Rathmines College of Further Education

What Rathmines College of Further Education does

Rathmines College of Further Education is a public Further Education college operating as the Central Campus of City of Dublin FET College under the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB), a statutory body co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Located at Town Hall, Rathmines Road Lower, Dublin 6, it delivers QQI-accredited Level 5 and Level 6 Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) programs across Business, Marketing, Accounting, Media, Journalism, Legal Studies, Arts and Social Science, Office Administration, Computer Science, and ESOL/IT, plus ACCA and ATI professional accountancy certifications and a Repeat Leaving Certificate programme.

The college operates a single-campus, classroom-based delivery model supported by a SharePoint-based Student Hub and the ETB Online learning platform, with a 20:1 student-to-lecturer ratio. Its commercial offering is priced at €100 per PLC course (€50 for 2023-24 to widen access), after the €200 Government Levy was abolished in September 2022. The primary revenue mechanism is government and SOLAS grant funding via CDETB, supplemented by minimal student fees. Students enroll directly through the college website application portal and the national CAO system, targeting school leavers, mature returners, international students, and career changers.

Strategic positioning rests on documented progression routes to Trinity College Dublin, UCD, DCU, Maynooth, TU Dublin, NCI, and IADT, including a direct Trinity Access Programme pathway (one of only three colleges offering this). Partnerships with IBM (€500,000 cybersecurity support), Oxfam Ireland (annual thrift shop), and Erasmus+ (placements in France and Spain) extend its ecosystem beyond core teaching, while new launches in Business and Sustainability (2024) and Skills to Advance short courses (2023) broaden the addressable student base.

Name

Rathmines College of Further Education

Legal name

City of Dublin FET College, Rathmines

Website

https://rathminescollege.ie

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Rathmines College of Further Education is a publicly funded Dublin college delivering QQI Level 5 and 6 PLC courses in business, media, accounting, IT, and law to school leavers, mature students, and international learners, with documented progression routes to Irish universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Further Education and Vocational Training

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Diploma-to-Degree / Articulation & Credit-Transfer Pathways (EDAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Integrated Language + Academic Skills (EAP) Bridging Programs (EDAIAJAF)

Keywords

• Further education courses
• PLC vocational training
• QQI accredited programs
• Post-leaving certificate
• Adult continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Course Tuition Fees: Students pay tuition fees for PLC courses. Current fees are €100 per course for full-time programs. The college is co-funded by Government of Ireland and European Union.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rathmines College of Further Education delivers QQI-accredited Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses at Levels 5 and 6 across disciplines including Accounting, Business and Marketing, Media, Legal Studies, Computer Science and Software Development, Office Administration, Arts and Social Science, and English (ESOL) and IT. The college also provides Repeat Leaving Certificate programmes, professional accountancy courses (ACCA, ATI), and Skills to Advance short courses. Delivery occurs via classroom-based instruction at the Rathmines campus in Dublin, supplemented by a Student Hub on SharePoint and ETB Online platforms, with progression routes to Irish universities including Trinity, UCD, DCU, and TU Dublin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• City of Dublin FET College, Rathmines Central Campus: The college is branded as a campus within the City of Dublin FET College network

Products and services

• Full-Time PLC Courses (QQI Level 5 and Level 6) QQI Level 5 and Level 6 Post-Leaving Certificate courses covering Accounting, Business and Marketing, Media, Legal Studies, Computer Science and Software Development, Office Administration, Arts and Social Science, and English (ESOL) and IT. Designed for school leavers, mature students, and international students seeking accredited awards and progression to higher education or employment. Delivered full-time at the Rathmines campus at €100 per year.
• Degree Programmes Higher education degree programmes delivered in conjunction with partner universities, providing progression routes for QQI graduates to obtain bachelor's degrees.
• Evening Courses Part-time evening courses delivered at the Rathmines campus, allowing working adults and other learners to study flexibly outside standard hours.
• Morning Only Courses Morning-only course delivery mode for students who require a non-full-time schedule, suitable for those balancing other commitments.
• Repeat Leaving Certificate Repeat Leaving Certificate programme allowing students to retake the Irish Leaving Certificate examinations to improve CAO points and secure university places.
• Advanced Certificate Courses Advanced certificate courses including ACCA, ATI, payroll, and accounts courses, targeting career changers and professionals seeking professional accountancy qualifications.
• Advanced Business & English - Level 6 New Level 6 course combining advanced Business studies with English language learning, designed as a progression route for QQI Level 5 English & IT graduates and aimed at bringing students from intermediate (B1) to upper-intermediate (B2) English proficiency. Targeted at international students.
• Business and Sustainability Studies New course combining traditional business studies with sustainability and environmental focus, designed for students interested in ethical and responsible business practices.
• Skills to Advance Short Courses Fully funded short courses (10-12 weeks, flexible online delivery) under the SOLAS Skills to Advance initiative, including Customer Service, Digital Marketing, and Payroll (Level 5 QQI) and Leadership and Management (Level 6, ILM certified). Targeted at employees and employers seeking upskilling and reskilling.

