State Exam Updates

Exam Timetables 2026

State Exams

Please see below updates on the 2026 State Exams.

Leaving Cert Self Service Portal

In 2021, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) as part of its digital strategy, introduced a facility to allow Leaving Certificate candidates to confirm their subject and level entry details online (including adding or withdrawing from subjects), replacing the previous system of using individual Leaving Certificate candidate (E7) entry forms.  The use of the online system, the Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) will continue for the 2026 Leaving Certificate.
The portal will open Tuesday 21 of October 2025 for candidates to register and activate their account and confirm their subject entries and levels. It will remain open for this purpose until 5pm Friday 07 November 2025. Candidates will be given a further opportunity to amend subjects/levels in January/February 2026.
Can you please advise all candidates in your school that it is essential that they register through the Portal as this Portal will provide candidates with the opportunity to confirm their subject choice and levels, to also allow future access to their results and for the later stages of the process such as the appeals application process.
A copy of the Before You Start Guide 2026 is also attached to this email for reference.
There is helpdesk support available at 1800-111135 or 1800-111136  between 9am  to 5pm until Friday 07 November 2025. Outside of these hours you can email [email protected]

Leaving Cert Engineering


More information available here: ​https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ex&sc=he#Engineering290
​

Leaving Cert/Leaving Cert Applied Results 2025

Dear Students & Parents,
Please find below key dates in relation to the upcoming release of Leaving Cert & LCA Results on Friday 22nd August.
Students will access their results online through the Candidate Self Service Portal.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our 6th years 2025 every success next Friday - please remember your results don't define who you are as a person, they are a stepping stone on the journey and some of the best journeys are on the scenic route. Support 
and advise remain available to you here at The Comp - once a Comp Student Always A Comp Student. We are proud of you and excited to watch your journey unfold.

Key Dates:
  • Wednesday 20th August - students will receive a Candidate Information Guide 2 from the SEC to their email address used to register for the Candidate Portal.
  • Leaving Cert Results - Friday 22nd August from 10 am on the Candidate Self Service Portal
  • Access to Data eg breakdown of marks for subject components - 12 noon Tuesday 26th August
  • Application to view scripts - Online Application for LC Opens 5pm Tuesday 26th Closes 8pm Wednesday 27th August. LCAs apply via email within same timeline.
  • Monday 25th August - students will receive a Candidate Information Guide 3 from the SEC to their email address used to register for the Candidate Portal.
  • Viewing of Scripts Saturday & Sunday 30th & 31st August
  • Application to Appeal - Opens 10 am Sunday 31st August Closes 5pm Monday 1st September.


Available Supports:

SEC Candidate Helpline will be available at 1800 111 135 or  1800 111 136 from 9am to 5 pm from August 22nd to September 1st. Out of hours queries can be emailed to [email protected]

The National Parents & Students Leaving Certificate Helpline 1800  265  165

NEPS at: https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-education

CAO: www.cao.ie

HSE:  https://www2.hse.ie/services/menatl-health-supports-and-services/mental-health-supports-and-services.html

School staff will be available to support students during this period - please contact the Front Office at 061 361428 or email [email protected]

Please monitor our school website and social media for further updates.

Candidate Information Video

In order to make candidates aware of the key requirements to ensure that their examination scripts are processed accurately, we would greatly appreciate if you would bring the Candidate Information Video to the attention of your Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle candidates again in advance of the 2025 examinations, as follows:
  • by playing the video in the classroom;
  • by sharing it on your social media platforms;
  • by including it in email communications or in any way that you regularly contact your Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle candidates.
The video can be found under the heading “Information for Candidates” at https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ex&sc=e25

2025 Oral Examinations

Title Text.

2025 State Exam Timetables

Leaving Cert Exam Numbers

LC Exam Numbers will issue in the next few days (uploaded on the 03/10/2024) and will be distributed here in school. The Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) is the facility to allow Leaving Certificate candidates to confirm their subject and level entry details online (including adding or withdrawing from subjects). 

Withdrawing From Subjects:
Remember you cannot withdraw from Irish without an Official Exemption; withdrawal from any other subjects should have been discussed at a meeting here in the school with your parents and a Subject Withdrawal Form completed.

Additional Subjects:
If you add a subject that you are not studying here in school eg an additional language, you are responsible for knowing the curriculum requirements and the structure of the exam.  If you add a subject that has an Additional Assessment Component eg a project then there must have been prior consultation and agreement with the school.

Levels:
If you are unsure about the levels of some of your subjects at this stage, don't panic, submit the level you are currently studying and you can change at a later stage.

The Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) will open for the 2025 Leaving Certificate entries on Monday 14 October 2024 and will close on Friday 25 October 2024. 

On conclusion of this phase the SEC will provide schools with a report of the Leaving Certificate entries (Entries Matrix) for the candidates in the school for review and confirmation. Schools will also be asked to confirm where candidates alter their personal details on the CSSP (i.e. name or D.O.B.). 

In recognition that some candidates may wish to make changes to subjects/levels ahead of the examinations, the CSSP will re-open in Spring of 2025 to allow Leaving Certificate candidates to make their final choices. 

To access the Portal candidates will need a Personal Identification Number as part of the verification process. For most candidates this will be the first four digits of their PPSN. We will contact schools by email in due course in relation to any candidates for whom we do not have a PPSN. Schools will be asked to provide the PPSN details so that we can arrange for the candidates to have access to the portal when it opens.Click here to edit.

​Deferred Examinations – Information Guide for Candidates & Parents/Guardians  

A message from the SEC

In January we issued a short video outlining the change to the front cover of examination answer books and examination stationery for 2024 and other important information in relation to how candidates should complete these.

​Please see the video on the page below:

Candidate Portal

In 2021, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) as part of its digital strategy, introduced a facility to allow Leaving Certificate candidates to confirm their subject and level entry details online (including adding or withdrawing from subjects), replacing the previous system of using individual Leaving Certificate candidate (E7) entry forms.  The use of the online system, the Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) will continue for the 2024 Leaving Certificate.
The portal will open tomorrow Wednesday 17th of January 2024 for candidates to register and activate their account and confirm their subject entries and levels. It will remain open for this purpose until 5pm Friday 02 February 2024.
Can you please advise all candidates in your school that it is essential that they register through the Portal as this Portal will provide candidates with the opportunity to confirm their subject choice and levels, to also allow future access to their results and for the later stages of the process such as the appeals application process.
 The candidate portal can be accessed on www.examinations.ie  from 1pm on Wednesday 17th of January 2024
 There is helpdesk support available at 1800-111135 or 1800-111136 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday until Tuesday 02 February 2024. Outside of these hours you can email [email protected]

Change to examination answerbooks

For the forthcoming examinations, the front cover of examination answerbooks and examination stationery will be enhanced slightly.  As before, candidates will be required to provide their examination number on all answerbooks and all stationery which is returned at the end of the examination session. They will now also be required to submit their full date of birth to include the year of birth, previously the year of birth was not required.

Physical Education – Performance Assessment for Leaving Certificate 2024

Leaving Cert Updates - Home Economics, Geography, History and Religious Education

RACE - 3rd Years

​Dear Parents,


We are commencing our applications process for Reasonable Accommodations for Certificate Examinations (RACE) for our Third Year Students. If you have any concerns regarding your student in this area, please refer to the guides on the SEC website here: https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ca&sc=ra

If you wish for the school to make an application for RACE for your student; based on the criteria outlined by the SEC; please complete this form https://forms.office.com/e/Vu5FiqGpQg and a member of our AEN team will be in contact with you. Please ensure this form is completed no later than 15th November 2023 at 15:20 to ensure adequate time for relevant assessments, review and compilation of documentation, completion of application form and submission before the SEC deadline date.

If you do not submit a response to the form but the school feels your student is eligible for application (e.g. through in-school Literacy assessment), we will send home a completed application form which you can choose to sign and return for submission.

Leaving Cert History Updates

Junior Cycle Home Economics Updates

Leaving Cert Agricultural Science Updates

Assessment arrangements for JC & LC & LCA 2024

​Leaving Cert Class 2023

On the eve of release of your results tomorrow we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all every success tomorrow. 

Information on accessing your results, the application to view scripts and available supports is detailed below.

The school staff remain available to support you in anyway we can; please do not hesitate to contact the school for advice or guidance.

Accessing Results – Candidates All Leaving Certificate candidates will have access to their provisional Leaving Certificate results on the Candidate Self Service Portal at 10 AM on Friday 25 August. Candidates can view their results and will also be able to save and/or print a Statement of Provisional Results.


