The move is preventing a number of Northern Irish students from attending colleges in the Republic.

Seven of Ireland's most renowned third-level institutions will not accept results in Software Systems Development, Moving Image Arts, Digital Technology and Environmental Technology from A-Level students. According to the BBC, the move has seen a number of Northern Irish students abandon plans to study in the Republic of Ireland and, while the situation is expected to be resolved by 2018, in the meantime the seven identified colleges can not acknowledge those subjects. The colleges are Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, NUI Galway, Maynooth University, University College Dublin, University of Limerick and Dublin City University. In a statement to the BBC, the Irish Universities Association said it classed the four A-levels as 'applied' A-Levels - currently, Irish colleges do not recognise these in the matriculation process. An excerpt from the statement reads:

"Applied A-Levels have not been accepted for matriculation purposes by universities in the Republic of Ireland. "This is clearly stated in each university's prospectus and admissions information and continues to apply."

The IUA have been asked to review their practices with regard to their acceptance of A-Levels, and have intimated that 'applied' A-Levels will ultimately be recognised outside of the six counties. However, it may take a while. A spokesperson for the IUA said:

"The seven universities have agreed to review the following four CCEA A-Level subjects for matriculation purposes, with a view to implementing any findings in time for the 2018 admissions cycle. "Given the current stage of the 2017 admissions cycle, it is unfortunately not possible to make any changes to the information already published for this year."