IT is important for potential students to be aware of all available avenues to third-level education, a Cork educator has said.

His comments come as the deadline for Central Applications Office (CAO) applications for the 2023/24 academic year passes today.

The CAO is the organisation responsible for overseeing undergraduate applications to colleges and universities in Ireland. Applicants have until 5pm today to set up their application to avoid paying an extra fee after the deadline.

The Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) route is separate to the CAO applications. Potential PLC students must apply through the further education institution they wish to enrol in.

Director of Further Education at the Cork Education and Training Board, John Fitzgibbons, believes undertaking the PLC route is a beneficial option for students who are not sure what higher education course they wish to pursue.

“It gives them an opportunity to study and at level five or level six, on the national framework of qualifications, and in a course area and that which is similar to what they’re thinking they might want to study in third level and gain a better understanding to make a final decision from that.”

Students can use their PLC results to earn a place in a third-level institution, which are dedicated slots for PLC students.

Mr Fitzgibbons added: “But importantly, then as well, if that is the route that they decide that they want to follow very many of the PLC options and have progression links into higher education. So, they can use their PLC course results that they receive in that as another mechanism to get into university,”

The CETB has a strong relationship with UCC and MTU, which may lead to PLC students going straight into courses at respected universities.

“I’d be very confident that we will be able to come up with mechanisms and approaches that will make it easier and that for somebody from a PLC to get to college, bearing in mind that not everybody might want to go to university and that somebody might want to do their year or two years of PLC and go directly into the world of work,” said Mr Fitzgibbons. “But we design options also with that frame in mind as well.”

At certain points during the application process phone lines (091-509800) will be extremely busy, and applicants are advised to send their query through the online ‘Contact Us’ form on their website.

Visit the CAO timetable at https://eclv.ie/CAO