Leaving Cert students have been told that there will be extra third-level places available this year.
Minister for Education Norma Foley has said the extra capacity will ease demand caused by increased applications and the potential impact of accredited grades.
The Leaving Certificate written exams start tomorrow (Wednesday.)
Minister Foley said despite increases in the number of applications being made to the Central Application Office (CAO) “we’re actually talking really of an increase of just 300 Leaving Cert students”.
The Minister explained: “There are other students and perhaps some of them may be older candidates or mature students – they will have different mechanisms to achieve their place in college.”
As of May 1st over 84,000 people applied for college places.
Last year saw an inflation of 4.4% in results across all subject due to the calculated grades system. This option is also available to Leaving Cert students this year as ‘SEC accredited grades’ in addition to the traditional written exams, which they could choose between on a subject-by-subject basis.
The increased number of applicants, coupled with the potential grade inflation, could see points requirements for courses, calculated based on Leaving Cert results, increase once again.
To combat this, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris previously announced 4,500 additional places will be offered across third-level courses, on top of the 2,225 places added last year.
“When the challenge was put down to meet the needs of the class of 2020, they were substantially met last year and I have every faith that they will be met again this year for the class of 2021,” Ms Foley said.
Turning to the start of the written exams on Wednesday, the Minister wished students the best of luck and recognised the “enormous body of work” done by schools to allow for the accredited grades process to go ahead.
“I’m very pleased that the majority of students have opted to take both accredited grades, and the Leaving Cert exams,” Ms Foley said.
“It’s been a remarkably challenging year for them, but they have shown remarkable resilience, goodwill, and good humour,” she added.
Ms Foley said all measures have been taken at exam centres to ensure the written exams go ahead in line with public health advice.
“Students can rest easy that whatever needs to be done will be in place,” she said.