The Central Applications Office (CAO) has released 2020 application data, up to the Change of Course Choices closing date on March 1st, 2020.
The application data has shown that first-choice preferences for agriculture-related courses in 2020 have dropped, in comparison to 2019.
CAO applicants
The CAO received 72,973 applications by the February 1st closing date – which is a decrease of 61 on the previous year.
Ag courses
The drop of 1st choice preferences for agricultural courses is universal between all disciplines.
The fall in numbers is as follows;
Level 8:
- Agriculture – 372 1st preferences (393 in 2019);
- Veterinary – 902 1st preferences (933 in 2019);
- Interdisciplinary programmes involving agriculture, forestry and veterinary – 381 1st preferences (431 in 2019).
Level 6/7:
- Agriculture – 556 1st preferences (588 in 2019);
- Veterinary – 881 1st preferences (951 in 2019);
- Interdisciplinary programmes involving agriculture, forestry and veterinary – 73 1st preferences (67 in 2019).
Falls in 1st preferences choices for these courses ranges between 3 and 12%.
There has also been a fall in mentions on the CAO applications for these courses, where applicants choose these courses as a lesser preference. The fall in mentions for ag courses ranges between 2 and 11%.
Change of mind
The data provided is subject to change when late applications are taken into account and when the Change of Mind facility closes on July 1st. at 5:15 pm.
Speaking about the application figures, communications officer for CAO, Eileen Keleghan, commented: “The majority of CAO applicants will be permitted to use the Change of Mind facility when it opens on 5 May to add, remove or re-order course choices, which will result in changes to the figures released.”
