- Check the official CAO list for vacancies and the college for eligibility.
- The limit is ten total choices on each list, not ten additional courses.
- Insert Available Places choices above offers already received, in genuine preference order.
- Earlier-round points are not an Available Places entry threshold.
- FET, apprenticeships and tertiary degrees offer other routes to investigate.
What the Available Places facility is
The CAO Available Places facility advertises vacancies notified by colleges after the main offer process has started. A vacancy may arise when places remain unfilled after eligible waiting lists have been exhausted, or when a new course opens for applications after the Change of Mind deadline.
It is an extra route to investigate, rather than a promise of admission. The college still decides whether you meet its entry requirements. The official CAO pages are where you check vacancies and apply; CAO Finder can help you research the courses themselves.
For the 2026 cycle, existing applicants could apply without an additional fee, while someone making a new Available Places application paid €50. Applicants in restricted categories should consult the college’s admissions office first. Mature applicants and people presenting qualifications outside the categories specified by CAO should also contact the institution before applying.
Before spending time on an application, open the college’s course page. Check the award, campus, required subjects and grades, and any interview, portfolio or assessment conditions. Write down anything that is unclear and ask admissions a specific question.
How to apply when the facility is open
- Check the official vacancies. Open the Available Place Course List and record the exact course codes you want to investigate.
- Read the college’s information. Confirm that the course interests you and check eligibility before adding it.
- Use your CAO account. Existing applicants log in through My Application and select the option to add a Level 8 or Level 7/6 Available Place course. New applicants use CAO’s new-applicant route.
- Review the positions. Follow the insertion instructions for each course, then read the check screen before submitting.
- Confirm the application. Complete the final submission and verify that the intended choices appear in your account.
CAO’s step-by-step guide shows the account screens. Keep your own note of course codes and submission details; a shortlist in a search tool does not submit an application to CAO.
The preference rule you must get right
Available Places codes can only be inserted higher on your preference list than an offer you have already received. Put them below existing choices you still want to remain in consideration for.
Each list can contain a maximum of ten courses in total: ten on Level 8 and ten on Level 7/6. This is not permission to add ten extra choices to a full list. Inserting another course into a list with ten entries deletes the course at the bottom.
The facility also does not let you freely rearrange all your original choices. Keep your genuine preferences in mind and check the exact instructions in your account.
A fictional example: imagine you have received your fourth-choice offer, and still prefer your original first and second choices to a newly advertised course. You would investigate inserting the new course below those two choices and above the offer. The important question is where you truly want it, rather than where its old points figure suggests it belongs.
If you want to understand the wider offer process, our CAO order-of-preference guide works through a separate offer-day example. If an account instruction is unclear, ask CAO before submitting instead of guessing.
When offers arrive and how to accept
Check the published offer timetable for the year you are applying. In 2026, the facility opened on 27 August, after Round One; Round Two offers were issued on 7 September. Later rounds did not all use the same release time: Round Two was from 2pm, while Rounds Three to Five were from 10am.
Offers are viewed and accepted through My Application. Read the deadline on your offer notice and confirm that any acceptance has been recorded. For the 2026 main rounds, reply deadlines were at 3pm on the stated dates.
Accepting a new Available Places offer replaces your earlier acceptance. Compare the course and practical arrangements before accepting a change. Check the official offer and reply dates rather than assuming that every round gives you the same amount of time.
Where to find vacancies—and what points mean
The official CAO Available Place Course List separates Level 8 from Level 7/6. Colleges instruct CAO to add or remove courses, so a saved screenshot is a record of an earlier check, not proof that a vacancy is still open.
Checked on 9 October 2026: both lists showed “NONE AT PRESENT”. CAO’s timetable states that the 2026 offer season ended on 1 October. This article explains the process; it is not a current list of open places.
CAO says that previously published points from earlier rounds should not be treated as the points required for an Available Place. You must still meet the course’s normal minimum entry requirements. Do not use a historical points filter to decide that you are definitely eligible—or definitely ineligible—for a vacancy.
When researching options, put the official course code beside your notes. Similar titles can describe different awards, campuses or modules. Our guide to Level 6, 7 and 8 qualifications can help you read those labels.
If no vacancy suits you: FET and other routes
Start with what you want to learn and what is open for applications. A course you would not enjoy is not automatically a good decision because it has a spare place. These routes deserve a separate look:
| Route | Where to look | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Further Education and Training, including PLC courses | FET Course Hub / FETCH | The exact award, application arrangements and any named degree-progression link. |
| Apprenticeships | Generation Apprenticeship | The occupation, entry conditions and how to secure the required employer or programme place. |
| Tertiary degrees | National Tertiary Office | The starting location, degree destination and conditions for progressing between stages. |
| Part-time study or a future CAO application | The college’s admissions page and CAO | Intake dates, application route, costs and the requirements for your circumstances. |
If you are considering a PLC as a route into a degree, ask for the specific destination course and required award or modules. Do not assume that completing any PLC guarantees entry to any degree. Ask the provider what recent students progressed to and how those applications were assessed.
For each realistic route, compare the weekly travel, course content, assessment and total cost. Bring the unanswered questions to your guidance counsellor. A useful next step is a short list of two or three programmes you understand, with one concrete action beside each.
Use CAO Finder to research your options
CAO Finder helps you search Irish college courses by subject, college, location and points. Use it to discover similar programmes, inspect course codes and build a shortlist for further research.
CAO Finder does not display a live Available Places feed or apply on your behalf. Confirm vacancies with CAO and confirm the course’s current details with the college. For this facility, historical points are context rather than an admission threshold.
Try opening two programmes in a subject you enjoy. Compare first-year modules, campus and award, then note one question to ask each admissions office. If you are exploring a subject from scratch, our engineering course guide and business course guide provide starting points.
Are CAO Available Places still open for 2026?
The 2026 offer season ended on 1 October. On 9 October, the official vacancies page showed no places at either level. Check CAO’s current notices and ask colleges about other application routes.
Does applying guarantee a place?
No. The college must assess your eligibility, and an advertised vacancy is not a guaranteed offer.
Can I put an Available Places course above an accepted offer?
Yes. CAO requires insertion above an offer already received, while preserving any higher choices you still prefer. Follow the account’s instructions.
Does CAO handle PLC applications?
Research FET courses through the FET Course Hub and apply using the provider’s stated route. A later application from a QQI FET award into higher education is a separate question to check with CAO and the college.
Sources and scope
Checked on 9 October 2026 against CAO’s About Available Places, application guide, 2026 handbook (Available Places and Accepting an Offer), 2026 timetable, offer dates and vacancy list. Alternative-route links above point to the relevant official portals.
AI-assisted draft edited and fact-checked by CAO Finder. The comparison prompts and fictional example are our own suggestions. Dates and fees here refer to 2026; consult the current CAO guidance for later cycles.