There are many third level educational institutions in Ireland that do not fit into the categories of university, IT, College of Education or PLC. These may be colleges that provide a specialised education in a certain career area, or training for a particular job. These colleges offer an education in subjects which may not be totally covered by other institutions, and also give the student access to a tradition of learning and scholarship within the colleges’ areas of expertise.

These colleges provide a first class third level education with a combination of traditional and modern subjects. They are often well established, the traditional leader in education within their sector (e.g. art and design at NCAD, medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and religion at the Pontifical University in Maynooth), or they have been recently opened or upgraded to meet a new demand in the economy (e.g. the financial services courses offered at the new NCI campus near the IFSC).

Not all career areas are fully covered by universities and ITs, and the colleges featured in this section fill certain gaps and niches in the Irish third level education system. The colleges listed in this section of the daycourses.com site are often in a unique position to offer an excellent third level education. They may be the only route into a certain career (e.g. the Garda Síochána College), or perhaps have links to a government body with responsibility for an area (e.g. Bord Iascaigh Mhara for fisheries or Fáilte Ireland for tourism).

Many of these state and other colleges have links with a university. The university then oversees and sanctions the college’s qualifications. A degree or other qualification from one of these colleges has the same weight and merit as the same award from a university or IT.

Entry to most of these colleges is through the CAO system, although some, such as the Garda College, run their own admissions system.

Whichever college you choose, you can be sure that the state sponsored and other colleges featured in this section of the daycourses.com site can offer you a high quality third level education and set you on the path to a satisfying and successful career.