What is a Mature Applicant?
Normally mature applicants should be 23 years old on or before 1 January of the year of admission.
When should a Mature Applicant apply to CAO?
It is extremely important that Mature Applicants have registered on the CAO system before 1 February at 5pm. Most HEIs will not consider applicants on mature grounds who apply after 1 February. The Mature Applicant Form (part of the CAO Application Form) must be completed by 1 March 2027 at 5pm (please read the instructions at CAO mature applicant information before completing this section).
Please note: Some HEIs may have a different age requirement, different definitions of mature applicants, etc., and some will consider applications received after the 1 February closing date.
What are the entry requirements for mature applicants?
Before you start your CAO application you should take some time to review the prospectuses and websites of the institutions that you are interested in applying to for more information. If you have questions, contact the Admissions Officers of the individual institutions and ask them to explain the entry requirements and if a quota of places applies.
See the Direct Applications section of the CAO Handbook (page 33) for advice on whether to apply through CAO or directly.
What information is required in the Mature Applicant Form?
HEIs wish to carefully evaluate applications from mature applicants and, therefore, need certain information to be provided using the Mature Applicant Form (see CAO mature applicant information for more information on completing sections 1-11):
- Highest Qualification to Date.
- Current Studies
- Post-secondary Education
- Second Level Education
- Non-certificate Courses
- Employment or Voluntary Work
- English Language Proficiency (if applicable)
- References
- Statement of Interest
- Hobbies/Interests
- Additional Information
Please note: School leaving examinations and QQI FET/FETAC results presented by mature applicants are also considered in the normal competition for places. You must ensure that you indicate this by ticking the relevant section(s) in the Qualification and Assessment Summary and providing the information required in these sections.
Mature applicants to the following courses
- Nursing/Midwifery
- Primary teaching
- Graduate-entry courses
are not required to complete Mature Applicant Sections 1-11 UNLESS you are also applying for other courses and wish to be considered on the grounds of mature years for those courses.
For more information on nursing/midwifery/ graduate programmes go to the Interviews and Assessments section of the CAO Handbook (page 24).
Mature entry to primary teaching
If you are applying for mature entry to primary teaching in Dublin City University, Marino Institute of Education, Mary Immaculate College Limerick or Maynooth University, you must apply to CAO by 1 February at 5pm. In March, those meeting the eligibility criteria will be sent an email (to the email account registered to their CAO account) with instructions for completing and submitting a supplementary form.
What supporting documents do I need to supply?
You should supply:
- Evidence of any qualifications that have been mentioned in the Mature Applicant Form (within 10 days of registering with CAO)
- Supplementary information that you were unable to include in the space provided
- Any documentation required by each of the institutions to which you are applying
- If English is not your first language you must provide evidence of competency in the English language.
For more information, contact the Admissions Office of the institution(s) that you are applying to.
What is the deadline for submitting my documents?
You should supply your supporting documents to CAO within 10 days of registering with CAO.
How will my qualifications be assessed?
Mature Applicants applying on the basis of mature years are assessed directly by the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). You will need to check with individual HEI Admissions Offices for information on how qualifications will be assessed
In some cases, HEIs may also consider Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Applicants are advised to contact their preferred HEI directly to confirm whether RPL is available and to understand the specific requirements involved. You will find HEI contact details at cao.ie/hei
When will I be notified of an offer?
Applicants being assessed on the basis of mature years will be considered for offers in Round A, which is usually in early July. Some additional offers may issue to mature applicants in Round Zero (early August).
Mature applicants who are competing on the basis of school leaving qualifications (for example, Leaving Certificate results) will be considered in Round One