From dealing with disappointment on the day of the results to appealing grades or trying to decide what course to accept, there are a lot of uncertainties facing parents and students while they navigate the exam results process.
CAO offers
If you decide to accept an offer you need to do so online before the reply date.
If students receive an offer from both lists in the same round they must choose between them; they can only accept one offer from either their Level 8 or their Level 7/6 list in the one offer round.
Accepting an offer in round one will not prevent you from receiving an offer of a higher preference course in subsequent offer rounds.
If a place on a higher preference course becomes available in a later round, and if you’re entitled to this place, you may receive an offer that you can choose to accept or ignore.
Accepting the new offer will automatically cancel the previous acceptance. If you accept an offer online the CAO will send you an email of acknowledgement. Check your acceptance has been recorded online at www.cao.ie.
For students who don’t receive an offer in subsequent rounds, or if they are unhappy with the offer that they receive, they may apply through the Available Places facility on the CAO website. This facility opens in the days after round one offers are made available online.
The Available Places facility lists all of the courses which institutions have not yet filled. Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility criteria may apply for such courses. An application for an Available Places course does not guarantee an offer.
For any questions regarding the offers and acceptances, students and parents can contact the Galway-based CAO directly on 091 509800 or submit an email query form with details of your questions.
Searching for accommodation
Finding affordable accommodation has become extremely difficult, especially in the current accommodation crisis. Many students are forced to defer places as a result.
First years are normally given priority when it comes to student accommodation but these facilities come at a high price. Once you know what college you are going to, student unions can be a great help for guidance with the accommodation hunt.
Dublin City University Students Union have their own accommodation search facility to help connect students with landlords www.dcustudentpad.ie
Other useful websites are www.collegecribs.ie and www.daft.ie where you can search for rented accommodation in the locality of your college.
This includes houses, apartments and digs. Beware of housing scams, particularly on social media sites. If it seems to be too good to be true, it usually is.
A good tip is to get to know students in the same course as you but who are in a different year.
If they are moving out of their accommodation, they normally offer it around to other students and keep it within the student circle.
Other supports available include:
Threshold, the national charity, offers advice for students at www.threshold.ie The Residential Tenancy Board has an online dispute service if you’re having troubles with your landlord visit www.rtb.ie
College supports
Most colleges have a strong student union that is there to help voice the concerns and challenges facing students in that university. But what people might not know is there are many other supports you can avail of when you start your college course.
These are not just academic support.
Universities provide financial assistance to help students with several grants, funds and scholarships. They support students who are experiencing short or long-term financial difficulties while attending college.
The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to full-time or part-time students in higher education to help students with different costs including books, class materials, rent and bills.
Once you have your college place you can contact your specific university’s financial support services, which are easy to find online or on campus.
It doesn’t matter what problems you are facing there will be someone available to offer you support and guide you.
If you need emergency help or need to call someone immediately there are several organisations providing support to young adults across Ireland through helplines.
The Samaritans
The Samaritans offer a 24:7 text support service, 365 days a year, for anyone in emotional distress. This service is available nationwide.
To receive the service, simply send an SMS text message to 087 2 60 90 90. Or you can free call 116 123 for confidential support 24 hours a day.
Aware
Call: 1890 303302
Aware supports those who are directly affected by depression. They operate a helpline from 10am to 10pm Monday to Wednesday and 10am to 1am Thursday to Sunday.
The Aware Helpline is a non-directive listening service for people affected by depression, either as sufferers or as family and friends. You can also call the helpline if you are worried about someone who may be depressed or for information about depression or Aware services.
Contact Youth
Call: 0808 808 8000
Contact Youth provide counselling to young people in Northern Ireland, as they believe that all young people have the right to free and confidential counselling.
Parentline
Call: 1890 927 277
Sometimes it might not be the students who need the support but their parents. For over 20 years, Parentline has provided a completely confidential helpline for parents and guardians.
Parents phone Parentline with all sorts of problems. children of all ages offer different challenges so they are available no matter how old your child is.
Read more
Agri Careers: working on a farm with 8,500 Angus cows in South Dakota
‘Finances shouldn’t be a barrier for a child getting the support they need’
From dealing with disappointment on the day of the results to appealing grades or trying to decide what course to accept, there are a lot of uncertainties facing parents and students while they navigate the exam results process.
