Irish students can pursue university nursing degree without CAO points from September

Students across Ireland can earn a university degree outside the Leaving Cert points system from September 2023. 

That's according to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, who today (July 7) confirmed details of the landmark change. 

From September, students will be able to enroll in one of 23 degree courses across healthcare, enterprise, arts, and science in a further education institution, before progressing to a higher education institution to complete a fully-accredited degree. 

It's hoped the change will provide pathways to learners outside the traditional CAO process. 

Speaking today, Minister Harris said, "This is the single biggest transformation to education in decades. Today we launch 23 degree courses outside the points system. We know the points system has not worked for many of our young people.

"Today we can tell the next generation of students they can access degrees in nursing, business, engineering and media without ever having to worry about points.

"This is the start. We have much more to do but today, we change the system and ensure the learner is at the heart of all we do."

The minister continued: "My Department and I have made it a priority to change the unnecessarily stressful points race that the CAO system puts on our learners. I feel strongly that just because someone gets less points in their Leaving Cert than someone else, does not mean they should lose out on the opportunity to pursue their dream career. 

"With the launch of these courses today, we are making a significant change to how our third level system works and, most importantly, we are creating a more inclusive society in which students will have the opportunity to reach their potential without relying solely on an outdated system."

Minister Harris thanked the National Tertiary Office, the Higher Education Authority and SOLAS "for their leadership in driving this change forward". 

He also confirmed that the SUSI grant will still be available to applicants of these courses outside the points system. 

Details on the 14 tertiary education awards across 23 different courses will be delivered on a new National Tertiary Office (NTO) online portal from today. 

Featured courses include Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Popular Music Level 8 at Munster Technological University (upon completion of an access course at Cork College of FET), BSc (Hons) in General Nursing Level 8 at Atlantic TU (upon completion of an access course at an FET centre in Letterkenny, Sligo or Galway), and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Software Development Level 8 at MTU (upon completion of an access course at Cork College of FET). 

Director of the National Tertiary Office, Dr Fiona Maloney, said, "These new and supported pathways through further and higher education help students achieve their career goals and offer several advantages including local availability of courses with guaranteed progression and the removal of geographical and financial barriers." 

CEO of the Higher Education Authority, Dr Alan Wall, said it was "a pivotal day" for students seeking alternative routes to degree programmes. 

He said, "It is a proud day for the HEA and SOLAS because from the outset we believed, through the combined efforts of our sectors that these pathways could and should exist for students."