Expand+QQI FET / FETAC SCORING
The 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 sec...

Hide-QQI FET / FETAC SCORING
The 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 2022. Note that there is a late application deadline of 1 May 2022.

• 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 - Nursing Applicants
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 Applicants - 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/mature

Expand+Advanced entry
Students who have successfully completed a QQI-FET (FETAC) approved Level 6 award and who successfully complete bridging studies, can apply to transfer into Year 2 of the BSc in Horticulture. Older awards will be mapped to the level o...

Hide-Advanced entry
Students who have successfully completed a QQI-FET (FETAC) approved Level 6 award and who successfully complete bridging studies, can apply to transfer into Year 2 of the BSc in Horticulture. Older awards will be mapped to the level of new awards, along with experience, in order to assess entry onto the BSc in Horticulture.

Advanced Entry

Students with Level 5 and 6 with merit of distinction in the new Common award in Horticulture and who successfully complete bridging studies, can apply to transfer into Year 2.

Students who have completed a National Diploma or Certificate in Horticulture under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture, ACOT or Teagasc can apply to transfer into Year 3.

Contact the course leader for further information or see www.wit.ie/advancedentry

Expand+GRANTS
All new grant applications for 2022/2023 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...

Hide-GRANTS
All new grant applications for 2022/2023 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+Entry 2022

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2022 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2022 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Hand...

Hide-Entry 2022

Early online application (discounted): Fee €30 Closing Date: 20 January 2022 at 5pm

Normal online application: Fee €45 Closing Date: 1 February 2022 at 5pm

Late online application - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee: €60 Closing Date: 1 May 2022 at 5pm

Change of Mind - restrictions apply (see page 3 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee: Nil Closing Date: 1 July 2022 at 5pm

Exceptional online late application (see page 31 of the 2022 CAO Handbook): Fee €60 Closing Date: 22 July 2022 at 5pm

Be sure to complete any action well in advance of closing dates. You should avoid making an application close to a closing date. No extensions to closing dates will be allowed and all application fees are non-refundable.

LATE APPLICATIONS
Late Applications are those which are received after 5pm on 1 February 2022. The closing date for late applications is 5pm on 1 May 2022, subject to the restrictions listed on page 3 of the 2022 CAO Handbook. The online facility for late applications opens on the 4 March 2022 at 12:00 noon - a fee of €60 applies.

Exceptional Late Applications (Exception to the timetable)
The exceptional closing date of 22 July at 5pm applies only to applicants who are registered as an undergraduate student on 1 May 2022 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, Marino Institute of Education, 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 six HEIs, you should apply through CAO.

Refer to page 31 of the 2022 CAO Handbook on how to make an Exceptional Late Application.

Restrictions
As a CAO applicant you may experience one or more of the following restrictions based on your course choices, your category of application, or restrictions imposed by the HEIs that you wish to apply to. Please read the section on 'Restrictions' on page 3 of the 2022 CAO Handbook carefully. This section includes information on:

General Restricitons
1. Making a late application
2. Making changes to your course choices

Restricted Courses
3. Applying for a restricted course

Mature Applicants
4. Mature applicants

Supplementary Admissions Routes
5. Applying for DARE and/or HEAR

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.

Course Aims
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.

Kildalton - WD096
Students on this course study both at WIT and at Kildalton College, Piltown. The laboratory-based scientific and business modules are taken at WIT and the horticulture-based modules are taken at Kildalton. A free bus service operates between Kildalton and WIT.

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 ONE
Communication Skills and
Computer Applications
Horticulture Skills 1
Plant Biology
Plant Knowledge 1
Plant Protection
Soil and Growing Media

SEMESTER TWO
Chemistry for Land Scientists
Horticulture Building Constructio...

Hide-Year 1
SEMESTER ONE
Communication Skills and
Computer Applications
Horticulture Skills 1
Plant Biology
Plant Knowledge 1
Plant Protection
Soil and Growing Media

SEMESTER TWO
Chemistry for Land Scientists
Horticulture Building Construction
Horticulture Mechanisation and Safety
Horticulture Skills 2
Plant Knowledge 2
Plant Propagation

Year 2
SEMESTER THREE
Biodiversity and Horticulture
Financial Analysis for your Business
Garden Management and Plant Selection

Choose 1
Sustainable Food Production
Landscape Design
Nursery Stock Production
Sportsurf Science
Lab Skills for Plant Micro-Propagation (Waterford Only

SEMESTER FOUR
Placement

Note: Students who have already undertaken placement as part of their previously completed qualification, will be required to complete 6 other modules.

Year 3
SEMESTER FIVE
Horticulture Sales and Marketing
Introduction to Scientific Writing and Data Analysis
Managing your Business
People Management

Choose 1
Landscape Design
Nursery Stock Production
Sportsturf Science
Sustainable Food Production
Lab Skills for Plant Micro-Propagation (Waterford Only)

SEMESTER SIX
Arboriculture
Horticulture Project and Seminar
Law for Horticulturists
Tax for Horticulture

Choose 1
Field Crop Production
Garden Centre Operations
Greenkeeping
Landscape Design Advanced
Plants and Society

Choose 1
Beekeeping and Pollination Studies
Computer Aided Design
Interior Landscaping and Floristry
Protected Crop Production
Social and Therapeutic Horticulture