Leaving Cert Grading Scale
Leaving Cert grades with their percentages and CAO points, typical university classes and TU Dublin's grades, each with its source, and a lookup for your own marks.
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Rules as of CAO points grid on cao.ie, 2027 entry cycle; Leaving Certificate grades from 2017 on; TU Dublin assessment regulations, registration from 2025-26. Last reviewed 2026-11-04.
Leaving Cert percentage to grade and CAO points
Grade bands from Nuffic, points from CAO's grid. Nuffic prints whole percentages, so a fraction stays in the lower band: 89.6% is grade 2. This is an estimate, not an official result.
TU Dublin module mark to grade
TU Dublin's grades for students who register from 2025-26 on. Marks round at .5, so 79.5 is an A1. GradeCat has not verified TU Dublin's GPA formula, so this gives one module's grade, not a GPA. This is an estimate, not an official result.
Also for: United States (Grading Scale) · Pakistan (HEC Grading Scale) · India (10-Point Grading Scale) · Nigeria (Grading Scale and Class of Degree) · United Kingdom (UK Degree Classes and Grading Scale) · South Africa (NSC Levels and Grading Scale) · Australia (University Grading Scale) · Ghana (Grading Scale and Class of Degree) · Singapore (Poly and A-Level Grading Scale) · Canada (University Grading Scale) · Bangladesh (UGC Grading Scale) · New Zealand (NCEA and University Grading Scale) · Jamaica (UWI Grading Scale) · Uganda (Makerere Grading Scale) · Hong Kong (HKUST Grading Scale) · Nepal (NEB Grading Scale) · Kenya (KCSE Grading System) · Germany (Notenpunkte und Noten im Abitur) · Mexico (Escala de calificaciones en México) · Spain (Escala de notas en España) · Turkey (Lise puan ve derece tablosu) · France (Barème sur 20 et mentions du bac)
Leaving Cert grades, percentages and CAO points
Leaving Certificate grades run from 1 to 8, and the letter in front shows the level: H for Higher, O for Ordinary and F for Foundation. The percentage bands are from Nuffic's page on Irish grades, and the points from CAO's points grid.
| Percentage | Higher Level | CAO points | Ordinary Level | CAO points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 to 100 | H1 | 100 | O1 | 56 |
| 80 to 89 | H2 | 88 | O2 | 46 |
| 70 to 79 | H3 | 77 | O3 | 37 |
| 60 to 69 | H4 | 66 | O4 | 28 |
| 50 to 59 | H5 | 56 | O5 | 20 |
| 40 to 49 | H6 | 46 | O6 | 12 |
| 30 to 39 | H7 | 37 | O7 | 0 |
| 0 to 29 | H8 | 0 | O8 | 0 |
Status: percentage bands confirmed against Nuffic's page, and points confirmed against CAO's grid, on 4 November 2026. The grid states no year; CAO has a separate page for results from before 2017.
Nuffic prints whole percentages, so a fraction stays in the lower band here: 89.6% is grade 2. An example from GradeCat's research: 73% at Higher Level is grade 3, a H3, worth 77 CAO points.
Foundation maths, the maths bonus and LCVP
| Result | CAO points |
|---|---|
| Foundation Level maths, F1 | 20 |
| Foundation Level maths, F2 | 12 |
| Higher Level maths at H1 to H6 | 25 bonus points |
| LCVP Link Modules, Distinction | 66 |
| LCVP Link Modules, Merit | 46 |
| LCVP Link Modules, Pass | 28 |
Status: confirmed against CAO's grid on 4 November 2026.
- Some colleges may not award points for Foundation Level maths. The grid lists points for F1 and F2 only.
- The 25 bonus points count only when maths is in your best six results after the bonus is added. A H4 in maths counts as 66 + 25 = 91.
- LCVP Link Modules count in place of a sixth subject.
CAO counts your six best results from one sitting (CAO's page on Leaving Certificate points). The CAO Points Calculator picks them for you. The most anyone can score is 625, which GradeCat works out from the grid; CAO does not print it.
University grades in Ireland
Irish universities mark modules in percentages, and each college sets its own classes. Nuffic lists these typical honours classes.
| Class | Marks |
|---|---|
| First | 70% and above |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 1 (2.1) | 60% and above |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 2 (2.2) | 50% and above |
| Third | 40% or 45% and above, by college |
| Pass | 40% and above |
Status: confirmed against Nuffic's page on 4 November 2026. Typical bands only, from Nuffic, a credential agency. Your college's own marks and standards decide.
