How to Apply to the CAO and ACER for Medicine

To be eligible to study medicine in Ireland there are two key parts to the application process:

1. Applying to the Central Applications Office (CAO)

2. Applying separately to sit the HPAT through ACER

Applying to the CAO

Before you can register to sit the HPAT, you need to apply to the CAO and get your CAO number – you will need this for the HPAT registration process. This must be done online. In order to be eligible to apply for an undergraduate Medicine degree you must apply to the CAO within the restricted entry period, which usually ends at the beginning of February of the year you are due to sit the HPAT.

The 2025 CAO application fees are: 

If you have applied to the CAO in a previous year, you cannot use your old number. You must apply again and receive a new number.

Applying to sit the HPAT

Applying to sit HPAT is a multi-step process:

1. Set up an account with ACER and register for HPAT

Firstly, you need to set up an online account with HPAT-Ireland by visiting https://hpat-ireland.acer.org/acer-accounts. When doing this you will need to enter personal details such as your full name and date of birth. It is important that these details match with the form of identification you plan to use on the day of the HPAT.

Secondly, you need to register for the HPAT. You will need to register for the HPAT on your online account. This must be done before the registration closing date, which for HPAT 2025 is 17^th January at 5.15pm GMT (there are late and exceptional late HPAT registration periods available at an extra fee).

When registering, you need to select the test you want to take (i.e. the HPAT-Ireland or the HPAT with the English written paper for MsC courses at UL). You will then need to fill in a registration form and submit payment with a valid credit card. This will give you access to some practice material as well as enable provision of your test results and transfer of these results to the CAO.

During the registration process you will be required to provide an email address. It is important that you use an account that you look at frequently, as this is how ACER will contact you throughout the entire HPAT process (including important details such as test day details and your results). ACER has an information booklet on the HPAT-Ireland website that you must read before registration, which provides further details.

2. Book a test session with ProctorU

HPAT will be held online and will be remotely proctored (supervised) via ProctorU. You can schedule your test session with ProctorU via the ACER website.

To schedule your HPAT testing session, login to your ACER account https://registration.acer.edu.au and click 'Log in to ProctorU'. You should select ‘HPAT – Ireland – ACER’ for the institution, and select '2025' as the term. When choosing your exam, you should select 'HPAT – Ireland Sections 1, 2 and 3'. Choose the date and time you would like to sit HPAT and click ‘schedule’. Ensure that you have chosen the correct time zone when scheduling your HPAT exam.

3. Download the Guardian Browser and ACER test app

After successfully selecting a date and time for your HPAT test session, you must download the ACER Test App and Guardian browser on the device that you intend to sit HPAT with. These are the platforms that you will use to sit HPAT. You can download the ACER test app from the links provided in the HPAT Information booklet. The Guardian Browser can be downloaded directly from the 'Log in to ProctorU' section of your account on the ACER website.

When you have completed these steps, you have successfully navigated the application and registration process!

START YOUR HPAT PREP