers will be available on the CAO website from 6am on Thursday, with the deadline for accepting an offer in round two closing on Wednesday, September 5th.

CAO points for many courses, particularly in science and IT programmes, have risen to their highest level for decades.

In the first round of college offers published last week, a record 56 per cent of all higher degree university courses registered an increase in points.

At honours degree (Level 8), the CAO made 44,040 offers in round one this year, 865 more than at the same stage last year which reflected the growing demand for places in science and IT courses.