Quantifiable outcome

• High progression rates to third level education
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oxfam IrelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2024Annual pop-up thrift shop partnership promoting sustainability and circular economy. Students gain practical retail experience while raising funds for Oxfam's global poverty alleviation work. Marketing and sustainability students manage the shop including pricing, display, and stock sorting, with proceeds going to Oxfam Ireland. Raised over €500 in first year.
• SOLAScoreOthersSkills to Advance programme provides fully funded upskilling and reskilling opportunities for employees and employers. Rathmines College offers Level 5 and Level 6 courses including Customer Service, Digital Marketing, Payroll, and Leadership & Management. Courses are 10-12 weeks with flexible online delivery.
• Erasmus+ (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean mobility programme allowing students to work and live in another EU country. Students have travelled to Nantes (France) and Malaga (Spain) for work placements, gaining international experience while learning about different cultures and using their skills in new environments.
• City of Dublin ETBcoreOthersParent educational body. Rathmines College is part of City of Dublin Further Education and Training College, Central Campus. Co-funded by Government of Ireland and European Union.
• QQI (Quality and Qualifications Ireland)coreOthersNational awards body for further and higher education. Rathmines College offers QQI Level 5 and Level 6 awards recognized for CAO progression and employment.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Portobello Institute: Dublin-based private further education and training provider offering QQI-validated Level 5/6 programs in business, accounting, and IT; competes with Rathmines for fee-paying mature students and international learners.
• Dorset College Dublin: Private Dublin PLC and higher education college offering QQI Level 5/6 awards in business, IT, and accountancy with strong international student intake; overlaps Rathmines on ESOL+IT and business pathways.
• Cavan Institute: ETB-aligned further education college offering QQI Level 5/6 PLC courses across business, IT, and media; mirrors Rathmines' delivery model and progression pathways outside of the Dublin market.
• IBAT College Dublin: Dublin-based PLC and higher education college offering QQI Level 5/6 programs in business and IT, including ESOL and international pathways; targets the same international student and mature-learner segments as Rathmines.
• Moate Business College: Long-established Irish PLC college specializing in business, accountancy (ACCA/ATI) and IT, with comparable course catalogue and CAO progression routes to Rathmines.
• Sallynoggin College of Further Education: Operates within the same ETB/further education ecosystem as Rathmines, providing QQI-validated PLC courses and similar progression-to-higher-education pathways; direct domestic competitor for the same school-leaver cohort.
• Coláiste Dhúlaigh College of Further Education: Another City of Dublin ETB FET college delivering QQI Level 5/6 PLC programs across similar disciplines (business, IT, science, creative arts); same funding regime, awarding framework, and target student segments.
• Ballyfermot College of Further Education: Also a City of Dublin ETB further education college in Dublin offering QQI Level 5/6 PLC courses across business, media, and IT; structurally identical delivery model and shared parent body make it the closest comparable to Rathmines.
• City Colleges (Dublin): Private Irish further education provider offering QQI Level 5/6, ACCA, and professional certification courses; competes most directly with Rathmines' business, accountancy, and Skills-to-Advance upskilling offerings.

Broad incumbents

• SOLAS: National further education and training authority that funds and oversees ETB colleges including Rathmines; relevant as the strategic/regulatory incumbent shaping program funding, Skills to Advance initiatives, and FET sector priorities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rathminesthriftshop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rathmines College of Further Education