NCAD Access Scheme - Information for Applicants

The NCAD Access Scheme recognises the impact of both disability and socio-economic disadvantage on educational attainment and how this can affect progression to higher education. This scheme is open to school-leavers and other applicants that meet the minimum entry requirements (NUI matriculation) along with a satisfactory portfolio score.

NCAD will offer an additional 5% of first year places to applicants who meet the criteria for application to this scheme.

Eligible Applicants to the scheme include:

Applicants with disabilities (this concession will not be available to applicants with Specific Learning Difficulties)
Applicants from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Applicants with disabilities are asked to complete the Supplementary Information Form (SIF) when applying to the CAO

How Do I Apply:

All applicants must apply to the CAO by 1 February 2010.
Applicants to AD111 must submit their portfolio to NCAD by 5 February 2010.
Applicants to AD012 must attend the course interview in April 2010.
Applicants to the NCAD Access Scheme must complete the NCAD Access Scheme Application Form and return it to NCAD by 1 April 2010.

Applicants will be short-listed for Access Scheme interview in May 2010

Applicants from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds must provide evidence of at least three of the following:

Income

The total gross parent(s), guardian(s), candidate(s) income for the year ending 31 December 2009 is within the income thresholds for eligibility for the Irish Higher Education Grants Scheme.

Medical Card

Applicant, parent(s) or guardian(s) has a Medical Card/GP Visit Card valid on 31 December 2009.

Social Welfare Payment

Candidate, parent(s) or guardian(s) are in receipt of a means tested social assistance payment(s) from the Department of Social & Family Affairs for a minimum of 26 continuous weeks in the year ending 31 December 2009.

Socio-Economic Group

Applicant comes from a socio-economic group, which is under-represented in higher education (ie Non-manual Workers Group; Semi & Unskilled Manual Workers Group; Agricultural Workers Group)

School

Applicant has completed 5 years of second level education in a school which is part of the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) scheme operated by the Department of Education & Science.

Completed Application Forms should be returned to:

Finola Mc Ternan, Access Scheme, NCAD, 100 Thomas Street Dublin 8
Closing Date: 1 April 2010

Access Scheme Information for Applicants & Application Form downloads

Download: Access Scheme Information for Applicants 2010-2011 (PDF 121k)

Download: Access Scheme Information for Applicants 2010-2011 (Word Document 287k)

Download: Access Scheme 2010-2011 Application Form ( PDF 149k)

Download: Access Scheme 2010-2011 Application Form ( PDF 329k)

Student Support Services at NCAD include:

*Student Support Officer:*	Co-ordinates Fund for Students with Disabilities and Student Assistance Fund.
*Student Medical Service*:	A doctor attends College three days per week.
*Student Counsellor:*	Confidential counselling service.
*Writing & Research Skills Support Service*	For students with Dyslexia and other Specific Learning Difficulties.
*Careers Advisory Service*	Available four mornings per week during term.

You can download the application form here (WORD DOC 157k)

Schools and Community

NCAD aims to nurture and sustain links, initially with ten primary and eight secondary schools, in the Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 community. It is planned to extend these links to schools nationally. This initiative involves Access Days, Art & Design Projects, Shadowing Programme, College Taster Days, Portfolio Preparation Scholarship Programme and mediated tours of the Undergraduate and Postgraduate Exhibitions. This is a College-wide initiative co-ordinated by the Faculty of Education.

Download: Picasso Programme Brochure (PDF 1Mb)