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 is open until 8pm today to submit any questions you have about this year’s process. The helpdesk will be back at 10am on Saturday morning.
- Share your experience on results day by emailing niamh.towey@irishtimes.com
Key Reads
- Appeal, wait, go abroad, repeat: what can you do if you don’t get your first CAO choice?
- You have your Leaving Cert results. Now what?
- Leaving Cert points calculator: How many CAO points are your results worth?
- Leaving Cert 2026: Key dates in the coming days, weeks and months
- Leaving Cert results: Life isn’t about exams, fractions or poets
- ‘Mum is in tears’: Student who left school in second year gets 625 points
- A parent’s guide to results day: This is not the time for ‘I told you so’
That is all from us at The Irish Times for today.
If you have any questions, the helpdesk will be answering questions until 8pm this evening, 10am to 5pm tomorrow (Saturday) and 10am to 12pm on Sunday.
To submit your query and read their answers, click here.
Good evening.
Largest expansion of healthcare education places announced
Earlier today, the largest expansion of healthcare education places was announced.
The Government approved measures that will create capacity for an additional 612 students every year across nursing, midwifery, medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary medicine.
At full rollout, the measures will support more than 2,600 additional students enrolled in healthcare programmes.
Nursing and midwifery will receive the highest number, 268 additional places annually.
There will be 151 additional pharmacy places annually, 80 additional veterinary medicine places annually, 78 additional medicine places annually and 35 additional dentistry places annually.
Send your questions to our helpdesk
Our guidance counsellors Deirdre Garrett and Brian Howard will be answering your questions until 8pm this evening to give you quick and clear feedback as you navigate college offers, choices and deciding your next steps over the coming days.
They will also be answering any questions from 10am to 5pm tomorrow (Saturday) and 10am to 12pm on Sunday.
To submit your query and read their answers, click here.
Five key takeaways from the 2026 Leaving Cert results
Brian Mooney writes about five key takeaways from the 2026 Leaving Cert results ranging from the consequences of Covid to some subjects are growing in popularity such as PE, Technology, Polish, Ukrainian and Mandarin Chinese.
For the full article, click here.
Highest number of students sat the Leaving Cert this year
A total of 70,411 candidates are receiving Leaving Certificate results today, of which 4,779 candidates completed the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme.
The State Examinations Commission said this is a record number of candidates.
Overall, it said Leaving Cert numbers have increased by 15 per cent since 2024.
Movember encourages young men to reach out to loved ones following Leaving Cert results
Movember revealed that over 60 per cent of Irish people believe young men struggle to find purpose in Irish society.
Sarah Ouellette, country director for Movember Ireland, said, “This statistic is particularly relevant at a time when many young men may be questioning their next steps and feeling pressure to have their future mapped out.
“Movember is urging students, parents, teachers and communities to create space for open conversations and to recognise that purpose in life is not determined by exam results alone.
“Today is a hugely important day for many young people across Ireland. Receiving Leaving Certificate results can bring a wide range of emotions, from pride and relief to disappointment, uncertainty and stress.
“While exam results can open doors, they do not define a person’s worth, potential or future.”
She is encouraging young men to reach out to family, friends, teachers or other trusted people in their lives as “talking openly and seeking support can make a real difference.”
ASTI president congratulates class of 2026
The ASTI president Richie Bell has sent a message of congratulations to Leaving Certificate students who are receiving their results today.
“All of you have achieved a significant milestone in your lives,” he said.
“Your teachers are proud of you. Regardless of your results today, stay calm and consider all of your options over the coming days and weeks.
“There are many ways of getting to where you want to go in today’s world. Talk to your family, your school, your guidance counsellor.
“Know that the knowledge, skills and experience that you have gained over the past few years will stand to as you pursue your goals as a young adult. There is plenty to look forward to.”
“Today is a day to applaud our Leaving Cert Class of 2026. For those students celebrating, make sure to keep yourself and those around you safe,” said Bell.
Higher Level Maths Paper One
Remember the controversy over the Higher Level Maths Paper One this year?
There was a question that asked about the maths of tuning a piano which seemed to throw a lot of people.
Parents wrote to the Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton saying students were “getting sick in the bathrooms” after the exam.
Addressing the issue on Friday, the State Examinations Commission said it considered this feedback when deciding on the marking scheme.
“As part of the normal standard setting process, refinements were made to the draft marking schemes to ensuring a reasonable and fair scheme, ensuring that candidates were being appropriately rewarded.
“The outcomes from the marking in Higher Level Maths, before the application of the post marking adjustment, are broadly in line with previous years,” the SEC said.
More than 64,000 candidates sat Mathematics this year, with almost 41 per cent at Higher Level.
Remember if you are not happy with the grade you received today, you can apply to view your scripts on Tuesday.
More students sitting Higher Level papers
There is a much higher percentage of students sitting papers at Higher Level now than before the pandemic.
Data released by the State Examinations Commission on Friday showed across the majority of subjects, a much higher percentage of candidates opted to sit at Higher Level than would have been the case before the pandemic.
| Year | Higher | Ordinary | Foundation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 68.4% | 29.3% | 2.1% |
| 2023 | 73% | 25.6% | 1.4% |
| 2024 | 71.8% | 26.8% | 1.4% |
| 2025 | 73% | 25.7% | 1.3% |
| 2026 | 74% | 24.6% | 1.4% |
Leaving Cert points calculator
Trying to figure out how many CAO points your results are worth?
We have a calculator here.
Leaving Cert Points Calculator
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.
Student who left school in second year gets 625 points
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.”
What next?
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.
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!
@axfarrello After a year of tears 🥹🐘, Thank you to @SimpleStudy.ie ♬ End of August - Noah Kahan
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.
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.
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.
How hard is it to get a H1 across the subjects?
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
Leaving Cert 2026: What time are the results out and what are other key dates?
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.
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.
