Ms Izzy Fitzpatrick:

Dear Chairperson, Deputies and Senators, the Secondary Students Union of Northern Ireland, SSUNI, welcomes the opportunity to be here to discuss North-South educational mobility. SSUNI was founded in 2020 and is powered by young people for young people. We have grown to represent now more than 58,000 member students across Northern Ireland. The issue of North-South mobility has always been an important topic to SSUNI and one which our members have frequently raised as a concern. When our new executive took up their roles at the beginning of September, CAO reform for Northern Irish students became a top campaign priority for us. We have met the Irish universities working group and engaged with several parties concerning our campaign.

First, we welcome the planned reforms to the way A-levels equate to CAO points and feel this is a positive step forward. However, we do not feel these steps go far enough to combat the unfair disadvantage that Northern Irish students face in how their A-levels are equated to CAO points. As we understand it, the proposed reforms require students to take three A-levels, alongside a fourth A-level, AS level or extended project to achieve the maximum 600 points, as opposed to the current requirement of four A-levels. Under the proposed changes, students would also be able to achieve the maximum points with two A-levels and two AS levels. These changes do not reflect the reality for Northern Irish students, where it is estimated that fewer than 4% take four A-levels. While a higher number choose to take fourth A-level for one year and complete an AS level, this number is still low and not standard in Northern Ireland. It is most common that students take three A-levels and this is what the vast majority of UK universities give offers based on. A situation where a student takes two A-levels and two AS levels is highly unusual. Therefore, we recommend that students be able to achieve the maximum number of CAO points with three A-levels.

Furthermore, the GCSE language requirement at many universities here acts as a deterrent to Northern Irish students applying. A recent report from the ESRI found that the language requirement for universities puts off Northern Irish students from applying to universities in the Republic. This has been echoed by our members who are in the process of applying to university. There is a wide variation between students' opportunities and accessibility to learn languages within their schools. Taking a language at GCSE is not a requirement in Northern Ireland and therefore, pupils without a keen interest in language do not take it. They are unknowingly closing off the opportunity to study at many institutions in the South at just 13 or 14 years old.

This brings me to one of our larger points which is the confusion that many students face in understanding applying to universities using the CAO. Students from Northern Ireland must, with limited access to information, try to understand a points system that they are completely unfamiliar with, fill out the CAO form and try to understand different courses and universities, all of which are significantly different from the UK university application process. They feel so thrown in at the deep end that many give up on applying through the CAO altogether.

As a solution to this problem, we wish to see communication between universities and teachers, schools and students. Students want to feel supported and aware of their options. We wish to see a more conscious effort from Irish universities to inform young people in Northern Ireland about study options at their institutions by attending university fairs or visiting schools in Northern Ireland.

We also wish to acknowledge that even when Northern Irish students are offered places in the Republic of Ireland at university, they are less likely to take them. The later announcement of Irish university places is one of the key reasons for this as it leaves little time for students to scramble to find accommodation and to make arrangements. Many students have already accepted offers at UK universities by the time Irish university places are released.

Too many students from Northern Ireland are pushed out of applying to the South altogether for university because of subject choices they made as young teenagers, by being overwhelmed at the task of applying due to a lack of support or by being unaware that the Republic of Ireland is even a viable option for them to study to begin with. We want to see Northern Irish students seeing the opportunities to feasibly study on the island and be able to learn at the great institutions that are on offer across the island. All Northern Irish students are asking for is a fair shot, so let us bridge the gap. It is time break down barriers and open doors in order that Northern Irish students have equal access to the wealth of opportunities on offer in Irish universities.