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This page contains information about the CAO and the steps you will follow as you make your way to becoming an undergraduate student at MU.
The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications to undergraduate level 8 (and level 6/7) courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) - including Maynooth University (MU).
MU offers level 8 degree courses through the CAO.
There are different CAO applicant groups - such as Leaving Cert students, mature applicants, QQI applicants - and separate assessment processes apply depending on your applicant group. For information about the assessment process that applies to your group visit our How to Apply page.
4th November 2022 (12:00) CAO online application facility opens. CAO Change of Course choices facility opens.
20th January 2023 (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.
3rd 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
6th 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
5th 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
6th July (10:00) Round A offers for certain Non-Standard categories of applicants - applicants receive an offer by e-mail and SMS text
A small number of offers of places may be issued to applicants such as:
deferred applicants
mature applicants
applicants who have completed an Access course
those who need to make visa arrangements before taking a place
12th 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
3rd August (10:00) Round 0 offers for certain Non-Standard categories of applicant - applicants receive an offer by e-mail and SMS text
Offers of places which go to certain categories of applicant who are not competing with those awaiting 2023 examination results or who are assessed on other criteria:
graduate entry medicine applicants
additional mature
deferred
Access applicants
applicants presenting QQI FET/FETAC (2002-2023) for consideration
9th August (15:00) Round 0 acceptances closing date.
25th August Current year Leaving Certificate results issued
30th August (14:00) Round 1 offers available from 14:00 online - also issued by e-mail and SMS text.
Issue of main body of offers take place after Irish Leaving Certificate Examination results become available.
Applicants who have not received an offer will receive a `Statement of Application` e-mail.
31st August (12:00) Available Place facility opens
5th September (15:00) Round 1 acceptances closing date.
11th September (14:00) Round 2 offers available online.
13th September (15:00) Round 2 acceptances closing date.
19th September (10:00) Round 3 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
21st September (15:00) Round 3 acceptances closing date.
26th September (10:00) Round 4 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
28th September (15:00) Round 4 acceptances closing date.
3rd October (10:00) Round 5 offers available online - applicants will also receive an offer notification by e-mail and SMS text.
5th October (15:00) Round 5 acceptances closing date.
The normal closing date for CAO applications was February 1st.
The CAO closed for late applications on May 1st 2023.
The change of mind facility is open until July 1st to existing CAO applicants. Applicants can register an online change of course choices, free of charge.
This video shows how to use the CAO change of mind facility.
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.
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.
Electronic Engineering Mathematics Exam - 5th September 2023
The Department of Electronic Engineering at Maynooth University hold an Engineering Maths Exam annually for CAO applicants interested in MH304 and who do not meet the H4 Maths requirement.
The exam is based on the content covered by Paper One of the Leaving Certificate Higher Level Mathematics syllabus and consists of a two-hour examination. It provides prospective Engineering students with a second chance to secure the required H4 in Leaving Certificate Maths to meet the basic entry requirement for qualification to our Engineering degree.
Please note that the required pass grade in the Engineering Maths Exam is 60% and where there are more eligible applicants, following the maths exam, than places available, CAO points will be taken into consideration.
Minimum Entry Requirements (Matriculation Requirements)
Matriculation refers to the minimum requirements that must be met in order to start a course in the University. For Engineering students, the requirements, in addition to passing the Engineering Mathematics exam are:
Minimum entry CAO points 350
Two grade H5 or better,
Four grade O6/H7, including a pass in Irish, English and a science subject
Note that a foreign language is not required
The examination will take place the week at 11am on 5th September 2023 in BioScience & Engineering Lab E1.01a located on the ground floor.
Preparatory Course: 4th September 2023 @ 11am - all students registered for the Maths Entrance Exam will be automatically enrolled in this optional course.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact the Department of Electronic Engineering at electronic.engineering@mu.ie
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:
