Courses you can get with 290 CAO points 2026

366 courses closed at or below 290 points in the 2026 round one offers, 160 of them honours degrees, across 19 institutions.

Read that as history rather than as a promise. A course's points are the points of the last applicant who was offered a place, so the number describes where the queue was cut in 2026 and moves every year. What makes it move.

Courses at 290 points

366 closed at or below 290 points, and 138 closed within twenty points above it. Points move by more than that from one year to the next, so the ones just short are worth putting on a list rather than writing off. Sort any column, or narrow by level, institution and how close you are.

Level

Institution

Round 1 points

How close

No portfolio, interview or testEveryone on the points got an offer

Showing 502 of 504 courses

2 courses are hidden, the ones the CAO marks as needing a portfolio, an audition, an interview or a test. Where that assessment is scored and added to the Leaving Certificate total, the figure beside the course is not a points total and cannot be compared with the rest. .

Darker is more competitive:Under 200200 to 299300 to 399400 to 499500 to 599600 and over

Random selection: More people had these points than there were places, so the last places went to a lottery. Having the points did not guarantee an offer.


Computing with AI - Limerick US826Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	270	–	+20
Software Development with Games Programming - Thurles US828Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	270	–	+20
Early Childhood Care and Education - Waterford - College Street SE911South East Technological UniversityLevel 8	South East Technological University	8	270	–	+20
Mental Health Nursing - Castlebar AU691Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 8	Atlantic Technological University	8	270	–	+20
Business - Dublin GC400Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	270	270	+20
Accounting and Finance - Dublin GC401Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	270	255	+20
Psychology - Dublin GC409Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	270	234	+20
Human Resource Management NC005National College of Ireland (NCI)Level 8	National College of Ireland (NCI)	8	270	–	+20
Renewable and Electrical Energy Engineering - Limerick US752Technological University of the ShannonLevel 7	Technological University of the Shannon	7	270	–	+20
Interior Architecture and Design - Sligo AU820Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	270	–	+20
Digital Forensics and Cyber Security - Blanchardstown TU758Technological University DublinLevel 7	Technological University Dublin	7	270	–	+20
Building Surveying DK730Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 7	Dundalk Institute of Technology	7	270	–	+20
Computer Networks and Cyber Security - Limerick US827Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	269	–	+21
Business - Wexford SE402South East Technological UniversityLevel 8	South East Technological University	8	269	–	+21
Computing with Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence - Tallaght TU862Technological University DublinLevel 8	Technological University Dublin	8	269	–	+21
Civil Engineering DK846Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	269	–	+21
Event Management with Marketing DK852Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	269	252	+21
Computing - Applications or Programming - Carlow SE616South East Technological UniversityLevel 7	South East Technological University	7	269	–	+21
Molecular Biology with Biopharmaceutical Science - Waterford SE514South East Technological UniversityLevel 7	South East Technological University	7	268	–	+22
Precision Engineering - Limerick US914Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	266	–	+24
Computing NC003National College of Ireland (NCI)Level 8	National College of Ireland (NCI)	8	265	–	+25
Social Care - Kerry MT574Munster Technological UniversityLevel 7	Munster Technological University	7	265	–	+25
Photography with New Media - CCAD Envision Centre MT822Munster Technological UniversityLevel 8	Munster Technological University	8	264	251	+26
Communications and Media Production - Dublin GC450Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	264	264	+26
Computing in Cybersecurity and Computing Infrastructure DK825Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	264	262	+26
Construction Management - Carlow SE726South East Technological UniversityLevel 7	South East Technological University	7	264	–	+26
Business Studies DB512Dublin Business SchoolLevel 8	Dublin Business School	8	263	245	+27
Creative Industries and Visual Culture - Grangegorman TU978Technological University DublinLevel 8	Technological University Dublin	8	263	263	+27
Digital Marketing and Strategic Communication DK818Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	263	263	+27
Building Engineering - Common Entry - Letterkenny AU243Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	263	–	+27
Business and Law - Athlone US848Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	262	–	+28
Youth Work and Community Development - Limerick US929Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	262	262	+28
Business (Psychology) DB569Dublin Business SchoolLevel 8	Dublin Business School	8	262	230	+28
Nutrition and Health DK888Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	262	228	+28
Business - Carlow SE401South East Technological UniversityLevel 8	South East Technological University	8	261	–	+29
Professional Social Care Practice - Carlow SE918South East Technological UniversityLevel 8	South East Technological University	8	261	–	+29
Marketing (Digital Marketing) DB518Dublin Business SchoolLevel 8	Dublin Business School	8	261	193	+29
Film, TV and Screen Media Production - Dublin GC456Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	261	223	+29
Digital Marketing (Campus Options) - Blanchardstown OR Tallaght TU920Technological University DublinLevel 8	Technological University Dublin	8	261	–	+29
Media Production and Digital Arts - Tallaght TU982Technological University DublinLevel 8	Technological University Dublin	8	261	–	+29
International Business with Digitalisation DK801Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	261	261	+29
Computing in Development and Operations Engineering DK824Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	261	261	+29
Strength and Conditioning SC801Setanta CollegeLevel 8	Setanta College	8	261	–	+29
Electronic Engineering - Carlow SE722South East Technological UniversityLevel 7	South East Technological University	7	261	–	+29
Sport and Exercise - Letterkenny AU222Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	261	–	+29
Agriculture and Environmental Management - Mountbellew AU557Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	261	–	+29
Occupational Safety and Health - Sligo AU856Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	261	–	+29
Forensic Investigation and Analysis - Sligo AU859Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	261	–	+29
Computing in Software Development DK726Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 7	Dundalk Institute of Technology	7	261	241	+29
Applied Addiction Recovery - Limerick US928Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	260	–	+30
Business Studies with Beauty and Spa Management - Limerick US946Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	260	–	+30
Applied Sports Science with Strength and Conditioning - Thurles US958Technological University of the ShannonLevel 8	Technological University of the Shannon	8	260	–	+30
Social Care Practice - Waterford - College Street SE919South East Technological UniversityLevel 8	South East Technological University	8	260	–	+30
Tourism Management - Cork MT947Munster Technological UniversityLevel 8	Munster Technological University	8	260	–	+30
Marketing (Event Management) DB517Dublin Business SchoolLevel 8	Dublin Business School	8	260	260	+30
Business (HRM) - Dublin GC402Griffith CollegeLevel 8	Griffith College	8	260	–	+30
Music and Performance Technologies DK892Dundalk Institute of TechnologyLevel 8	Dundalk Institute of Technology	8	260	–	+30
Pharmaceutical Sciences (Drug Development and Analysis) - Athlone US733Technological University of the ShannonLevel 7	Technological University of the Shannon	7	260	–	+30
Agriculture - Letterkenny AU272Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	260	–	+30
Applied Social Care - Castlebar AU593Atlantic Technological UniversityLevel 7	Atlantic Technological University	7	260	–	+30

Showing 60 of 502

Work out your own number

If you have not added up your grades yet, the points calculator does it, shows which six subjects counted, and tells you what the maths bonus is worth to you.

Figures are the 2026 round one points published by the CAO, read from its own points lists (opens in a new tab), checked 8 September 2026. Courses assessed partly on a portfolio, audition or test are left out, because their published score is on a different scale and cannot be compared with a points total.