Garda Vetting Frequently Asked questions

What is Garda Vetting?
Who carries out the Garda Vetting?
How do I know if I have to be Garda Vetted?
Who is responsible for Garda Vetting in NUI Galway?
Can I arrange Garda Vetting myself?
What is the procedure for Garda Vetting?
Where can I get information on the NUI Galway Garda Vetting policy?
If I have been previously Garda Vetted for another organisation do I still have to be Garda Vetted?
How long does the process of Garda Vetting take?
Where can I get the Garda Vetting forms?
Do I get the Garda Vetting Form signed with the local Garda Station?
What information is included in the Garda Vetting pack?
Where do you submit the completed Garda Vetting forms?
What is Police Clearance?
What is Police Clearance for the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) & An Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas (DGO)?
Do I need to submit an original or certified copy of police clearance certificate(s).
How do I obtain a Certified Copy of my original document?
How do I go about obtaining a Police Clearance certificate?
How often do you need to be vetted?
Should I disclose any conviction or offence that was “minor” or ages ago?
What if I am a Non-EU student coming to study at NUI Galway for the first time?
What information will be disclosed when the form is returned?
Who sees the results of a vetting application?
What do I need to do when going on placement?
What information is required to provide as part of Garda Vetting?
What is an Alias?
Do I need to include all addresses?
I cannot remember the month of the year in which I moved address. What should I do?
I cannot remember some of my addresses. What should I do?
I was travelling for a year and did not have one fixed address. What should I do?
Do I need to sign the form?
Can I include an initial in my signature (to indicate an additional name)?
Can I use the Irish Version of my name as my signature?
I cannot remember the month and year of a conviction that I have. What should I do?

Q. What is Garda Vetting?

A. Garda Vetting is a procedure that NUI Galway uses to certify whether or not a student who has been offered and accepted a programme has ever been convicted of a crime.

NUI Galway offers a number of programmes that require students to undertake placements with external agencies, which will bring them into contact with the public and in which they will assume positions of trust. To ensure the protection of the public, and justify public trust and confidence, the University is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake these programmes.

Q. Who carries out the Garda Vetting?

A. NUI Galway uses the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU) vetting services to assess the suitability of such students.

Q. How do I know if I have to be Garda Vetted?

A. Students who will have unsupervised access to children and/or vulnerable adults as part of an NUI Galway programme need to be Garda Vetted. The full list of programmes requiring Garda Vetting is available here.

Q. Who is responsible for Garda Vetting in NUI Galway?

A. In the case of NUI Galway, the Admissions Officer is the designated person and Authorised Signatory for Garda Vetting of students.

Q. Can I arrange Garda Vetting myself?

A. No. It must be arranged through the NUI Galway Admissions Office on your behalf.

Q. What is the procedure for Garda Vetting?

A. Details of the various stages involved in the Garda Vetting process are as follows:

• Applicants who have been offered and have accepted a place on the programme are sent a Garda Vetting Pack and instruction for completion of the form from the Admissions Office within one week after the reply date for acceptance of the offer.
• Students complete provisional registration during first year registration process. They acknowledge at registration that their registration process is not complete until they have satisfied Garda Vetting requirements for the programme.
• Students return their completed confidential form to the Admissions Office where the forms are checked. Once the Authorised Signatory is satisfied that all sections of the form are duly completed, the form is signed. Then, in line with the requirements of the Garda Central Vetting Unit (GCVU), a batch summary form is completed and the forms are forwarded to the GCVU in Thurles.
• The GCVU responds to the vetting request by ticking and signing one of the relevant sections of the form.
• The form and any attached documentation are returned in confidence to the Authorised Signatory.
• Once the information has been confirmed, it is then reviewed and the Authorised Signatory classifies as follows:

1. No previous convictions recorded  
2. Minor Offence
3. Serious Offence
4. Very Serious Offence  

• The names of all students where no previous convictions have been recorded are forwarded to the relevant Head of School/College Administrator. This information can then be provided to the placement agency by the Head of School/College Administrator if a request is received from them.
• With regard to minor offences, serious offences and very serious offences further action will be taken as per the Garda Vetting policy document.
• Students who have satisfactorily completed Garda Vetting (and any other requirements of the registration process) will be deemed to be fully registered as students of NUI Galway.

Q. Where can I get information on the NUI Galway Garda Vetting policy?

A. Information on the NUI Galway Garda Vetting policy can be found here. Leagan Gaeilge anseo.

Q. If I have been previously or recently Garda Vetted for another organisation do I still have to be  Garda Vetted?

A. Yes. Garda Vetting is carried out separately by each organisation with whom you work or volunteer. As a result, no matter how many times you have been vetted by other organisations previously, you will need to fill out the form again for NUI Galway.

Q. How long does the process of Garda Vetting take?

A. Typically, Garda vetting can take between 6 and 12 weeks from the receipt of a correctly completed Garda Vetting Application Form. If a form is incorrectly completed, it will be returned to the Authorised Signatory for correction. This will delay the Garda vetting process.

Q. Where can I get the Garda Vetting forms?

• The Undergraduate Admissions Office will send a Garda Vetting pack to all first year Undergraduate students after they accept the offer of their place through the CAO.
• The Postgraduate Admissions Office will send Garda Vetting pack will be sent to all Postgraduate Students after they accept the offer of their place through PAC.
• A Garda Vetting pack will be sent to all other ad-hoc cases from the Admissions Office as the need arises.

Q. Do I get the Garda Vetting form signed by the local Garda Station?

A. You do not get the Garda Vetting form signed by the local Garda Station; we will submit the Garda Vetting Form to the Garda Central Vetting Unit on your behalf.

Q. What information is included in the Garda Vetting pack?

A. In the pack you will receive the following:

• Cover letter
• NUI Galway Guide to Garda Vetting (flowchart)
• Garda Vetting Application Form (applies to all applicants)
• Parental Consent and Self Declaration Form (only applies to applicants under 18 years of age)
• Instructions on how to complete the Garda Vetting Application Form (applies to all applicants)
• Police Clearance Form (applies to all applicants)
• Addressed envelope for returning completed forms (applies to all applicants)

Q. Where do I submit the completed Garda Vetting forms?

A. Students are required to submit the completed form(s) by posting them in the addressed envelope provided in your Garda Vetting pack or by posting to The Admissions Office, Garda Vetting Section, (course name), NUI Galway.

Q. What is Police Clearance?

A. A student who has been out of the country for over 6 month from age 15 and over, including students who spent such a period abroad as part of an ERASMUS programme will be required to provide a Police Clearance Certificate from the country/countries of residence abroad in addition to complying with the Garda Vetting process.

Q. What is Police Clearance for the Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) and An Dioplóma Gairmiúil san Oideachas (DGO)?

A. In line with Teaching Council requirements, a student who has resided outside Ireland and/or Northern Ireland for three years or more in total, after the age of 18, will be required to provide a Police Clearance Certificate from the country/countries of residence abroad in addition to complying with the Garda Vetting process.

Q. How do I go about obtaining a Police Clearance certificate?

A. The following websites provide information on how to obtain Police Clearance Certificate(s) which you may find useful:

• http://www.canadavisa.com/canadian-immigration-police-clearance.html for details about obtaining Police Clearance Certificate(s) from various countries around the world.

• http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk/apply-online for details about obtaining Police Clearance Certificate(s) from the UK (including England, Scotland, and Wales & Northern Ireland) and you should apply for a Basic Disclosure.

If you cannot find any information using the above links regarding your relevant country/countries, we would advise you to contact the relevant Embassy regarding procedure for obtaining a Police Clearance Certificate from that country.

Q. Do I need to submit an original or certified copy of police clearance certificate(s).

A. Please submit certified copies of police clearance documents from all jurisdiction(s)/state(s) of previous residence referring to the time spent in each country. (Please note that if an original certificate is submitted it will not be returned.) NUI Galway only accepts police clearance documents which are less than one year old or which cover the entire period of residence in other jurisdictions.

Only certified copies of the above documentation should be submitted. Uncertified copies will not be accepted and will be returned with a request for a certified copy.

Q. How do I obtain a Certified Copy of my original document?

A. To certify a photocopy of an original document, a member of An Garda Síochána or a solicitor or Commissioner for Oaths must sight the original document and the photocopy of the document at the same time.  The certifier will provide a signature, stamp and date on the photocopy which confirms that the photocopy is a true copy of the original document.

Certified Translation policy

A Certified Translation must include either a statement/certifying clause or a separate page which confirms that the translation is a true, accurate and correct rendering of either the original document or of a certified copy of the original document.

A Certified Translation should state the language from which the translation has been carried out and must be signed by the translator, stating his/her name, address and contact details and the date, together with a certification stamp affixed at the end of a translation.

Q. How often do I need to be vetted?

A. Good practice would suggest that you should be vetted every five years; however the University reserves the right to undergo further Garda Vetting at any stage during your course of study.

Q. Should I disclose any conviction or offence that was “minor” or a long time ago?

A. Yes. You should disclose any conviction in court regardless of location, timing or significance, including what may be considered as “minor” or “non-conviction”.

Q. What if I am a Non-EU student coming to study at NUI Galway for the first time?

A. The University requires all non-Irish applicants for admission to programmes including Medicine that may bring students into contact with children and/or vulnerable adults to submit official evidence acceptable to the University of Police Clearance. This evidence must be presented in both certified copy and in authorised English translation. You will be notified by the Admissions Office when and where you need to submit this. You must also comply with the Garda Vetting process.

Q. What information will be disclosed when the form is returned?

A. Details of all disclosures convictions and / or prosecutions, successful or not, pending or completed are disclosed.

Q. Who sees the results of a vetting application?

A. The results are issued directly to the Authorised Signatory within NUI Galway; the outcome is then given to your head of school / college administrator who can give the details to placement agencies on request.

Q. What do I need to do when going on placement?

A. You may request a letter for your placement agency from your Head of School / College Administrator. 

Q. What information am I required to provide as part of Garda Vetting?

• You will be asked to provide personal information – name(s), date of birth, city or town of birth, etc.
• All addresses both within and outside the State at which you have lived from birth to the present date.
• List of all convictions (if any) for offences in the State and elsewhere.
• Declaration of applicant signing (signature, print name and date, your signature authorises the Vetting Unit to check this information and share the results with the University).

Q. What is an Alias?

A. An Alias is any other name that you are known by other than the forename that is recorded on your birth certificate. For example, someone named Kathleen may be known as Kate o Katie)

Q. Do I need to include all addresses?

A. Yes, all addresses from birth to present date including term addresses and addresses outside of Ireland and/or Northern Ireland should be stated on the application form.

Q. I cannot remember the month of the year in which I moved address. What should I do?

A. If you cannot remember the month in which you moved to any address an estimation of the month is acceptable.

Q. I cannot remember some of my addresses. What should I do?

A. If you cannot remember the full address please submit as much of the address as possible for example the street/road, town and country.  You will be required to enter a note on the form stating that you cannot remember the full address.

Q. I was travelling for a year and did not have one fixed address. What should I do?

A. For that particular timeframe you must enter a note on the form stating that you were travelling and did not have one fixed address. Please name the countries through which you travelled.

Q. Do I need to sign the form?

A. The form must contain your original signature and cannot be completed by a third party on your behalf.  The form must NOT be signed by a representative of the Gardaí at local level.

Q. Can I include an initial in my signature (to indicate an additional name)?

A. If you wish to include an initial in your signature for example John M. Smyth, you must provide the full name the initial stands for in the Forename section and print name section. (i.e. John Mark)

Q. Can I use the Irish Version of my name as my signature?

A. The signature used must match the name in which the form is completed.  You may complete the Forename and Surname sections in both the English & Irish version of your name and then sign the form in either the English or Irish version.

Q. I cannot remember the month and year of a conviction that I have. What should I do?

A. Please provide an approximate month and year.

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