The wellbeing of the candidates who receive Leaving Certificate results will be supported through a number of additional measures. 

a. The SEC Candidate helpline will be available at 1800 111 135 or 1800 111 136 from 10 AM to 5 PM from Friday 25 August to Monday 4 September including weekends. Outside of these hours queries may be e-mailed to [email protected]. This helpline is provided for queries relating to the Candidate Self Service Portal and the services provided through the portal. 

b. The National Parents and Students Leaving Certificate Helpline, at 1800 265 165, which is provided by the National Parents Council will be available on dates and times outlined in the table below for students to reach a guidance counsellor with any queries that they may have. 
This helpline will operate until after the CAO first round offers and is staffed by qualified guidance counsellors from the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. Friday, 25th August 10am – 6pm 
Saturday, 26th August 10am – 6pm 
Sunday, 27th August 10am – 2pm 
Monday, 28th August 10am – 6pm 
Tuesday, 29th August 10am – 6pm 
Wednesday, 30th August 10am – 6pm 
Thursday, 31st August 10am – 6pm 
Friday, 1st September 10am – 6pm 
Saturday, 2nd September 10am – 4pm 

c. Wellbeing resources developed by the National Educational Psychological Service of the Department of Education are available at www.gov.ie/leavingcert 

d. Information available from the Central Applications Office (CAO) is available at www.cao.ie e. Mental Health Support Information is provided through the HSE and HSE-funded service providers https://www2.hse.ie/services/mental-health-supports-and-services/mental-healthsupports-and-services.html



Applying to View Applications to view Leaving Certificate examination scripts must be made by candidates through the Candidate Self Service Portal between 5 PM on Tuesday 29 August and 8 PM m on Wednesday 30 August. 

Leaving Certificate Applied applications must be made by email. Candidates will be provided with an LCA Viewing Application Form on the Candidate Self Service Portal which should be emailed to [email protected]. The same application timeline applies to LCA as to Leaving Certificate; all applications must be made before 8 PM on Wednesday 30 August.

A message from the SEC

A Message from the SEC

We have prepared a short video which sets out some very important information to candidates in relation to the completion of their examinations and we require your assistance in ensuring that the video is brought to the attention of candidates.   The video contains key messages for candidates including:
·    how they should provide key information on the front cover of their answer books that is essential to ensure their scripts are processed accurately and effectively;
·    and the correct writing instruments that they should use in the examinations to ensure examiners can read their complete scripts. 
This video can be found under the heading “Information for Candidates” at https://www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ex&sc=e23

Online Marking Information Document

Deferred Examinations 2023 - Circular and Information

circular_s242023__outlining_the_deferred_examination_series.pdf
File Size: 633 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
information_for_candidates_and_parents_2023.pdf
File Size: 555 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

A message from the SEC

Geography
Dear Principal,
I wish to bring your attention to some important information in relation to Geography, for Leaving Certificate 2023. The documents have been published on the SEC Website and are available Here
Please note that Circ. S28/23 which you received today in the post is incorrect. Coursework completion date should read Friday 21st April 2023 and not 28th April 2023.
I would be very grateful if you could bring this important information to the attention of the teachers and the candidates concerned.
History

Dear Principal,
I wish to bring your attention to some important information in relation to History, for Leaving Certificate 2023. The documents have been published on the SEC Website and are available Here
Please note that Circ. S28/23 which you received today in the post is incorrect. Coursework completion date should read Friday 21st April 2023 and not 28th April 2023.
I would be very grateful if you could bring this important information to the attention of the teachers and the candidates concerned.

Processing of Information for the JCPA

Please click the button below to access the privacy statement.

​Candidate Self Service Portal for LC/LCA 2023 is now open until 5pm 21/2/23

Dear student/parent/guardian, 

 Please see below correspondence received from the State Examinations Commission this morning in relation to the Student Portal and Confirmation of Entries for the State Examinations. The school is available to support students in any way possible however students are ultimately responsible for registering on the portal and confirming their subjects and levels. Students should remember that there is limited time between now and the 21st February to seek advice from teachers as there is the week of midterm in the middle of it. 

 Dear Principal, 

 In 2021, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) as part of its digital strategy, introduced a facility to allow Leaving Certificate candidates to confirm their subject and level entry details online (including adding or withdrawing from subjects), replacing the previous system of using individual Leaving Certificate candidate (E7) entry forms.  The use of the online system, the Candidate Self Service Portal (CSSP) will continue for the 2023 Leaving Certificate.  

The CSSP will open at 1pm on Wednesday 8 February for candidates to confirm their subject entries and levels. It will remain open for this purpose until 5pm on Tuesday 21 February. 

School authorities will have a role later on in the process in checking and confirming the information provided by candidates.  

During this time Leaving Certificate Applied Year 2 candidates will be required to: 
 Register and create their account.   

During this time Leaving Certificate (excluding Leaving Certificate Applied) candidates will be required to complete the following: 
 Step 1: Register and create their portal account 
 Step 2: Activate their account by selecting the link sent to the email that they registered on the portal 
 Step 3:  Confirm their subject and level entry details, and add or delete subjects from the records presented to them.                 

