Registry - Entry Requirements to Undergraduate Programmes
Entry Requirements to Undergraduate Programmes
Applicants are assessed based on their performance in their school leaving examinations. Applicants must meet minimum entry requirements, which are made up as follows:
- General Entry Requirements
- Specific Course Requirements
General entry requirements and specific programme requirements may be satisfied by results obtained from more than one sitting.
Applicants who satisfy the minimum entry requirements are ranked for admission in order of merit on the basis of their results in their school leaving examinations.
This ranking/scoring will be based on one sitting of school leaving examinations e.g. Irish school-leavers will have their points score calculated on the basis of one sitting of the Leaving Certificate examinations.
General Entry Requirements
A minimum of six Leaving Certificate subjects at Grade 06/H7, to include the subjects English OR Irish AND the subject Mathematics. In addition, applicants must present at least two subjects at grade H5.
Exception:
A minimum of six Leaving Certificate subjects at Grade 06/H7, to include a H4 in Irish, 04/H7 in English and 04/H7 in Mathematics. Applicants must present at least three subjects at grade H5.
Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) (DC002, DC003 and DC004)
Additional Course Requirements (notes one, two and three) and Groups (one and two) are outlined in the Summary Tables
Leaving Certificate Mathematics Requirements
DCU does not award points for the subject of Mathematics at Leaving Certificate Ordinary Alternative or Foundation level. However, the courses listed below will be accepted for admission purposes;
| Course Code | Title of Course |
|---|---|
| DC001 | Bachelor of Early Childhood Education |
| DC009 | Bachelor of Arts: Joint Honours |
| DC014 | BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance |
| DC131 | BA in Communication Studies |
| DC132 | BA in Journalism |
| DC133 | BSc in Multimedia |
| DC155 | BA in Applied Language and Translation Studies |
| DC231 | BA in International Relations |
| DC232 | Bachelor of Civil Law (Law and Society) |
| DC235 | BSc in Education and Training |
| DC238 |
BA in Social Sciences and Cultural Innovation |
| DC291 | Bachelor 0f Arts - Joint Honours Media |
| DC292 | Bachelor 0f Arts - Joint Honours Law |
| DC293 | Bachelor 0f Arts - Joint Honours Intl Language |
| DC294 | BA in Climate and Environmental Sustainability |
| DC295 | Bachelor 0f Arts - Joint Honours Politics |
Leaving Certificate Subject Combinations
Certain subjects will not be scored separately if they occur in combination with subjects which are similar in content. In each case the highest individual grade will be scored. The following six groups of subjects are affected by this restriction.
1) Music and Musicianship, Music A, Music B
2) Economics, Agricultural Economics
3) Physics with Chemistry
- if combined with Physics and Chemistry only the two best scored.
- if combined with Physics or Chemistry only the best scored
4) History, Economics and Economic History
- if all three are taken only the best two will be scored
5) Latin, Classical Studies
6) Greek, Classical Studies
Having satisfied the General Entry Requirements and Course Entry Requirements, candidates are ranked for admission on the basis of a score representing best six subjects in one sitting of the Leaving Certificate examination*. The points that apply to each grade in the Leaving Certificate are indicated in the following table:
| Higher Grade | Points | Ordinary Grade | Points |
| H1 | 100 | O1 | 56 |
| H2 | 88 | O2 | 46 |
| H3 | 77 | O3 | 37 |
| H4 | 66 | O4 | 28 |
| H5 | 56 | O5 | 20 |
| H6 | 46 | O6 | 12 |
| H7 | 37 | 07 | 0 |
* Candidates who meet the points requirement but not the specific course requirements, e.g. H4 in English for BA in Journalism, are allowed to repeat that subject only to meet course requirements.
** For information on the new common points scale or for information on the pre-2017 Leaving Certificate points calculation, please see the click on this link
Bonus Points for Honours Mathematics
25 bonus points will continue be awarded in 2017 for higher level mathematics, at grades H6 and above.
Grades for Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) Link Modules are aligned with the current Leaving Certificate grading scheme and equivalent points. With the introduction in 2017 of the new Leaving Certificate grades, points will be awarded for LCVP Link Modules as follows:
| Distinction | Merit | Pass |
| 66 | 46 | 28 |
* For further information on the revised points calculation, please see the click on this link
Applicants who have a full NFQ level 5 award in appropriate qualifications and modules can be admitted on a competitive basis to certain DCU courses. QQI entry route is a competitive entry route with a limited number of places. A quota of places are offered based on the CAO ranked order of applicants based on performance. For programmes with a QQI entry route, approximately 10% of places are retained for QQI applicants.
