Higher Options 2026, Ireland's largest annual higher education and careers exhibition, opened on Wednesday at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) Main Hall in Dublin. Running over three days from September 16 to September 18, the event is expected to attract up to 30,000 senior-cycle secondary school students, mature applicants, and guidance counsellors from across the country.

Organised by The Irish Times in association with national education database Qualifax, the expo features representatives from over 150 third-level institutions and educational bodies. Exhibitors include universities and higher education institutions from Ireland, the United Kingdom, continental Europe, and further afield, alongside further education colleges, training authorities, and apprenticeship providers.

Throughout the three-day showcase, attendees can attend subject-specific talks and panel sessions across three dedicated auditoriums. Speakers and admissions officers are offering guidance on college application procedures, course choices, campus accommodation, student life, and alternative vocational pathways through state agencies such as Solas.

Guidance counsellors have urged attending students to prepare questions in advance and focus on pathways that match their personal interests as they begin planning for the upcoming Central Applications Office (CAO) application cycle.