If applicable, amend any inaccuracy in their name and/or date of birth.  

Reviewing and Confirming Subjects and Levels. 

The portal will be pre-populated with the data entered by schools through the PPOD October returns process (i.e. Names, Date of Births, Subjects & Levels). This means that only those subjects which candidates have been studying in schools will be displayed on the portal.  

It is extremely important at this stage that schools engage with candidates regarding their selection of their level in each subject at this time.  Candidates should be advised by their teachers to select the level at which they are currently studying each subject. The SEC will use this information for planning purposes. We will also provide this information to schools through a turnaround document for review. Candidates will be permitted to change levels in the written examinations on the day of the examination, as in previous years.  

Candidates will have the opportunity to add any subjects that they are studying outside of school or to delete subjects if they are no longer intending to present for examinations in particular subjects.  It is extremely important that candidates take the time to ensure that their examination entries are correct on the portal before they submit. Once a candidate has confirmed their subjects and levels on the portal they will not be able to log back into the portal to update their data. Candidates will receive a confirmation email outlining the subjects and levels they are entered for. If a candidate notices an error on their confirmation email they must contact the school in relation to the error.  

Reviewing and Confirming Name and Date of Birth 

 For 2023, a new feature has been added to the CSSP.  If the prepopulated name and date of birth is incorrect, candidates will have an opportunity to update their record on the CSSP during the registration process.  Once they have completed the registration process they will not be able to log back in to update.  

Role of Schools in Checking and Confirming the Information Updated by Candidates 

 When the candidate entry confirmation process on the CSSP has concluded, the SEC will provide schools with a report of the entries(Matrix) for the candidates in the school for review and confirmation.  For data and examinations integrity reasons, schools will also be issued with a turnaround document for verification in respect of any candidates who have updated their  names and/or date of births.    Having this data captured  accurately now will reduce our requirement to contact schools and candidates in the summer period.  

Further information and relevant amendment forms will be sent with the Matrix report. It is only after the portal has closed and the matrix has issued that the SEC will update candidate data at the request of school. Please do not send amendments prior to receiving the matrix.  

We appreciate your assistance at this time in ensuring that all candidates are notified about this process and complete their entry confirmation by the closing date. 

 Access to the Portal 

 Leaving Certificate candidates will access the portal at www.examinations.ie from Wednesday 8 February at 1pm.  A CSSP Before You Start Guide 2023 will be provided which candidates should read before commencing the process. 

To access the portal, candidates will need the following: 

Their examination number (The SEC provided these to schools before Christmas) 
Personal Identification Number (PIN).  The PIN will be the first 4 digits of the candidate’s Personal Public Services Number (PPS number). 

In the event that a candidate does not have a PPS number or a PPS was not recorded a unique PIN will be created and issued to the school prior to the portal opening. an email address and mobile phone number to which the candidate will have regular access to over the coming months.   

Examination Fees 2023 

 Arrangements regarding fees for 2023 will be notified at a later stage. ​

Junior Cycle Dates

Leaving Cert Established Dates

Leaving Cert Applied Dates

Junior Cycle Results 2022

Dear Principal, 
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) is today announcing its intention to issue the 2022 Junior Cycle examination results to schools and candidates on Wednesday 23 November 2022.  We hope that the provision of this date will provide certainty to candidates, parents/guardians and school authorities as to when they can expect to receive their results.  
See below, a copy of the Press Release which has issued this morning which provides further details including details of the factors behind the timing of the results date this year. 
The marking of examinations, which is ongoing in a small number of subjects,  will be completed over the coming weeks and this year’s Junior Cycle results will be available in schools on Wednesday 23 November 2022. Candidates can also access their results online from 4pm on that date noting that the online service is not intended to replace the valuable results service and advice provided to students by schools at results issue time. Access to the service via www.examinations.ie requires the use of the candidate's examination number and a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN). 
The SEC appreciates that candidates and their parents/guardians may be disappointed that these results are issuing later than normal.  This has arisen due to a combination of factors which include a later issue date for the Leaving Certificate results and, most especially, the impact of a shortage of teachers to mark the examinations over the summer marking period.  In collaboration with all of the stakeholders in the system, the SEC made significant efforts to recruit examiners for the 2022 examinations.  The EARN, LEARN, UNDERSTAND recruitment campaign will continue for 2023 highlighting the many professional and financial benefits for teachers of marking the state examinations. In advance of the 2023 examinations, the SEC will be reviewing with all of the stakeholders how best to ensure the availability of teachers in the required numbers to complete this important examination work.   
Further details of the arrangements for the issue of results, including confirmation of examination numbers and PINs,  will be provided in due course.  

