Welcome to our CAO Hub - helping you on your way to becoming an MU undergraduate student this September.
The short video below will guide you through the CAO Offer and Acceptance Process.
CAO
Toggle CAO schedule 2024
CAO - CENTRAL APPLICATIONS OFFICE - CYCLE 2024
6th November 2023 (12:00)
CAO online application facility opens.
CAO Change of Course choices facility opens
20th January 2024 (17:00)
Apply online by this date to avail of the discounted application fee of €30.
1st February (17:00)
Normal closing date for applications.
6th February (12:00)
Online facility to amend course choices becomes available (€10 Fee)
Before 15th February
Paper Applicants will be sent a Statement of Course Choices
(Contact CAO if you do not receive it)
1st March (17:00)
Closing date for amending course choices
Closing date for completion of mature section of application form
Closing date for final completion of online HEAR/DARE forms
5th March (12:00)
Late application facility opens.
15th March (17:00)
Latest date for HEAR/DARE supporting documentation to arrive in CAO
1st May (17:00)
Closing date for late applications
7th May (12:00)
Online Change of Mind facility becomes available (Free)
Before 15th May
Late Paper Applicants will be sent a Statement of Course Choices
(Contact CAO if you do not receive it)
Before End of May
Statement of Application Record sent to all applicants
(Contact CAO if you do not receive it)
1st July (17:00)
Change of Mind closes
5th July (10:00)
Round A offers for certain Non-Standard categories of applicants - applicants receive an offer by e-mail and SMS text
11th July (15:00)
Round A acceptances closing date
22nd July (17:00)
Exceptional closing date for late applications for those already attending a participating HEI
8th August (10:00)
Round 0 offers for certain Non-Standard categories of applicant - applicants receive an offer by e-mail and SMS text
13th August (15:00)
Round 0 acceptances closing date.
23rd August
Current year Leaving Certificate results issued
28th August (14:00)
Round 1 offers available from 14:00 online - also issued by e-mail and SMS text.
Applicants who have not received an offer will receive a `Statement of Application` e-mail.
29th August (12:00)
Available Place facility opens
3rd September (15:00)
Round 1 acceptances closing date.
9th September (14:00)
Round 2 offers available online.
11th September (15:00)
Round 2 acceptances closing date.
17th September (10:00)
Round 3 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
19th September (15:00)
Round 3 acceptances closing date.
24th September (10:00)
Round 4 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
26th September (15:00)
Round 4 acceptances closing date.
1st October (10:00)
Round 5 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
3rd October (15:00)
Round 5 acceptances closing date.
TBC
Results of Leaving Certificate appeals released
3rd October
Offer Season Ends.
5th November 2024
CAO application facility opens for 2025 applications
Access - Accommodation - Fees - Scholarships - Student Supports
New First Year Students 2024 - Welcome Pack
All new students are sent a welcome pack in the post before Welcome Week (week commencing September 23rd). This contains the following information leaflets - designed by offices within the University to assist our new students in their transition to MU.
CAO Application - Data Protection
Maynooth University aims to ensure the security and privacy of an applicant’s personal data by preventing the release of any details relating to a CAO applicant to any unauthorised person.
All enquiries about an applicant’s course choice/offer can only be discussed with the applicant. If a third party is enquiring on behalf of an applicant, the applicant must be present and give full permission (by phone/email etc.) to Maynooth University’s Admissions Office to discuss his/her course choices/results/offers with the third party. In all cases, the applicant will be required to confirm he/she is the applicant in question. Each applicant will be asked to confirm the following:
-
CAO number
-
Full Name
-
Full Address
-
Date of Birth
Deferring your CAO Offer
CAO Information Evening Webinar Videos - January 2024
| 1. Meet Maynooth University Students |
| 2. The CAO Application Process |
| 3. MH101 & Specialised Arts Degrees |
| 4. Business and Law/Criminology |
| 5. Education/Teaching Options |
| 6. Science & Engineering Options |
| 7. Mature Student and QQI/PLC Applicants |
CAO 2024 Application Process & Order of Preference Listing
Applying through the CAO Central Applications Office
Apply for your choice of level 8 bachelor’s degree through the Central Applications Office (CAO).
All applicants (except EU occasional and non-EU students) must apply through the Central Applications Office.
Apply online at www.cao.ie or request details from:
Central Applications Office, Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway + 353 91 509800
- The main deadline for submission of applications is 1st February 2024 - application opens in early November 2023.
- A standard fee applies (apply by January 20th for a reduced fee).
- Late applications are accepted up to 1st May 2024, on payment of an additional fee, however certain degree courses are no longer available for application at this stage. See restricted-application courses opposite for more details.
- A change of mind facility is available up to 1st July 2024.
- Applicants already in third level education, who were admitted via the CAO, may submit applications up to 22nd July.
Order of preference
On your CAO application you are invited to enter your choice of courses in ‘order of preference’. It is essential that you list your selected courses in order of choice. Put your first choice in the number one position, followed by your second and third choice, and so on. The University offers places to applicants in order of merit, once they meet the minimum entry requirements. The order of merit is calculated based on a points system (available via this link). Places are allocated to applicants with the required points according to their list of CAO preferences, with applicants who meet the points requirements being offered their course in order of preference. For this reason it is essential that you list your CAO course choices in your genuine order of preference. The University distinguishes between applicants who have equal points by appending a randomly generated number to each score. The combined score/random number is the final determinant of position in the order of merit (this is called Random Selection).
How to apply - Information for different applicant types
Level 8 Degrees
Flexibility and open choice option at MU
OPC (CAO application option – open choice to all degree streams)
Making a final decision on the list of level 8 degree choices can be quite a challenge. We have therefore broadened the first year entry on many of our degrees in order to open up progression options to our students. This means that many first year students can spend the first few weeks of semester one sampling subjects or pathways within their degree before deciding on their options.
The MH101 Bachelor of Arts Degree is a popular choice due to the wide subject range and optional pathways into 2nd year of some specialised degree. See the tab below for more on MH101.
Open choice is an option in a number of our degrees. This gives new Maynooth University students the opportunity to sample the streams available within their chosen degree during the first few weeks of semester one. Applicants choose open choice on their MU CAO application and decide on their preferred degree stream following admission. Applicants must meet any minimum entry requirements for their preferred stream. Available in these degrees - click for more details.
MH101 The Maynooth Bachelor of Arts Degree
THE MAYNOOTH BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE - MH101 - THE CAO'S MOST POPULAR FIRST PREFERENCE COURSE
- The Maynooth Bachelor of Arts Degree MH101 has been among the top preference CAO courses for a number of years, receiving most first preference applications.
- By choosing the Maynooth BA degree, a wide variety of interesting subjects is opened up to you.
- Hundreds of subject combinations are available and you don't have to make any decision on your subject choices until you have sampled as many as you wish over the first four weeks of first year.
- Flexible 2nd year pathways and lots of choice are what makes the MH101 degree so appealing to our applicants.
MH101 - The Maynooth Bachelor of Arts Degree