Advanced Entry and Transfer Applicants

ATU welcomes applications to Years 2, 3 and 4 of the majority of our Undergraduate programmes.

Advanced Entry

Advanced Entry application may be used by an applicant to apply for entry to stage 2 of a programme at ATU, following completion of a QQI FET Level 6 Major award.

• Applicants will be required to present a full QQI FET Level 6 award which is in the same/cognate field of study to the programme for which the advanced entry is sought
• ATU are currently working with FET providers in the region to identify suitable pathways onto ATU programmes for holders of Level 6 QQI FET awards.
• ATU will only accept verified transcripts or statement of results containing a college logo or stamped by a college to support your application.
• Interviews and assessments may be required in certain instances.
• Advanced entry is not permitted for programmes which are regulated by a professional body or for Level 8 Honours Degree programmes of 3 year duration.
• The Application Portal opens in February of the year of entry and closes at the end of May.
• Late applications may be accepted after the May deadline for certain programmes.

The application portal is currently closed and will open for applications for 2026 at the end of February. 

When the portal opens, you can apply for your programme by choosing your undergraduate programme page and click on the “Apply Now to Year 2, 3 or 4” button.

External Transfers

Students from other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can apply to transfer to the second, third or fourth year (also known as an add-on year) of a cognate ATU programme.

• An applicant must be currently completing, or have successfully completed, a minimum of one year of study at Level 6 or 7 in a HEI or equivalent.
• Applicants must have passed the stage examinations and have achieved the learning outcomes for progression to the ATU programme.
• External transfer is not permitted for some programmes which are regulated by a professional body.
• Applications will be considered subject to places being available on that programme where applications exceed available places for a programme, ranking will apply
• ATU will only accept verified transcripts or statement of results containing a college logo or stamped by a college to support applications.
• Offers are issued when verified transcripts have been received, the application has been assessed and the availability of places has been confirmed.
• The Academic Year commences in September for full-time undergraduate programmes, but it may be late August or early September before offers are made for high demand programmes.

The application portal is currently closed and will open for applications for 2026 at the end of February. 

When the portal opens, you can apply for your programme by choosing your undergraduate programme page and click on the “Apply Now to Year 2, 3 or 4” button.

Re-admission to a Programme 

Students who have fully completed one or more years of a programme, have taken a break and would like to progress to the next stage of that programme are welcome to reapply subject to the following: 

• If there is an absence of 5 years or more, or where the programme content has changed, the Head of Department must review the application. 

• If the learning is not deemed up to date, the applicant may be advised to complete bridging modules or re-register for a lower stage of the programme. 

ATU welcome all past students returning to complete the next level of their studies. ATU graduates who have competed their Level 6 or Level 7 programmes in the past are welcome to apply to complete the next level of that programme. This is dependent on the programme currently being offered and the content remaining the same.

Students who have partially completed a year and need to repeat modules to gain the necessary credits to progress to the next academic year must contact the relevant school office and complete a repeat attend/exam only form.

Contact the relevant school office and complete a repeat attend/exam only form. 

Internal Transfers Year 1

Students wishing to transfer between programmes at the beginning of semester one should first check with the Central Applications Office (CAO) to ascertain whether available places are advertised for the programme into which they wish to transfer. Applications should then be made through www.cao.ie

Internal Transfers apply to students who have accepted an ATU offer via CAO and are registered on Stage 1 of that ATU programme in the current year who wish to transfer to a different programme. Students are strongly advised to consult with the ATU Careers Service and the Head of Department of the programme you wish to transfer to, to help ensure that you make an informed programme choice.

The following criteria apply:

• A place must be available on the programme to which the transfer is sought.
• Applicants must have achieved the minimum entry requirements and have attained at least the minimum of the cut off points for the programme which they wish to transfer onto.
• Applications for transfers during the CAO Season will normally only be permitted for programmes listed on CAO Available Places. However, if wait lists are exhausted, transfers can be considered.

If you require any assistance, please contact Admissions@atu.ie clearly stating the campus and course you wish to apply for.