Did you know that CAO points are not the only way to get a degree? Whether you are a school leaver planning your next move or a mature learner ready to return to education this September, the path to an Honours Degree has never been more accessible.
Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB ) has partnered with Atlantic Technological University (ATU ) to create a new way to achieve your degree. Tertiary Degree programmes are designed to take the stress out of the process, starting your journey locally with GRETB and finishing your degree at ATU.
Tertiary Degrees allow students to begin their higher education journey in a familiar, local setting. Instead of heading straight to a university campus, you complete your first year locally with GRETB.
Tertiary Access Route courses allow students to complete year one at a GRETB Further Education and Training Centre and, upon successful completion, progress to an ATU campus to continue their studies. For Tertiary Degree programmes, students complete their first year at their local ETB centre and then progress to ATU to complete their Honours Degree.
Why choose this path?
This route is all about removing the barriers that often stand in the way of a degree. For many, the biggest advantage is that you apply directly to GRETB, skipping the high-pressure CAO points system entirely.
Year one of the programme is tuition-free, and additional financial supports – including the SUSI maintenance grant and the Back to Education Allowance – may be available to eligible learners.
Students benefit from:
• Smaller class sizes and more opportunity to make friends who you will progress to ATU with you.
• More dedicated time with your tutors and a higher level of individual support.
• Dual access to student services and facilities from both GRETB and ATU.
• An inclusive environment that welcomes applicants aged 17 and over, whether you’re just starting out or returning to education later in life.
GRETB Degree Courses – starting September 2026
Tertiary Access Route (TAR ) into Nursing Degrees:
• Bachelor of Science (Hons ) in General Nursing – Oughterard, Co. Galway and Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
• Bachelor of Science (Hons ) in Mental Health Nursing – Oughterard, Co. Galway.
• Bachelor of Science (Hons ) in Intellectual Disability Nursing – Boyle, Co. Roscommon.
Tertiary Degree Courses:
• Bachelor of Science (Hons ) Software & Technology – Galway Technical Institute (GTI ).
For many, this pathway is more than a course; it can be a second chance, a fresh start, or the first step toward a long-held ambition.
Apply now and visit www.gretb.ie to secure your place for September, or email [email protected] if you have any questions.
