State Examinations 2026

Information on the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations, including regular updates throughout the examinations period, is available from the website of the State Examinations Commission www.examinations.ie

The phone number for all enquiries is 090 6442700.

A range of wellbeing resources developed by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) are available at Wellbeing support for exam students, parents and school staff

The SEC provides a Scheme of Deferred Examinations within the policy context of the Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme). Deferred examinations were initially offered in 2019 for Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied candidates who experienced close family bereavement at the time of the examinations. Since 2023, the scheme has been further enhanced to provide for candidates who experienced an extreme medical emergency during an examination. Prior to 2019, a candidate who was unable to take their examinations due to close family bereavement or serious medical condition had no option but to take their examinations the following year.

For the 2026 Leaving Certificate, the SEC will again offer a scheme of deferred examinations for candidates unavoidably absent from their examinations in the main sitting due to;

• a serious medical condition, whether through accident, injury or illness, OR
• a close family bereavement.

The scheme for 2026 is being provided on the same grounds as in 2025. The deferred examinations sitting for Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied will run in selected schools from Wednesday 24 June until Saturday 11 July.

Full details of this extension of the RACE scheme are set out in the governing circular SEC Circular S46/26 RACE Scheme - Provision of a Scheme of Deferred Examinations. All decisions will be made by reference to the criteria, principles and requirements as set out in this governing circular.

A Deferred Examinations Information Guide for Candidates & Parents/Guardians is also available here on the SEC website.

The Leaving Certificate 2026 written examinations will start on Wednesday, 3 June 2026 and finish on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.

The full timetable for the examinations is available on the State Examinations Commission’s website.

The Leaving Certificate Applied 2026 written examinations will start on Wednesday, 3 June 2026 and finish on Thursday, 11 June 2026.

The full timetable for the examinations is available on the State Examinations Commission’s website.

The Junior Cycle written examinations will start on Wednesday, 3 June 2026 and finish on Monday, 15 June 2026.

The full timetable for the examinations is available on the State Examinations Commission’s website.

The SEC has published consolidated Coursework Rules and Procedures for 2025/2026.

Deferred Leaving Certificate examinations

The SEC has published the deferred Leaving Certificate timetable and the deferred Leaving Certificate Applied timetable. Deferred examinations cater for students who, for reasons such as the death of a close family member, or a serious accident, injury or illness, are unable to sit the first set of papers.

Examination fees

Examination entry fees will apply in 2026 at €116 per entry for a school-based Leaving Certificate candidate and €109 per entry for a Junior Cycle candidate.

Candidates who hold a full medical card, or who are covered for all services on a parent or guardian’s full medical card, are exempt from examination fees.

Higher rates of fees apply to external candidates who are taking more than one subject in the Leaving Certificate Examinations. For further information, visit the State Examinations Commission’s website.

Oral examinations

The 2026 Leaving Certificate Oral examinations will be conducted in the first week of the school Easter holidays from Saturday, 28 March to Thursday, 2 April inclusive. Candidates must present themselves over this time period. Candidates who are ill or bereaved may be accommodated with a later Oral examination in late May, subject to evidence.

For further information, visit Examinations 2026.

Return to pre-Covid-19 arrangements for the State Examinations

The Minister for Education and Youth confirmed in April 2025 that the existing examination and assessment adjustments, which have been in place since 2022, would remain in place for the Leaving Certificate 2026 cohort.

On 5 November 2025, the Minister also confirmed that, for Leaving Certificate 2027 cohort and beyond, these adjustments will remain in place for all existing subjects until they are replaced by new or revised specifications under Senior Cycle Redevelopment.

Details in relation to these arrangements can be found here.

The Minister for Education and Youth has confirmed that the examinations and assessment adjustments that have applied in recent years, will continue to apply for students in 2026. These assist students by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice for students.