The University offers places to applicants in order of merit, once they meet the minimum entry requirements (offers are made via the Central Applications Office or CAO). The order of merit is calculated based on a points system, with places allocated to applicants with the required points according to their list of CAO preferences.
Points awarded for Leaving Certificate subjects until 2016
| Grade |
Higher |
Ordinary |
| A1 |
100 |
60 |
| A2 |
90 |
50 |
| B1 |
85 |
45 |
| B2 |
80 |
40 |
| B3 |
75 |
35 |
| C1 |
70 |
30 |
| C2 |
65 |
25 |
| C3 |
60 |
20 |
| D1 |
55 |
15 |
| D2 |
50 |
10 |
| D3 |
45 |
5 |
New Grade Scheme for Leaving Certificate from 2017
| Pre-2017 Grade Scheme (current) |
% marks |
New Grade Scheme from 2017 (Higher / Ordinary) |
| A1 |
90-100 |
90-100 |
H1 / O1 |
| A2 |
85<90 |
80<90 |
H2 / O2 |
| B1 |
80<85 |
80<90 |
H2 / O2 |
| B2 |
75<80 |
70<80 |
H3 / O3 |
| B3 |
70<75 |
70<80 |
H3 / O3 |
| C1 |
65<70 |
60<70 |
H4 / O4 |
| C2 |
60<65 |
60<70 |
H4 / O4 |
| C3 |
55<60 |
50<60 |
H5 / O5 |
| D1 |
50<55 |
50<60 |
H5 / O5 |
| D2 |
45<50 |
40<50 |
H6 / O6 |
| D3 |
40<45 |
40<50 |
H6 / O6 |
| E |
25<40 |
30<40 |
H7 / O7 |
| F |
10<25 |
0<30 |
H8 / O8 |
| NG |
0<10 |
0<30 |
H8 / O8 |
New Grades and Common Points Scale for Leaving Certificate 2017
| Grade (%) |
Points |
Grade (%) |
Points |
| H1 (90-100) |
100 |
|
|
| H2 (80<90) |
88 |
|
|
| H3 (70<80) |
77 |
|
|
| H4 (60<70) |
66 |
|
|
| H5 (50<60) |
56 |
O1 (90-100) |
56 |
| H6 (40<50) |
46 |
O2 (80<90) |
46 |
| H7 (30<40) |
37 |
O3 (70<80) |
37 |
| H8 (0<30) |
0 |
O4 (60<70) |
28 |
| |
|
O5 (50<60) |
20 |
| |
|
O6 (40<50) |
12 |
| |
|
O7 (30<40) |
0 |
| |
|
O8 (0<30) |
0 |
LCVP (Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme) Link Modules Grading until 2016
| Distinction |
70 |
| Merit |
50 |
| Pass |
30 |
LCVP (Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme) Link Modules Grading from 2017
| LCVP Grade |
Revised LCVP Points |
| Distinction |
66 |
| Merit |
46 |
| Pass |
28 |
Applicants can use their points allocation for the Link Modules as one of their best six subjects for the purpose of calculating points, but the Link Modules do not qualify as a subject for minimum entry requirement purposes.
CAO Points - Old v New Grade Comparisons - links to the CareersPortal website
GENERAL NOTES RE: MATRICULATION
Minimum Entry Requirements Summary
- Minimum entry requirements for all degrees (apart from MH001/MH002): applicants must present a minimum of 6 subjects in their Leaving Certificate, with 2 Higher Level H5 and 4 Ordinary or Higher Level O6/H7, including Irish and English.
- The minimum requirements for MH001 and MH002 are 3 Higher Level H5, and 3 Ordinary Level O6 or Higher Level H7. The minimum subject requirements are H4 Irish (H3 minimum required for MH002), O4/H7 English and O4/H7 Maths.
- Foundation level Mathematics is accepted for matriculation (grade F6 or higher), but does not meet the requirement for degrees where Mathematics is a special programme requirement. Points are not awarded for this subject.
- Foundation level Irish is not accepted for matriculation. Points are not awarded for this subject.
Exemptions from minimum entry requirements:
Entry to a level 8 degree at Maynooth University requires the applicant to present certain Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) marks in Irish, English and in the case of some degrees - a third language.
If you are seeking an exemption from minimum entry requirements such as Irish (ROI applicants only) or a third language, you must apply to the NUI for an official exemption. It is necessary to send a completed Exemption Application Form and other relevant material.
