School Leavers
How to Apply: Leaving Certificate students
Applications are made through the Central Applications Office (CAO). The 2011 CAO online Application system is available from 1st November, 2010 (12:00pm). Supplies of application literature should be available in post-primary schools in Ireland or contact: The Central Applications Office, Tower House, Eglington Street, Galway. Tel: 091-509800. Visit CAO website.
There is a normal fee for applications received on or before 5:15pm, 1st February 2011. Late applications to the CAO will be accepted up to and including 1st May, 2011 on payment of an additional fee.
Late applications will not be considered for the BA (Hons) in Music (course code WD027), as assessment tests will be held in April 2011. Applicants already in third-level education may apply later than this.
Note: When making your application, it is very important to list your courses in genuine order of preference.
In late August, the first round of offers of places is issued from the CAO. Further offers may be made in subsequent rounds if all places are not filled following the first round offers.
If you have any questions or require assistance as you complete your CAO form, our admissions office staff will be happy to help you. They can be contacted on the numbers and email addresses on the Admissions homepage.
The following applicants for undergraduate courses must apply through the CAO by 1st February:
- EU nationals presenting with Irish Leaving Certificate or FETAC certificate qualifications.
- EU nationals presenting with other European School Leaving qualifications.
- Non-EU nationals presenting with Irish Leaving Certificate or FETAC Certificate qualifications.
- Non-EU nationals presenting with other European School Leaving qualifications.
- Refugees presenting with Irish Leaving Certificate, FETAC Certificate qualifications, European School Leaving qualifications or Non-European School Leaving qualifications.
In the case of the Leaving Certificate you may combine results from more than one sitting for the purposes of entry requirements only.
Calculation of Points
WIT will award points for Leaving Certificate grades according to the tables below. Points are counted for the six best subjects achieved at one sitting of the Leaving Certificate.
Points for Leaving Certificate results from 1992 and after:
| Leaving Certificate Grade | Ordinary Level Points | Higher Level Points |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 60 | 100 |
| A2 | 50 | 90 |
| B1 | 45 | 85 |
| B2 | 40 | 80 |
| B3 | 35 | 75 |
| C1 | 30 | 70 |
| C2 | 25 | 65 |
| C3 | 20 | 60 |
| D1 | 15 | 55 |
| D2 | 10 | 50 |
| D3 | 5 | 45 |
Leaving Certificate results from sittings earlier than 1992 will be scored as follows:
| Leaving Certificate Grade | Ordinary Level Points | Higher Level Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 55 | 95 |
| B | 40 | 80 |
| C | 25 | 65 |
| D | 10 | 60 |
Qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate
FETAC Certificate
This scheme provides for the scoring of applicants presenting FETAC (NCVA) examination results. The scored results will be entered into the CAO system in the normal way.
The following minimum entry requirements will apply to graduates of FETAC Level 5 seeking admission to courses at Waterford Institute of Technology:
- Higher Certificate (Level 6): Minimum entry: FETAC Level 5 award
- Ab-initio Degree (Level 7): Minimum entry: FETAC Level 5 award
- Ab-initio Honours Degree (Level 8): Minimum entry: FETAC Level 5 award including a distinction grade in at least three modules.
A full FETAC award normally contains eight modules. Where a full award is accumulated over more than one academic year, it is the responsibility of the applicant to apply to FETAC for a full award. A record of achievement does not meet these minimum entry standards.
An overall point score is calculated based on the best eight modules presented. For modules with a credit value of 1, scores awarded are as follows:
- Pass: 20 points
- Merit: 35 points
- Distinction: 50 points
Scores are adjusted pro rata to take account of credit values other than 1 for the module. Scores are also adjusted pro rata to take account of the module level; as follows:
- Level 1 scores are multiplied by 0.5
- Level 2 scores are multiplied by 1.0
- Level 3 scores are multiplied by 1.25
The maximum number of points that can be obtained is 400. FETAC results cannot be added to Leaving Certificate points. Where applicants have taken both exams, the higher points will be considered for rating purposes.
Applications must be made through the CAO by the 1st February. If you are taking 2011 FETAC examinations, please ensure to enter your examination number on page one of the CAO application form.
WIT will not accept any responsibility for loss or hardship arising from failure to follow the above instructions.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programmes - Minimum Entry Requirements
Students are eligible for consideration for entry to nursing programmes when they obtain:
- A pass FETAC Level 5 course i.e. DCHSN (Nursing Studies) or DCHSX (Community and Health Services)
- Applicants must have achieved a minimum of five distinctions in the appropriate FETAC Level 5 award, which must include the following modules:
- D20001 Anatomy and Physiology
- D20012 Introduction to Nursing
- D20032 Human Growth and Development or C20006 Biology
- G20001 Communications.
