Overview
The Leaving Certificate is Ireland's final secondary-school examination, sat at the end of senior cycle (typically two years after Junior Cycle, Ireland's earlier-stage state exam, which covers a separate programme and syllabus). It is set and run by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) on behalf of the Department of Education. Passing it completes second-level education, and Leaving Certificate results are the main basis for the points-based entry system that Irish higher-education institutions use through the Central Applications Office (CAO).
Note
The SEC's own site (examinations.ie) could not be reached directly while researching this file. Facts below are drawn from secondary sources that report the SEC's published rules and calendar (Citizens Information, gov.ie, and the CAO). Confirm exact subject rules, fees and dates for your own year on the SEC's official site before registering.
There are three Leaving Certificate programmes a student can be registered for: the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP, the standard Leaving Certificate with an added enterprise/work-experience strand), and the separate Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), a self-contained, modular programme aimed at work-readiness rather than CAO entry. This file covers the established Leaving Certificate and LCVP, which share the same subject exams; LCA has its own modular structure and is assessed differently.
Who can apply
Most candidates are 5th-year and 6th-year students registered through their secondary school, which submits their exam entries to the SEC. Adult ("mature") and external candidates who are not enrolled in a school can also sit the Leaving Certificate: they register directly with the SEC's Entries section, either online or by form, and pay the applicable fee themselves.
Exam pattern
Subjects are examined at up to three levels: Higher, Ordinary, and Foundation (Foundation level is offered only in a small number of subjects, mainly Irish and Mathematics, for students who need an easier-paced course). A candidate must sit a minimum of six subjects, and English, Irish and Mathematics are the only subjects every student is required to take; Irish can be waived for students who qualify for an exemption (for example those who completed most of their earlier schooling outside Ireland). Most students take six to eight subjects in total, combining compulsory subjects with electives chosen from areas such as sciences, languages, business, humanities and practical subjects.
| Level | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Higher | Most subjects, most candidates aiming for CAO points | Harder course content; higher CAO points available at the same percentage score |
| Ordinary | Students who prefer a less demanding course, or where a course requires only a pass | Lower points ceiling than Higher at an equivalent percentage |
| Foundation | A small number of subjects (mainly Irish, Mathematics) | Not included in the CAO common points scale |
University matriculation (minimum entry requirement for university, as distinct from a specific course's points requirement) generally asks for six Leaving Certificate subjects including Irish, English, Mathematics and a third language; the newer Technological Universities generally ask only for English or Irish, and Mathematics. Foundation-level Irish, Foundation-level Mathematics, and LCVP Link Modules do not count toward matriculation.
Marking and results
Each subject at Higher and Ordinary level is graded on an eight-point scale, H1-H8 (Higher) or O1-O8 (Ordinary); Foundation-level subjects are graded F1-F8 and are not included in the CAO points scale. For CAO applications, grades convert to points on the Common Points Scale that has applied since 2017:
| Higher grade | Points | Ordinary grade | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | 100 | O1 | 56 |
| H2 | 88 | O2 | 46 |
| H3 | 77 | O3 | 37 |
| H4 | 66 | O4 | 28 |
| H5 | 56 | O5 | 20 |
| H6 | 46 | O6 | 12 |
| H7 | 37 | O7 | 0 |
| H8 | 0 | O8 | 0 |
A candidate's CAO points total is the sum of their best six subjects, out of a maximum of 600 (or 625 with the 25-point bonus that applies to Higher-level Mathematics at grade H6 or above).
Important dates
For 2026, the SEC's calendar sets the Leaving Certificate oral examinations for 28 March to 2 April 2026 (the first week of the Easter holidays), with the main written examinations running from 3 June to 23 June 2026 (Leaving Certificate Applied's written exams run 3 to 11 June 2026). Candidates who miss a paper for a certified reason can sit deferred examinations, held in selected schools from 24 June to 11 July 2026. Results are published on 21 August 2026, available to students online from the SEC from 10am and through their schools. Exact dates move slightly each year; check the current year's calendar on the SEC's site before relying on them.
How to apply
School-based students are registered by their school, which handles entry and fee payment with the SEC; students confirm their subject and level choices with their school ahead of the SEC's entry deadline. External and mature candidates register directly with the SEC's Entries section, online or by paper form, and pay the fee themselves; fee exemptions are available for candidates who hold a medical card, applied for online through the SEC. For 2026, the standard Leaving Certificate fee for school-based candidates was reported as €116, with a different fee structure for external candidates depending on the number of subjects entered.
After the exam
Passing English, Irish and Mathematics along with the overall minimum of six subjects earns the Leaving Certificate. For higher education, results feed into the CAO's points-based admissions system: candidates who applied to the CAO (normally by the preceding January, with a later "change of mind" window) are offered places once results are released, ranked by their best-six points total against each course's points requirement for that year. Some courses also require specific subjects, minimum grades in particular subjects, or an additional assessment or interview.
Preparation tips
Decide subject levels (Higher, Ordinary or Foundation) with enough lead time, since a course's points and matriculation rules may depend on taking certain subjects at Higher level.
Work through the SEC's published past exam papers and marking schemes for each subject; the format and style of papers repeat from year to year.
Keep track of CAO application and change-of-mind deadlines separately from SEC exam-entry deadlines, since they run on different timelines.
Check the specific entry requirements (subjects, levels, minimum grades) of the courses you intend to apply for, since they vary by institution and course.
FAQs
What is the difference between the Leaving Certificate and the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA)?
The established Leaving Certificate (and LCVP) is a subject-based exam whose results convert to CAO points for university and college entry. The LCA is a separate, modular, work-readiness programme with its own assessment; it does not generate CAO points in the same way.
Can an adult or external candidate sit the Leaving Certificate?
Yes. Candidates who are not enrolled in a school, including mature students, can register directly with the State Examinations Commission's Entries section and pay the applicable fee themselves, rather than being entered through a school.
Is Irish compulsory for every Leaving Certificate student?
Irish is one of the three subjects most students must take, but an exemption is available for students who qualify, for example those who completed most of their earlier education outside Ireland. A Foundation-level Irish result does not count toward university matriculation.
How do Leaving Certificate grades become CAO points?
Each Higher or Ordinary grade maps to a fixed number of points on the CAO's Common Points Scale (H1 is 100 points, O1 is 56 points, and so on down to 0). A candidate's total is the sum of their best six subjects, with a 25-point bonus for Higher-level Mathematics at H6 or above. Foundation-level grades are not included in the points scale.