How Points Are Calculated
Your CAO points total is calculated from your six best subjects (one sitting). English and Mathematics must be included if they are among your best six: if not, the next best subjects are used instead. Some courses also require a minimum grade in a specific subject.
Higher Level Points
| Grade | Percentage Range | Points |
|---|---|---|
| H1 | 90 — 100% | 100 |
| H2 | 80 — 89% | 88 |
| H3 | 70 — 79% | 77 |
| H4 | 60 — 69% | 66 |
| H5 | 50 — 59% | 56 |
| H6 | 40 — 49% | 46 |
| H7 | 30 — 39% | 37 |
| H8 | 0 — 29% | 0 |
Ordinary Level Points
| Grade | Percentage Range | Points |
|---|---|---|
| O1 | 90 — 100% | 56 |
| O2 | 80 — 89% | 46 |
| O3 | 70 — 79% | 37 |
| O4 | 60 — 69% | 28 |
| O5 | 50 — 59% | 20 |
| O6 | 40 — 49% | 12 |
| O7 | 30 — 39% | 0 |
| O8 | 0 — 29% | 0 |
Foundation Level
Foundation Level grades (F1 — F8) do not attract CAO points. They can be used to satisfy minimum entry requirements for some courses but will not contribute to your points total.
Bonus Points for Higher Level Maths
Students who take Higher Level Mathematics receive 25 bonus CAO points if they achieve a grade H6 or better. The bonus is added after your 6 best subjects are calculated.
Example: If you score H5 (56 points) in Higher Level Maths, you get 56 + 25 = 81 points contributing to your total.
Maximum Possible Points
The maximum CAO points achievable is 625 (6 × H1 at 100 points each + 25 bonus points for Higher Level Maths H6 or above). Without the Maths bonus, the maximum is 600.
Points Calculation Example
Student A's results:
- English: H2 (88 points)
- Maths HL: H5 (56 + 25 bonus = 81 points)
- Irish: H3 (77 points)
- Biology: H1 (100 points)
- Chemistry: H2 (88 points)
- French: H3 (77 points)
- History: H4 (66 points) ← not counted
Total: 88 + 81 + 77 + 100 + 88 + 77 = 511 points
Points Per Course
Every year, the CAO publishes the minimum points required for each course in the previous year. These fluctuate based on demand, supply of places and exam performance. Check www.cao.ie for the latest points tables.
2025 Points Reality Check
The 2025 CAO points round shows exactly how competitive the system has become. Undergraduate medicine required 728–739 points depending on the college (University of Galway 728, UCC 730, RCSI 733, UCD 738, Trinity 739) — each also requiring the HPAT. TCD Dental Science sat at 625, UCD Economics and Finance at 625, and UCD Actuarial and Financial Studies at 613. For the first time, every UCD course required more than 400 points in Round One, with General Nursing jumping 34 points to 444.
These numbers are the 'price' of each course, set by supply and demand each year: they rise when applications outstrip places, fall when they don't, and are only finalised after Round One offers are made. Use last year's points as a benchmark, never as a guarantee.
Bonus Points, HPAT and the Road to 2027
Three things can move your points total beyond the raw grade table. First, the 25 bonus points for Higher Level maths (H6 and above) — an H1 in maths is effectively worth 125 points. Second, the HPAT-Ireland aptitude test, which all undergraduate medicine applicants must sit; points are awarded from a combination of Leaving Cert results and HPAT score, so the medicine 'points' figures quoted in the media are a blend, not pure Leaving Cert points. Third, foundation and ordinary level scales are lower, which is why Higher Level is the default ambition for competitive courses.
Big change is coming: more than 200 new medicine places are being added nationally from 2026, and from 2027 entry the CAO scoring system is being reformed so that HPAT results carry greater weight in medicine admissions. If medicine is your goal, plan for both the exam and the aptitude test from fifth year.
How the Points Are Calculated, Step by Step
Your CAO points come from your best six subjects — but with rules. English and Mathematics must be included (for most courses), a language is required for some courses, and no more than two of your six can be from the same subject group at the same level unless specified. Each grade converts to points: H1 = 100, H2 = 88, H3 = 77, H4 = 66, H5 = 56, H6 = 46, H7 = 37, H8 = 0 at Higher Level; O1–O8 scale from 56 down at Ordinary Level; Foundation level tops out at 62.
Add the maths bonus (if applicable) and you have your total, out of a maximum of 625 points (600 + 25 maths bonus). The calculator on this page lets you model combinations quickly — and the golden rule is to model your realistic grades, not your dream grades, so you know exactly where you stand before results day.