Leaving Certificate
- What is the Leaving Certificate?
- Leaving Certificate marking system and assessment
- Leaving Certificate exam fee
- Getting a copy of your old Leaving Certificate results
- Leaving Certificate 2024
- More information
What is the Leaving Certificate?
During the final two years of Senior Cycle, students take one of 3 programmes, each leading to a State examination.
These are the:
- Leaving Certificate Established
- Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP)
- Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)
Most Senior Cycle students choose the established Leaving Certificate programme. This 2-year programme covers a wide range of subjects (see ‘Leaving Certificate subjects and assessment’ below).
In general, students take 5 or more subjects (usually 7) for examination, one of which must be Irish. Subjects are normally studied at either Ordinary or Higher Level. Irish and Mathematics can be studied at Foundation Level. Foundation Level is geared to the needs of students who might have difficulty with subjects at Ordinary or Higher Level.
Leaving Certificate marking system and assessment
The Department of Education publishes syllabus and curriculum information. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment provides a list of Leaving Certificate subjects.
You can read about the Assessment Arrangements For Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2025 (pdf). This document sets out the adjusted assessment arrangements for students taking State examinations in the 2024/2025 school year.
Marking system for examination grades
The examination scale has 8 grades, the highest grade is Grade 1 and the lowest grade is Grade 8.
The 8-point grading scale replaced the 14-point scale at both Higher and Ordinary levels in 2017.
Marks between 100% and 30% are divided into seven grade bands (1-7). Each band is 10% wide.
The scheme means that the Common Points Scale used by the CAO to determine entry into higher education institutions was also revised in 2017. You can read more on the Department of Education’s Transition website.
| New grades* | % Marks |
| H1/O1 | 90 - 100 |
| H2/O2 | 80 < 90 |
| H3/O3 | 70 < 80 |
| H4/O4 | 60 < 70 |
| H5/O5 | 50 < 60 |
| H6/O6 | 40 < 50 |
| H7/O7 | 30 <40 |
| H8/O8 | 0 < 30 |
*Grades at Higher level are prefixed with H. Grades at Ordinary level are prefixed with O.
Marking system (2015/16)
| Percentage Range | Grade |
| 90% or over | A1 |
| 85% but less than 90% | A2 |
| 80% but less than 85% | B1 |
| 75% but less than 80% | B2 |
| 70% but less than 75% | B3 |
| 65% but less than 70% | C1 |
| 60% but less than 65% | C2 |
| 55% but less than 60% | C3 |
| 50% but less than 55% | D1 |
| 45% but less than 50% | D2 |
| 40% but less than 45% | D3 |
| 25% but less than 40% | E |
| 10% but less than 25% | F |
| Less than 10% | No grade |
Senior Cycle and Leaving Certificate reform
The Department of Education has announced plans to reform the Senior Cycle and Leaving Certificate. You can read about these changes and find information for students, parents and schools on the Senior Cycle Redevelopment hub on Gov.ie.
Curriculumonline.ie has information on the syllabus for each subject in the Senior Cycle and the latest developments and changes.
Leaving Certificate exam fee
There will be no fee to sit the Leaving Certificate exams in 2025.
Getting a copy of your old Leaving Certificate results
You may be asked for evidence that you have completed State examinations when you apply for a job or for further education. It is always useful to have a copy of your results as well as the original Certificate, especially if you plan to work or study outside Ireland.
The State Examinations Commission can give you a certified statement of your results.
Leaving Certificate 2024
Leaving Certificate 2024 exam results were released on Friday, 23 August 2024. You can access your results on the Candidate Self Service Portal at www.examinations.ie.
Read about college entrance requirements and the key dates for 2024 CAO course offers.
Appealing your Leaving Certificate results
If you appealed your Leaving Certificate 2024 written exam results, you will be able to see your appeal results on the Candidate Self Service Portal from 11am on Friday, 27 September 2024.
Key dates for Leaving Certificate results 2024-2025
|
Date |
What’s happening? |
|
Friday, 23 August 2024, 10am |
Leaving Certificate results were released |
|
Tuesday, 27 August 2024, noon |
Candidates could see their marks, including what they got for each component (if applicable) |
|
Tuesday, 27 August 2024, 5pm |
Applications opened to view exam scripts |
|
Wednesday, 28 August 2024, 8pm |
Applications to view exam scripts closed |
|
Saturday, 31 August 2024, 9am |
Scripts marked online could be viewed online for 24 hours For scripts marked manually, candidates were invited to attend a session at their school (see ‘When can I view my exam script?’ below) |
|
Sunday, 1 September 2024, 10am |
Applications opened to appeal Leaving Certificate results |
|
Monday, 2 September 2024, 5pm |
Applications for appeals closed |
|
Friday, 27 September 2024, 11am |
Results of appeals were released |
Leaving Certificate 2024 exam information
The Leaving Certificate 2024 written exams took place from 5 June 2024 to 25 June 2024. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) published the exam timetable (pdf) and more information for Leaving Certificate 2024.
The oral exams for Irish and foreign languages ran from 23 March 2024 to 28 March 2024. The exams for music practical performance took place between 8 April 2024 and 19 April 2024.
You can read more about the adjusted assessment arrangements for every subject or module (pdf) in the Leaving Certificate Established, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and Junior Cycle programmes.