Application Procedures
There are two steps involved in applying to NUI Maynooth as a mature student:
1. Applications to NUI Maynooth should be made before 1st February each year online using the Mature Student Online Application Form.
The Admissions Office and the Mature Student Office welcomes any enquiries potential applicants may have on any aspect of the application process and staff are willing to give advice on application procedure, subjects, course schedules etc.
2. Applicants must also apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), Tower House, Eglinton Street, Galway (phone 091-509800). Applications may also be made online at: www.cao.ie The closing date for receipt of Irish-based applications is 1st February each year.
Submission of the application early in the year enables the relevant University procedures to be activated and detailed consideration of each case finalized, without undue delay.
FOR FULL DETAILS OF ALL ASPECTS OF MATURE STUDENT APPLICATION CLICK HERE
Courses without Entry Restrictions
Mature entry onto courses that do not have specific entry restrictions is granted on the basis of interview, academic preparedness and life experience/employment. Mature applications are usually considered in February/March/April/May of each year. Not all applicants are guaranteed an interview: in some cases, a decision for acceptance or placement on a waiting list panel, may be made on the basis of the application form.
Interviews, where required, are generally held from February to May each year. Advice of final decisions is issued in June. The official offer of a place is made through the CAO allocation procedures in the summer and must be responded to within seven days. It is important that the applicant (or somebody on their behalf) is available to respond to the offer. In cases where students are taking summer examinations (eg Leaving Cert, FETAC, etc), they may receive conditional offers subject to successful completion of those examinations.
Unsuccessful applicants are sometimes advised to undertake a short preparation/foundation or ‘return to learning’ course to ease their transition back to fulltime study. Many of these applicants reapply the following year and are successful in gaining admission subsequently.
For more information on our preparatory courses see our Foundation Courses section.
Summer Courses for mature students
In a small number of cases each year students may be given the option of attending a short intensive summer course on essay writing or mathematics. This may be used as a further step in the selection of students onto degree programmes.
Courses with Entry Restrictions
Some courses/subjects have special entry requirements. For a list of these restricted entry courses see http://admissions.nuim.ie/mature_students/ and please note the application deadlines for these degree programmes.
Selection of mature students for these courses will be on the basis of written assessment, after which a shortlist for interview will be compiled. The written assessments usually take place end March/early April at NUI Maynooth.
Some academic departments also have specific requirements regarding subjects available as part of the Bachelor of Arts Degree (MH101) such as French, Music and Mathematics. Full details are provided in the University’s prospectus and individual subject leaflets.