For the 2026/27 academic year, Teagasc has introduced new entry requirements which means, for the first time, learners who have completed their Junior Cert but not their Leaving Certificate must be 18 years of age to apply for a Level 5 or Level 6 programme across their colleges.
Anne-Marie Butler, head of education at Teagasc, explains these changes came about from examining the different levels of entry for courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and equine.
“In the last year, we have done a review of our existing entry requirements. We were also reviewing the profiles of learners who were coming to us, as well as the schools they were coming from. When learners were coming to us with just their Junior Cert completed, they were not set up for success in terms of completing practicals, assignments, placement and exams, along with attending class when they had come to us at just 16,” she says.
“Along with this, the entry requirements hadn’t been reviewed in quite a while and with the nature of the course being a Level 5 further education course, Teagasc wanted to give learners full clarity on what will be expected of them.
“While the new requirements are not very high, they’re entry-level requirements. The majority of our learners who come to us are already meeting those entry requirements. But for those who are 16, they will be able to join us when they’re 18,” says Anne-Marie.
Anne-Marie Butler head of education at Teagasc. \ Philip Doyle
New requirements
From 2026, the new entry requirements apply to Teagasc full-time Level 5 courses. The big change is that if someone is coming in with only their Junior Cert and hasn’t completed their Leaving Cert, the age of entry has changed to 18 years old. If they have completed their Leaving Cert, the age requirement is 17 years old. Students applying to the Level 5 courses must satisfy at least one of the following four entry criteria:
1. Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) must be 18 years of age on 1 September on the year of entry and meet the ‘Achieved’ standard in four subjects.
2. Leaving Certificate applicants must be 17 years of age on 1 January following the year of entry to the Teagasc programme, and meet at least one of the following criteria:
Leaving Certificate Established with minimum grades of O6/H7 in at least four subjectsor
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) with minimum grades of O6/H7 in at least two subjects and achieved a ‘Pass’ in at least two link modulesor
Leaving Certificate Applied with a minimum ‘Pass’ grade achieved.3. QQI Level 4 (or higher) Major award applicants must be 17 years of age on
1 January following the year of entry to the Teagasc programme and hold a QQI Level 4 or higher major award.
4. Adult Learners must be 23 years of age or older on 1 September in the year of entry.
“The changes are for students on the full-time Level 5 programmes, and also for learners who take components. There are no changes in apprenticeships, part-time, and distance learning. They are new, and they’re quite specific, but hopefully we’ve encapsulated the majority of programmes that people are completing,” Anne-Marie explains.
Another change that might confuse people, according to Anne Marie, is in the equine entry requirements.
“The equine entry requirements are different in two locations. For Kildalton, the students have to be 18 years old, and that’s to do with health and safety. In Gurteen, they can be 17 years old, once they have their Leaving Cert in January,” she says.
“The overarching piece is to ensure the courses are accessible and relevant, but also to prepare learners for the programmes and the capacity to participate,” she says.
A strong 10-12% of Teagasc learners continue to do a Level 7 or Level 8 programme and Anne-Marie advises them not to panic and take their time.
“This can be a pathway, a stepping stone, and people can move on into other degree programmes,” says Anne-Marie.
“I’m a big believer in following your interests and your gut feeling. If there are particular subjects that you like, explore all the options for higher education and further.
“I think Further Education, unfortunately, for many years, hasn’t got the stage it deserves. It’s good that in more recent years, attention has come back to it,” she says.
“I would say to people to take their time, but not to rule out a further education course, because we find with learners, the beauty of them is that they can be very practically based and you’re developing your skills,” says Anne-Marie.
See teagasc.ie/education.
For the 2026/27 academic year, Teagasc has introduced new entry requirements which means, for the first time, learners who have completed their Junior Cert but not their Leaving Certificate must be 18 years of age to apply for a Level 5 or Level 6 programme across their colleges.
Anne-Marie Butler, head of education at Teagasc, explains these changes came about from examining the different levels of entry for courses in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and equine.
“In the last year, we have done a review of our existing entry requirements. We were also reviewing the profiles of learners who were coming to us, as well as the schools they were coming from. When learners were coming to us with just their Junior Cert completed, they were not set up for success in terms of completing practicals, assignments, placement and exams, along with attending class when they had come to us at just 16,” she says.
“Along with this, the entry requirements hadn’t been reviewed in quite a while and with the nature of the course being a Level 5 further education course, Teagasc wanted to give learners full clarity on what will be expected of them.
“While the new requirements are not very high, they’re entry-level requirements. The majority of our learners who come to us are already meeting those entry requirements. But for those who are 16, they will be able to join us when they’re 18,” says Anne-Marie.
Anne-Marie Butler head of education at Teagasc. \ Philip Doyle
New requirements
From 2026, the new entry requirements apply to Teagasc full-time Level 5 courses. The big change is that if someone is coming in with only their Junior Cert and hasn’t completed their Leaving Cert, the age of entry has changed to 18 years old. If they have completed their Leaving Cert, the age requirement is 17 years old. Students applying to the Level 5 courses must satisfy at least one of the following four entry criteria:
1. Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) must be 18 years of age on 1 September on the year of entry and meet the ‘Achieved’ standard in four subjects.
2. Leaving Certificate applicants must be 17 years of age on 1 January following the year of entry to the Teagasc programme, and meet at least one of the following criteria:
Leaving Certificate Established with minimum grades of O6/H7 in at least four subjectsor
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) with minimum grades of O6/H7 in at least two subjects and achieved a ‘Pass’ in at least two link modulesor
Leaving Certificate Applied with a minimum ‘Pass’ grade achieved.3. QQI Level 4 (or higher) Major award applicants must be 17 years of age on
1 January following the year of entry to the Teagasc programme and hold a QQI Level 4 or higher major award.
4. Adult Learners must be 23 years of age or older on 1 September in the year of entry.
“The changes are for students on the full-time Level 5 programmes, and also for learners who take components. There are no changes in apprenticeships, part-time, and distance learning. They are new, and they’re quite specific, but hopefully we’ve encapsulated the majority of programmes that people are completing,” Anne-Marie explains.
Another change that might confuse people, according to Anne Marie, is in the equine entry requirements.
“The equine entry requirements are different in two locations. For Kildalton, the students have to be 18 years old, and that’s to do with health and safety. In Gurteen, they can be 17 years old, once they have their Leaving Cert in January,” she says.
“The overarching piece is to ensure the courses are accessible and relevant, but also to prepare learners for the programmes and the capacity to participate,” she says.
A strong 10-12% of Teagasc learners continue to do a Level 7 or Level 8 programme and Anne-Marie advises them not to panic and take their time.
“This can be a pathway, a stepping stone, and people can move on into other degree programmes,” says Anne-Marie.
“I’m a big believer in following your interests and your gut feeling. If there are particular subjects that you like, explore all the options for higher education and further.
“I think Further Education, unfortunately, for many years, hasn’t got the stage it deserves. It’s good that in more recent years, attention has come back to it,” she says.
“I would say to people to take their time, but not to rule out a further education course, because we find with learners, the beauty of them is that they can be very practically based and you’re developing your skills,” says Anne-Marie.
See teagasc.ie/education.
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