A NEW Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree in General Nursing has been announced for Donegal.
The BSc (Hons) in General Nursing commences in Donegal ETB at the FET Centre Letterkenny, with a seamless transition to Atlantic Technological University Donegal, Letterkenny Campus.
A total of 32 new Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes were announced by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD. They will be open to applications for the upcoming academic year 20262027.
Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes provide enhanced access to higher education, giving an opportunity to begin study within Education and Training Boards (ETBs), and then seamlessly progress to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Entry is not based on points, and no tuition fees apply during the first one to two years of study while learners are enrolled in an ETB. Students graduate with the same Bachelor’s Degree qualification (NFQ Level 78) as they would on any other degree pathway, but achieved through an alternative, more flexible route.
In addition to the options available to learners this year is a new route into Primary Teaching, as well as in Health and Welfare, Business, Applied Sciences, Arts and ICT fields of study, namely Social and Community Development, Digital Business, Nutrition, Food and Business Management, Sustainable Supply Chains and Logistics, Applied Sports Performance and Coach Education, Media Technologies, Networks and System Administration, Software and Technology, Computing with AI, and Agricultural science with further expansion in Nursing provision.
Now in its fourth year, the Tertiary Programme expansion reflects strong and sustained demand for alternative, more accessible routes into higher education, with student numbers increasing by over 218 per cent since the programme’s introduction, growing from 148 learners in 2023 to 471 learners in 2025. In response to this demand, 1,200 tertiary places will be available to applicants in 2026 outside of the traditional points system.
The expansion forms part of the continued development of the tertiary education model, which is coordinated through the National Tertiary Office. With 13 programmes introduced in its first year in 20232024, the initiative has grown significantly, with 41 courses delivered in 2025 and a further 32 new Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes launching for 20262027, reflecting strong learner demand and continued sectoral collaboration. This expansion significantly increases the Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree route options for students to 78 and delivers opportunities in 24 counties in Ireland.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 course launch, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, said: “These programmes remove long‑standing barriers such as points pressure and initial fees, while maintaining the same academic standards and outcomes as any other degree pathway. They offer flexibility and fairness and reflect the reality that talent and potential exist in every walk of life. I would encourage anyone considering their next step in education, whether leaving school or returning later in life, to explore these opportunities.”
Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD said: “The introduction of a new Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree pathway into Primary Teaching is a significant step forward in how we support the next generation of teachers in Ireland. We are opening the door to a broader and more diverse cohort of future teachers. This is about ensuring that talented, committed individuals who may previously have been excluded can now pursue a career in primary education, while also strengthening the long-term sustainability of our teaching cohort.”
Tanya Jones, Head of the National Tertiary Office, said: “Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes are built on people’s potential and interests, not on points. They are opening doors for individuals who may never have seen third-level education as an option and offering a real chance to progress into higher education without the traditional barriers that can hold people back.
“With pathways available in 24 counties for 2026, including a new pathway into Primary Teaching, these programmes are designed to answer directly to skills shortages while setting learners on a productive and rewarding path. By starting locally in an ETB, with no points requirement and no tuition fees in the early years, Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes give everyone, no matter their starting point, the opportunity to follow their ambitions and graduate with the same Bachelor’s Degree, through a route that works for them”.
To find out more information about Tertiary Bachelor’s Degree routes and to apply visit www.nto.ie.