NB: A Department of Education and Science exemption will not suffice; it must be an NUI exemption
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) Link Modules
Points are awarded as follows:
> Distinction 66
> Merit 46
> Pass 28
Applicants can use their points allocation for the Link Modules as one of their best six subjects for the purpose of calculating points, but the Link Modules do not qualify as a subject for minimum entry requirement purposes.
Applicants under 23 must meet the matriculation (registration) requirements of the National University of Ireland (NUI) as follows:
- Leaving Certificate or equivalent with a minimum of two recognised subjects at Higher Level grade H5 and four O6 at Ordinary or Higher Level grade H7. In addition, the Leaving Certificate subjects required to satisfy Maynooth University Faculty requirements are as shown in the information above.
See the Minimum Entry Requirements for details of the minimum entry requirements for each individual degree (points required for each degree can change each year). The information sets out that particular year's (2021) Leaving Certificate points requirement for entry to Maynooth University, along with the minimum university and degree course entry requirements. The points for 2022 entry will not be known until the CAO offers are issued in 2022.
(For applicants presenting pre-2017 Leaving Certificate: one grade E in a Higher Level Leaving Certificate subject will be accepted if the candidate has amongst her/his other subjects three grade C3 awards on Higher Level papers, or at least one grade B3 and one grade C3 on Higher Level papers at Leaving Certificate).
The subject Mathematics (Leaving Certificate - Foundation Level) is accepted for matriculation purposes, but not as a substitute for the subject Mathematics in faculties or courses for which this subject is currently an entry requirement. If an applicant is presenting six Leaving Certificate subjects only, an F6 in Foundation Level Mathematics or higher will be accepted for matriculation purposes only. Entry points will not be awarded for this subject.
The Leaving Certificate subject ‘Ghaeilge - Bonnleibhéal’ (Irish - Foundation Level) is not accepted for matriculation or points purposes.
LCVP (Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme) Link Modules Grading from 2017
| LCVP Grade |
Revised LCVP Points |
| Distinction |
66 |
| Merit |
46 |
| Pass |
28 |
LCVP (Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme) Link Modules Grading until 2016
| Distinction |
70 |
| Merit |
50 |
| Pass |
30 |
Applicants can use their points allocation for the Link Modules as one of their best six subjects for the purpose of calculating points, but the Link Modules do not qualify as a subject for minimum entry requirement purposes.
In general, students must be 17 years or older by 15th January in the year after entry to the University. If you are younger, you must make a special application to the University’s President. A mature student is someone who is 23 years or older by 1st January in the year of entry to the University. For part-time degrees the mature age is 21 by the 1st January in the year of entry.
School-leaver applicants are those who are under 23 years of age and who are due to sit their Leaving Certificate in the year of entry to Maynooth University (or who wish to present their Leaving Certificate results from a previous year in order to compete for a place on one of our degrees - processed through the CAO).
Restricted degree courses at Maynooth University
Certain degrees are subject to restricted-application procedures. This means it is only possible to apply for them after the initial February 1 deadline if you pay an additional fee (click here for more). These degrees have early assessment procedures, such as interviews and auditions, usually around Easter.
The following courses are restricted application, therefore you must apply to the CAO before 1 February, listing the restricted course code: MH103, MH116, MH802.
Applicants with a disability or specific learning difficulty who require examination support for the assessments
Applicants must download and submit by March 15th the Request for Examination Supports Form. You should send in this completed form along with your supporting documentation to Bridget Gormley, Disability Office, MAP Lodge, North Campus, Maynooth University, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
The closing date for requesting examination supports is 15th March. Applications for examination supports after this date will not be considered.
Visit the Supporting Students with a Disability section of the website for further information about the supports we provide.
See the Minimum Entry Requirements poster for specific entry requirements for individual degrees.
For full details of NUI matriculation (registration) requirements including information for Northern Ireland and overseas students and on exemption from Irish, contact:
The National University of Ireland
49 Merrion Square
Dublin 2
T: +353 1 676 7246/676 3429
www.nui.ie
With effect from 20.1.2017 for entry 2017 and subsequently, a third language is not required for any of the MH400 and MH500 degrees; namely MH401, MH403, MH404, MH405, MH407, MH411 as well as MH501 and MH502.
