Education in Ireland: school stages, the Leaving Certificate and college entry
A guide to schooling in Ireland, the Junior Cycle, the Leaving Certificate, how grades work, CAO applications and further education.
In short
Education in Ireland is set by the Department of Education, and the national school-leaving exam, the Leaving Certificate, is run by the State Examinations Commission. Children must attend school from the age of six until they turn sixteen or have completed three years of secondary education, though most start primary school at four or five and stay on until the Leaving Certificate at about eighteen. After the Leaving Certificate, most students who want a place in higher education apply through a single central system, the Central Applications Office (CAO). Further education and apprenticeships are a well-established second route.
School stages
- Primary school: Eight years, from junior infants to sixth class. Pupils study Irish, English, mathematics, social and environmental subjects, arts and physical education. Most primary schools are run by a patron, often a religious body, under the rules of the Department.
- Junior Cycle: The first three years of secondary school. Students study a broad range of subjects and finish with Junior Cycle assessments, which combine classroom-based assessments with a final written exam in most subjects.
- Transition Year: An optional year after the Junior Cycle in which many schools offer work experience, projects and subjects outside the normal exam courses. Not every school offers it, and in some schools it is compulsory.
- Senior Cycle: Usually two further years, fifth and sixth year, that lead to the Leaving Certificate.
The Leaving Certificate and grading
The Leaving Certificate is the main school-leaving exam. Students normally sit it in sixth year and take around seven subjects. Irish, English and mathematics are the core subjects for most students, and the rest are chosen from a wide list that includes languages, sciences, business, history, geography and the arts. There are three versions of the programme: the Established Leaving Certificate, which is the most common route to higher education, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, which adds a link with vocational subjects, and the Leaving Certificate Applied, which is a practical, work-focused course.
Most subjects can be taken at Higher Level or Ordinary Level, and Irish and mathematics also have a Foundation Level. Grades at Higher and Ordinary Level run from 1 to 8, shown as H1 to H8 and O1 to O8, where 1 is the best grade in each band. Written papers are set and marked by the State Examinations Commission, and in some subjects there are also oral, practical or project components. Results come out in late summer, and students may ask to see their marked scripts.
University and college entry
Applications for most undergraduate courses in universities, technological universities and colleges of education go through the CAO. Applicants list their choices in order of preference. Courses fill places by ranking applicants on points, which convert the grades from the best six subjects into a single number, with Higher Level grades counting for more than Ordinary Level grades in the same subject. Some courses have extra entry requirements, such as a minimum grade in mathematics, a language or a science, and some use a portfolio, an interview or a test. Mature students and applicants who have studied abroad can apply through separate routes, and those with qualifications from the further education sector can also apply to the CAO.
Further education and apprenticeships
Many school leavers choose a Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course at a further education college. These are one- or two-year courses that lead to national qualifications and can lead on to higher education. Apprenticeships combine paid work with training in a trade or craft such as electrical work, plumbing, or carpentry, and in newer fields such as finance and information technology. Apprenticeships and further education courses are supported nationally through the SOLAS agency and the Education and Training Boards.
Studying in Ireland as an international student
Students from outside the country who plan to enter an Irish college usually need to show a recognised school-leaving qualification and, if English is not their first language, an English test result such as IELTS. Colleges publish their own entry requirements, so always check the course page of the college you want to attend.
Practising on GetMyMockTest
These are practice questions we wrote for study. They are not the official exams, and we do not claim they match an exam's current format. Free practice for Ireland:
- Leaving Certificate (irish-leaving-cert): Senior Cycle practice in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, with timed mock tests and flashcard revision.
- Junior Cycle (junior-cycle-ireland): Junior Cycle practice in Mathematics and Science, with timed mock tests and formula flashcards.
- Irish general knowledge (gk-ie): history and politics, geography and nature, and science, arts and culture.
- IELTS, Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma: international exams that many Irish students and international applicants also take.