Mature Students Admission Pathway

MSAP 2013 registrations were open from November 2012 until 13 February.

Test centres are located at the universities in Cork, Dublin, and Galway.

If you are currently living and working in Australia, please contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   to discuss the possibility of sitting for the test at an ACER office in Australia.

Applicants for the test must apply on-line via this website. The fee for MSAP in 2013 is €70.00 per candidate.
An additional charge of €35.00 applies during the extended registration period to 13th February.

Online payment may be made by AMEX, Mastercard or VISA. ACER uses a secure carrier for its online payment functions to act as its interface with the banking system. Credit card and accompanying personal details are not recorded or stored by ACER, but are encrypted at point of capture and transmitted direct to the bank. Thus you can be assured this is a safe payment option.

If a relative or friend is allowing you to use their credit card for this transaction, please ensure that they understand that a charge to "ACER" will appear on their bank statement.

What if I don’t own a credit card and cannot get approved access to a family member or friend's card?

If you do not have a credit card, single use cards are available for purchase from banks for use on the internet. This is usually a less expensive option than purchasing a bank draft.

Refund Policy

Request for cancellation of registration and refund of registration fee must be made in writing via email to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . MSAP fees will be refunded on request up until 5.15pm on 1st February 2013. The administrative charge for this is €35.00. There is no possibility of a refund after this date. There is no penalty, other than the loss of your fee, if you register for the test but do not sit it.

If through illness or emergency, you are unable to attend your test sitting, please obtain a Medical Certificate or other appropriate documentation, and supply a copy of that to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This should be forwarded within 2 weeks of the test date to obtain a refund. The administrative charge of €35.00 applies to these refunds.

Registrations have closed.

Registered candidates for MSAP 2013 should expect to receive a total of 3 emails from the MSAP Office.

1. Confirmation of your registration (immediate upon registration)
Please print and keep this document, as it contains important information, particularly your MSAP Candidate ID number.

2. Receipt of your payment (immediate upon registration)

3. Test Admission Ticket - sent via email approximately 1 week prior to the test (by 15th February)
This will contain important information including details of your test centre location. It must be handed over by you on the test day.

Address
Please use the separate lines for the components of your address, i.e. don't put your whole address in the first line.
- Street address
- Town/Suburb
- County
- Postcode
- Country

Level of education
This information is NOT reported on individuals to the univerisities. It is collected for de-identified analysis of the variables in the annual report. This analysis enables the test writers to ensure that the test questions are appropriate for all types of candidates who sit for the test.

Candidates who have an impairment which could affect their peformance in the test may apply for special testing conditions.

Such impairments could be physical (e.g. hearing, visual, motor skills); psychiatric (e.g. anxiety); medical (e.g. diabetes); or a learning disability (e.g. dyslexia).

Candidates so affected may need the standard manner in which the test is set up to change, e.g. alternative format like large print test booklet, extra time, rest breaks, permission to take in food, etc.

If you wish to apply for special testing conditions, you must:

a)   Register for the test in the usual way through the online registration system;

b)   Print out and complete the "MSAP Special Consideration Request Form"

c)   Obtain a professional evaluation of your condition and the kinds of support that you require. This is usually a doctor's letter. If you are applying on the grounds of dyslexia, you must have an appropriate Educational Psychologist's report;

d)   Scan and email the form & supporting documentation to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or fax the form to: +61 3 9277 5757;

e)   The form and documentation must arrive at the MSAP Office by close of registrations.

ACER is committed to equity of access for all candidates, and strives to ensure that candidates with disabilities are neither advantaged or disadvantaged in relation to other candidates who sit for MSAP.  Careful consideration is given to all requests, and all reasonable efforts will be made to provide appropriate testing conditions for approved candidates.

Note: There is no possibility of special consideration being given to test results. In no circumstances will scores be adjusted to account for any perceived disadvantage.

Please note that ACER does not offer spelling waivers for candidates with dyslexia when granting special testing conditions. The markers concentrate on the content and level of thought demonstrated by the writing, rather than spelling.