CAO Points 2025 — All Courses Ireland

Health science courses are among the most competitive in Ireland. Medicine and Dentistry consistently require the highest CAO points of any course category. HPAT scores also apply for Medicine at most colleges.

* Medicine requires HPAT in addition to CAO points at most colleges. Points shown are CAO points component only. RCSI uses a different selection process. Always check individual college websites for full entry requirements.

Law is one of the most popular and competitive subject areas at Irish universities. Points vary significantly between colleges and between single-subject and combined law degrees.

Engineering courses cover a wide range of disciplines. Points vary substantially between colleges and specialisms. Most engineering courses require Higher Level Maths — check individual requirements carefully.

Most engineering courses require H4 or above in Higher Level Mathematics as a mandatory subject requirement, regardless of total points.

Computing and tech courses have seen rising points year on year due to high demand from students. Points at top universities now rival traditional professional courses.

Computing points have risen 6–8 points per year on average since 2021. Plan for higher requirements in 2026.

Business courses remain consistently popular. UCD’s Smurfit school and TCD’s Business & Economics are the most competitive. Regional universities offer accessible entry points.

Primary teaching is consistently one of the most sought-after courses in Ireland and requires both strong points and a minimum Irish grade. Secondary teaching varies by subject specialism.

Primary Teaching requires a minimum of H4 in Higher Level Irish (or equivalent) regardless of total CAO points. Check each college’s specific Irish language requirements.

Arts programmes are typically more accessible in terms of entry points but highly competitive for popular named degrees. Psychology consistently requires the highest points in this category.

Science courses offer broad general entry programmes that allow you to specialise in later years. Most require strong Higher Level science grades in addition to overall points.