TU Dublin grades and grade point values
TU Dublin's assessment regulations FAQ gives each grade a band of marks and a grade point value (GPV), for students who register from 2025-26 on.
| Grade | Marks | Grade point value |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 80 to 100 | 4.0 |
| A2 | 75 to 79 | 3.8 |
| A3 | 70 to 74 | 3.6 |
| B1 | 65 to 69 | 3.2 |
| B2 | 60 to 64 | 3.0 |
| B3 | 55 to 59 | 2.8 |
| C1 | 50 to 54 | 2.6 |
| C2 | 45 to 49 | 2.4 |
| C3 | 40 to 44 | 2.0 |
| D | 35 to 39 | 1.6 |
| DF | 35 to 39 | 1.6 |
| F | 34 or below | 0 |
Status: confirmed against TU Dublin's FAQ on 4 November 2026. D and DF are two separate grades, both 35 to 39 and both worth 1.6.
Marks round at .5, so 79.5 counts as an A1 and 34.49 or below is an F. Examples from GradeCat's research: 72 is an A3, worth 3.6, 64.6 rounds to 65, a B1 worth 3.2, and 49.5 rounds to 50, a C1 worth 2.6.
| GPA from | Class | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6 | First Class Honours, or Distinction | 40% or 50% |
| 3.0 | Second Class Honours, First Division, or Merit Grade One | 40% or 50% |
| 2.6 | Second Class Honours, Second Division, or Merit Grade Two | 40% or 50% |
| 2.0 | Pass | 40% only |
Status: confirmed against TU Dublin's FAQ on 4 November 2026. With a 50% pass mark, the FAQ shows no class at 2.0, and at 2.6 it also shows Pass, which its footnote gives where a candidate repeats modules and does not qualify to retain honours. The labels differ by award type.
To progress, TU Dublin asks for a GPA of at least 2.00 on programmes with a 40% pass mark, or at least 2.60 with a 50% pass mark. Its FAQ says the GPA uses an ECTS credit-based formula, set out in section 4.3.7 of its regulations. GradeCat could not read that PDF, so it has no TU Dublin GPA calculator yet.
What is not verified yet
- Leaving Certificate results from before 2017: CAO scores them on a separate page, which GradeCat has not checked.
- Percentage bands at Foundation Level: Nuffic's page does not mention Foundation Level, so the lookup gives Foundation grades the Higher and Ordinary Level bands.
- Junior Cycle grade descriptors: the NCCA and examinations.ie sites would not open, so this page has no Junior Cycle grades.
- TU Dublin's GPA formula: it is in section 4.3.7 of the regulations, a PDF that could not be read.
- UCD's GPA and the QCA at UL and MIC: ucd.ie would not open, UL's pages do not show the QCA, and MIC's handbook was not opened.
- Trinity College Dublin's year weights: its PDF could not be read.
- Changes from the redeveloped Senior Cycle: the SEC and NCCA sites could not be opened, so GradeCat could not check whether it changes grades or points in coming years.
Leaving Cert grading scale FAQ
What percentage is a H1?
90 to 100%. A H1 is worth 100 CAO points.
What is a H4 in percentage?
60 to 69%. A H4 is worth 66 CAO points, or 91 in Higher Level maths with the bonus.
How many points is an O1?
56 points, the same as a H5. An O6 is worth 12 points, and an O7 or O8 none.
What grade is 73% at Higher Level?
A H3, the 70 to 79% band, worth 77 CAO points.
Where does a percentage like 89.6% go?
Nuffic prints whole percentages. GradeCat keeps a fraction in the lower band until it reaches the next whole figure, so the lookup gives 89.6% at Higher Level as a H2, worth 88 points, not a H1.
What is a B1 worth at TU Dublin?
A grade point value of 3.2, for 65 to 69 marks. For the award, a GPA of 3.0 or more starts Second Class Honours, First Division, or Merit Grade One.
Related tools
- CAO Points Calculator: your points from your best six results, with the maths bonus and LCVP.
- All tools for Ireland
Printable chart
Print the Leaving Cert grades and CAO points chart on one page, or download it as a PDF. Charts for other countries are on the printable grading scale charts page.
Sources
- CAO: Irish Leaving Certificate Examination Points Calculation Grid (opened 4 November 2026)
- CAO: Irish Leaving Certificate Examination Points (opened 4 November 2026)
- Nuffic: Grades and study results (Ireland) (opened 4 November 2026)
- TU Dublin: Assessment Regulations FAQs (opened 4 November 2026)
Cite this page
GradeCat. (2026, November 4). Leaving Cert Grading Scale. https://gradecat.com/ie/grading-scale/
This is an estimate, not an official result. Your university or board decides the official one. Found a wrong result? Report it.