A total of 89,308 people applied to the Central Applications Office (CAO) this year for college courses starting this autumn, marking a new record, reports RTE.
This figure is over 6,000 higher than the number of applicants last year.
This year, 61,610 students signed up to take the Leaving Certificate, which is an increase of 3,262 compared to 2024, reports RTE.
Out of the 71,000 students applying to the CAO with Leaving Certificate results, 51,000 are submitting results from 2025.
The remaining applicants are using results from past examinations, reports RTE.
More than 13,000 applicants this year hold a QQI FET qualification, compared with 11,958 in 2025.
A greater number of students also reconsidered their course selections before the CAO’s July cut-off, reports RTE.
In total, 50,787 students made 68,743 course amendments — around 4,000 more than those who made changes in 2024.
There has also been a rise in applications to the DARE scheme.
This initiative supports students whose disabilities have significantly affected their time in second-level education, reports RTE.
A total of 12,039 students applied to DARE, up from 10,255 the previous year.
Data from the CAO shows that applications to the HEAR scheme stayed consistent, holding at over 8,000, reports RTE.
HEAR is designed for Leaving Certificate students under the age of 23 from socio-economic backgrounds that are underrepresented in third-level education.
Roughly 7,000 students have already received Round Zero offers. These typically go to mature students and some international applicants coming to study in Ireland, reports RTE.
Leaving Certificate results for 2025 will be published on Friday, 22 August.
The first round of CAO offers will be issued to students on Wednesday, 27 August, reports RTE.
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