Study teaching in Ireland and you are choosing between three careers: primary teaching, post-primary teaching in the subjects you love, or leading learning in early childhood. This guide compares every CAO education course for 2026 with its Round 1 points, shows what each degree qualifies you to teach, explains the PME route, and sets out how training in Belfast, Britain or Europe works if you plan to come home to teach.
There are 80 education courses on the CAO in 2026 across 17 colleges, and they lead to quite different careers. Primary teaching (13 codes) is a four-year Bachelor of Education at DCU, Mary Immaculate, Marino or Maynooth, and every route needs at least a H4 in Higher Level Irish. Post-primary teaching (37 codes) works differently: a concurrent degree qualifies you to teach one or two named subjects, such as PE and Biology or Home Economics and Irish, so the subjects you choose at 17 are the subjects you will teach. The other way in is any degree that meets the Teaching Council's subject rules, followed by the two-year Professional Master of Education (PME). Early childhood education (28 codes) prepares you to lead learning for children from birth to six in crèches, preschools and naíonraí; it is a profession in its own right, not a primary teaching qualification. Every figure on this page is the 2026 Round 1 cut-off, with 2025 underneath.
The main primary and post-primary teaching degrees, with what each one qualifies you to teach. Early childhood degrees are compared further down, and every course is in the full directory.
| COLLEGE | CAO CODE | PROGRAMME | QUALIFIES YOU TO TEACH | YEARS | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY TEACHING (BEd) | |||||
| DCU | DC002 | Primary Teaching | Primary, with a major specialism from year 2 | 4 | 473 2025: 485 |
| MIC | MI005 | Primary Teaching | Primary, about 30 weeks in schools | 4 | 475 2025: 484 |
| MIC | MI008 | Education & Psychology | Primary, plus a PSI-accredited psychology degree | 4 | 554 2025: 578 |
| Marino | CM001 | Primary Teaching | Primary, Trinity-awarded degree | 4 | 462 2025: 473 |
| Marino | CM003 | Oideachas trí Mheán na Gaeilge | Primary, taught entirely through Irish | 4 | 503 comb. 2025: 502 comb. |
| Maynooth | MH001 | Primary Teaching (Froebel) | Primary, child-centred Froebel approach | 4 | 495 2025: 506 |
| POST-PRIMARY TEACHING (CONCURRENT DEGREES) | |||||
| UL | LM090 | Physical Education | PE plus English, Gaeilge, Geography or Maths | 4 | 521 2025: 531 |
| DCU | DC205 | PE with Biology | PE and Biology, Junior Cycle Science | 4 | 532 2025: 521 |
| UL | LM092 | Science with Teacher Education | Biology plus Physics, Chemistry or Ag Science | 4 | 480 2025: 488 |
| UCC | CK413 | Science Education | Two sciences, five route choices | 4 | 474 2025: 520 |
| DCU | DC203 | Science & Mathematics Education | Maths plus Physics or Chemistry | 4 | 467 2025: 443 |
| UL | LM094 | Graphics & Construction Technology | Construction Studies and DCG | 4 | 477 2025: 455 |
| ATU | AU985 | Home Economics & Biology | Home Economics and Biology (St Angela's, Sligo) | 4 | 465 2025: 453 |
| MIC | MI022 | Home Economics & Business | Home Economics and Business Studies (Thurles) | 4 | 478 2025: 473 |
| DCU | DC013 | Gaeilge with French, German or Spanish | Irish and a modern language | 4 | 423 2025: 315 comb. |
| UCD | DN760 | Education (Gaeilge and/or Languages) | Irish and/or French, Spanish, German, Italian | 4 | 422 2025: 455 |
| Galway | GY109 | Mathematics & Education | Mathematics | 4 | 371 2025: 423 |
| Trinity | TR009 | Music Education | Music (interview and audition) | 4 | 688 comb. 2025: 667 comb. |
| NCAD | AD202 | Education & Design or Fine Art | Art (portfolio entry) | 4 | 633 comb. 2025: 600 comb. |
Points shown are 2026 CAO Round 1 cut-offs, with the 2025 cut-off underneath and an arrow for the direction of change. They move every year, so verify at cao.ie/points. Violet badges are combined scores: points plus an audition, interview, portfolio or Irish test, so they cannot be compared with ordinary points. All are covered by the Free Fees Initiative for eligible EU students. "Qualifies you to teach" is quoted from each college's course page. Each code opens the course in the Course Explorer.
Four colleges train Ireland's primary teachers. Post-primary teacher education is spread more widely, and each college specialises in particular subjects, so the subject you want to teach often decides where you study.
ATU trains Home Economics, art and construction teachers, and the technological universities, DkIT and NCI run most of Ireland's early childhood degrees, many between 250 and 350 points and several with Level 6 and Level 7 ladders.
For a teaching degree, the test is whether the Teaching Council accredits it and which subjects it qualifies you to teach. A 400-point Home Economics degree in Sligo and a 520-point PE degree in Limerick both put you on the same register. For an early childhood degree, look for Qualifications Advisory Board (QAB) approval, which confirms the degree meets the national Professional Award Criteria and Guidelines for working in early learning and care. The directory below quotes what each college page says; where it says nothing, ask the college before you apply.
| Institution | CAO Code | Programme | Sector | Duration | 2026 R1 | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATU | AU988 | Home Economics (Teacher Ed) | Post-primary | 4 yrs | 414 2025: 408 | Sligo (St Angela's) |
| AU620 | Art, Design & Communication Graphics (Teacher Ed) | Post-primary | 4 yrs | 400 2025: 400 | Galway City | |
| AU680 | Design, Graphics & Construction (Teacher Ed) | Post-primary | 4 yrs | 401 2025: 410 | Connemara, then Galway | |
| AU695 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | 306 2025: 303 | Mayo | |
| AU390 | Early Childhood Care, Health & Education | Early years | 4 yrs | 302 2025: 301 | Letterkenny | |
| TUS | US927 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | 317 2025: 270 | Limerick |
| US926 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | 319 2025: 251 | Athlone | |
| MTU | MT972 | Early Childhood Education & Care (BEd) | Early years | 4 yrs | 348 2025: 340 | Cork |
| MT970 | Montessori Education (BEd) | Montessori | 4 yrs | 347 2025: 339 | Cork | |
| SETU | SE913 | Early Childhood Education & Practice (BEd) | Early years | 4 yrs | 308 2025: 297 | Carlow |
| SE911 | Early Childhood Care & Education | Early years | 4 yrs | 270 2025: 270 | Waterford | |
| TU Dublin | TU995 | Early Childhood Education | Early years | 4 yrs | 346 2025: 307 | Grangegorman |
| TU989 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | 251 2025: 262 | Blanchardstown or Tallaght | |
| DkIT | DK876 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | 327 2025: 243 | Dundalk |
| NCI | NC030 | Early Childhood Education & Care | Early years | 4 yrs | AQA 2025: 228 | Dublin (IFSC) |
A sample; every course is in the directory below, including the Level 6 and Level 7 early childhood routes. Points are 2026 CAO Round 1 cut-offs with 2025 underneath; verify at cao.ie/points. Locations follow each college's own course page.
A Home Economics teacher who entered St Angela's on 400 points joins the same Teaching Council register, on the same pay scale, as a PE teacher who needed 521 at UL. Schools hire on your teaching practice, your subjects and how you come across at interview, not your Leaving Cert. And if primary teaching is the goal but the BEd is out of reach, an early childhood or arts degree followed by the two-year primary PME is a well-used route; the Other Ways In section explains it.
All 80 education and teaching courses on the CAO this year, college by college, with the 2026 Round 1 cut-off and, from each college's own page, what the course qualifies you to teach or do, its placements and any unusual entry rule. Open a college to see its courses. Click any code to open it in the MyCareerVerse Course Explorer, where every year's modules are laid out.
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TR009 | Music Education With the TU Dublin Conservatoire and the Royal Irish Academy of Music Qualified to teach Music to Leaving Cert; interview and audition worth up to 200 extra points; school placement every year. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 688 comb. 2025: 667 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DN760 | Education: Gaeilge and/or Modern Languages (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Irish and/or French, Spanish, German or Italian; a Gaeltacht semester or Erasmus exchange in year 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 422 2025: 455 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CK413 | Science Education Qualified to teach two sciences, with five routes including Physics with Maths and Computer Science with Maths; no PME needed. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 474 2025: 520 |
| CK124 | Education - Gaeilge Qualified to teach Irish plus French, Spanish, German, Italian or Maths; a Gaeltacht semester in year 2. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 462 2025: 398 |
| CK111 | Early Years & Childhood Studies Early years degree (not a teaching qualification), QAB approved; 13-week placements in years 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 387 2025: 368 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC205 | Physical Education with Biology (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach PE and Biology, plus Junior Cycle Science; school placement in years 3 and 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 532 2025: 521 |
| DC206 | Physical Education with Mathematics (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach PE and Mathematics; school placement in years 3 and 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 509 2025: 499 |
| DC002 | Education - Primary Teaching Primary teaching; choose a major specialism from year 2, such as Special and Inclusive Education, Digital Learning or Gaeilge; four weeks in the Gaeltacht. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 473 2025: 485 |
| DC203 | Science & Mathematics Education (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Maths plus Physics or Chemistry; optional paid 12-week STEM industry internship. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 467 2025: 443 |
| DC012 | Religious Education & Music (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Religious Education and Music to Leaving Cert; H4 Music, no audition. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 440 2025: 440 |
| DC013 | Gaeilge with French/German/Spanish(Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Irish and French, German or Spanish; H3 in Irish and the language; Erasmus semester in year 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 423 2025: 315 comb. |
| DC011 | Religious Education & History(Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Religious Education and History to Leaving Cert. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 420 2025: 410 |
| DC015 | Technology, Engineering & Graphics (Teacher Ed) TUS Athlone (years 1 and 2), DCU St Patrick's Campus (years 3 and 4) Qualified to teach Technology, Engineering and DCG; 12-week and 14-week placements in years 3 and 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 420 2025: 367 |
| DC001 | Education - Early Childhood Education Early childhood degree with a professional practice placement every year. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 410 2025: 420 |
| DC010 | Religious Education & English (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Religious Education and English to Leaving Cert. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 410 2025: 409 |
| DC235 | Education & Training Not a school teaching degree: further and adult education, with an optional fourth placement year for Teaching Council registration as a further education teacher. | Level 8 | 3 yrs | 347 2025: 346 |
| DC003 | Primary Teaching - Gaeltacht Applicants Primary teaching for Gaeltacht residents whose home language is Irish; H3 Irish; up to 10% of places. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 420 comb. 2025: 431 comb. |
| DC004 | Primary Teaching (Church of Ire) Primary teaching for schools under Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and Quaker patronage; supplementary form and eligibility assessment. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 404 comb. 2025: 407 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GY133 | Computer Science & Mathematics(Teacher Ed) Computer Science and Mathematical Studies with teacher education; 13 weeks of teaching practice in year 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 413 2025: 402 |
| GY109 | Arts (Mathematics & Education) Qualified to teach Mathematics; 13 weeks of teaching practice in year 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 371 2025: 423 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LM090 | Physical Education with concurrent Teacher Education Qualified to teach PE plus English, Gaeilge, Geography or Maths; 8-week and 10-week school placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 521 2025: 531 |
| LM092 | Science with Teacher Ed Qualified to teach Biology plus Physics, Chemistry or Agricultural Science; two 10-week placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 480 2025: 488 |
| LM094 | Graphics & Construction Technology(Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Construction Studies and DCG, and Wood Technology and Graphics at Junior Cycle. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 477 2025: 455 |
| LM091 | Languages (Teacher Education) Qualified to teach two of French, German, Irish, Spanish and Japanese; H3 in one of them; two 10-week placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 451 2025: 407 |
| LM096 | Physical Sciences with Chemistry & Physics (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Physics and Chemistry; H4 Maths and H4 in a physical science; two 10-week placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 438 2025: 422 |
| LM097 | Mathematics & Computer Science (Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach Maths and Leaving Cert Computer Science; H4 Maths. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 433 2025: 455 |
| LM095 | Graphics, Engineering & Technology(Teacher Ed) Qualified to teach DCG and Engineering and Technology; 8-week and 10-week placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 421 2025: 399 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MH001 | Education - Primary Teaching Primary teaching in the Froebel tradition; Gaeltacht placement at Easter in years 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 495 2025: 506 |
| MH212 | Mathematics & Computer Science(Teacher Ed) Maths and Computer Science with education modules; a fifth year (the PME) is needed to qualify as a teacher. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 422 2025: 420 |
| MH003 | Early Childhood - Teaching & Learning Early childhood degree in the Froebel tradition, QAB approved; at least 420 placement hours a year. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 366 2025: 400 |
| MH002 | Primary Teaching - Gaeltacht Applicants Gaeltacht applicants' route into MH001; H3 Irish and Gaeltacht residence. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | Check CAO 2025: 544 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MI008 | Primary Education & Psychology Limerick Primary teaching combined with a psychology degree accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 554 2025: 578 |
| MI022 | Education, Home Economics and Business Studies Thurles Qualified to teach Home Economics and Business Studies; about 23 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 478 2025: 473 |
| MI005 | Education - Primary Teaching Limerick Primary teaching; about 30 weeks of school placement and two Gaeltacht residences. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 475 2025: 484 |
| MI004 | Primary Teaching - International Limerick Primary teaching with a study-abroad semester in year 3 and a Comparative Education specialism; about 17 places. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 462 2025: 552 |
| MI020 | Education, Mathematics and Gaeilge Thurles Qualified to teach Irish and Mathematics; H5 Irish and O1 or H5 Maths. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 433 2025: 443 |
| MI019 | Education, Gaeilge and Business Studies Thurles Qualified to teach Irish and Business Studies; H5 Irish; two Gaeltacht courses. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 402 2025: 397 |
| MI021 | Education, Mathematics and Business Studies Thurles Qualified to teach Mathematics and Business Studies; O1 or H5 Maths. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 402 2025: 403 |
| MI018 | Education, Gaeilge and Religious Studies Thurles Qualified to teach Irish and Religious Studies; H5 Irish; two Gaeltacht courses. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 400 2025: 407 |
| MI007 | Early Childhood Care & Education Limerick Early childhood degree; supervised placements with under-threes and preschool children, with an international option. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 388 2025: 376 |
| MI016 | Education, Business Studies and Accounting Thurles Qualified to teach Business Studies and Accounting; about 23 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 378 2025: 409 |
| MI017 | Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies Thurles Qualified to teach Business Studies and Religious Studies; about 23 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 337 2025: 346 |
| MI006 | Primary Teaching - Gaeltacht Applicants Limerick Gaeltacht applicants' route into MI005; H3 Irish and Gaeltacht residence. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 441 comb. 2025: 447 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CM001 | Education - Primary Teaching Primary teaching, awarded by Trinity; 19 weeks of school placement and about four weeks in the Gaeltacht. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 462 2025: 473 |
| CM020 | Early Childhood Education Early childhood education; placement every year; self-funded fees, not covered by Free Fees. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 346 2025: 346 |
| CM010 | Education Studies Not a teaching qualification: education studies for learning and development, community education and edtech; self-funded fees, not covered by Free Fees. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 316 2025: 320 |
| CM003 | Oideachas: Bunmhúinteoireacht trí Mheán na Gaeilge Primary teaching entirely through Irish; H3 Irish plus a TEG B1 pass; every placement in Irish-medium or Gaeltacht schools. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 503 comb. 2025: 502 comb. |
| CM004 | Oideachas: Bunmhúinteoireacht trí Mheán na Gaeilge (Gaeltacht Applicants) Gaeltacht applicants' route into CM003, the Irish-medium BEd. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 470 comb. 2025: 496 comb. |
| CM002 | Education - Primary Teaching - Gaeltacht Applicants Gaeltacht applicants' route into CM001; same programme. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 432 comb. 2025: 440 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD202 | Education & Design or Fine Art Post-primary art teaching (Teaching Council accredited); portfolio entry, so a combined score; graduate with a BA in Design or Fine Art and Education. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 633 comb. 2025: 600 comb. |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TU995 | Early Childhood Education Grangegorman Early childhood honours degree, QAB approved; placement every year and an Erasmus option. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 346 2025: 307 |