There have been changes to the codes used for QQI Awards. The DCU prospectus may not have the most current information. Please refer to the CAO website HERE for the most current list of acceptable QQI Awards and modules to compete for a place on a DCU programme.
General Entry Requirements
- Full QQI/FE Level 5 Certification must be achieved in one single sitting.
- QQI/FE awards are normally made up of eight minor awards, commonly known as modules.
- Five distinctions from the eight modules must be achieved
Applicant Scoring
- To review applicant scoring, please click here.
QQI Entry Requirements
- To review the QQI requirements for DCU programmes, please click here.
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Applications should be made through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by the 1st February. To apply through the CAO click here.
QQI Statistics
To review 2022 QQI (FETAC) statistics, please click here
In order to meet the general entry requirements students must meet one of the following:
- 2 x Grade C at GCE A-Level plus 4 x Grade C at GCSE Level which must include the subjects Mathematics and English (or Irish)
- 2 x Grade C at GCE A-Level plus 2 x Grade C at GCE AS-Level plus 2 x Grade C at GCSE-Level which must include the subjects Mathematics and English (or Irish)
- 2 x Grade C at GCE A-Level plus 1 x Grade C at GCE AS-Level plus 3 x Grade C at GCSE Level which must include the subjects Mathematics and English (or Irish)
Exception:
Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) (DC002, DC003 and DC004)
Six subjects must be presented, at least 3 at GCE A Level with the remaining subjects at GCE AS or GCSE Level. The six subjects must include Irish, English and Mathematics. A subject may be counted from only one of the examinations GCSE, GCE AS Level or GCE A Level.
The minimum general entry requirement grades are as follows: GCE A Level C in Irish: GCSE C in both English and English Literature or GCSE B in either English or English Literature; GCSE D in Additional Mathematics or GCSE C in Mathematics; GCE A Level C in two further subjects; GCSE C in one other subject.
Note: A-Level GCSE Applicant, for list of recognised subjects click here. Please note that Applied A Levels are not accepted by DCU.
Programme Entry Requirements
Additional programme requirements are indicated within the detail for each course in the prospectus. Please see the following website link to review the requirements HERE
General Certificate in Education
Having satisfied the General Entry requirements and Programme entry requirements candidates are ranked for admission on the basis of a score calculated on the basis of either:
- the best 4 GCE A level grades from one academic year, or
- the best 3 GCE A level grades from one year plus one AS level grade in a different subject from the same or preceding year only
The points that apply to each grade (from 2019) are indicated in the following table:
| Grade | GCE A Level | 4th A Level | GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS) |
| A* | 185 | 45 | 31+ |
| A | 156 | 38 | 26 |
| B | 131 | 32 | 22 |
| C | 106 | 26 | 18 |
| D | 84 | 20 | 14 |
| E | 63 | 15 |
11 |
* 25 Bonus Points will be awarded to students who have passed A level mathematics
+ Extended Project is now accepted and scored as AS. It is possible to attain an A* in this.
** Please note: Applied A Levels are not accepted by DCU.
Applicants presenting EU qualifications from outside Ireland should apply through CAO by 1st February. All applicants must present general entry and programme entry requirements as outlined in the DCU prospectus. All applicants to DCU must present a pass in Mathematics and a pass in English. EU qualifications are manually calculated into a Leaving Certificate points equivalent. Eligible applicants compete using the points calculated and all offers are made through CAO in mid August.
Applicants may obtain guidance on the approved qualifications acceptable for an application to DCU using the following link, EU Qual Guide. This guide outlines the general entry requirement for each examination and a subject guide to help with the translation of individual subject grades.
Applicants should use this information in conjunction with the entry requirement information available on individual DCU programme pages (http://www.dcu.ie/studentrecruitment/undergraduate-listing.shtml), to assess if they are presenting the appropriate requirements for an application to DCU.
The above guide advises how DCU will calculate points based on a specific qualification. Applicants then compete for a place on a DCU programme using these points. Guidance with regard to submission of examination information to CAO can be found in the CAO handbook or through their website, www.cao.ie.
Further information on DCU English Language Competency requirements can be found using this link, https://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtm