A total of 79,303 people had submitted applications to the Central Applications Office by the time the normal application deadline closed at 5.15pm on Monday, according to the CAO.
This figure does not represent the total number of expected CAO applicants for 2021, as a late application facility opens on March 5 and closes on May 1 at 5.15pm.
A change of course choices facility will become available on the CAO website tomorrow, February 5, for all registered applicants. This facility can be used by mature applicants to add course choices and for applicants who have forgotten to include a restricted course on their CAO application - a fee of €10 applies.
Most applicants will use the free change of mind facility which opens on May 5 and closes on July 1 at 5.15pm.
“Most applicants who have already applied to CAO will have opportunities to change their course choices in May or June for no extra charge," said CAO communications officer Eileen Keleghan this week. "If an applicant has forgotten to apply for a restricted course, or if they are a mature applicant wishing to make changes to their courses, they should avail of our change of course choices facility which opens on February 5 and is available until 5.15pm on March 1 for a fee of €10.
“The late application facility can be used by most applicants, however restrictions apply in the case of mature applicants. This facility becomes available on March 5 and closes on May 1 at 5.15 pm. The late application fee is €60 for online applications,” she added.
Mature applicants are required to complete the mature applicant section of the CAO form by March 1 at 5.15pm.
Applicants for the DARE and/or HEAR schemes should have applied by the February 1 deadline, and must complete the online forms by March 1 at 5.15pm. The deadline for submission of supporting documents for the DARE/HEAR schemes is March 15 at 5.15pm, and CAO advises such applicants to allow sufficient time to gather and submit the relevant documentation.
The CAO website contains a number of resources for CAO applicants including CAO video guides, a copy of the CAO Handbook, and resources for parents and guardians. Visit www.cao.ie for more information.