| TU989 | Early Childhood Care & Education (Blanchardtown or Tallaght) Blanchardstown or Tallaght Early childhood honours degree, QAB approved; 12-week block placements in years 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 251 2025: 262 |
| TU790 | Early Childhood Care & Education Blanchardstown or Tallaght Early years Level 7, QAB approved; 12-week placements in years 2 and 3; ladders to the honours year. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | AQA 2025: AQA |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MT972 | Early Childhood Education and Care Cork (Bishopstown) Early childhood honours BEd (birth to six); 12-week placements in years 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 348 2025: 340 |
| MT970 | Montessori Education Cork (Bishopstown) Montessori teaching from birth to 12, for Montessori schools; mainstream primary teaching needs a PME afterwards. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 347 2025: 339 |
| MT971 | Early Childhood Care & Education Kerry (Tralee) Early childhood honours degree; two full semesters of placement, in Ireland or abroad. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 307 2025: 307 |
| MT571 | Early Childhood Care & Education Kerry (Tralee) Early childhood Level 7; two full semesters of placement; ladders to honours, or later to a primary PME. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | 222 2025: 254 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU985 | Home Economics & Biology (Teacher Ed) St Angela's, Sligo Qualified to teach Home Economics and Biology; 24 weeks of school placement over four years. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 465 2025: 453 |
| AU988 | Education, Home Economics (Teacher Ed) St Angela's, Sligo Single-subject Home Economics teaching degree; 24 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 414 2025: 408 |
| AU680 | Design Graphics & Construction (Teacher Ed) Connemara (years 1 and 2), Galway City (years 3 and 4) Qualified to teach Construction Studies and DCG to Leaving Cert; school placement every year; H5 in Technical Drawing, DCG or Construction Studies. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 401 2025: 410 |
| AU620 | Education (Art, Design & Graphics) Galway City Qualified to teach Art and DCG to Leaving Cert; school placement every year; H5 in Art or DCG. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 400 2025: 400 |
| AU986 | Home Economics & Religious Ed (Teacher Ed) St Angela's, Sligo Qualified to teach Home Economics and Religious Education; 24 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 400 2025: 400 |
| AU987 | Home Economics & Irish (Teacher Ed) St Angela's, Sligo Qualified to teach Home Economics and Irish; H4 Irish; 24 weeks of school placement. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 400 2025: 398 |
| AU695 | Early Childhood Education & Care Mayo (Castlebar) Early years degree, QAB approved; placement every year, with an international option. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 306 2025: 303 |
| AU919 | Early Education & Care Sligo Early years degree (not primary teaching), QAB approved; 13-week placements in years 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 304 2025: 301 |
| AU390 | Early Childhood Care, Health & Education Letterkenny Early years degree, QAB approved; placements in years 2 to 4, with a study-abroad option in Norway. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 302 2025: 301 |
| AU190 | Early Childhood Care, Health and Education Letterkenny Early years Higher Certificate; ladders into year 3 of the AU390 honours degree. | Level 6 | 2 yrs | 232 2025: 163 |
| AU491 | Early Childhood Education and Care Mayo (Castlebar) Early years Higher Certificate; 12 hours a week in an early years setting; ladders towards the AU695 honours degree. | Level 6 | 2 yrs | 185 2025: 163 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US926 | Early Years Care & Education Athlone Early childhood honours degree, QAB approved; placements across birth to six. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 319 2025: 251 |
| US927 | Early Childhood Education & Care Limerick (Moylish) Early childhood honours degree, QAB approved; two 15-week (400-hour) placements. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 317 2025: 270 |
| US801 | Art & Design (Teacher Ed) Limerick School of Art and Design Art and design teacher education; portfolio entry, so a combined score; ten-week placement in year 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 948 comb. 2025: 949 comb. |
| US780 | Early Years Care & Education Athlone Early childhood Level 7; progress into year 4 of US926. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | 306 2025: 243 |
| US783 | Early Childhood Education and Care [Limerick] Limerick (Moylish) Early childhood Level 7, QAB approved; two 15-week placements; progress into US927. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | 273 2025: 205 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE913 | Early Childhood Education & Practice Carlow Early childhood BEd meeting the national ELC degree standards; placements in years 1, 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 308 2025: 297 |
| SE911 | Early Childhood Care & Education Waterford Early childhood honours degree; supervised placement in years 2, 3 and 4. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 270 2025: 270 |
| SE912 | Early Childhood Education & Practice Wexford Early childhood BEd meeting the national ELC degree standards; exit awards after years 1, 2 and 3. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 228 2025: 249 |
| SE935 | Early Childhood Education & Practice Carlow Level 7 version of SE913; progress into year 4 of the honours degree. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | 214 2025: 213 |
| SE934 | Early Childhood Education & Practice Wexford Level 7 version of SE912; progress into year 4 of the honours degree. | Level 7 | 3 yrs | AQA 2025: AQA |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK876 | Early Childhood Education & Care Early childhood degree meeting the national ELC degree standards; placement every year, one possibly abroad. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | 327 2025: 243 |
| Code | Course | Level | Years | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC030 | Early Childhood Education & Care Early childhood degree, QAB approved; 880 placement hours over four years. | Level 8 | 4 yrs | AQA 2025: 228 |
Not on the CAO list for 2026, so left out above: AU290 (ATU, Inclusive Practice for Special Needs Assistance), DC005 (DCU, Education - Primary Teaching - Irish Sign Language Pathway), MI009 (MIC, Education, Business Studies & Accounting), NM701 (St Nicholas Montessori, Montessori Education), PC410 (Carlow College, Arts & Humanities (Teacher Ed)), PC411 (Carlow College, English & History (Teacher Ed)). Also left out: MI010 (now MIC's BA in Drama and English, an arts degree). DC205 and DC206 are included although the CAO files them under science, because they are teacher education degrees. Recognition and placement notes are taken from each college's own course page; always confirm with the college and the Teaching Council. QAB approval means the Qualifications Advisory Board has confirmed an early childhood degree meets the national standards for working in early learning and care. DC235 is shown as three years; the optional fourth year is the further education teaching placement. MH212 is four years plus the PME. Levels and years follow the college page where it differs from the CAO handbook.
The 61 Level 8 education degrees with a plain 2026 points cut-off, grouped by band. Find the band your predicted points sit in, then open the band below it as well. The Gaeltacht, Irish-medium, music and art courses use a combined score and are in the directory above. Remember that points are only half the story: every primary BEd also needs at least a H4 in Higher Level Irish, and many post-primary degrees set a grade in the subject you will teach.
| Code | Course | College | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MH001 | Education - Primary Teaching | Maynooth | 495 2025: 506 |
| LM092 | Science with Teacher Ed | UL | 480 2025: 488 |
| MI022 | Education, Home Economics and Business Studies | MIC Thurles | 478 2025: 473 |
| LM094 | Graphics & Construction Technology(Teacher Ed) | UL | 477 2025: 455 |
| MI005 | Education - Primary Teaching | MIC Limerick | 475 2025: 484 |
| CK413 | Science Education | UCC | 474 2025: 520 |
| DC002 | Education - Primary Teaching | DCU | 473 2025: 485 |
| DC203 | Science & Mathematics Education (Teacher Ed) | DCU | 467 2025: 443 |
| AU985 | Home Economics & Biology (Teacher Ed) | ATU St Angela's, Sligo | 465 2025: 453 |
| CK124 | Education - Gaeilge | UCC | 462 2025: 398 |
| CM001 | Education - Primary Teaching | Marino | 462 2025: 473 |
| MI004 | Primary Teaching - International | MIC Limerick | 462 2025: 552 |
| LM091 | Languages (Teacher Education) | UL | 451 2025: 407 |
| Code | Course | College | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC012 | Religious Education & Music (Teacher Ed) | DCU | 440 2025: 440 |
| LM096 | Physical Sciences with Chemistry & Physics (Teacher Ed) | UL | 438 2025: 422 |
| LM097 | Mathematics & Computer Science (Teacher Ed) | UL | 433 2025: 455 |
| MI020 | Education, Mathematics and Gaeilge | MIC Thurles | 433 2025: 443 |
| DC013 | Gaeilge with French/German/Spanish(Teacher Ed) | DCU | 423 2025: 315 comb. |
| DN760 | Education: Gaeilge and/or Modern Languages (Teacher Ed) | UCD | 422 2025: 455 |
| MH212 | Mathematics & Computer Science(Teacher Ed) | Maynooth | 422 2025: 420 |
| LM095 | Graphics, Engineering & Technology(Teacher Ed) | UL | 421 2025: 399 |
| DC011 | Religious Education & History(Teacher Ed) | DCU | 420 2025: 410 |
| DC015 | Technology, Engineering & Graphics (Teacher Ed) | DCU TUS Athlone (years 1 and 2), DCU St Patrick's Campus (years 3 and 4) | 420 2025: 367 |
| AU988 | Education, Home Economics (Teacher Ed) | ATU St Angela's, Sligo | 414 2025: 408 |
| GY133 | Computer Science & Mathematics(Teacher Ed) | University of Galway | 413 2025: 402 |
| DC001 | Education - Early Childhood Education | DCU | 410 2025: 420 |
| DC010 | Religious Education & English (Teacher Ed) | DCU | 410 2025: 409 |
| MI019 | Education, Gaeilge and Business Studies | MIC Thurles | 402 2025: 397 |
| MI021 | Education, Mathematics and Business Studies | MIC Thurles | 402 2025: 403 |
| AU680 | Design Graphics & Construction (Teacher Ed) | ATU Connemara (years 1 and 2), Galway City (years 3 and 4) | 401 2025: 410 |
| AU620 | Education (Art, Design & Graphics) | ATU Galway City | 400 2025: 400 |
| AU986 | Home Economics & Religious Ed (Teacher Ed) | ATU St Angela's, Sligo | 400 2025: 400 |
| AU987 | Home Economics & Irish (Teacher Ed) | ATU St Angela's, Sligo | 400 2025: 398 |
| MI018 | Education, Gaeilge and Religious Studies | MIC Thurles | 400 2025: 407 |
| Code | Course | College | 2026 R1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MI007 | Early Childhood Care & Education | MIC Limerick | 388 2025: 376 |
| CK111 | Early Years & Childhood Studies | UCC | 387 2025: 368 |
| MI016 | Education, Business Studies and Accounting | MIC Thurles | 378 2025: 409 |
| GY109 | Arts (Mathematics & Education) | University of Galway | 371 2025: 423 |
| MH003 | Early Childhood - Teaching & Learning | Maynooth | 366 2025: 400 |
| MT972 | Early Childhood Education and Care | MTU Cork (Bishopstown) | 348 2025: 340 |
| DC235 | Education & Training | DCU | 347 2025: 346 |
| MT970 | Montessori Education | MTU Cork (Bishopstown) | 347 2025: 339 |
| CM020 | Early Childhood Education | Marino | 346 2025: 346 |
| TU995 | Early Childhood Education | TU Dublin Grangegorman | 346 2025: 307 |
| MI017 | Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies | MIC Thurles | 337 2025: 346 |
| DK876 | Early Childhood Education & Care | DkIT | 327 2025: 243 |
