About Access

The DIT Access Service provides a broad range of supports to ensure that students from communities and backgrounds where there is little tradition of participation in higher education succeed in accessing and graduating from higher education. 


The Access Service works directly with over 40 second level schools in Dublin inner city, Louth, Cavan, Leitrim, Roscommon, Longford, Offaly and Kilkenny and 30 primary schools and, through the Higher Education Access Route, a collaborative access entry route, indirectly with 220 designated disadvantaged schools nationwide. `

The Access Service has supported over 650 students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing DIT and worked with over 10, 000 students through its school and community initiatives. 

Access students have achieved considerable academic and other success during their time in DIT and upon graduation. Retention rates of access students are higher than retention rates amongst the general student body and increasing numbers of access students are achieving distinctions in final exams.  

Access is embedded in DIT at every level and the success of Access rests of collaboration between external partners, the DIT Access Service and services and faculties in DIT. 

The development of Access in DIT is outlined in the 3-year DIT Access Strategy.