Admissions Challenges for Northern Irish Students
There remains a significant barrier for students from Northern Ireland seeking to study at universities in the Republic of Ireland, with many citing the admissions process as a major obstacle.
In 2025, only 213 students from Northern Ireland commenced university courses in the Republic, whereas thousands opted to pursue higher education across the Irish Sea in cities such as Liverpool and Glasgow.
Claire, an 18-year-old student from St Ronan's College in Lurgan, who plans to study building surveying at Dundalk Institute of Technology, described the application process as "very difficult."
"There was not a lot of knowledge on how to actually apply to the uni and how to apply on their website," said the A-level student. "It was quite outdated."
Students in the UK apply to universities through the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), while in the Republic of Ireland, applications are submitted via the Central Applications Office (CAO).
The timing of Leaving Cert results (the Republic's equivalent to A-levels), the high cost of student accommodation, and the admissions points system have all been identified as factors contributing to the relatively low number of Northern Irish students studying in the Republic, despite the lower tuition fees, known as the student contribution fee.
For the academic year 2025/26, the student contribution fee in Ireland is €2,500 (£2,160), compared to a £4,985 tuition fee in Northern Ireland and £9,535 in England and Wales.
Perspectives from A-level Students
Tiarnan, also 18, shared similar frustrations with the admissions process in the Republic of Ireland and ultimately chose to apply to Ulster University in Coleraine.
"With northern universities, you put it in, you put your evidence and there you go," he said.
"In the southern process they want different types of evidence. I found the whole process a lot more difficult."
Financial and Timing Concerns
Sean, aged 18, who plans to start a Higher Level Apprenticeship (HLA) in construction management, had considered studying in Dundalk but decided to remain in Northern Ireland.
He highlighted the timing of results and offers as a significant issue, noting that students in Northern Ireland often receive their A-level results approximately two weeks before Leaving Cert results are released in the Republic.
"When they get back to you, you have your offers, so you've already made plans with your family if you're going up to live in Belfast or Coleraine," Sean explained.
"And plus all your mates are making plans as well.
"No-one really looks at the south so much because of the housing, it's so expensive as well."
Reluctance to Risk University Places
Olivia Geoghegan, the careers teacher at St Ronan's College, believes the timing of offers causes many students to be hesitant to "gamble" on a place at a university in the Republic, fearing they might lose a confirmed place at a UK institution.
"They like to have their accommodation sorted.
"They want to plan, they want to prep."
She also noted that for high-demand courses in the Republic, such as medicine, students are often reluctant to apply unless they have four A-levels.
"The UK and Ireland are on such different pages on this, and it makes it difficult for us because we live in the middle," she said.
Application Process Insights
Cathal Ó hÉigeartaigh, a civil engineering student from Belfast at the University of Galway, remarked that information about applying to Irish institutions was "not readily available."
"The focus was all about Queen's and universities in Britain and how to fill out your UCAS forms. But there was almost nothing said about the CAO process."
He taught himself the application procedure.
"It's really not as complicated as it's made out to be," he said. "You don't have to write a personal statement and you rank your preferences from one to ten.
"In some ways it's more straightforward than UCAS."
Statistical Overview
In 2025, 213 students from Northern Ireland accepted university places in the Republic of Ireland, a slight increase from 190 students in 2024.
These figures were presented at Stormont's economy committee on Wednesday.
Professor Stephen Byrne from University College Cork identified several barriers for Northern Irish students, including "the timing of offers, the cost of living and the availability of places."
He also noted that UK universities issue conditional offers several months earlier than universities in the Republic, which wait until Leaving Cert results are confirmed and do not provide conditional offers.
Concerns about the cost of student housing were also highlighted as a significant factor.
Admissions Points System Differences
Another contributing factor is the difference in subjects studied and the admissions points system in the Republic of Ireland.
The Leaving Certificate typically involves studying seven subjects, with applicants able to achieve a maximum of 625 points by obtaining H1 grades in six subjects, including mathematics.
In contrast, A-level students in Northern Ireland usually take three subjects, making it more challenging to accumulate the maximum points, despite recent increases in the points awarded for each A-level result.
Student Experience Waiting for Offers
For A-level students, waiting for an offer from a university in the Republic can be a stressful experience, given the later timing of results and offers compared to the UK.
