Medicine, nursing and pharmacy have all seen an increase in CAO applications. Pressure for places on popular college courses has intensified since February, according to latest CAO data. New figures confirm that final applications to the CAO stand at 84,526, up from 79,176 after the standard, February, deadline, and from 77,831 this time last year. It means increased demand across a swathe of courses, over and above what was already evident in the spring, with inevitable hikes in CAO cut-off points. Meanwhile in another example for demand for individual courses, applications for its architecture programme rose by 60pc, to its highest ever number.

Source: Irish Independent July 12, 2021 16:07 UTC