When Lydia Day applied for a restricted course through the CAO in 2025, she was hopeful she’d have the opportunity to pursue her dream course, having met the additional selection criteria required in advance of the CAO offers.
But when the CAO offers were made, she learned she hadn’t reached the points necessary and was left understandably disappointed.
Day found out in May 2025 that she had been successful at the interview stage of the restricted course. “I was delighted, because not everyone gets invited for interview. And I was really happy, because I think it’s a great way to understand the students.”
Approaching the Leaving Certificate was still “pretty stressful”, she says, despite this knowledge. “Half the points you get are based on your portfolio. It was kind of stressful, because it was like, ‘well, I could score very well on my portfolio, but I may not have the points for my Leaving Cert to make up the amount of points that I need to get in.”
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When the Leaving Cert results were issued, Day was still hopeful, but was also concerned, she says, and tried to adjust her expectations accordingly. When she didn’t receive an offer to study her restricted course, and the disappointment subsided, her focus turned to other ways to achieve her goal.
“I’ve recently just completed a PLC, and I’ve reapplied through the CAO again,” she says. And in some ways, she concedes, it was all for the best. “I’m kind of glad that I didn’t get the course straight away either, because I went and did this PLC course in Dublin College, Dún Laoghaire. That was great, and it was a great year to socialise, and there was a lot of portfolio building in that course as well, which really, really helped.
“It was a really nice experience and I’m glad I had it in the end, because I think going from school to an immediate four-year course, I don’t know whether I would have been any better off.”
Though “obviously I want to get into the course now. I got my portfolio scores back after the interviews in May, and they were quite good – I did better than I did last year,” she says, crediting the PLC with her improvement.
The stress as she waits for Wednesday’s first-round offers continues to be real, though. “The waiting game is not pleasant. It’s difficult when everyone around you is going, ‘oh, you’ll get in. You’ll get in. We’re praying for you’, and all that kind of stuff.”
And there is a bit of worry about letting people down who are willing her on, she admits. She’ll be keeping a close eye on her email on Wednesday. “Restricted courses involve an additional selection process, such as an interview, portfolio, aptitude test or written test along the course’s academic requirements”, David Drury, head of the guidance counselling department at Blackrock College, says.
Students typically apply for restricted courses earlier in the CAO process, he says. And it is often not possible to add restricted courses during later CAO “change of mind” windows. Except, on occasion, where there is an overlap between the additional selection requirements for a desired course, and another course for which the student has already applied.
“Completing the interview or additional portfolio stage does not itself guarantee a place”, Drury says, adding that applicants must still meet the course minimum requirements.
The awarding of places varies, he says. “Some courses combine Leaving Cert points with marks from an interview or portfolio. While others rank eligible applicants on the assessment scores”.
All is not lost, however, if applicants don’t receive an offer for a restricted course during round 1 of the CAO offers. “They may be still considered in later CAO rounds if a place becomes available and they are eligible.”
Drury says he’s also encouraged students to consider alternative pathways “including related courses, further education, QQI routes, apprenticeships, tertiary degrees, available places or reapplying the following year”.
