Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses have so much to offer students and with options now across ALL career sector areas, there are even more opportunities than ever before.
Post Leaving Certificate courses are usually full-time, one year long courses comprised of eight modules, including Work Experience. They are generally at Level 5 on the NFQ, though there are some two year Level 6 options also. PLC courses can lead directly to employment or as an alternative entry route into Higher Education. They are offered in a wide variety of fields including Healthcare, Business, Computing, Accountancy, Science and Engineering.
Do I apply for PLC courses through CAO and do I need points?
No, CAO is for Higher Education courses in the HEI colleges and universities where applicants need points and other entry requirements to get offered a place.
PLC courses are Further Education courses run in Colleges of Further Education. Entry requirements can vary between courses- some may require certain Leaving Certificate results and/or some may require an interview to get offered a place.
How do I apply and when do I need to make my application?
PLC applications are made directly to the relevant College of Further Education or through the www.fetchcourses.ie website. Most FE colleges began accepting applications from back in January but there is no set deadline. Some of the high demand PLC courses can fill up early, but it is still not too late to make your application for this coming academic year.
What does the interview involve?
Many FE colleges hold interviews for each course and these are typically held from Easter onwards but can continue long afterwards. The interviews are usually carried out by teaching staff on the course who are looking to assess whether the candidate is the right fit for the course. The interviews are generally informal in nature and last between 10-20 minutes.
How many choices can I put down?
Each PLC course is applied for separately. Applicants can apply for any number of PLC courses in as many FE colleges as they want.
Does it cost me anything to apply?
There is no fee involved when applying to FE colleges or through www.fetchcourses.ie. Some FE colleges may require applicants to pay a non-refundable fee (Typically €40/€50) in order to hold your place if offered one. There are also no fees for PLC courses and you can also avail of a SUSI grant, if eligible.
When will I know if I have been accepted?
Successful applicants will be notified by the FE college by post, email or phone call. These offers are often made much earlier than the CAO offer season, so it can be nice to have an offer secured early. Students must secure this place by paying the relevant fee before a set date.
PLC courses now offer a huge amount of progression options on to Higher Education with almost 90% of all CAO courses offering places to PLC applicants through the Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS). Watch the video below to find out more about Progression from PLC.
To find out more about the range of PLC course options that are out there and where you can study them, use our dedicated PLC CourseFinder tool.