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
The Minimum Entry Requirements poster (linked below) summarises the minimum entry requirements for each individual degree. The points required for each degree can change each year.
Minimum Entry Requirements
Below are general notes regarding matriculation (see the link above to access full summary details in .PDF poster format).
- 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. Gaeltacht Language Planning Area residency required for MH002.
- 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. Visit the NUI website for the most up-to-date information and application.
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.
(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).
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
Two of our degrees are restricted application because they involve early assessments. Click here for more about restricted degree courses at MU.
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 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.