| US926 | Early Years Care & Education | TUS Athlone | 319 2025: 251 |
| US927 | Early Childhood Education & Care | TUS Limerick (Moylish) | 317 2025: 270 |
| CM010 | Education Studies | Marino | 316 2025: 320 |
| SE913 | Early Childhood Education & Practice | SETU Carlow | 308 2025: 297 |
| MT971 | Early Childhood Care & Education | MTU Kerry (Tralee) | 307 2025: 307 |
| AU695 | Early Childhood Education & Care | ATU Mayo (Castlebar) | 306 2025: 303 |
| AU919 | Early Education & Care | ATU Sligo | 304 2025: 301 |
| AU390 | Early Childhood Care, Health & Education | ATU Letterkenny | 302 2025: 301 |
There are 6 Level 7 and 2 Level 6 early childhood courses in the directory above, and 2 of them took every qualified applicant in 2026. Each one ladders into the honours years. QQI Level 5 and Level 6 Early Learning and Care courses at your local further education college are another recognised route in, and they qualify you to start working in the sector straight away.
Plenty of teachers did not go straight from the Leaving Cert into a BEd. The postgraduate PME, the Gaeltacht and Irish-medium routes, the early years ladder and mature entry all lead to the same register.
Take any degree you enjoy, then the Professional Master of Education: two years full time, 120 credits, NFQ Level 9. Post-primary PMEs run at Trinity, UCD, UCC, Galway, Maynooth, DCU, UL, MTU, TUS and NCAD; primary PMEs at DCU, Mary Immaculate, Maynooth Froebel and Marino. Hibernia College, a private provider, offers both.
To teach a post-primary subject, your degree needs at least 60 credits in it, with at least 10 at third-year level, plus subject-specific content. Check the Teaching Council's Curricular Subject Requirements before you choose your degree, not after.
For 2026/27 Trinity charges €5,610 a year and Mary Immaculate €5,800 a year for its primary PME. SUSI's postgraduate fee grant rose to up to €4,500 for 2026/27, subject to income.
Up to 10% of primary BEd places are reserved for applicants living in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area, through their own codes: DC003, MI006, CM002 and MH002. They ask for a H3 in Irish rather than H4, and DCU and Maynooth also say Irish must be the normal language of the home. You give your Eircode on the CAO form and the Department checks your address.
Marino's CM003 (and CM004 for Gaeltacht applicants) is a primary BEd taught entirely through Irish, with every placement in Irish-medium or Gaeltacht schools. Entry needs a H3 in Irish and a pass in the TEG B1 exam, sat in May. COGG also pays Irish-medium PME students a bursary of €2,000 a year.
Early childhood has the clearest ladder in education. A QQI Level 5 award is the legal minimum to work directly with children, and each step up opens more responsibility.
At a further education college; Level 6 is the expected standard for lead educator (room leader) roles under the national workforce plan.
The 8 Level 6 and 7 CAO courses ladder into the honours years at the same college.
Several early childhood pages (DkIT, MTU) name the primary PME as a next step. You will still need the Irish requirement for primary teaching, so keep up your Irish.
If you are 23 or over on 1 January of your entry year, you can apply as a mature student through the CAO. For the primary BEd, mature applicants sit a general interview and an oral Irish exam (DCU held its 2026 interviews by Zoom on 6 May).
DCU's Education and Training degree (DC235) prepares you to teach in further, adult and community education. Its optional fourth placement year leads to Teaching Council registration as a further education teacher. It is not a primary or post-primary qualification.
A teacher who came through a concurrent BEd, an arts degree and the PME, a Gaeltacht route or mature entry is registered by the Teaching Council on identical terms, completes the same Droichead induction and goes on the same pay scale. Special education is part of every teacher education programme, and serving teachers can later take a funded Postgraduate Diploma in Special Education (325 places in 2026/27).
Every year Irish students train as teachers in Belfast, Britain and further afield, and many come home to teach. It can work well, but the costs, the application systems and the conditions for registering back in Ireland are all different. Here is the full picture for 2026 and 2027 entry.
