A points total is not an admission decision. First you must meet a course's entry requirements. Then your position in the competition, your preference order and the places available determine whether an offer is made. CAO Handbook 2027, printed pages 30–31.
Check three different questions
| Question | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Do I meet the institution's general entry requirements? | Current admissions or matriculation rules |
| Do I meet this course's specific subject, grade or assessment requirements? | Current college course page |
| Was I high enough in this year's eligible applicant list? | Current offer and points information, including any random-selection marker |
An application being processed is not evidence that you qualify. A portfolio, assessment or subject requirement cannot be replaced by extra points. Handbook, printed pages 2, 20 and 30–31.
Why matching the published points may not be enough
- You may be comparing with last year's cutoff, not this year's offer round.
- You may be missing a required subject or assessment.
- The course may sit below another course you were offered on the same list.
- Applicants tied at the cutoff may be separated by random selection.
Use course history to identify the year and round, then check your actual application. These are checks to make, not a diagnosis of your individual case. Handbook, printed pages 20 and 30–31.
Random selection at the cutoff
When equally ranked applicants compete for fewer remaining places, CAO's random numbers can determine who receives an offer. For example, five applicants on the same points competing for one remaining place cannot all be offered that place. A later offer remains possible if a vacancy arises, but is not guaranteed. Random selection does not allow someone to skip the entry requirements. Handbook, printed page 31.
Combining Leaving Certificate sittings
For points, count one sitting only. Do not take your best individual grades from several years and add them together.
For minimum entry requirements, CAO's offers FAQ says results from different years may be combined, with an exception for entry to Medicine. Check the exact course rules before relying on a repeated subject. CAO offers FAQ. The single-sitting points rule is also in the handbook, printed page 31.
For example, improving one required subject may address an entry condition without allowing you to merge that result into last year's six-subject points total. Keep those two calculations separate.
LCVP and Foundation Maths
LCVP Link Modules can count for points, but are not accepted by every institution as an eligibility subject. Foundation Maths points are also institution-dependent. Neither should be treated as a universal replacement for a named subject requirement. See the points explanation with grade tables. Handbook, printed pages 30–31.
What to do if the decision looks wrong
Check your recorded results, exemptions and course choices using Check and Confirm. Contact CAO about missing or incorrect application information and the college about its admission requirements. An actual offer's acceptance deadline still matters while you seek clarification; consult the official instructions rather than assuming it is suspended.
Sources and verification
Checked 7 September 2026 against CAO Handbook 2027, printed pages 2, 20 and 30–31, and the official offers FAQ linked above. No course-specific eligibility decision is made on this page.