 | |
| Abbreviation | CAO |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1976 |
| Legal status | Non-profit organisation (non-governmental body) |
| Purpose | Applications to higher education |
| Location |
|
Region served | Ireland |
Chairman | Prof. Paul Giller |
Main organ | CAO Board of Directors |
| Affiliations | NQAI, SEC, NFQ, FETAC, HETAC. |
Budget | €5m (2012) |
| Website | cao |
The Central Applications Office (CAO) (Irish: An LárOifig Iontrála) is the organisation responsible for overseeing undergraduate applications to colleges and universities in the Republic of Ireland.
The primary mission of the Central Applications Office is to centrally process applications in a fair and efficient manner. The colleges and universities delegate the administration of admissions to the Central Applications Office; colleges and universities retain full control of admissions.
The Postgraduate Applications Centre is a related organisation that oversees some taught postgraduate courses.