CAO offers
If you decide to accept an offer you need to do so online before the reply date.
If students receive an offer from both lists in the same round they must choose between them; they can only accept one offer from either their Level 8 or their Level 7/6 list in the one offer round.
Accepting an offer in round one will not prevent you from receiving an offer of a higher preference course in subsequent offer rounds.
If a place on a higher preference course becomes available in a later round, and if you’re entitled to this place, you may receive an offer that you can choose to accept or ignore.
Accepting the new offer will automatically cancel the previous acceptance. If you accept an offer online the CAO will send you an email of acknowledgement. Check your acceptance has been recorded online at www.cao.ie.
For students who don’t receive an offer in subsequent rounds, or if they are unhappy with the offer that they receive, they may apply through the Available Places facility on the CAO website. This facility opens in the days after round one offers are made available online.
The Available Places facility lists all of the courses which institutions have not yet filled. Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility criteria may apply for such courses. An application for an Available Places course does not guarantee an offer.
For any questions regarding the offers and acceptances, students and parents can contact the Galway-based CAO directly on 091 509800 or submit an email query form with details of your questions.
Searching for accommodation
Finding affordable accommodation has become extremely difficult, especially in the current accommodation crisis. Many students are forced to defer places as a result.
First years are normally given priority when it comes to student accommodation but these facilities come at a high price. Once you know what college you are going to, student unions can be a great help for guidance with the accommodation hunt.
Dublin City University Students Union have their own accommodation search facility to help connect students with landlords www.dcustudentpad.ie
Other useful websites are www.collegecribs.ie and www.daft.ie where you can search for rented accommodation in the locality of your college.
This includes houses, apartments and digs. Beware of housing scams, particularly on social media sites. If it seems to be too good to be true, it usually is.
A good tip is to get to know students in the same course as you but who are in a different year.
If they are moving out of their accommodation, they normally offer it around to other students and keep it within the student circle.
Other supports available include:
Threshold, the national charity, offers advice for students at www.threshold.ie The Residential Tenancy Board has an online dispute service if you’re having troubles with your landlord visit www.rtb.ie
College supports
Most colleges have a strong student union that is there to help voice the concerns and challenges facing students in that university. But what people might not know is there are many other supports you can avail of when you start your college course.
These are not just academic support.
Universities provide financial assistance to help students with several grants, funds and scholarships. They support students who are experiencing short or long-term financial difficulties while attending college.
The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial support to full-time or part-time students in higher education to help students with different costs including books, class materials, rent and bills.
Once you have your college place you can contact your specific university’s financial support services, which are easy to find online or on campus.
It doesn’t matter what problems you are facing there will be someone available to offer you support and guide you.
If you need emergency help or need to call someone immediately there are several organisations providing support to young adults across Ireland through helplines.
The Samaritans
The Samaritans offer a 24:7 text support service, 365 days a year, for anyone in emotional distress. This service is available nationwide.
To receive the service, simply send an SMS text message to 087 2 60 90 90. Or you can free call 116 123 for confidential support 24 hours a day.
Aware
Call: 1890 303302
Aware supports those who are directly affected by depression. They operate a helpline from 10am to 10pm Monday to Wednesday and 10am to 1am Thursday to Sunday.
The Aware Helpline is a non-directive listening service for people affected by depression, either as sufferers or as family and friends. You can also call the helpline if you are worried about someone who may be depressed or for information about depression or Aware services.
Contact Youth
Call: 0808 808 8000
Contact Youth provide counselling to young people in Northern Ireland, as they believe that all young people have the right to free and confidential counselling.
Parentline
Call: 1890 927 277
Sometimes it might not be the students who need the support but their parents. For over 20 years, Parentline has provided a completely confidential helpline for parents and guardians.
Parents phone Parentline with all sorts of problems. children of all ages offer different challenges so they are available no matter how old your child is.
Read more
Agri Careers: working on a farm with 8,500 Angus cows in South Dakota
‘Finances shouldn’t be a barrier for a child getting the support they need’
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: