NUI Galway will hold a special examination in Mathematics on Wednesday 23rd August for students who have not achieved the required Leaving Cert grade in this subject for Undergraduate Engineering and Information Technology Degree Courses. The exam is aimed at students who have already applied for a degree at NUI Galway and have the points but who don't have the maths requirement. Students who pass this examination will be deemed to have satisfied the maths requirement and will then receive a CAO offer at Round 2.

For more than 20 years, NUI Galway has provided this special entrance examination to help applicants who did not attain the required honours level in their Leaving Certificate. The normal entry requirement to accredited engineering degree programmes requires that students have a C3 or better in higher level maths. Passing the special exam allows students fulfil the requirement for entry to 1st year Engineering.

For the past two years, the option of taking the special entrance examination has also been available to students applying for the B.Sc. Degree in Information Technology, which is also an accredited software engineering degree. The minimum entry requirement in maths is either: a C3 in higher level; an A2 in ordinary level; or a pass in the special entrance examination.

"This exam is in keeping with NUI Galway's policy of providing additional entry opportunities to students. In this instance, students have the points, but may have fallen short on the day in the Leaving Cert maths exam. The special exam may be particularly relevant this year with the difficulties in Leaving Certificate mathematics experienced by many students," commented Prof. Padraic O Donoghue, Dean of Engineering, NUI Galway.

The standard of the syllabus for the examination is relatively similar to that of the Leaving Certificate but it is focused more on the mathematics that is required for Engineering/IT programmes. The examination will take place in the University on Wednesday 23rd August. Further details and application forms may be obtained at http://www.nuigalway.ie/engineering/ or by calling the Admissions Office on 091 492199.