My child in her final year of school is keen to pursue nursing. However, her current exam scores have raised my concerns about her accumulating the necessary CAO points. Are alternatives available outside of this points system?
Obtaining a place in general nursing for numerous students completing their Leaving Cert has been an uphill battle ever since it transformed into a four-year, level-eight degree course just over two decades ago. However, there has been a shift in this trend.
Increased CAO points were once required, which have now seen a decrease due to the reintroduction of many positions that were previously cut during the economic recession.
Additionally, since 2023, a tertiary degree programme that doesn’t demand points has opened up outside of the CAO system. This scheme could be a significant turning point for individuals who are unable to attend courses such as nursing due to elevated points demands. More information regarding this can be found at nto.ie.
Should my child wish to study nursing, and the CAO points prove to be too much of a hurdle, are there still options available?
Available places to study tertiary general nursing degrees can be found at the Munster Technological University (MTU) and the Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
In these courses, the first year is spent in local further education or a post-Leaving Cert course (PLC). Upon successfully clearing the exams, students can shift to their local technological university to complete the degree, eliminating the requirement for any additional CAO applications.
PLCs have always provided these one-year, level-five pre-nursing programmes. The issue, however, was the unpredictability of whether this would grant students a slot in the nursing degree programme. This issue has been dealt with in the recently introduced pathway.
Another alternative is Hibernia College, an online learning platform offering both primary and secondary teacher training. In the previous year, it pioneered a level-eight honours degree programme in general nursing. Entrance requirements include a Leaving Cert with a minimum grade of H5 in two subjects and O6/H7 in four more. The annual tuition fee over the three-year course amounts to nearly €8,000.
The programme for this degree is undertaken on a full-time basis. Roughly half of the course is dedicated to clinical learning environments, despite the theory aspect being primarily delivered online. Most of the practical experience occurs during the summer months – specifically June through August, with a select few specialist opportunities taking place in October and November. A more comprehensive set of details can be found on hiberniacollege.com.
A consequence of recent changes is that general nursing has become far more accessible for typical students. The required CAO points for entry into general nursing experienced a decrease in 2024. The requirements were at their lowest in Castlebar at 342, closely followed by Letterkenny at 343, and were a bit higher at Sligo and Tralee, scoring 346 and 352 respectively. The highest requirements were observed at Trinity [Meath & St James’s] at 392, UCD at 410, DCU at 411 and Waterford requiring 418.
There is an expectation that this trend will continue into the following year. In light of these options, average students, who demonstrate significant determination, now have the capability to secure a general nursing degree pathway within Ireland.