Set the alarm: The discounted CAO application fee deadline is tonight

If you're getting ready to head off to university, don't forget that 5:15pm this evening is the deadline for the lowered CAO application fee of €30.

Those who apply afterward will pay a fee of €45. The normal closing date for applicants is February 1.

The CAO allows applicants to add more courses, change the order of their preferences, or remove courses for no extra charge until January 31.

If you need more time to mull the decision over, applicants can modify their course selection up until July 1, though for some programmes that is not allowed.

Those 'restricted application' courses may involve interviews or portfolios, and any such courses must be listed on CAO applications by February 1.

As well, anyone applying to medical school will also need to register with HPAT (health professionals' admission test) Ireland by 5:15pm tonight in order to pay the early-bird €135 fee rather than the standard €205.

Dr Derek O'Byrne from Waterford Institute of Technology shared some sage advice with BreakingNews.ie for all those applying with the CAO.

"It’s a difficult process, there are a lot of choices available to people," he noted.

"What’s really important though is that they pick programmes that very much suit their skill-sets and their interests."

"If people pick a programme that they’re interested in, and that they enjoy, they’re much more likely to do well in that programme," he continued.

"Doing research, understanding what the content of a programme is, going to the likes of open days – that’s where you really build an understanding of the programme you’re about to study."

A list of other important dates for the CAO can be found here.

And best of luck!