Studying the alternatives to the Leaving Cert

College Choice: Many students do not progress directly to university or institutes of technology. Thousands do Post-Leaving Certificate/FE courses leading to a FETAC (NCVA level 2) award with a view to entering employment or going on to college.

This alternative has been available to students for almost a decade. The Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS) links specific FETAC (NCVA level 2) awards to reserved places at third level.

The scheme has gradually expanded and now offers participants a broad range of third-level courses and institutions to aim for.

This year such students are offered places on a variety of courses in 29 higher-education institutions including universities, institutes of technology and private colleges.

Also this year, the institutes of technology and some higher-education institutions have introduced pilot admissions criteria and scoring systems for FETAC (NCVA levels 2 and 3) awards.

This is intended to broaden access and facilitate greater progression routes between all levels of the National Framework of Qualifications. It will see a moving away from linked courses and quotas of reserved places, instead opening up the system to enable FETAC applicants to compete on an even footing with Leaving Certificate applicants.

The scoring system under the new arrangements enables a FETAC Award holder to achieve up to a maximum of 400 points.

Higher Education Links Scheme for 2005

This scheme still operates for 2005 through the following institutions: Dublin City University; Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT); Carlow College; Mary Immaculate College (University of Limerick); Mater Dei College (DCU); Milltown Institute; NUI Maynooth; National College of Art and Design (NUI); Shannon College of Hotel Management; University College Cork (NUI); and University College Dublin (NUI).

FETAC (NCVA level 3) awards linked to higher education courses

Some institutions offer links between FETAC (NCVA level 3) awards and third-level courses. For information on these and admission details contact the institution directly.

Application Process and Scoring System

Students must submit third-level applications to the CAO by February 1st. In July, FETAC results are issued to the CAO and the participating institutions. Each module is credited with three points for a distinction, two for a merit, and one point for a pass.

Points are totalled and applicants ranked accordingly. Places are offered in ranked order until the reserved places quotas are complete.

Pilot Scheme for 2005

The institutes of technology and five other higher-education institutions have introduced new admissions criteria for students presenting FETAC (NCVA levels 2 or 3) awards. These 18 institutions are: Athlone Institute of Technology; Dublin Business School; Griffith College, Dublin; Institute of Technology Blanchardstown; Institute of Technology Carlow; Cork Institute of Technology; Dundalk Institute of Technology; Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology; Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; Letterkenny Institute of Technology; Limerick Institute of Technology; National College of Ireland; Portobello College; Institute of Technology Sligo; Institute of Technology Tallaght; Tipperary Institute; Institute of Technology Tralee; and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Application Process and Scoring Systems

Students apply through the CAO in the usual way. In July FETAC results are issued to the CAO and the participating institutions.

An overall point score is calculated based on the best eight modules presented in an applicant's FETAC (NCVA levels 2 or 3) award.

Under this initiative all places are open to FETAC (NCVA levels 2 and 3) award holders, along with Leaving Certificate applicants.

Hence the quota of places reserved under the HELS does not apply to this scheme. For some courses applicants may require a specific FETAC maths or language module as part of their FETAC award.

This requirement may be waived if the applicant has evidence of an equivalent achievement, e.g., a Leaving Cert subject.

Notwithstanding minimum entry requirements, specific higher certificate (level 6), ordinary degree (level 7) and honours degree (level 8) courses may have pre-requisite FETAC module or award requirements.

Links with Nursing Degree Programmes

Given the high points required for nursing, many students who in the past would have aspired to study nursing after the Leaving Cert have been unable to do so. To broaden access routes, 10 institutions offer a small number of places on honours degree programmes in nursing to holders of specific FETAC (NCVA level 2) awards offered at PLC/FE level. These are: Athlone Institute of Technology; Dublin City University; Dundalk Institute of Technology; Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; Letterkenny Institute of Technology; Institute of Technology Tralee; University College Cork (NUI); University College Dublin (NUI); University of Limerick (UL); and Waterford Institute of Technology.

Applicants are eligible for entry to nursing degree courses via the FETAC (NCVA level 2) award in nursing studies (DCHSN) or community and health services (DCHSX).

In all cases, applicants must have achieved distinctions in five modules, including anatomy and physiology (D20001), introduction to nursing (D20012), and human growth and development (D20032) or biology (C20006).

Tomorrow: Careers in teaching and communications

Brian Mooney's column on CAO options will appear each weekday in the run-up to the deadline at the end of this month.

You can email Brian Mooney on bmooney@irish-times.ie

Are you confident you will secure your CAO option? Join the discussion forum on Skoool.ie, the award-winning education website developed by The Irish Times, AIB and Intel.