Free tools and plain-English guides for choosing subjects, courses and your CAO list.
No sign-up needed
Add your Leaving Cert subjects and grades to instantly calculate your total CAO points, including the Higher Maths bonus.
OpenGet your three-letter Holland Code in 5 minutes and see which CAO course areas fit. No sign-up.
OpenBrowse and search 1,402 Irish higher education courses
OpenSUSI Grant Eligibility Checker
Anonymous pre-screen — see whether to apply for the SUSI student grant. No signup.
HEAR Eligibility Checker
Anonymous pre-screen for the Higher Education Access Route. No signup.
DARE Eligibility Checker
Anonymous pre-screen for the Disability Access Route to Education. No signup.
Read at your own pace
How to Choose a CAO Course
The five-step method for building your CAO list, from self-knowledge to preference order
What CAO Course Is Right for Me?
Match your interests, personality, and strengths to the right course — by RIASEC type
CAO vs PLC
Compare university/college courses with Post-Leaving Certificate options
CAO Application Guide
Step-by-step guide to applying through the Central Applications Office
CAO Points Explained
Understand how CAO points are calculated from Leaving Certificate results, with the full points table and a calculator
CAO Change of Mind
How to update your course choices after the initial application deadline
Full reports
Assessment matching you to 1,402 CAO courses based on interests and aptitudes
See the testAdmin dashboards, student tracking, guidance counsellor tools and the 131-sheet Worksheet Library.