There are two ways to do Higher Options. You can travel to the RDS with your classmates, spend the day catching up with friends and leave with a handful of leaflets. Or you can arrive with a plan, ask questions, and leave with a much clearer idea of what you might do after the Leaving Certificate.

Higher Options 2026 takes place in the RDS in Dublin from September 16th to 18th, with up to 30,000 students expected to attend. The event brings together institutions from Ireland, the UK, Europe and further afield, along with exhibitors focused on further education, training and careers.

There is only a limited amount of time to explore everything. The key is to do some preparation beforehand, while still leaving room to discover something unexpected.

A lucky minority of students may already know what they want to study and where, but Higher Options might open up related courses or colleges they have not previously considered.

A second cohort knows the general subject area, but is uncertain about the course or institution.

The third group is unsure about what they want to do but has identifiable strengths or interests – being good at or enjoying maths, English, languages, practical work or creative subjects can provide a starting point for exploring possible courses and careers.

Janet Stafford, marketing partnerships manager at The Irish Times and organiser of Higher Options, says this year’s event is expected to feature over 135 exhibitors. “There will be representation from all the Irish universities, and UCC has returned to Higher Options this year,” she says. “A lot of students missed them when they were not there.”

The event will also highlight options outside the Republic of Ireland. Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast are promoting opportunities for students from the Republic, with Ulster University also highlighting a guarantee of first-year accommodation for eligible students for its next intake.

The British Council will again be involved, encouraging Irish students to consider courses in the UK. Around 30 UK universities will attend, including Imperial College, London, the University of Aberdeen, Coventry University, the University of Liverpool and the University of Strathclyde.

European options will also be well represented, including universities from the Netherlands, Spain and France. Hanze University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands is among the institutions attending, while University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest and Study in Poland will be available to students interested in medicine, veterinary medicine and pharmacy. EducationUSA and New York University provide information on options for study further afield.

“By visiting one stand, students can often find out much more about the country and the wider education system,” Stafford says. “It may not mean that they end up studying at that particular university, but it could introduce them to a course, country or subject area they had not considered.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs will provide information on careers in Europe and the European Union, while the Higher Education Authority will highlight Erasmus and international study opportunities.

Higher Options is not only about traditional university degrees. The event will include information from the HSE (the largest employer in Ireland), the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, the Office of Public Works and the Defence Forces. The latter will have a larger presence than last year and will contribute to careers talks on areas including cybersecurity, engineering and paramedicine.

Students can also find out about careers in which education and professional training are combined. “There are opportunities to study in particular disciplines through the Defence Forces,” Stafford says. “Students may be interested in the training and the careers available, as well as the qualifications.”

A creative arts area will bring together institutions including IADT, NCAD, Pulse College, BIMM and the Gaiety School of Acting. The area is being supported by Creative and Cultural Industries, Skillnet.

The further education and training section will include the 16 Education and Training Boards, Dunboyne College, Bray Institute, Dublin College of Further Education and Training and other PLC providers. The event is also partnering with SOLAS, Ireland’s further education and training agency, to provide information on further education, apprenticeships, traineeships and other routes into education and employment.

WorldSkills Ireland will run concurrently at the same venue. While Higher Options focuses primarily on higher and further education and training, WorldSkills is centred on apprenticeships, skills and training.

Ideally, students should visit both areas, to figure out if a third-level degree is the right route for them, whether they should consider further education and training (FET), or whether a year of FET followed by third-level is the ideal route. If your Higher Options session is in the morning, try making time for World Skills in the afternoon, or vice versa.

Competitions will be taking place at WorldSkills, alongside information sessions and opportunities to speak to people working in skilled professions.

But back to Higher Options for now, where traditionally popular courses include engineering, science, business, law, media, arts, sport, nursing and medicine. Technology and artificial intelligence will also feature, although Stafford says AI should not be viewed as relevant only to computing students. “AI is across all disciplines now, and everyone is using it to some extent,” she says.