The Teaching Council assesses every qualification gained outside the Republic individually, under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, and it treats UK qualifications the same way since Brexit. Expect conditions. Primary teachers must meet the Irish Language Requirement, normally within three years of registering. Post-primary teachers must pass a test on the History and Structure of the Irish Education System, and their degree must meet the Irish subject requirements (at least 60 credits in each teaching subject). A one-year UK PGCE is shorter than Ireland's two-year PME, so extra conditions are possible. None of this stops you, but plan for it from the start.
| Where | Tuition 2026/27 | Fee loan if you live in Ireland | Living costs | Typical route | How to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | £4,985, the same as local students | Yes: a Student Finance NI tuition fee loan, through its EU team | SUSI maintenance grant (not the fee grant) | 4-year BEd, or degree plus a 1-year PGCE | UCAS for Stranmillis; directly to the college for St Mary's |
| England | Up to £9,790 | Yes: Irish citizens resident in the UK or Ireland for 3 years get home fees and a tuition fee loan | SUSI maintenance grant; no English maintenance loan unless you have lived in the UK | Primary degrees with QTS are often 3 years; or degree plus PGCE | UCAS |
| Wales | Up to £9,790 from August 2026 | Check with Student Finance Wales: its rules for students living in Ireland are not clear | SUSI maintenance grant | 3-year BA with QTS, or degree plus PGCE | UCAS |
| Scotland | The "Rest of UK" fee, for example about £9,250 at Strathclyde | Yes: a SAAS tuition fee loan | SUSI maintenance grant | 4-year degree (5 for Glasgow's MEduc), or degree plus a 1-year PGDE | UCAS |
Fees and loans from nidirect, gov.uk, the Welsh Government, university pages and SUSI, checked October 2026. SUSI pays the maintenance grant, never the fee grant, for an undergraduate course in the UK, and only for approved courses: confirm yours before you accept. The UCAS deadline for 2027 entry is 13 January 2027 at 6pm UK time.
You need full registration there: QTS in England or Wales, or registration with GTCNI or GTC Scotland, plus a letter from that body confirming it.
Applications are decided within the EU's 12-week window; in 2024 the average was about 4 weeks for primary and 8 for post-primary once documents were complete. Apply at least 12 weeks before you start teaching.
You can be registered with conditions and work while you meet them, usually within three years. Any subject shortfalls are named in your assessment.
Once the conditions are cleared, you are on the register on the same terms as a teacher trained in Ireland.
Either pass the SCG aptitude test run by Marino Institute of Education (two written papers, an aural and an oral exam, plus three weeks, 21 days, living in the Gaeltacht), or complete an adaptation period of at least 120 days teaching in Irish schools. You have up to three years from registration. Teachers whose degree had Irish as a major subject can apply to Marino for an exemption.
Pass the free online History and Structure of the Irish Education System test. Your degree is checked against the subject rules (for example, English needs 40 of its 60 credits in literature; Irish needs a Gaeltacht period and B2.2 proficiency). The Irish benchmark is a 120-credit teacher education programme, so a one-year PGCE may bring conditions. UK degrees are not built around Irish subject rules, so choose your modules with them in mind.
A temporary door that closes in 2027. Since October 2025 teachers who qualified abroad but have not finished induction there (for example, an English PGCE graduate with QTS) can register here and complete Droichead in Ireland. Applications close at 23:59 on 30 December 2027. A student starting a four-year degree in 2027 will graduate after that date, so do not plan around it unless it is extended.
For primary teaching, an Irish BEd is the most direct route home: it already includes the Irish, the Gaeltacht residences and the placements the Teaching Council expects. Belfast is the closest alternative and the cheapest UK option, with fees at £4,985 a year, but you will still need the Irish Language Requirement afterwards unless your degree qualifies you for an exemption.
For post-primary, a UK subject degree followed by a PME in Ireland is often cleaner than a UK PGCE, because you can choose modules that meet the Irish subject rules and then train here. Britain costs about twice as much as Northern Ireland, and Scotland is no longer free for students from the Republic.
Mainland Europe is rarely realistic for initial teacher training unless you are fluent in the local language: teacher education there is usually taught in it and leads to that country's own qualification. The English-taught programmes that exist mostly prepare you for international schools. For wider options see the MyCareerVerse EU courses page.
An Irish teaching qualification travels well. England awards QTS to teachers trained in EEA countries, including Ireland, once they have full registration here and at least one school year of teaching experience. Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland register Irish-trained teachers through GTCNI, the Education Workforce Council and GTC Scotland. International schools set their own requirements, as there is no single international teaching licence.
Education covers far more than the classroom you remember. Here are the main sectors, then the steps every teacher takes from student to fully registered.
Every subject to children aged four to twelve, from junior infants to sixth class, in English-medium, Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools.
One or two specialist subjects to Junior and Leaving Cert. Maths, Physics, Spanish, Irish and French are the subjects the Department is working hardest to staff.
Leading play-based learning for children from birth to six in crèches, preschools and naíonraí, with a government target of a graduate-led workforce by 2028.
Special classes, special schools and support teaching. Budget 2026 funded 860 more special education teachers and 1,717 more SNAs.
Teaching in ETB further education colleges, Youthreach and community education, registered with the Teaching Council as a further education teacher.
Learning and development, instructional design, education technology, museum and outreach education, policy and, with further study, guidance counselling or educational psychology.
Every Irish BEd, concurrent degree and PME is accredited against the Teaching Council's Céim standards, which build inclusive education, literacy, numeracy and digital skills into every programme.
You are vetted before your first placement. On graduating you register with the Teaching Council, with Droichead as a condition. Third and fourth year student teachers can now do limited substitute work.
Droichead is the Teaching Council's induction framework for newly qualified teachers, completed in your first teaching post with support from experienced colleagues.
Completing Droichead removes the condition, and you are fully registered. Over 3,000 newly qualified teachers join the register each year.
Early childhood graduates do not register with the Teaching Council. Their degree is recognised for the early learning and care sector through QAB approval, and a graduate qualification brings higher minimum pay and leadership roles. Further education teachers register with the Teaching Council under their own route.
The starting point of the common basic scale for primary and post-primary teachers from 1 June 2026, before any allowances.
