Impact of Delayed Leaving Cert Results on European Admissions

Update 1st August 2022

There are obviously concerns that our results will be too late for over 1000 Irish students waiting in diverse admissions systems for entry to the first year of programmes in continental European universities, particularly in those countries where results are required by 1st September. EUNICAS understands the latest situation to be as follows, in the countries listed:

Denmark: With our students already challenged by our earlier mid-August deadline for the delivery of results, the deadline for receipt of results will not be extended beyond 31st August.

Germany: our 2022 results were already too late for entry 2022, so most Irish students have applied using 2021 (or earlier) results, or are waiting to apply next year. (Note though that some programmes have a second entry window in February 2023 for which our 2022 results will be available)

Netherlands: the normal deadline for the submission by students of their "High School Diploma" (Leaving Certificate) results is 01 August, and this is normally extended to 31 August for Irish and UK students.*

Universities have a good measure of flexibility in setting/reviewing their own admissions deadlines and almost all universities have confirmed to EUNICAS that they will accept late results and that Irish students can start their programmes on 1st September, including U. Amsterdam, U. Leiden, U. Groningen**, Tilburg U., U. Utrecht, VU Amsterdam, U. Maastricht*,Avans UAS, Fontys UAS, Hague UAS, Hanze UAS and NHL Stenden UAS. EUNICAS is working with all Dutch universities, on behalf of Irish students, to gain the certainty they require.

* U. Maastricht require, at enrolment, a Graduation Statement, signed by your school
** at U. Groningen, their BSc Medicine programme has confirmed that they wil NOT accept late results.

BREAKING NEWS!! The BSc Psychology programme at Groningen have now confirmed that they will accept late results.

Note, that most universities will require payment (or at least a commitment to payment) of fees by 31 August, so to avail of any extension you must pay your fees by 31 August. This is before you receive your results and might require confidence that these results will meet entry requirements. (In this situation, EUNICAS suggests that you take the option to pay fees by instalments, the first instalment not falling due until the 3rd week of September)

The Ministry in the Education, in the Hague, has now written to all institutions asking them to be flexible with Irish students, and clarifying that there are no legal requirements preventing them from accepting late results.

Lithuania: Although the academic year starts in Lithuania on 01 September, most universities are confirming to EUNICAS that they will accept results beyond that date.

Romania: our results are already later than deadlines for results in med and vet schools in Romania. Some have a second round of applications, which can accommodate the traditional date for publication of our results and, in some cases, the extended date. We are currently looking for flexibility here.

Spain: Currently, UNED, the local qualifications verification authority, is having difficulties validating late results.

Italy and Poland: the academic year in both of these countries starts in October, with commensurate timelines for the provision of results, No issues are expected here. However, note that because of the lateness of our results, Irish students must pre-enrol for the U. Pavia Medicine programme (deadline 22.07)

EUNICAS is working tirelessly, with a wide selection of European universities, in an attempt to minimise the impact of this delay on Irish students.