Leaving Cert Points Calculator

Explained

What Are Leaving Cert Points?

Leaving Certificate points are the scores Irish students earn in the Leaving Cert exam. They are calculated using the official CAO points scale, which converts your exam grades into a number. These points are then used by the Central Applications Office (CAO) to rank all applicants and make course offers to Irish universities, institutes of technology, and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Every Leaving Cert student who applies for a college place in Ireland goes through this system. Your total score — based on your best 6 subjects — determines which courses you can access. The higher your points, the more competitive courses you can apply for.

How many subjects count towards your Leaving Cert points?

Only your best 6 subjects count towards your CAO points, even if you sit 7 or 8 subjects. The CAO automatically picks the 6 highest-scoring results. Our calculator above does this automatically — just enter all your subjects and grades and it selects the top 6 for you.

Higher Level vs Ordinary Level — which is better for points?

Higher Level subjects earn significantly more points for the same percentage score. An H1 earns 100 points while an O1 earns only 56 — a difference of 44 points per subject. However, it is sometimes better to take Ordinary Level and achieve a higher grade than to struggle at Higher Level and get a low grade. Use the calculator to compare both scenarios for your own subjects.

Official 2026 Scale

Leaving Cert Points Scale 2026

This is the official points scale used by the CAO for the 2026 Leaving Certificate. It applies to all Irish universities and Higher Education Institutions.

Grade	Percentage	Higher Level points	Ordinary Level points
H1 O1	90–100%	100	56
H2 O2	80–89%	88	46
H3 O3	70–79%	77	37
H4 O4	60–69%	66	28
H5 O5	50–59%	56	20
H6 O6	40–49%	46	12
H7 O7	30–39%	37	0
H8 O8	0–29%	0	0

Higher Level Maths Bonus: If you score H6 or above (40%+) in Higher Level Mathematics, you receive 25 bonus points added to your Maths result. This means the absolute maximum Leaving Cert points score is 625 points — six H1 grades (600 pts) plus the 25 point HL Maths bonus.

Course Guide

Leaving Cert Points Required for Popular Courses 2025

The following points are based on the 2025 CAO Round 1 offers — the most recent published data. Points requirements change each year depending on the number of applicants. Use these figures as a guide when setting your target score in the calculator above.

Course	College	2025 Points
Medicine	UCD / Trinity / UCC / UG / RCSI	538–625
Dentistry	TCD / UCC / UG	520–600
Pharmacy	TCD / UCD / UCC	480–560
Law	TCD / UCD / UCC / DCU	460–560
Computer Science	TCD / UCD / DCU / UCC	400–500
Engineering	TCD / UCD / UCC / UL	380–480
Business / Commerce	UCD / TCD / DCU / UCC	350–480
Nursing	All major colleges	320–420
Education / Teaching	All colleges	310–400
Social Science	All colleges	280–380
Arts / Humanities	All colleges	260–400

Points are indicative based on 2025 Round 1 data. Always verify current requirements at cao.ie and individual college websites. Points can change significantly year to year.

FAQ

Leaving Cert Points — Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate my Leaving Cert points?

Match each of your Leaving Cert grades to the official points scale above — for example, H1 = 100 points, H2 = 88 points. If you achieved H6 or above in Higher Level Maths, add 25 bonus points to your Maths score. Then add up your 6 highest subject scores. That total is your CAO points. Our calculator at the top of this page does all of this automatically.

Do Leaving Cert points change every year?

The points scale itself does not change — an H1 is always 100 points. What changes every year are the course entry requirements (the minimum points needed to get a CAO offer for a specific course). These go up or down depending on how many students apply for a course and how well they did in that year's exams.

What is the maximum Leaving Cert points score?

The maximum is 625 points: six H1 grades (6 × 100 = 600 points) plus 25 bonus points for achieving H6 or above in Higher Level Mathematics. In practice, achieving 625 is extremely rare.

Does Irish count in Leaving Cert points?

Yes — Irish counts exactly the same as any other subject. It is included in your top 6 if it is one of your highest-scoring subjects. However, many courses at Irish universities require a minimum grade in Irish regardless of your total points — for example, Primary Teaching and some other education courses require at least H4 in Higher Level Irish.

Can I use Leaving Cert points for UCAS (UK universities)?

No — UCAS uses a completely different points system for UK universities. However, your Leaving Cert grades are accepted by UK universities and they convert them internally. If you are applying through UCAS, check the specific entry requirements listed by each UK university in terms of grades (e.g. H1 H1 H2), not the CAO points number.

When do Leaving Cert results come out in 2026?

Leaving Cert 2026 results are expected in late August 2026, typically on a Wednesday. CAO Round 1 offers are made a few days later, usually mid-August to early September. The exact date is announced by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) closer to the time.

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