To be eligible for consideration for a course an applicant must possess the minimum entry requirements for that course. Entry requirements  are outlined on each course page. 

CAO offers are determined on the basis of examination score except in the case of courses which involve suitability tests, interviews and other assessment procedures. All suitability tests/interviews/auditions/portfolio reviews etc will generally be carried out during the period March - May each year.  

• Where a specific grade is required in a subject (H4, O3 etc) an applicant must achieve that grade or better in order to be eligible for consideration (H = Higher Level; O = Ordinary Level). Where a requirement is 2 or 3 honours, grade H5 or better on Higher Level Leaving Certificate papers is needed to meet such a requirement.
• In the case of both Higher and Ordinary Level Leaving Certificate results, grades lower than H7 (Higher) or 06 (Ordinary) are not acceptable for eligibility purposes or for points calculation.
• For the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements, results from any number of sittings of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination may be combined.
• An applicant’s examination score will be calculated by adding together the points scored in the best six subjects in a single sitting of the Irish Leaving Certificate Examination.
• Matriculation Examinations will not be accepted either for the purpose of meeting minimum entry requirements or for calculating examination scores.
• Demand usually exceeds the number of places available and therefore examination results better than the minimum entry requirement are likely to be required.
• When a number of applicants have the same points score, a random number is attached to the score for each course preference. This will then determine the position of each applicant on the waiting lists for offers.

25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for Higher Level Mathematics for H6 grades and above. Bonus points are only counted where that subject is scored as one of the applicant’s best six subjects for points purposes. 

We accept Foundation Level Mathematics for the purposes of entry requirements the case of any course where Higher or Ordinary Level Mathematics is not a requirement.  Please check the course page to ensure you are aware of the individual math requirement.

Points are awarded as follows:

• F1 = 20 points
• F2 = 12 points 

For the most part the University will not consider Foundation Level Irish for the purposes of entry requirements or for points, however a grade F3 in Foundation level Irish is acceptable for meeting the minimum entry requirements for some Higher Certificate courses.  Students with an F3 in Foundation level Irish must have passed five other subjects with a minimum grade of O6 including Math, students should check on individual course pages to determine if their foundation Irish grade is sufficient.

The Leaving Cert Applied Programme will not meet minimum entry requirements and will not be awarded points.

From 2025 entry onwards, TU Dublin will continue to score and allocate points to the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, but will no longer accept it as a passing subject for minimum entry requirement purposes.

• Distinction 66 points
• Merit 46 points
• Pass 28 points

The Link Modules can be used as one of the six subjects for overall points calculation.

For many of the programmes which specify a pass in five subjects in the Leaving Certificate Examination as the entry requirement, the Senior Trade Certificate of the Department of Education and Science with one endorsement in Mathematics or a science subject will satisfy the minimum entry requirement.

Students holding this Certificate with three endorsements in academic subjects are eligible for consideration for entry into related degree level programmes. Where endorsement subjects are not offered in trade examinations, a pass in an appropriate subject of the Elementary Technological Certificate of the Department of Education and Science is an acceptable equivalent.