About Access
From humble beginnings…
DCU’s location is unique. It serves radically different neighbourhoods, incorporating some of Ireland’s most affluent communities and some of the country's most disadvantaged.
Since its inception as a small technological university, DCU has aimed to actively engage and ensure equal access for all groups within the wider community.
In 1989, as a fledgling university, DCU’s Governing Body voted in favour of implementing a local initiative aimed at addressing the low numbers of students entering third-level education from one of its closest neighbourhoods in North Dublin – Ballymun. Through successful partnerships with several key community groups in the area, the Ballymun Initiative for Third-Level Education (BITE) was established. In 1990, six students entered DCU through the BITE initiative. Today, over 1,100 Access Scholars, representing every county in Ireland, are pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies across the university.
If you have any queries, please reach out to us at access@dcu.ie.
Vision
By employing evidence-based practices, we collaborate with our DCU colleagues, schools, communities, and corporate partners to advocate for enhanced educational opportunities, ensuring equitable access and supporting progression through and beyond DCU for those affected by economic and social adversity.
Mission
- To increase the number of students targeted by our outreach programmes while engaging their parents, schools, and communities, instilling the belief that higher education is a viable and achievable option for them.
- The delivery of bespoke supports ensures successful transition, retention, progression, and outcomes for Access students by harnessing the support of the DCU community and its philanthropic partners.
The work of the DCU Access Service can be broadly divided into four key areas. These are:
1. DCU Access Outreach Programme
Provides support to DEIS Schools and communities and Access eligible individuals in North Dublin through the U & University, DCU TY, and UFirst programmes. Click here for more information.
2. Entry Routes for Leaving Cert Students
Facilitates three separate Entry Routes through which Leaving Certificate students can apply to study at DCU on an Access Scholarship. These are: Access DCU Entry Route (ADER), Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and Access DCU Entry Route-Accelerator Scheme. Click here for more information.
3. Support to Access Scholars in DCU
Provide various financial, academic, professional & personal development supports to over 1,100 Access Scholars studying at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in DCU. Click here for more information.
4. Conduct / Commission Research & Evaluations
All students aged under 23 who have completed a Leaving Certificate and belong to one of the following target groups:
- Students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds living in Ireland
- Students living in North Dublin in areas with the lowest rates of progression to third-level education
- Students facing double disadvantage (disability and socio-economic disadvantage)
- Working class boys
- Young people in the care of the State
- Young carers
- People who have had criminal convictions
- Members of the Traveller & Roma communities.
- DCU has the oldest and one of the largest Access Programmes in Ireland, according to the HEA.
- The Programme is built on nearly 35 years of experience informed by research.
- In 2023, 97% of Access students were awarded a higher honours degree, with 75% achieving a first-class or second-class - grade 1 honours degree.
- The DCU Access programme boasts the highest first-year retention rate in Ireland at over 96%. Source: HEA
- There are 1,049 undergraduate Access students currently studying in DCU, with 278 students entering their first year in 2024
- In 2024, almost one in five access students accepting a reduced point level 8 offer in Ireland attend DCU.
- Over 5,000 students and adults in the North Dublin Region participate annually in Access DCU outreach initiatives.
- Our award-winning Access to the Workplace programme places second-year access students on a paid summer internship.
DCU students and employers discuss the significance of Access to the Workplace, which provides work experience opportunities for Access students.