Trinity makes 3,976 offers in first round of 2026 CAO

Posted on: 26 August 2026

Trinity College Dublin has made 3,976 offers to students in the first round of the 2026 CAO process, amid strong demand for its courses. Of these, 58% of offers are for students’ first preference courses. Of all CAO applicants, 13.6% of students applying for Level 8 courses had Trinity as their first preference. 

Cut-off points rose by an average of 0.5 points for Single Honours Level 8 courses at Trinity. Higher points courses (those that were above 500 in 2025) saw their points level fall by an average of 2.3 points while lower points courses rose on average by 7.8 points.  

Trinity’s Vice-Provost and Chief Academic Officer Orla Sheils said: “The gradual reduction of the post-marking adjustment in Leaving Certificate results continues to generate volatility in the university admissions system. Although the adjustment is being phased out, its effects will persist for up to four years after its final removal, due to deferred entrants from earlier cohorts and the resulting turbulence in points attainment year on year. As a result, the relationship between applicant demand and CAO points remains less predictable than in a normal admissions cycle.  

“To date, the reduction in the post-marking adjustment has not led to a fall in points for Trinity courses. Average entry points remain broadly unchanged, with some compression of the range as the highest points courses ease slightly and lower points courses rise.  

“While increasing numbers of applicants presenting qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate and other European school-leaving exams add complexity to the admissions process, they are not the primary driver of points outcomes. Despite efforts to minimise random selection, a slight increase has been unavoidable this year.” 

Notable changes include: 

TR051 Medicine (which includes HPAT scores) has increased from 739 to 741*. 

The demand for nursing courses has risen across the board. For instance, TR097 Intellectual Disability Nursing saw points rise to 388 from 338. 

In Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, TR023 English Studies rose 13 to 546 while TR028 Ancient and Medieval History and Culture rose 28 to 497. 

Computer Science courses have seen a drop in points, as below, amid a fall-off in applications: 

• TR033 Computer Science, 543 to 519 

• TR039 Computer Science, Linguistics, and a Language, 531 to 393 

•  Joint Honours Computer Science 554-590 to 427-555. 

Seven Single Honours courses are being offered at random selection (the process used by CAO when multiple applicants present for a course that has fewer spaces available than candidates at that points level) – up from six in 2025. They are TR004 Law (578*), TR051 Medicine (741*), TR052 Dental Science (625*), TR053 Physiotherapy (567*), TR054 Occupational Therapy (543*), TR080 Global Business (601*) and TR081 Business, Economics and Social Science (567*). 

Among Joint Honours courses (which involve a wide variety of subject combinations), rising demand pushed 14 selections above 600 points, compared to seven in 2025. 

ENDS

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