About Available Places/Vacant Places           

If any places remain unfilled in particular courses after all offers have been made and the waiting lists of applicants meeting minimum entry requirements have been exhausted, such vacancies will be advertised.

Where there are Available Places/Vacant Places in specific courses, HEIs will advertise these on the CAO website. Before making an “Available Place/Vacant Place” application, those matching the description “Restricted Categories of Applicant” on Page 3 of the CAO handbook should first consult with the Admissions Office of the HEI concerned.
  • Persons who have not applied already may make an Available Place application on payment of a fee of €45.00.
  • Persons who have applied already (whether placed or not) may apply for an Available Place on-line without payment of a further fee (when available).
  • Applicants for Available Places/Vacant Places must meet the normal minimum entry requirements for the course(s) in question. Previously published points in an earlier round of offers should not be taken as an indication of the points required for entry to Available Places/Vacant Places.
  • The Available Place facility operates on a weekly schedule of applications, offers and acceptances. Applications that arrive in CAO before 11:00 on a Monday will be processed and considered for offers on the following Thursday. An offer posted on a Thursday will be available to view on the CAO website the following day.
  • Previously published points in an earlier round of offers in the current year should not be taken as being the points requirements for available place courses.
  • Available/Vacant place course codes may only be inserted higher in your list of preferences than any offer which you have received to date.
  • If you still wish to be considered for any existing courses, you must insert all available place courses below those you wish to retain.
  • Except for courses in which available places have been advertised, you may not re-order your original course choices.
  • You may only have a total of 10 course choices in any course list (Level 8 and Level 7/6). If you wish to add an available place course to a list already containing 10 entries, the course code at the bottom of the list (i.e., preference 10) will be deleted.
  • Mature applicants and applicants who have qualifications other than 1985-2010 Irish Leaving Cert and/or 2002-2010 FETAC Level 5/6 are categorised as Non-Standard Applicants. Such applicants must contact the appropriate HEI before completing an application.
  • Acceptance of an offer of an Available Place automatically cancels and supersedes any previous offer(s) and acceptance(s).