Leaving Cert Points System
Congratulations to all students receiving Leaving Cert results. This marks the start of your journey to success - take the first step at Griffith!
The old system of calculating Leaving Certificate points using A’s and B’s was replaced with a new system in 2017. There are now higher-level grades from H1 to H8 and ordinary grades from O1 to O8.
You’ll need to get to grips with what this means so you’re calculating the points you’ll need properly.
Why was this introduced?
It’s hoped that the new system will reduce the number of people who got the points needed for their preferred course but missed out on being offered that course because of random selection.
Another positive change is that, previously, if you got a grade below 40%, you didn’t get any points for that subject. With the new system, if you achieve between 30-39% on a higher-level paper you’ll be awarded a H7 grade and get 37 points.
This should encourage more students to take higher-level subjects as it reduces the risk of taking higher-level examinations.
For detailed information on the new common points scale, click this link.
Then vs Now
Here’s a comparison of Leaving Cert grades pre-2017 vs how they are now calculated with the new system:
The following table illustrates the new common points scale:
*Please note that 25 bonus points will continue to be awarded for Higher Level Mathematics for H6 grades and above.
Note:
You’ll find the details of Griffith's minimum requirements needed for each programme at the end of this blog.
Need help doing the sums?
The CAO have a handy online points calculator that works out the new points and the pre-2017 points: http://www.cao.ie/calculator
Need more information?
More detailed information about the new leaving cert points system is available from www.transition.ie. You can download their leaflets and FAQ documents there.
Griffith College Entry Requirements
| Undergraduate Programmes Level 8 Honours Degree | |||
| Leaving Certificate (Pre 2017) | Leaving Certificate (New) | A Level/GCSE | FETAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min. 2 HC3s and 4OD3s (some programmes will require OD3 in Maths). |
Min. of 2 H5s & 4O6/H7s (some programmes will require O6 in Maths). |
Min. of 2 Grade C A levels & 4 subjects from either A levels(Grades A-E) or GCSE (Grades A, B or C). |
Level 5 full Award with 3 distinctions. |
| Undergraduate Programmes Level 7 Degree | |||
| Leaving Certificate (Pre 2017) | Leaving Certificate (New) | A Level/GCSE | FETAC |
| Min. 5 OD3s (some programmes will require OD3 in Maths). | Min. of 5 O6/H7s (some programmes will require O6 in Maths). |
Min. of 1 Grade E A Level & 4 subjects from either A levels (Grades A-E) or GCSE (Grades A, B or C). |
Level 5 full Award. |
| Undergraduate Programmes Level 6 Higher Certificate | |||
| Leaving Certificate (Pre 2017) | Leaving Certificate (New) | A Level/GCSE | FETAC |
| Min. 5 OD3s (some programmes will require OD3 in Maths). | Min. of 5 O6/H7s (some programmes will require O6 in Maths). |
Min. of 1 Grade E A Level & 4 subjects from either A levels (Grades A-E) or GCSE (Grades A, B or C). |
Level 5 full Award. |