Important
The Junior Certificate programme is no longer offered. It was phased out between 2014 and 2022 and replaced by the new Junior Cycle, whose students receive the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). Students in Ireland now take the Junior Cycle state examinations in June of their third year of post-primary school.
Overview
The Junior Certificate was the state examination and qualification taken by students in Ireland at the end of the first three years of post-primary (secondary) school. It was first examined in 1992. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) ran the examinations. The Junior Certificate was not a university entrance qualification; students went on to the Leaving Certificate two or three years later.
From September 2014 the new Junior Cycle was introduced in phases, subject by subject, and ran in schools alongside the existing Junior Certificate. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) says that from 2022 all Junior Cycle subjects and short courses had been revised and the Junior Certificate had been phased out.
The government and NCCA pages describe the current Junior Cycle. Details of the old Junior Certificate below come partly from Wikipedia.
Exam pattern
| Feature | Junior Certificate (former) |
|---|---|
| Run by | State Examinations Commission |
| When | Early June, after three years of post-primary school |
| Paper length | Usually 1.5 to 2 hours per paper |
| Subject levels | Higher, Ordinary and Foundation |
| Number of subjects | No upper limit |
| Forms of assessment | Written papers, aural tests in some subjects, and practical tests in some subjects |
What replaced it
The Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement brings together:
written examinations in June of third year, set by the SEC;
classroom-based assessments, completed in second and third year;
practical examinations in some subjects, such as art, music and home economics.
Under the Junior Cycle, students study up to 10 subjects. English, Irish and Mathematics are offered at Higher and Ordinary level, and other subjects at a single common level. For students sitting from 2025, written results are reported as Distinction (85% or more), Higher Merit, Merit, Achieved, Partially Achieved and Not Graded (below 20%). In 2026 the Junior Cycle examination fee was €109, with an exemption for medical card holders.
After the exam
Past papers from the Junior Certificate are still available on the SEC website. If you need proof of old Junior Certificate results, you can apply to the SEC for a statement of examination results.
Is the Junior Certificate still held?
No. The Junior Certificate was phased out by 2022 and replaced by the Junior Cycle, whose students receive the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement.