Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board are jointly offering a maths course to CAO applicants who do not achieve the required grade in maths in their Leaving Certificate, giving students a second chance to gain admission to some courses in GMIT.
The course, called Enabling Maths, comprises a preparatory course and an entrance examination based on the Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate syllabus and of a comparable standard to the Ordinary Level LC maths examination. Students who achieve a pass mark in this examination are deemed to have met the minimum mathematics entry requirements for most GMIT programmes. No additional CAO points are awarded.
GRETB will deliver the preparatory course online for four hours each day from September 14 to 16, while the examination component will take place in GMIT Galway on the morning of September 17. The course fee is €50 and exam fee €30. Full details are available on www.gmit.ie/apply/maths-entry-exam
Jacinta Ryan, admissions officer, GMIT, said: “This course forms part of the Attract - Transition - Succeed (ATS ) project which aims to develop an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable model of regional access in order to increase the diversity and social mix of the student population within GMIT. This pre-entry project targets students who might otherwise miss out on the opportunity to progress to higher education. Students who pass the exam and meet all other entry requirements and have enough points for their chosen course in GMIT will receive an offer of a place in round two of CAO.”
Eithne NicDhonnchadha, director of further education and training, GRETB said: “Gaining entry to a third level course is a significant milestone in one's life; however from time to time entry requirements can be challenging. Having a maths pre-entry opportunity for those who may not have achieved the required result first time around is very important as it can change one's career path in such a positive way. I am delighted that GRETB is working in collaboration with GMIT in providing this opportunity.”
Applications for both the examination and the preparatory course are open. Application is through an online form with payments made by bank transfer. This fee is non-refundable.
Students who have received confirmation from CAO of eligibility for the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR ) or the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE ) entry schemes can undertake the course and the exam at no cost.
GMIT and GRETB signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2018 aimed at promoting and improving equity of access and seamless progression from further education courses to third-level courses in GMIT. The Enabling Maths initiative is one of the projects which has resulted from the regular meetings and cooperation between both organisations.
