Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has announced the extension of its CAO Points Waiver Scheme for Elite Sportspersons across all campuses, significantly broadening access for talented students seeking to pursue higher education alongside elite sporting careers.
The scheme, which has operated successfully at the Athlone campus in recent years, will be delivered across all seven of TUS’s campuses for the first time in the coming academic year — Athlone, Moylish, Coonagh, Thurles, Clonmel, Ennis and Clare Street.
The initiative recognises the dedication, commitment and achievement required to compete at elite and high-performance sporting levels and reflects TUS’s commitment to supporting dual-career pathways, enabling student athletes to excel both academically and athletically.
Under the scheme, eligible applicants may receive up to a 50-point reduction on the CAO points required for entry to a range of full-time Level 7 and Level 8 undergraduate programmes at TUS. A total of up to 25 places are available each year across all undergraduate programmes for applicants who have demonstrated outstanding sporting achievement and a strong commitment to balancing sport and academic study.
TUS is currently Ireland’s top university for graduate employment for the third consecutive year, reflecting the strong outcomes achieved by students who combine academic study with applied, career-focused learning.
Speaking about the extension of the scheme, Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of TUS, said:
“TUS is proud of the achievements of students who represent their clubs, counties and country across a wide range of sports as well as the high standards consistently demonstrated by the University’s own sports teams in third-level competitions. Excellence in high-performance sport requires discipline, focus and resilience, and those same qualities are central to academic success. By extending the CAO Points Waiver Scheme across TUS, we are recognising how excellence on the sporting field can positively reinforce excellence in the classroom, while ensuring that academic standards remain central to the student experience.”
TUS has a strong track record of supporting student athletes who have progressed to compete at the highest levels following graduation.
In recent years, graduates have gone on to forge sporting careers across a range of disciplines, combining academic qualifications with continued participation in elite sport at club, county and national level.
The scheme is open to CAO applicants who have applied to TUS, meet the minimum academic entry requirements for their chosen programme, and can demonstrate elite or high-performance sporting involvement. Applications are assessed through a structured evaluation process.
Only a small number of high-demand programmes require an interview as part of this process.
High-demand programmes requiring interview include: General Nursing (Athlone), Mental Health Nursing (Athlone), Applied Psychology (Athlone), Athletic and Rehabilitation Therapy (Athlone), Pharmacy Technician (Athlone), Dental Nursing (Athlone) Veterinary Nursing (Athlone), Physical Education Studies (Athlone) Physical Education with Business (Limerick) and Physical Education with Business (Thurles).
The extension of the CAO Points Waiver Scheme complements a wider range of student supports at TUS, including the University’s Scholarship Programme, which recognises excellence and potential across academic, sporting and community-based achievement and further supports access and progression within higher education.
For further information on the CAO Points Waiver Scheme for Elite Sportspersons, contact admissions.midlands@tus.ie.
