Main Points
- Across the country, tens of thousands of students have found out the results they’ve spent months waiting for
- The Irish Times has published a special supplement for those navigating one of the most important milestones in Irish education
- The Irish Times CAO Helpdesk for 2026 will be open from 11am to submit any questions you have about this year’s process
- Share your experience on results day by emailing niamh.towey@irishtimes.com
Key Reads
Today, for the first time ever, students of the senior-cycle level-one and level-two learning programmes received their results alongside their peers doing the Leaving Certificate.
The L1 and L2 programmes are designed for students with complex learning and developmental needs.
Our photographer visited students at St Catherine’s special school in Newcastle, Co Wicklow, as they opened their results.
Kendra Hopkins (18) hugs her friend Leon McKenny (18) at St Catherine’s special school in Co Wicklow, Ireland. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/The Irish Times 
Maia O’Brien (18) with her Dad Sean O’Brien 
Amy Bracken (18) with her mother Cheryl Bracken (right) and neighbour Elaine Hewitt Leaving Cert points calculator
Trying to figure out how many CAO points your results are worth?
We have a calculator here.
Honours Maths:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
Subject 1:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
Subject 2:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
Subject 3:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
Subject 4:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
Subject 5:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
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O5
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O7
O8
Subject 6:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
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O5
O6
O7
O8
Subject 7:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
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O7
O8
Subject 8:
No Grade
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
H8
O1
O2
O3
O4
O5
O6
O7
O8
Your Total Points: 0
Clear All
Student who left school in second year gets 625 points
Kayleigh Quinn.
Kayleigh Quinn, who left school in second year having struggled with her mental health, has achieved her goal of 625 CAO points.
Kayleigh was one of our Leaving Cert diarists in June and told Jen Hogan about her struggles and her aim to do Medicine.
We caught up with her again today, and she can’t quite believe what has happened.
“I woke up this morning and the State Examinations Commission released all the statistics before the actual results, of all the H1s going down. And I was like ‘oh no’,” says the 18-year-old from Navan. “I was thinking the worst case and I was doing the maths in my head, and I was trying to imagine. And then I opened it up and oh my gosh.
“I screamed and my parents probably thought worst-case scenario, because they couldn’t tell the tone of the scream. My mum is in tears. She can’t talk,” Quinn says of her parents’ reaction to discovering their daughter had achieved her goal. “I put in the work and I suppose it paid off in the end.”
Niamh Towey – 2 hours ago
What next?What next after Leaving Cert results? Video: Niamh Towey
Niamh Towey – 3 hours ago
Send your questions to our helpdesk
Our guidance counsellors Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be answering your questions from 11am today to give you quick and clear feedback as you navigate college offers, choices and deciding your next steps over the coming days.
You can send your questions here, and read their answers here.
Niamh Towey – 3 hours ago
Students take to TikTok to open their results
We’re so heartened to see all the lovely videos of you opening your results this morning.
This one really got me – well done Abigail!
Niamh Towey – 4 hours ago
First year of L1 and L2 programmes
Today, for the first time ever, students of the senior-cycle level-one and level-two learning programmes received their results alongside their peers doing the Leaving Certificate.
The L1 and L2 programmes are designed for students with complex learning and developmental needs.
Some 306 students took part this year, across 78 schools.
Well done to all involved.
Niamh Towey – 4 hours ago
Eight students get maximum points at Cork school
There is excitement at the Christian Brothers College in Co Cork this morning as eight students received maximum points of 625.
In total, 150 students received their results at the school today and sixteen of those got over 600 points.
Niamh Towey – 4 hours ago
So the results are out. Well done to everyone who opened their grades this morning.
I would love to hear from you directly – whether you’re delighted, disappointed, or just glad it’s all over.
You can email me at niamh.towey@irishtimes.com.
Our CAO helpdesk will be starting soon, at 12 noon, where you can ask our guidance counsellors any questions you might have.
Niamh Towey – 5 hours ago
How hard is it to get a H1 across the subjects?
Niamh Towey – 6 hours ago
What do the stats tell us today?
While students will not receive their individual results until 10am this morning, we do have some detail on overall trends.
- Grade inflation is down by 1.8 percentage points compared with last year
- The post-marking adjustment (PMA) applied to this year’s result is 4 per cent, down from 5.8 per cent last year.
- Students will receive on average one fewer grade increase than last year’s class
- OVERALL: Percentage of H1 grades dropped from 12.1 per cent in 2025 to 10.1 per cent this year
- MATHS: Percentage of H1s dropped from 11 per cent to 8.1 per cent
- ENGLISH: Percentage of H1s down from 5 per cent to 4.3 per cent
- IRISH: Percentage of H1s down from 11 per cent to 10 per cent
Niamh Towey – 6 hours ago
Leaving Cert 2026: What time are the results out and what are other key dates?IT Explains: How does Leaving Cert results day work? Video: Bryan O’Brien Editor: Eoin Ronayne
Friday, August 21st
The State Examinations Commission delivers 2026 Leaving Cert results to more than 730 second-level schools, and makes them available through a secure online service at examinations.ie from 10am.
Tuesday, August 25th
An application to view scripts can be made online only on the SEC Student Portal. Students will also have access to the component marks of their various scripts at this time.
Wednesday, August 26th, 2pm
The CAO releases round-one offers to candidates online. Minimum points required for entry to each course will be available on the CAO website. Shortly afterwards, students who are unhappy with a grade they received and wish to view their marked exam scripts may do so online. There is no charge for viewing marked exam scripts. Shortly afterwards, students who wish to appeal the result in one or more subjects can apply online through the SEC Student Portal to do so between these dates.
Tuesday, September 1st, 3pm
Closing date for receipt of acceptance of CAO round-one offers.
Monday, September 7th, 2pm
The CAO makes round-two offers available to applicants online. The minimum points required for entry to each course are released on the CAO website later that day.
Wednesday, September 9th, 3pm
Closing date for receipt of acceptance of CAO round-two offers.
Friday, September 25th
Results of Leaving Cert appeals are released by the SEC to students. Students whose scripts have been upgraded may receive a new offer of a place on a course higher up their CAO order of preference previously offered. The offer may be for the 2026 academic year, but in some cases where there is no capacity to accommodate additional students on a course, the offer may be for a place in the 2027 academic year.
Niamh Towey – 6 hours ago
Welcome to our live news story on Leaving Certificate results day 2026.
I will be with you over the morning with all the news and reaction to this year’s grades.
Later this afternoon, our guidance counsellors will be on hand to answer any queries you might have.
For now, let’s look at what is happening today and when – and what we might expect to see in the results.