Main Points
- Across the country, tens of thousands of students will be opening envelopes and refreshing portals to finding 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
- Leaving Cert 2026: Key dates in the coming days, weeks and months
- Leaving Cert results: Life isn’t about exams, fractions or poets
- A parent’s guide to results day: This is not the time for ‘I told you so’
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.