Sustainability will similarly be addressed across a range of discussions rather than being confined to one subject area. Students should ask exhibitors how sustainability is influencing their courses, research and future careers.

The event will also feature Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) and the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), giving students an opportunity to ask about grants, budgeting and managing the financial realities of college life. Current students and recent graduates will be available at many stands to explain what day-to-day college life is actually like.

“Exhibitors tell us that Irish students arrive well-prepared,” Stafford says. “They ask intelligent questions and often have a clear idea of what they want. Come, enjoy the day and appreciate the effort you have put into preparing.”

Make a plan

The three-hour sessions are designed to help students make focused choices without preventing them from wandering around and discovering something new.

On Wednesday and Thursday, sessions run from 9am to noon and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. On Friday, the session runs from 10am to 1pm, with a quieter hour from 9am to 10am. Students who wish to attend the quiet hour or certain supports, including a session on facilitating neurodivergent students, will need to pre-register.

Stafford advises students to study the event information and timetable before arriving. “Use the Irish Times Higher Options supplement, or our articles online, and prepare in advance,” she says. “Think about what you want to find out, timetable some talks and identify the stands you want to visit.”

There will be two talks on Wednesday, two on Thursday and one on Friday. Topics include careers in further education, business and media studies, alongside talks featuring speakers at different stages of their careers.

The talks are deliberately designed to offer a range of perspectives, from recent graduates to people with more established careers. Students should also prepare questions for panellists, as many of the speakers will have experience of the event and of the transition from school to further or higher education.

However, Stafford advises students not to try to fill every minute of the day. “Leave at least an hour to wander and absorb what is there,” Stafford says. “When we look at student feedback, we find that many students saw options they had not thought about before.”

Questions worth asking

Instead of asking only about points, ask questions that will help you decide whether a course and college suit you.

  • What is the weekly workload like?
  • How much maths, writing, laboratory work or practical work is involved?
  • What are the entry requirements, including portfolios, interviews or subject requirements?
  • How difficult is it to find accommodation?
  • What financial supports are available?
  • What is the library and study space like?
  • Is it easy to make friends?
  • What clubs, societies or sports are available?
  • What are the best and worst things about studying here?
  • What types of jobs or further study do graduates move into?
  • Are there opportunities to study abroad or take part in Erasmus?
  • What supports are available for disabled, neurodivergent or otherwise underrepresented students?

Before, during and after Higher Options

Before: You may already have an idea of what interests you, and what sort of courses or colleges you are leaning towards. Or you may not have much of a clue.

Trish Harrington, guidance counsellor at St Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School in Dublin 8, advises students to look at their strengths and weaknesses, what subjects they like or dislike in school, and what sports or extracurricular activities they enjoy. Between this and the work they have done with their guidance counsellor, this can be a useful starting point for their research.

Go to HigherOptions.IrishTimes.com to download the floor plan, so you won’t have to spend too much time looking for the stalls you want to attend.

Using a notebook, make a list of which stalls you want to attend and prioritise those that are most important to you. If you’re attending on Friday and would benefit from a calmer environment, note the 9am-10am quiet hour and pre-register ahead of time.

During: Keep an eye on your timetable and try to make it to the talks and stalls that you’re most interested in. Then tick them off in your notebook.

At the stalls, try to focus on the information you couldn’t get online. Write down what you learn in your notebook.

Be open to opportunities you may never have considered by speaking to representatives of colleges and career areas that catch your eye – organisers say students consistently come away having discovered courses, colleges or countries they hadn’t thought about before.

After: Take a minute to reflect on your overall impressions of the day. What did you find most interesting?

Look through any prospectus, brochures, literature or college contacts you have gathered. Talk to parents, friends, teachers and guidance counsellors.

Go online and find out more, including when open days are happening. Make a plan to attend the open days of the colleges that interest you. If you have a particular UK or EU college in mind, it is worth visiting if you can, but otherwise you can get information online and perhaps attend a virtual talk.

What talks did you miss? You’ll find them at HigherOptions.IrishTimes.com