Adding/editing personal or exam information

1. Can I change my name?
    
   If you need to change your name you must email CAO via the Correspondence Section of your account. When applying to CAO you should enter your name as it appears on your Birth Certificate or Passport. If you wish to apply under a different name, HEIs will require proof of identification at registration.

2. I put in the wrong date of birth, how can I change this?
    
   Please email us via the Correspondence Section of your account requesting this change.

3. I need to change my address/email address/telephone number, what do I do?
    
   You may change some of your personal information (e.g. postal address, telephone number and email address) online using the My Application facility. If you change personal information online, an acknowledgement will be sent to your email address. Please check that your change has been updated by using the My Application facility.

4. I forgot to tick a box in the Qualifications and Assessments section.
    
   If you forgot to tick the box to indicate a qualification, or you selected the wrong box, please email us via the Correspondence Section of your account to let us know and we will update your account. Please allow some time for your request to be processed.

5. When am I permitted to edit the Qualifications and Assessments section of my account?
    
   There are different intervals when you will be permitted to edit the Qualifications and Assessments section of your application. These intervals are:

   • 6 November – 1 March at 5pm (all applicants)
   • 5 March – 1 May at 5pm* (*only for those who applied using the Late Application facility)
   • It will be possible to edit LCE/QQI/GCE examination details for a period after the issue of the Statement of Application Record email in May (if you log in to your account you will be able to see if the facility is open to you for amendments).
   • The facility to supply prior year GCE examination data will close in late July.
   • The facility to supply current year GCE examination data will close in late July.

   If you wish to make changes outside of these intervals (or if you are an ‘Other School Leaving’ applicant or a mature applicant) you can email CAO via the Correspondence Section of your account to request changes.

6. How can I obtain my Leaving Certificate examination number?
    
   Leaving Certificate examination numbers can be obtained from your school or the State Examinations Commission.

7. I need to add/edit my Leaving Certificate exam number, what do I do?
    
   You can add/edit your examination details via the Qualifications and Assessment section of your CAO account (when it is permitted to do so – see dates in Q5 above).
   Please enter your six digit LC examination number carefully, and include the correct year. This is not to be confused with your eight digit CAO application number.
   If you have more than one sitting of the Leaving Certificate, please make sure to include all years and examination numbers in the spaces provided.
   Please allow some time for your change to be reflected in your CAO Account.
   
   If you are sitting the Leaving Certificate this year, and you have indicated this on your application form, CAO will receive your Leaving Certificate examination number directly from the State Examinations Commission. You must verify that this number is correct when prompted to do so via the Statement of Application Record in May.

8. I need to update my PPS number, what do I do?
    
   You can edit your PPSN via the Qualifications and Assessment section of your account (when it is permitted to do so – see dates in Q5 above). Please enter your PPSN carefully. Please allow some time for your change to be reflected in your CAO Account.

9. I need to update my GCE/A Level information, what do I do?
    
   You can add/edit your examination details via the Qualifications and Assessment section of your CAO account (when it is permitted to do so – see dates in Q5 above).
   Prior year results should be entered under the "2006-2024 GCE A/AS and/or GCSE Examination Details:" table. You must also supply evidence of any prior year results by upload or post.
   Current year examination data must be entered under the "GCE A/AS Level examinations TO BE TAKEN:" table. 
   
   Documents supplied must be produced by the Exam Board (i.e. they must show the exam board logo) and must be certified photocopies.
   A certified photocopy means that you photocopy the documents and then bring both the originals and the photocopies to an acceptable person or body (School, University, Police Station, Admissions Office, Notary) where they will stamp the photocopy as being a true copy of the original.
   
   You must retain original copies of your transcripts or certificates as you may be required to present these to HEIs in advance of registration. Failure to present the required documents upon request of a HEI may result in a HEI withdrawing an offer of a place or declining to register you as a student.

10. I need to edit the mature form?
     
    You can edit the mature form as many times as you like, up to 1st March at 5pm. It is not possible to edit the form after 1st March at 5pm.

11. I am an Other School Leaving applicant and my qualifications are not appearing in my account, what should I do?
     
    Examinations/qualifications other than Irish Leaving Certificate, QQI FET/FETAC, and GCE/A Level are not shown on your CAO account. Your qualifications are taken into account on the basis of the certificates and information you have supplied, if any. You can view the documents that you have supplied by logging in to your CAO account, going to the Qualifications and Assessments section and clicking on ‘View Supporting Documents’ (when it is permitted to do so, see Question 14 below).

12. How do I inform you about my exemption?
     
    For more information about exemptions, please click here: Exemptions

13. My exemption isn’t recorded, what should I do?
     
    For more information about exemptions, please click here: Exemptions

14. When can I view my supporting documents?
     
    From 17 April, you can view documents you have sent to CAO by clicking on 'View Supporting Documents'. If the 'View Supporting Documents' facility is not available to you, this is because you have not sent any documents to CAO or your documentation was not received by 31st March. Documents received after the end of March are processed and added to accounts on a fortnightly basis. If you have sent documents to arrive after 31st March you must check your account no later than 30th June to ensure they have been uploaded. Please note: HEAR and/or DARE documentation is not available to view via 'View Supporting Documents'.

15. Should I click confirm on my application?
     
    Clicking on the confirm button will not prevent you from making changes to your course choices up to 1st July at 5pm.
    If you make subsequent changes to your course choices via the Change of Mind facility, you should log back into your account to make sure that all of your courses are correct and listed in the preferred order of preference before the facility closes on 1st July at 5pm.
    
    If the only item outstanding on your account is the supply to CAO of certified photocopies of grades in summer qualifications (see Summer Examination Results - CAO Handbook) then you should click 'confirm' now.
    Remember to send evidence of your grades to CAO as soon as they become available.

16. I have a Department of Education Exemption from taking Irish in secondary school - what do I need to do?
     
    If you have been granted an exemption from completing Irish at secondary school by the Department of Education, it will still be necessary to follow the steps outlined at cao.ie/exemptions in order to obtain an exemption from Higher Education Institution minimum entry requirements.
    A school exemption will not be sufficient.