What is the Leaving Certificate?
The Leaving Certificate (also called the Leaving Cert or LC) is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. Students typically sit the exam at the end of their two-year senior cycle (5th and 6th year), usually at age 17–19. The results determine entry into universities, institutes of technology and other third-level institutions across Ireland and the EU.
Exam Levels
Three levels are available for most subjects:
- Higher Level (HL) — The most challenging level. Rewarded with the highest CAO points (up to 100 per subject). Required for many competitive university courses.
- Ordinary Level (OL) — A mid-level paper. Maximum 56 CAO points. Suitable for students who do not need the highest points.
- Foundation Level (FL) — Available in English, Irish and Mathematics only. Not counted for CAO points but provides a valuable qualification.
Exam Structure
Students usually take 7 subjects (6 minimum). The exam period runs from early June to late June, with approximately 3–4 weeks of written exams. Oral and practical exams (Irish, French, German, Spanish, Music, etc.) take place in the weeks before the written exams, typically March–May.
Core Subjects
Most schools require students to take:
- Irish (unless exempt)
- English
- Mathematics
- A modern European language (French, German, Spanish or Italian)
- Three or four additional chosen subjects
Leaving Cert Applied (LCA)
The Leaving Certificate Applied is a separate, more practical programme focused on preparing students for adult and working life. It does not earn CAO points but leads to a Distinction, Merit or Pass award.
Key Dates
- February: CAO application deadline (normal) — €30 fee
- May: CAO change of mind deadline (1 July)
- March–May: Oral and practical exams
- First Wednesday in June: Written exams begin
- Late June: Written exams conclude
- Late August: Results day (mid-August typically)
- September: CAO Round One offers
Quick Facts
- Run by the State Examinations Commission (SEC)
- Over 60,000 students sit the Leaving Cert each year
- Exam papers are marked externally by examiners appointed by the SEC
- Results are issued as individual subject grades (H1–H8, O1–O8, F1–F8)
- Graded on a percentage basis with a national standardisation process
Leaving Cert 2026 in Numbers
The 2026 Leaving Certificate was the biggest on record: 71,698 candidates registered, up 9% on 2025, out of 146,553 students sitting State examinations overall. The written exams ran from 3 to 23 June 2026, results were published on Friday 21 August at 10am via the Candidate Self Service Portal, and the SEC continued the post-marking adjustment that has kept results close to pre-pandemic levels — with 2026 results expected just below the 2020 standard.
Exam entry fees returned in 2026 at €116 per Leaving Certificate candidate, the first time fees have been charged since 2019. The expanded RACE scheme also saw around 30,000 candidates receive ten extra minutes per exam. With record candidate numbers, the CAO points race in 2026 is tighter than ever.
The Exam Structure in 2026
The established Leaving Certificate is examined across two levels — Higher and Ordinary — in roughly 30 subjects, plus Foundation level in Irish and Mathematics. Most students take seven subjects: Irish, English and Mathematics are compulsory (with exemptions available), and students choose four more from languages, sciences, business, applied science and social studies. Each subject is examined by written papers in June, with oral exams for languages, practical exams for music and art, and coursework components for subjects like History and Geography.
Alongside the established Leaving Cert sit the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), which adds link modules on enterprise and work experience, and the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA), a two-year programme focused on practical, task-based learning for students who do not intend to follow the traditional CAO points route.
What's New for 2026 and Beyond
The senior cycle redevelopment is rolling out in tranches. Two new subjects — Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, and Climate Action and Sustainable Development — began in some schools in 2025 and are expanding on a phased basis. In 2026, all schools introduced Tranche 2: Construction Studies, Engineering, Geography, LCVP Link Modules and Physical Education, with English and Accounting delayed by at least a year. Tranche 3 follows in 2027 and Tranche 4 in 2028, so today's first-year students will sit a substantially different Leaving Cert from the one their older siblings took.
The reforms are being phased precisely to protect the integrity of the points system — every change is piloted and communicated well in advance. Keep an eye on gov.ie and the NCCA website for the official timelines, and always confirm the details with your school.