While the decision of which subject to do at college or university is obviously essential, there is also the choice of qualification level to consider. The Irish education system is divided into a number of levels within the structure of the National Framework of Qualifications.

The National Framework of Qualifications was introduced in October 2003 to streamline the Irish education system. The Framework is intended to cover all education and training awards in Ireland, providing recognition for learning achievements at all levels, and organising all courses into an easy to understand ladder system.

Further education courses are overseen by the FETAC awards scheme. FETAC (The Further Education and Training Awards Council) look after awards at levels one to six in the National Framework of Qualifications. Most post leaving certificate and further education courses for school leavers come in at level five or six on the National Education Framework. Some further education colleges and courses enable students to reach level seven (equivalent to an ordinary bachelor’s degree) during their further education course.

There are a number of ways for students to use a further education qualification to pursue a higher rung on the third level ladder. Many colleges have links with other third level institutions – Universities, Institutes of Technology and other colleges – that allow successful students who complete a further education course to enter a higher certificate or degree course. In some specific cases, students may be able to bypass first year at university and enter at a later level (possibly in second or third year).

A new scoring system has been introduced which translates results on further education modules into CAO points. The total CAO points possible is generally limited to 400, but this still opens up a wide range of IT and university options. Students taking this route apply through the CAO in the normal way, and are offered places in September in competition with students who have just done their leaving cert and other mature students.

People who may have never sat the Leaving Certificate can take a course at a lower level in the National Framework of Qualifications, and then work their way up through the system over time.