Leaving Certificate Vocational & Leaving Certificate Applied
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme
Waterford Institute of Technology treats the link modules as a single subject and awards points as follows:
- Distinction: 70 points
- Merit: 50 points
- Pass: 30 points
This is automatically computed by the CAO and will count if it is one of your six best subjects. It will not, however, substitute for an honour where one or more are required.
Leaving Certificate Applied Programme
The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme was designed primarily to prepare students for the transition from school to working life. It is not intended for direct tansfer into third level. However, students with the LCAP who have completed a FETAC award can be considered for entry.
Deferring a Place
WIT will consider sympathetically requests from applicants, who, have been successful in gaining a place in the Institute, decide that they wish to defer their entry until the following year.
Deferrals will be subject to the Institute offering the course in the year the applicant proposes to enter the Institute and applicants should also note that a grant offered in the current year might not be available in the year of commencing studies.
WIT will not allow any applicant to hold either:
- more than one deferral, or
- a deferral and an acceptance in any given year
Deferral Procedures
On recipt of an offer notice:
- Do not accept the offer in the manner shown on the offer notice. Do not make any payment.
- Write immediately to the Admissions Office setting out the reason(s) for the request.
- The letter must arrive in the Admissions Office at least two days before the "reply date" shown on the offer notice. Please ensure that the top left hand corner of the envelope is clearly marked with the word "deferral".
- Part C of the offer notice must be attached to the letter.
- WIT will communicate its decision to the applicant.
- In order to take up the deferred place, the applicant must re-apply to the CAO by 1st February of the succeeding year, placing the deferred course as the first and only preference.
Receiving an Offer
In order to receive an offer of a place, you must:
- be qualified for the course, and
- in the event that there is competition for places, you must attain the required minimum points.
We will offer places to qualified applicants in order of decreasing point scores and the minimum score will be that attained by the last candidate offered a place.
Decisions on applications are normally taken in August and September following receipt of the results of the annual school-leaving examinations. In the cases of very few applicants, mainly mature applicants or those living outside the EU, decisions may be taken at an earlier date. Normally, however, you should not expect to have decisions before August.
All offers of places will be sent by post from the CAO. In addition, offers will be presented online at the CAO website www.cao.ie and you may record your acceptance online.
Absence at Offer Stage
Experience has shown that difficulties can arise if you are not available at the Offer Stage. Unless you have access to the CAO Website (www.cao.ie) it is strongly recommended that you should be at your correspondance address in August/September when offers of places are issued, or have another person at the address briefed clearly on what to do. If you fail to deal with an offer properly and on time you may lose the place.
Offer Procedures
Offers will be issued independantly in respect of Level 8 and Level 7/Level 6 courses, so that some applicants may receive two offers of places simultaneously.
Acceptance
If you receive more than one offer you may take successive acceptances but an acceptance automatically cancels and supersedes any previous acceptance(s) - you may have only one current acceptance in the entire CAO system.
Formal Offers
If you are being offered one or more places, you may view an offer on the CAO website at www.cao.ie and accept it online. In addition, formal offer notices will be sent by post together with the necessary instructions as how to proceed.
You may accept an offer either online or by complying in full with all the instructions set out in the offer notice. Do not do both.
Lapse of Offers
An offer will lapse unless you accept it within a specified period - i.e. unless the online or paper acceptance is received in CAO by 5:15pm on the Reply Date set out in the Offer Notice.
Registration
Registration of first-year students will take place early in September with start-up of classes commencing immediately.
Addendum to the Academic Regulations for Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Programmes 2011-2012
To become a student of WIT, individuals must be fully registered on a programme of study. WIT does not consider an applicant to be a student until they have fully completed the registration process. A CAO or direct entry applicant is not considered to be student solely on the basis of an offer of a place in WIT and/or acceptance of such an offer. All offers are subject to the regulations of the Institute.
- Registration must take place at the times and manner specified by WIT.
- The Institute reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refuse to register a CAO or direct entry applicant where to do so might either (a) impact on the Institute’s obligation to maintain a positive learning environment and/or (b) on the Institute’s duty of care to others.
- Where an applicant is not permitted to register on a programme of study, that decision will be communicated to the applicant in writing. In those circumstances, the applicant will be afforded a right of response and an appeal to the President in accordance with established fair procedures.
- Where matters exist that might ultimately result in the Institute exercising its discretion to refuse to register an applicant on a programme of study, the prospective applicant is required to contact the [Registrar] for advice prior to applying to the Institute.
- An un-registered applicant is not entitled to avail of any of WIT's facilities and may not sit examinations.
- Fee payment alone does not constitute registration.
