Calls for reform of university process for students applying to go South as ‘few take 4 A-Levels’

The matter was raised in the Dáil by Sinn Féin T.D. Mairead Farrell who said she recently met with the Secondary Students’ Union of Northern Ireland (SSUNI) in Belfast.

The SSUNI has said the application process for pupils in the North is ‘unreasonable’ as they can only achieve maximum points under the Central Applications Office (CAO) system if they achieve four A*s at A-Level.

“At the moment most students do not take four A-Level subjects. That is just not a reality. Not only is there the issue of the four A-levels but there is also the fact of the extra bonus points in maths. Most students, obviously, if they do not plan to study maths, will not be doing maths for their A-levels. That is really important,” she said.

Higher education minister Simon Harris said: “I really look forward to meeting the secondary schools group from Northern Ireland, which reached out to me today. I am very happy to meet the students in the coming weeks and will keep in touch with the Deputy in that regard.

“This just needs to be fixed. The two systems do not seem to understand each other, but that is not a reason not to find a workaround and a way to fix this.

"Huge progress has been made, and I thank the universities, UU and Queen's in particular, for that, with the ring-fenced places for students from here to go to the North and to be able to study medicine from next year, nursing from this year and therapies from this year. That is real progress the universities have delivered.

"We need now to return the favour and we need to make sure we can do the same here for students from the North. There is no doubt in my mind that we have very many great brains working in the higher education system.

"We will bring them all together through Universities Ireland and come up with an ask and a practical recommendation, and let us try to get this done by the end of the year.”

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