Who is eligible? | Access
The DCU Access Service assists students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in gaining direct entry to DCU via the national Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) and the Access DCU Entry Route (ADER) schemes.
Students must be under the age of 23 and have completed their Leaving Certificate.
To qualify as an Access student, your family income must be on or below the specified threshold.
In addition to the income requirement, applicants must meet a criteria score based on other socio-cultural criteria. This combination of financial, social and cultural indicators will determine your eligibility.
If you have any questions please email us at access@dcu.ie
- Reduced points for university places
- Places available in every degree programme
- Academic, social, personal, and professional support
- Financial assistance in college
- On-campus subsidised accommodation (only through the Access DCU Entry Route)
The Access DCU Entry Route (ADER) is similar to the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) but it is open to students applying to DCU courses who, due to extenuating circumstances have missed the HEAR deadline or are seeking subsidised accommodation. The eligibility criteria is the same for both schemes. Students who have applied to HEAR do not need to apply to ADER unless they are seeking subsidised accommodation.
Application Form 2026