CAO Interviews and Assessments | Central Applications Office
For some courses you may need to sit additional assessments, provide supplementary information (e.g. a portfolio or a statement), or attend for an interview. Some of these courses will be marked as “(Restricted – see page 3)” in the CAO Handbook, but you should consult the websites and prospectuses of the HEIs for more information.
GAMSAT, HPAT and MSAP
You are advised to apply online, before 1st February at 5:15pm, if you need to apply for the GAMSAT, HPAT and/or MSAP tests. Current year results will be obtained directly from ACER, provided you have applied on time for consideration for entry to the relevant courses. Check your email inbox regularly as CAO communicates via email with such applicants. If you have previous valid GAMSAT and/or MSAP tests, you must supply to CAO copies of these results with your application, or within 10 days of applying online. Consult the appropriate HEI literature regarding their validity.
Graduate Medicine
Qualified applicants are ranked solely on the basis of GAMSAT results. To qualify, applicants must obtain a second class honours grade one (2H1) in their first Level 8 Honours Degree. For more information, go to the Student Resources section of www.cao.ie and click on the Entry to Medicine tab.
Mature applicants for nursing/midwifery are ranked based on their score in the assessment process. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) carries out the assessment test for mature nursing applicants on behalf of the Nursing and Midwifery Board (NMBI). To sit the test you are advised to apply online to CAO, before 1st February at 5:15pm, and you must complete the following two steps:
- Register with www.publicjobs.ie by creating a profile (if you have not already done so). Do not confuse registering (creating a profile) with submitting an application form. Remember to note down your login and password details as you will require these during the assessment process to access your messages.
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Complete and submit the online application form between 2nd February and 22nd February . If you have not received a confirmation email from the PAS within two days of submitting your application you should contact them at maturecode18@publicjobs.ie or phone 01-8587730.
For full details on the assessment test process, go to http://www.nmbi.ie/Careers-in-Nursing-Midwifery or email careersinformation@nmbi.ie – see also the instructions on page 21.