The promise of a place at an English, Scottish or Welsh university offers the chance of real independence from your parents, if that's what you're after. They'll have to get into a boat or a plane to check up on you over there!
Despite this, the desire of students from the Republic to study at British educational institutions has declined significantly in recent years. The reasons are varied but, as with many things, money is probably at the root of it all.
The British version of the Republic's Central Admissions Office (CAO) is UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. UCAS says that, in the mid-1990s, around 11,000 students a year were applying to colleges in Britain (this figure includes those applying to Northern Ireland).
It looks like that particular "brain drain" is petering out, however. Only 6,153 made an attempt to get a place in Britain and Northern Ireland last year, and 2,273 ended up going. The figure dropped even further this time around, with only 4,588 applications received by UCAS Cheltenham headquarters.
Growing worldwide recognition of the quality of the Republic's third-level education system is a factor, with many universities working hard to raise their profile abroad. Connected to this is the fact that the number and variety of third-level places in the State has increased in recent years. Importantly, tuition fees were abolished around the same time that the British government introduced new costs for students.
Nevertheless, Northern Ireland's educational institutions are still keen to attract students from the Republic, according to Liam Barton, admissions officer at Queen's University Belfast. Of this year's Queen's undergraduates, about 150 of the total 3,000 were from the Republic. That figure had previously been as high as 300.
Northern universities have traditionally exerted a strong pull on students from the Republic's border areas. Schools in Dundalk, Monaghan, Letterkenny and Buncrana have a tradition of sending pupils to college in Belfast and Derry. For many of these students, heading North is simply more practical than making for distant Dublin, Galway or Cork.
Barton attributes the drop in students from the South to two major factors: tuition fees and currency exchange rates.
"A number of years ago we had no fees, and there were fees in the Republic of Ireland. Now we charge fees, and kids in the Republic go free. We both started both moving in opposite directions at around the same time," he says.
However, Barton is keen to stress that the fees are means-tested. This means that, depending on your family's income, you may be entitled to assistance to cover your fees either fully or partially.
Barton says lot of students from the Republic end up paying small amounts, and sometimes no fee at all. "But the perception of a fee is out there, and it's had a dramatic effect," he adds.
Combined with this is the fact that the strength of sterling and the relative weakness of the euro/punt has pushed up the cost of living for students coming from the Republic.
However, Northern universities continue to send delegations to schools and careers fairs in the Republic whenever possible, in the hope that these developments are reversible. "We think it's worth our while if it can add to the mix of students at Queen's," said Barton.
"We try to tell students from the Republic of Ireland that what's popular there is popular here as well. Our requirements are very competitive, and quite often we ask similar grades for what is required for Trinity. It's certainly not an easy ride to try to come to Queen's!"
Queen's has produced a booklet, A Guide For Students from the Republic of Ireland, which contains some useful hints. You should be able to get a copy from your school's careers adviser.
Students from the Republic will inevitably experience certain cultural differences, ranging from getting used to a new currency to finding out the hard way it's not always wise to speak unguardedly about sensitive topics, such as religion and politics.
Among the many positive aspects of studying in the North, apart from the internationally renowned standard of tutoring, are generally cheaper rent, an action-packed social life and, an important consideration for students, cheap drink!
Meanwhile, going to college in England, Scotland or Wales still remains an attractive option for some students from the Republic.
In theory at least, the UCAS system offers access to a total of 335 institutions with 45,000 different programmes of study to chose from (again these figures include Northern Ireland). You're sure to find something that's not available in Ireland.
The old practice of using the UCAS system as a kind of "insurance policy", in case students didn't get their preferred CAO courses, has declined in popularity.
However, the UCAS clearing system remains popular, even for students who never previously considered studying in Britain. The clearing service operates in August and September and fills vacancies on university and college courses with students who do not have places.
The clearing process opens tomorrow. Desirable places tend to be snapped up almost as soon as they appear, so there is little time to waste. If your Leaving results weren't as good as you'd hoped they would be, it might be a good idea to get on the Internet and check out a few locations today.
There is as yet no official list of how UK grades compare with Irish qualifications. UCAS has established a new points score system, known as the UCAS Tariff, which establishes agreed equivalences between different types of qualifications. The Leaving Cert is one of the qualifications that will be included on the Tariff in the near future.
At present, it is up to each university or college to decide whether or not an Irish student's qualifications meet the entrance requirements for its courses. Don't be shy. Check the list of vacancies, decide which courses you're interested in, then ring the relevant college and ask to speak to the admissions tutor for the particular course.
They are used to dealing with Irish students at this time of year, according to a UCAS spokeswoman. "There's always a huge response, and Irish students make up a substantial part of that process," she said. Further advice and information about qualifications for entry to UK higher education institutions can be obtained from the UCAS website, www.ucas.ac.uk. If you have al ready made an application to UCAS, you will probably have received a CEF (clearing entry form) by now, which gives you detailed instructions about how to enter.
For those about to become part of the Irish diaspora, the financial costs will have to be carefully considered before hand. Your travel costs will be much higher than those of a student who stays in Ireland. How ever, you may find accommodation and amenities are cheaper.
Naturally, cultural differences will be more pronounced. Although you'll be living in a so-called "intellectual" environment, it is unlikely that you will escape stereotyping or ignorance. It's also likely you'll have your accent remarked on an almost daily basis for the duration of your course.
Be warned that homesickness can strike even the most adventurous student. You may balk at the idea now, but it is worth bearing in mind that some British cities have a sizeable Irish community where you might find support in times of need.
One useful website is www.irishlinks.co.uk, which has a special section for Irish people living in Britain. Its comprehensive online search facility can give you access to many Irish clubs and organisations.
The benefits of studying in England, Scotland or Wales are countless. You'll have an excellent opportunity to experience a different culture, which isn't too far from home. As you may be venturing there alone, you will be forced to make new friends from different backgrounds, rather than remaining within the safe confines of the circle you went to school with. With 200,000 international students studying in the UK, you'll be spoilt for choice. And, hopefully, you'll be welcomed home like a conquering hero every time term ends!
Catriona Kennedy, from Stillorgan, Co Dublin, who is studying history at the University of York, says she never feels too far away from home. "The cheap flights you can get these days really help. If there's something going on in Dublin, a friend's birthday or a family occasion, I can fly back easily enough. It's always a bit of a whirlwind, seeing everybody again. It's lovely."
