Expand+QQI FET / FETAC Scoring

This scoring scheme only applies where all the requirements for the major award are met, ie. when the named component awards specified have been achieved to a minimum of 120 credits.

See the QQI FET/FETAC qualifications...

Hide-QQI FET / FETAC Scoring

This scoring scheme only applies where all the requirements for the major award are met, ie. when the named component awards specified have been achieved to a minimum of 120 credits.

See the QQI FET/FETAC qualifications section at www.cao.ie for further details.

Level 5 and 6 Certificates, ie. major awards, achieved before the introduction of CAS are also scored according to the system outlined above.

To view the list of QQI FET / FETAC awards, see www.fetac.ie/fetac/awardsinfo/directory/directory.htm QQI FET / FETAC results cannot be added to Leaving Certificate points. Where applicants have taken both exams, the higher points will be considered for rating purposes.

Expand+Going to college is an exciting time, full of expectation, trepidation and hope for the future. It can also be an anxious time, no more so than for students coming back into further education after being away from it for a few (or many) years. At WIT...

Hide-Going to college is an exciting time, full of expectation, trepidation and hope for the future. It can also be an anxious time, no more so than for students coming back into further education after being away from it for a few (or many) years. At WIT we have lots of support services to help you in deciding what option is best for you and in your transition to college life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I qualify as a Mature Student?
A mature student is someone who is at least 23 years of age on 1st January of the year of entry to an undergraduate course and who may not meet the normal admission requirements. There is no upper age limit.

Why should I consider third level education as a mature student?
Mature students decide to enter third level education for a variety of reasons:

• To complete their education and get a qualification
• To further develop an interest in a given subject
• To improve their job prospects
• To retrain for another career
• To develop their social and personal skills

How do I apply for a place on an undergraduate course?
There are two main steps to take:

• Complete your CAO application by* 1 February 2018. Note that there is a late application deadline of 1 May 2018.

• See Mature Applicant policy documents for details regarding additional assessment processes for WIT courses.
Web: www.wit.ie/admissionspolicies

Note: You must apply for Nursing & Music courses by 1 February.

What are the key points when applying to the CAO?
• Read the CAO Handbook carefully
• Read the information on www.wit.ie/caomature
• Ensure you complete the Mature Applicant Sections
• Ensure you post your supporting documents to the CAO
within 10 working days

Selection Process – Mature Applicants (excluding Nursing & Music)

For full details on the selection process, please visit www.wit.ie/admissionspolicies

Selection Process - Mature Nursing
Mature applicants for Nursing courses will receive correspondence under separate cover from the Nursing Careers Centre (Public Appointments Service - PAS). For full details on the application proces see www.nursingcareers.ie.

Selection Process - Music Applicants
If an applicant includes WD027 BA (Hons) in Music (Level 8) as a choice, applicants will not be scored for WD027 and will be assessed solely on the basis of the WIT Music Audition.

Mature Applicant Policy
For full information, please refer to the Mature Applicant policy at www.wit.ie/admissionspolicies

Mature Applicant – Change of Mind
The Change of Mind facility becomes available after 1 May and the closing date is 1 July. The Change of Mind Facility affords mature applicants an opportunity to change the order of preference only of their course choices. If applicants introduce a new programme to their list of choices by way of Change of Mind, they will compete for a place on that programme based on their Leaving Certificate or equivalent results only. They will not compete as a mature applicant.

Restricted-Application Course – WD027 BA (Hons) in Music – if added for the first time via a Change of Mind is invalid and will not be considered. Closing date is strictly 1st February for application to this course.

Nursing - All applicants apply using the standard nursing codes WD116, WD117 and WD120. These codes can be added at Change of Mind. However, in order to compete as a mature applicant, at least one such code must have been among your 1 February listing

Mature Applicant - Decisions & Offers
Successful candidates will be offered a place in the highest of their course preferences to which they are entitled (if any). This will be done, independently, in respect of level 8 and level 7/level 6. Applicants may, therefore, receive two offers at the same time, one for the highest level 8 preference to which s/he is entitled and the other for the highest level 7/level 6 preference to which s/he is entitled. Offers to mature applicants are normally made in Round A from the CAO, which normally happens in early July, in advance of the Leaving Certificate offers.

Mature Applicant - Deferral of Places
WIT will consider sympathetically requests from applicants, who, having been successful in gaining a place in the Institute, decide that they wish to defer their entry until the following year.

Additional Assessment
See the Mature Applicant policy documents for details regarding additional assessment processes for WIT courses. www.wit.ie/admissionspolicies

More information:
Email: maturestudent@wit.ie
Web: www.wit.ie/maturestudent

Expand+Student Contribution
The Student Contribution Charge for the academic year 2017/2018 is €3,000. The Student Contribution is an annual charge directed by the Higher Education Authority. All third level students are liable to pay this fee unless they...

Hide-Student Contribution
The Student Contribution Charge for the academic year 2017/2018 is €3,000. The Student Contribution is an annual charge directed by the Higher Education Authority. All third level students are liable to pay this fee unless they qualify for a SUSI grant.

Tuition Fees
Generally, first time undergraduate students pursuing a full time programme will qualify for free tuition fee funding. Please refer to www.studentfinance.ie for full details of the “Free Fees Initiative” (F.F.I.) scheme. A student who qualifies under the F.F.I. will be exempt from paying tuition fees to WIT. Those students who do not qualify under the F.F.I. will be liable to pay all tuition fees depending on the programme they choose to complete.

WIT Student Card
This is a €15.00 charged to all first year students for the issue of a student card. This WIT card is required for access to student facilities. Where a student already holds a valid WIT Card from previous years a new card is not required.

Expand+Grants
All new grant applications for 2017/2018 must be made online to SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) through www.susi.ie or telephone 0761 087874. If approved, SUSI will pay the Student Contribution on behalf of the student directly to Wa...

Hide-Grants
All new grant applications for 2017/2018 must be made online to SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) through www.susi.ie or telephone 0761 087874. If approved, SUSI will pay the Student Contribution on behalf of the student directly to Waterford Institute of Technology. It is not necessary to have received an offer of a college place or to be enrolled in college in order to apply online.

For students who have paid this fee in the interim, this will be refunded by the grants office.
For further information on grants please log onto:
www.citizensinformation.ie
www.studentfinance.ie

Expand+Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply: Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1st May 2...

Hide-Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20th January 2018 at 5:15pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm

Late online application - restrictions apply: Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1st May 2018 at 5:15 pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply: Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1st July 2018 5:15 pm

Exceptional online late application - see page 14 of the 2018 CAO Handbook: Fee €60 Closing Date: 22nd July 2018 at 5:15pm

You should avoid submitting an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5:15pm on 1st February 2018 and will be accepted up to 5:15pm on 1st May 2018, subject to the restricitions listed on page 3 of the 2018 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 5th March 2018 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the Timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22nd of July at 5:15pm applies only to applicants who are currently undergraduate students in any year in any one of the participating HEIs (subject to the exclusions listed below). In order to avail of the Exceptional Late Application facility you must have entered the HEI through the CAO system.

If you did not enter your current course through the CAO system, you must first contact the Admissions Office of the HEI to which you wish to apply and they will inform you if you may submit an application direct to the institution.

Exclusions:
You may submit a late application only for entry to courses other than your existing course. If you wish to repeat the year in the same course you must arrange this within your HEI.

Mary Immaculate College Limerick, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Maynooth University and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology have special procedures in place in the case of current or previous students who wish to apply for entry to another course in the same HEI. Such applicants must contact their Admissions Office to determine the application procedure. However, if you are a student in another HEI and you wish to apply to any of these five HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 15 of the 2018 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restricted-category Applicants
Mature applicants – most HEIs will require mature applicants, who wish to be assessed on mature grounds, to have applied to CAO by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm. (This restriction does not apply if the applicant wishes to be considered on the basis of school leaving qualifications only.) For more information about applying to CAO on the basis of mature years go to www.cao.ie/mature.

Applying for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes – to be considered for the HEAR and/or DARE schemes applicants must have registered on the CAO system by 1st February 2018 at 5:15pm and must have completed the HEAR/DARE application form by 1st March 2018 at 5:15pm – supporting documents must be sent to CAO offices before 1st April 2018 at 5:15pm.

Expand+What is Horticulture?
Horticulture is a very diverse industry and career opportunities exist in a wide variety of areas, from producing plants for garden centres, working on golf courses, landscaping, through to fruit and vegetable production. Many...

Hide-What is Horticulture?
Horticulture is a very diverse industry and career opportunities exist in a wide variety of areas, from producing plants for garden centres, working on golf courses, landscaping, through to fruit and vegetable production. Many horticulturists are managers or self-employed and need business as well as horticultural skills.

What is the BSc in Horticulture course?
This is a three year full-time course designed to train professional horticulturists. The course is run in conjunction with Teagasc. Students can choose to study in Waterford at WIT and Teagasc, Kildalton College OR they can study in Dublin at the Teagasc College in the National Botanic Gardens. There are separate CAO codes for the Waterford and Dublin locations.

National Botanic Gardens - WD097
Students on this course will be based in the Teagasc College at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.

Placement
In year 2, one semester is spent on placement either in Ireland or abroad. This is an opportunity for you to see and implement the key horticultural skills you have learnt in college.

Expand+Year 1:
Semester 1:
Plant Identification & Specification
Plant Biology
Plant Protection
Communication Skills
Computer Applications
Mechanisation & Safety

Year 1:
Semester 2:
Chemistry for Land Scientists
Soils Management
Plant Propagati...

Hide-Year 1:
Semester 1:
Plant Identification & Specification
Plant Biology
Plant Protection
Communication Skills
Computer Applications
Mechanisation & Safety

Year 1:
Semester 2:
Chemistry for Land Scientists
Soils Management
Plant Propagation
Plant Identification & Garden Maintenance
Horticultural Mechanisation
Horticulture Building Construction

Year 2:
Semester 3:
Horticulture Business Accounting
Biodiversity and Horticulture
Plant Identification and Use

Major Elective:
Choose 1:
Landscape Design (E)
Nursery Stock Production (E)
Market Gardening (E)
Turfgrass (E)

Minor Elective:
Choose 1:
Garden Management (E)
Floristry (E)
Protected Crop Production (E)

Year 2:
Semester 4:
Placement

Year 3:
Semester 5:
Marketing for Small Business
Small Business Management
People Management
Project Research

Major Elective:
Choose 1:
Landscape Design (E)
Turfgrass (E)
Market Garden (E)
Nursery Stock Production (E)

Year 3:
Semester 6:
Law for Horticulturalists
Horticulture Taxation & PRSI
Customer Service Management
Project Implementation

Electives:
Choose 2:
Horticulture Therapy (E)
Greenkeeping (E)
Landscape Design Advanced (E)
Garden Centre Operation (E)
CAD (E)
Horticulture Quality Assurance (E)
Field Crop Production (E)
Interior Landscaping (E)

E = elective modules are subject to class size & timetable constraints. Some electives require prerequisites.