Access to Higher Education - Mature Student
The Mature Student Access Certificate (MSAC) is a one-year full-time pre-degree course designed for mature students who wish to develop or refresh key learning skills, and to undertake some foundation-level academic studies, before applying to a degree programme.
| Award Name | Certificate |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | University of Limerick |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | University of Limerick |
Duration
1 year full-time pre-degree course.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
• Applicants must be at least 22 years of age by 1st January 2022
• Applicants cannot already hold a third-level qualification
• Applicants must qualify for EU Fees Status i.e. have been resident in an EU/EEA/UK/Swiss State for at least two of the previous four years and must meet the nationality criteria for EU Fees Status.
• See information on Student Fees for further information on fee status.
We welcome applications from all eligible adult students for this programme, in particular from anyone who does not have the conventional educational requirements to progress to third level and/or who comes from socio-economic backgrounds that are currently underrepresented at third level, including (but not limited to) Irish Travellers, lone parents, members of ethnic minority groups.*
There are no standard educational entry requirements but evidence of motivation to progress to third-level education is desirable. Evidence of English Language proficiency may be required where English is not the first language of the applicant. Non-EU citizens currently residing outside Ireland are not eligible to apply for this programme. Non-EU citizens who currently reside in Ireland must demonstrate that they qualify for EU Fee Status.
* Under UL’s University of Sanctuary initiative five places are reserved on the MSAC for applicants who are asylum seekers. Applications for University of Sanctuary support must be made in addition to applications for the MSAC. Please go to UL’s University of Sanctuary page for further information.
Further information
The course fee for the academic year 2022-23 is €500. Applicants who are in receipt of social welfare payments and applicants on low income may be eligible for a reduced course fee of €100. If you wish to be assessed for the reduced course fee, please provide relevant information as supporting documentation with your application. Further detail on the documents required is available from the MMSAC Application Guide 2022-23.
Applicants who are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for 3 months (78 days) prior to commencing the course may be eligible to apply for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), Second-Level Option. Please contact your local Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Office or check www.studentfinance.ie for further information on the BTEA. The MSAC is not an eligible programme under the higher education grant scheme (SUSI).
Applications for the Mature Student Access Certificate are now made online. Application for academic Year 2023/24 opens on Friday 20th January 2023.
We advise that you consult the MSAC Applicant Guide 2023/24 and the MSAC Programme Information Guide 2023/24 prior to making your application.
Brief Description
The Mature Student Access Certificate (MSAC) is a one-year full-time pre-degree course designed for mature students who wish to develop or refresh key learning skills, and to undertake some foundation-level academic studies, before applying to a degree programme.
Overview
The MSAC will give you the opportunity to develop core skills which will be very useful to you in third-level, such as study skills and IT skills. It also gives you an opportunity to study a specialist subject area such as Humanities, Science or Engineering. You will experience life as a full-time student and will familiarise yourself with the many supports & services available in UL, before progressing onto a degree course.
The Mature Student Access Certificate consists of a set of core general modules and a set of specialist elective modules. All students on the programme complete four core and one elective module per semester. It is a full-time programme which means that classes are held during the day, from Monday to Friday, over one academic year. The first semester runs from September to December while the second semester runs from January to May.
The modules offered on the 2022-23 programme include the following:
Core Modules completed by all participants
• Mathematics, Computer Skills, Study Skills& Educational Guidance
Elective Modules – choose one of the streams below.
Elective Stream: Humanities
Modules - Semester 1
• Politics & Sociology
Modules - Semester 2
• English Literature & History
Elective Stream: Science
• Modules - Semester 1
• Chemistry & Biology
Modules - Semester 2
• Physics & Biology
Elective Stream: Engineering
• Modules - Semester 1
• Manufacturing Technology and CAD
Modules - Semester 2
• Introduction to Engineering
**Please note that Elective Streams run subject to minimum student numbers.
Contact(s):
Name: Mature Student Office
Team: Shirley Ryan (Mature Student Officer), Eve Digpal (Mature Student Office Administrator)
Address: Main Building, University of Limerick.
Email: MSO@ul.ie