Mature Students – Information Evening Mary Liddy | 14 January 2010

Agenda Welcome Presentation Making Your CAO Application Selection Procedure Q & As Fees / Financial Supports Disability Office Presentation Access Office Presentation Foundation Courses

Find Relevant Information Undergraduate Prospectus pp. 24 – 26 Dedicated NUI Galway website: Dept. of Education and Science website:

Conditions of Entry The term Mature Student is anyone who is 23 (or over) on or before the 1st of January on year of entry (2010) Must be an EU national or refugee and be three years resident in an EU member state at point of entry There are approximately 350 places available across all colleges for mature students

GY2xx GY3xx GY4xx GY5xx NUI GALWAY Structure GY1xx

Arts (GY101-GY117) at NUI Galway  Arts allows you sample a selection of subjects before deciding to specialise  You have a wide selection of subjects to choose from - 21  We are the only university to allow students 2 weeks to try out all subjects, before making a final choice  Mature Students will sit an aptitude test on April 17 th (Arts Only)  This is set by the Psychology Department and takes approximately 1hour with multi-choice questions  This combined with your CAO application will determine a place in Arts for you

Making the Decision  Research your preferred careers and their consequences for you  Look at postgraduate studies too if you want to have a clear goal of where you want to go with your competed degree  Take action and decide which CAO course is your best route to this job  Study subjects which you really enjoy  Remember – this is just the first step of the journey!

The Student Experience  Facilities on campus include a sports hall, climbing wall, 25m swimming pool, gymnasium, ten natural grass playing pitches, a floodlit synthetic grass pitch and an athletics track  Over 40 sports clubs ranging from field sports to water sports, martial arts to indoor clubs -Something to suit everyone

The Student Experience  Opportunities for additional study beyond your degree – unique bilingual campus -our Diploma in Irish is very popular  Over 83 societies to join – from Debating to Filmsoc, Mature Students Society to a Chocolate Society

CAO Application  Application Fee – €45 or €35 for online application made by Jan 20 th  Apply online or on hard copywww.cao.ie  Deadline 1 st February  Amend details not later than March 1 st  It is your responsibility to read the CAO handbook carefully especially page 4, 5,6 &14.  NUI Galway Courses page 67-68

Offers of Places  Round A -1 st week of July  Very Important to respond within the dates given  Mature Students will sit an aptitude test on April 17 th (Arts only)  Interview may apply in some courses such as GY106  Interview will apply in Health Sciences courses, GY502, GY503 and GY504

Courses and Quotas 10% quota reserved for mature students in all courses in the Colleges No quota in Medicine (GY501) or in Pure Psychology (GY104) Mature students wishing to study Psychology apply to BA Undenominated course (GY101)

Nursing Studies Quotas General (GY525) 15% Psychiatric (GY526) 40% Midwifery (GY527) 20% Aptitude test April 10 th set by An Bord Altranais, followed later by interview

Procedures for assessing mature applicants Arts: Written application through the CAO and written assessment (aptitude test in April) Date of assessment: Saturday 17th April Interviews for BA Connect programmes likely

Assessment Procedures Law: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview Commerce: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview Foundation course available

Selection Procedures Science: Written application through the CAO No written test or interview Foundation course available (p/t) Engineering: Written application through the CAO and occasionally interview with Dean or course director Foundation course available (p/t)

Selection Health Sciences No entry to Medicine (GY501) on mature years grounds OT (GY502), SLT (GY503) and Podiatry (GY504) 2/3 places in each Written application through the CAO Applicants short listed for interview in June

Selection Nursing Studies Nursing Studies: Written application through the CAO and written assessment (aptitude test) and interviews organised by An Bord Altranais (tel ) Date of assessment Saturday 10th April See website: See information booklet: Nursing/Midwifery A career for you 2010

Supports Social, Personal, Financial and Academic Mature Students Officer available daily on drop- in basis or by appointment Disability Officer, Counselling, Chaplaincy, Careers advisers Health Unit staffed by nurses, doctors, psychiatrist etc. free service to students Special Return to Learning programme for mature students prior to registration (Early September) Special Orientation programme

Supports contd. Mentoring programme for mature students Social evenings, parties and children’s parties etc organised by Mature Students Officer and by Mature Students Society Focus groups on “Adjusting to College” run for mature students Special Study Skills, Applied Writing, Computer Training, Memory Techniques Hardship fund in the university University crèche and assistance with childcare costs for low income students Accommodation Office to provide assistance

Government supports and policies for Third level Dept. of Education and Science “Free Fees” scheme “Free Fees” Conditions Must be EU National or have refugee status Must be three of previous five years resident in EU member state Must not already be Level 8 degree holder

Free Fees scheme contd. Must not have been in and opted out of third level course within last five years ‘Second chance’ students ok Cert, Diploma and Level 7 degree holders ok

Local Authority (County Council) Grants Apply in June/July Means tested on income for financial year 2009 Independent vs. Dependent Mature Student €3,420 per annum 2009 / 2010 year Top-up grant (additional €3270) paid to low income (€22,000) students in receipt of Social Welfare payments since previous December (2008)

Fee Components Course Fee Arts 2009/2010 = €5,822 Made up of: Tuition Fee (paid by DES) Non-tuition or Registration fee (paid by Co. Council for grant holders = €1,500 Euros) Student Services Charge paid by every student = €224

BTEA Dept. of Community and Family Affairs Qualifying conditions: Must be 12 months in receipt of eligible Social Welfare payment prior to commencement of college course 9 months in certain cases if registered with Fás and with Fás approval See website:

Foundation Courses  Commerce and Business  Science/Engineering and I.T.  October to April, 2 evenings a week  Preparatory Courses to relevant degree programmes at NUI Galway and GMIT  Apply directly to University for these courses, not through CAO  Fee 2009 – 360 Euros or 50 Euros (SW)

Contact Information Mary Liddy / Trish Hoare Room 225 Aras Ui Chathail NUI Galway

Discover your potential at NUI Galway Questions? Mary Liddy, Mature Students Office / Admissions Office

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