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Access to Higher Education
HEAR

South East Technological University is part of the national HEAR Scheme, which stands for the Higher Education Access Route. HEAR is a national college and university scheme that offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are resident in the Republic of Ireland.

HEAR has been set up by a number of colleges and universities, as evidence shows that socio-economic disadvantage can have a negative effect on how well a student does at school and whether they go on to college. HEAR applicants must meet a range of financial, social and cultural indicators to be considered for a reduced points place and extra college support.

HEAR is for school leavers under the age of 23 as of the 1st of January 2025 who are resident in the Republic of Ireland. Mature and FET (Further Education and Training) students have their own admissions routes and should contact college admissions offices for more information. Applications to HEAR can only be made online through the CAO.

Applicants applying for HEAR must:

  1. Be under the age of 23 as of 1 January 2025.
  2. Apply online to CAO by 5pm on/before the 1 February 2025.
  3. No later than 5pm on 1 March 2025, indicate in your CAO application that you wish to apply for the HEAR scheme and fully and correctly complete all elements of the online HEAR application form. Once you have completed the HEAR application form you will get a checklist which tells you which documents you need to supply.
  4. Post your supporting documents to arrive in CAO no later than 5pm on the 15 March 2025.
  5. To complete your online HEAR Application you must: Get assistance from your parent(s)/guardian(s). Use the HEAR Handbook to help you answer all relevant questions on your online HEAR application. 

Minimum entry requirements

  • Applicants to HEAR must in the first instance meet the minimum course entry requirements plus any specific course requirements. Successful applicants get a 30 point reduction for their chosen course when HEAR offers are made through the CAO at Round 1. 
  • All students are encouraged to check the entry requirements of their chosen course, for example the level of maths required or the number of honours subjects required etc.  Students are also encouraged to contact the relevant academic department to discuss the demands of the course they are interested in.
  • Please note, SETU run a maths entry exam which is designed to assist students who have not achieved the required grade in maths for entry into the University. This provides a “second chance” for students to achieve that grade by attempting a paper comparable to the leaving certificate ordinary level paper. The content of this paper will be based on the leaving certificate (ordinary level) syllabus and is open to all Leaving Certificate applicants including those students who sat Foundation maths. 
  • PLEASE NOTE: SETU offers HEAR eligible candidates a reduction of up to 30 points on all courses. Please note if you are deemed HEAR eligible you must still compete for a HEAR place at South East Technological University under normal CAO rules.

Offers

If you get a HEAR reduced points offer this will appear as a regular offer online through the CAO. You will then receive a letter to inform you that you have received a HEAR offer and that if you accept the place you must register fully with the universities Access Office and attend the Access Office Orientation Programme, as these are part of the conditions of the HEAR offer.

There are a number of valuable online resources available to help you with a HEAR application. A step by step guide on how to make a HEAR application, information on application deadlines, HEAR eligibility criteria and a variety of other information materials can be found on the HEAR website at www.accesscollege.ie

Supports at SETU in Waterford include: 

1. Induction/Information session: All HEAR eligible students in SETU will be invited via the email address they submitted in the CAO process to attend 1 of 2 induction/information sessions. All attending will receive information on the range of supports available to them. 

2. Laptop Loan Scheme: All HEAR students in SETU are eligible to receive a laptop for the duration of their course.

3. Student Assistance Fund support: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) provides financial assistance for full-time higher education students who are experiencing financial difficulties whilst attending college. All HEAR students are eligible to apply for financial support via the SAF, information about the HEAR specific application process for the SAF will be sent to the HEAR students via the [email protected] email address

4. Foróige 3rd Level Mentor Programme: All HEAR students can avail of a mentor via the Foróige 3rd level mentoring programme where HEAR students in SETU are matched with a staff member who is there to meet and support the student on a regular basis through the academic year. The link to the online brochure can be found HERE  and a video detailing the benefits of the programme can be found HERE  also.

  • An Orientation programme to introduce you to university
  • A Peer-mentoring programme to help facilitate your transition to university life
  • Extra financial assistance through the university's Student Assistance Fund
  • Information and referrals to other student support services in the university 

Applying to HEAR can seem like a daunting process. The HEAR handbook and the HEAR website provide information to help you complete your HEAR application.

It is best to contact the CAO if you have questions about making your CAO application or about the Supplementary Information Form.

If you have questions about the documents you need for HEAR you can contact a HEAR advisor by emailing: