Matriculation, Entry Requirements, Points, selection scheme

Q. What are the basic entry criteria for Admission to Undergraduate Courses?

A. All students wishing to enter an Undergraduate Degree courses at NUI Galway must meet the Matriculation requirements of the University.

Q. What does matriculation mean?

A. Matriculation refers to the minimum requirements for entry to the University.  Therefore before an applicant can be considered for admission they must meet these minimum standards.

Q. What are the minimum entry requirements?

A. For holders of the Irish Leaving Certificate, six subjects are required, with a minimum Grade C3 at Higher Level in two subjects, and at least Grade D3 in four other subjects at Ordinary or Higher Level.

Q. Are there any exceptions to this requirement?

A. One Grade E in any subject at higher level will be accepted if the candidate has among his/her other subject’s three Grade C3 awards on higher level papers or at least one Grade B3 and one Grade C3 on Higher level papers in the Leaving Certificate. (It should be noted that this compensatory mechanism applies to basic matriculation only.  It is not relevant for admission purposes where there is a course requirement higher than Grade D3 at ordinary level in the subject concerned.  It does not currently apply in the case of nursing.)

Q. Do some courses have additional entry requirements?

A. Certain courses have additional requirements and these are specified in course entry requirements in the Undergraduate prospectus and on our website here

Q. What does the points system mean?

A. As fulfilment of the matriculation requirements is not in itself usually sufficient for admittance to courses sought, a Selection Scheme under which applicants are ranked in order of merit of performance at school leaving examinations is operated and this is called the points system.  Each applicant’s score is calculated by allocating points for grades achieved in one sitting of the Leaving Certificate examination.  Only the best six subjects are taken into account for points. 2011 Points - please click here

Q. What subjects do you need?

A. Information on subject requirements for entry to Undergraduate Degree Courses is available in the Undergraduate Prospectus  and on our website here.

Q. Can students combine the results of the Leaving Certificate Exam taken in different years for admission?

A. An applicant may combine the results of Leaving Certificate examinations obtained in different years for Matriculation purposes. (This concession applies to Matriculation only; it does not apply to point’s calculation). Moreover, it should be noted that students seeking to enter Medicine must satisfy the minimum entry requirements in the same sitting. Students are advised to refer to The College of Medicine Brochure here

Q. Can students repeating Leaving Certificate submit point scores from different Leaving Certificate Years for the purpose of points calculation?

A. Entry requirements can be taken from any number of Leaving Certificates but only the best six subjects in any one year can be used for scoring purposes. The exception is Medicine.  Students seeking to enter Medicine must satisfy the minimum entry requirements in the same sitting. Students are advised to refer to The College of Medicine Brochure for information here.

Q. Can subjects presented from LCVP (Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme) be used to satisfy the minimum requirements?

A. Link modules of the LCVP are acceptable for points purposes for entry to NUIG. Please note that the LCVP is not an acceptable qualification or subject for matriculation purposes.

Q. Is General Home Economics acceptable as a subject?

A. Home Economics – General is not an acceptable matriculation subject for admission to NUI Galway. However Leaving Cert Home Economics – Social and Scientific is an acceptable matriculation subject for admission to NUI Galway.

Q. Are there any invalid Subject Combinations?

A. The subject Physics and Chemistry may not be presented with either Physics or Chemistry. Only two of the following subjects may be presented: History, Economic History, Economics. Agricultural Economics may not be presented with Economics. Classical Studies may not be presented with Latin or Greek.

Q. Is Foundation Level Mathematics or Foundation Level Irish acceptable?

A. The subject Mathematics (Leaving Certificate - Foundation Level) will be accepted for matriculation purposes, but not as a substitute for the subject ’Mathematics’ in faculties or courses for which the subject ’Mathematics’ is currently an entry requirement. Entry points will not be awarded for this subject. The Leaving Certificate subject ’Gaeilge - Bonnleibhéal’ (Irish - Foundation Level) will not be accepted for matriculation or points purposes.

Admission to first year full-time Undergraduate Degree Courses is competitive and is based on the Leaving Certificate points system or a system of equivalent standing. 2011 Points - please click here

Selection Scheme

Admission to first year full-time Undergraduate Degree Courses is competitive and is based on the Leaving Certificate points system or a system of equivalent standing. For the purposes of allocating places, applicants who satisfy the minimum matriculation and faculty requirements are ranked in order of merit of performance at school - leaving examinations. Each applicant’s score is calculated on the basis of the following allocation of points for grades achieved in the best six subjects taken at one sitting of the Leaving Certificate examination:

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