Point 27 of the same scale. Posts of responsibility, such as assistant principal, and principal roles carry allowances on top.
The legal minimum for a Graduate Lead Educator since 13 October 2025 (Early Years Educator €15.00, Lead Educator €16.00). A rise of over 6% was proposed in September 2026.
Over 79,000 teachers work in Irish schools. Subject choice matters most at post-primary: Maths, Physics and Spanish are the Department's priority shortage areas, and it also funds upskilling in Irish, French, Politics and Society, and Computer Science.
Crèches, preschools, naíonraí and family services, with management, inspection and policy roles for experienced graduates.
Schools in the UK and international schools worldwide, and training, edtech and education roles in companies and public bodies.
Education graduates have the best employment rate of any field: 91.6% of the class of 2024 were working nine months after graduating, against 80.2% for all graduates (HEA Graduate Outcomes). But pay differs sharply by sector. At the graduate minimum of €17.50 an hour, a full 39-hour week in early years comes to about €35,500 a year, well below a teacher's starting salary, although Core Funding and the proposed increase are closing the gap. Primary enrolments are projected to fall into the 2030s, so post-primary subjects in short supply and special education are where demand is strongest.
Teacher pay from Department of Education Circular 0055/2026 and its post-primary twin 0056/2026 (post-2011 entrants, from 1 June 2026); early years minimum rates from the Workplace Relations Commission; employment rates from HEA Graduate Outcomes; shortage subjects from the Department's 2026 Teacher Upskilling Study. Treat them as indicative.
From your first CAO click to full registration. The CAO steps are the same for every course; the extra tests, portfolios and UK deadlines are the ones students miss.
Keep Higher Level Irish and get experience with children. Every primary BEd needs a H4 in Higher Irish, and many post-primary degrees set a grade in the subject you would teach, so check entry requirements before you drop a subject. Coaching, summer camps, homework clubs or Gaeltacht courses all help you test whether teaching suits you.
Applications open at cao.ie, with a discounted early-bird fee until 20 January. If you live in a Gaeltacht area and qualify, list both the Gaeltacht code and the standard code for the same BEd. Applying for the Church of Ireland route (DC004)? Watch for its supplementary form.
The UCAS equal consideration deadline for UK courses, including Stranmillis, at 6pm UK time. St Mary's, Belfast takes direct applications instead, usually by late January (21 January in 2026), with interviews in February or March.
Normal closing date for CAO applications, and the deadline for mature applicants and most supplementary applications (HEAR, DARE). Courses with a portfolio, audition or interview must be on your CAO list by this date.
Trinity's Music Education interview and audition (late March or early April), NCAD and Limerick School of Art and Design portfolios, mature applicants' interviews and oral Irish exams, and the TEG B1 Irish exam in May for Marino's Irish-medium BEd. Each college sets its own dates, so put them in your calendar early.
Free window to reorder your choices. If Irish or your points look tighter than hoped, add a subject degree that leads to a PME, or an early childhood course, as your safety net.
Leaving Cert results, then CAO Round 1 offers days later. St Mary's, Belfast needs your results quickly (by 5pm on 21 August in 2026). Garda vetting starts once you accept an education place.
Placements, the Gaeltacht and your specialism. Primary students spend two blocks in the Gaeltacht and must pass an oral Irish exam at the end of first year to progress. School placement grows each year, ending with a long block of 10 to 14 weeks in most degrees. Post-primary students should keep an eye on the Teaching Council subject rules when choosing options.
Register with the Teaching Council and complete Droichead. Most BEd graduates are fully registered within a year or two of finishing, around age 22 to 24. On the PME route, add the two-year master's after your first degree.
Ask yourself whether you love a subject or love the age group. If it is a subject, post-primary lets you teach it to Leaving Cert. If it is young children and teaching everything, look at primary. If it is the very youngest learners and play-based learning, early childhood is a career of its own, not a fallback.
A concurrent degree qualifies you in four years, with placement built in, but fixes your subjects at 17. A subject degree followed by the PME takes six years and costs more, but leaves the door open to other careers if you change your mind.
Primary BEds sat between 462 to 495 points in 2026, and Education and Psychology (MI008) reached 554. Post-primary runs from 337 for Business and Religious Studies at Thurles up to 532 for PE with Biology. Early childhood degrees start at 228. Several cut-offs moved by 40 or more points this year, so read the 2025 figure under each badge.
Schools need Maths, Physics, Irish and modern language teachers far more than some other subjects, so a degree that pairs one of these with a second subject you enjoy makes you easier to hire and more likely to get full hours.
Gaeltacht residences (some funded by the Department, some not), travel to placement schools, material and kit fees for Home Economics, art and construction degrees, and the self-funded fees at Marino's Education Studies and Early Childhood degrees. Ask each college what to budget.
Check the deadline (UCAS or direct), the fee and loan, whether SUSI approves the course, and above all what the Teaching Council will ask of you when you come home. The UK & Europe section sets it all out.
There is no single best place to train as a teacher. Every accredited programme leads to the same register and the same pay scale, and what makes a great teacher is what you bring to the classroom: patience, energy, curiosity and care. Choose the age group and subjects that light you up, check the entry rules early, and keep every route in mind. Many brilliant teachers took the long way round.
Points were checked against the CAO 2026 Round 1 figures in the MyCareerVerse courses table, and course structures, placements, recognition and the UK and European information against each college's and agency's own pages, on 5 October 2026.