Assessment Arrangements for LC & JC 2023

Leaving Cert 2022 Results - Key dates and information

Dear Candidate,
The 2022 Leaving Certificate results are due for release to candidates through the Candidate Self-Service Portal at 10 am on Friday 2 September.  You are aware that the date for the issue of the results this year is later than would be the case in a normal year; there were a number of reasons for this. There was a deferred sitting of the Leaving Certificate examinations in July for students unable to sit examinations in the main sitting in June due to serious accident, injury or illness; close family bereavement, or Covid-19.  With increased numbers of candidates, there was a requirement for increased numbers of examiners and this was challenging this year.  A further significant factor is that in announcing the arrangements for the 2022 Leaving Certificate examinations, a commitment was  given by Government that the outcomes will, on aggregate, be no lower than the outcomes in 2021.  This work is currently underway and giving effect to this commitment requires time for detailed analysis of the marking outcomes, implementation of any adjustment, and quality assurance.
We are contacting you at this time to update you on a number of key dates that will be important to you in the coming weeks as they relate to the viewing of scripts and the appeals processes.  You should take note of these important dates as the timelines will all be strictly applied.
Leaving Certificate 2022: Key Results, Viewing and Appeal Dates
(See image below)

The timelines this year for candidates to apply to view scripts and to lodge their appeal applications are very short and the deadlines will be strictly applied.  This is essential to ensure that the remaining stages of the appeal process can be completed as quickly as possible.  The SEC will not accept late applications.  Until such time as the number of appeals is known, it is not possible to commit to a specific timeframe for the issue of the appeal results.  Every effort will be made to process appeals as quickly as possible. Candidates will be notified of this date as soon as possible. 


The State Examinations Commission (SEC) is committed to providing clear and timely information to candidates about the examinations.  You will receive a detailed Candidate Information Guide to Results & Appeals which will be emailed to all candidates and published on the SEC’s website in advance of the issue of results on Friday, 2 September.  Detailed subject by subject information will be provided in the Candidate Information Guide to your Results by Subject which will be published on https://www.examinations.ie on Monday 5 September to facilitate those who intend to access their marks including their individual component marks. 


You will find information about the services provided by the SEC on our website. If you need to contact us, the email address for candidate enquiries is [email protected]  and our phone number is 090-6442702.  At the time of the issue of the results a Candidate Helpline will be available. Details of this will be provided to you.  


Yours faithfully
Richard Dolan
Director of Operations
State Examinations Commission

Important Information for Exam Candidates

Information for candidates regarding Accessing Deferred Exams

Leaving Cert timetable 2022

LC 2022 by The Comp

Junior Cycle timetable 2022

jc 22 by The Comp

Leaving cert applied timetable 2022

LCA 22 by The Comp
​ 2022 Leaving Certificate Candidate Self Service Portal Registration Phase Closing date extended to 5pm Tuesday 15 February .
Please note that the deadline for registration phase of the Candidate Self Service Portal has been extended until 5 PM on Tuesday 15 February. This decision was taken in the best interests of the candidates to provide them with every opportunity to confirm their entry for the examinations.


As of 12 noon today (11 February), 49,474 (84%) of Leaving Certificate and 2206 (68%) of Leaving Certified Applied (Year 2) candidates have completed the registration of their subject and level choices.


All final year Leaving Certificate candidates must register their subject and level choices now through the portal. 


The SEC Candidate Portal helpdesk can be contacted at 1800-111135 or 1800-111136. The helpdesk phonelines will remain open between 9 am and 5 pm  each day, including Saturday and Sunday. Outside of these hour you can email [email protected].
Leaving Certificate Orals and Musical Practicals.




On Monday 20th December 2021 the Department of Education and the State Examinations Commission hosted online a meeting of the advisory group of stakeholders on planning for the State Examinations 2022. The group discussed the arrangements for Leaving Certificate Oral Examinations in Irish and the Modern Foreign Languages and the practical performance tests in Leaving Certificate Music.




Following this meeting the Department press release stated:


“These examinations will take place outside of school time over the first week of the school Easter holidays, with the examinations running in schools during the six-day period Saturday 9 April to Thursday 14 April inclusive. Working with the SEC, and the SEC examiners assigned to the school in each subject, schools will have some flexibility in scheduling the examinations during this period based on local needs.”




The school is awaiting further information and clarification to follow.

​

ADJUSTMENTS to Leaving Cert exams 2021

UPDATES & SUPPORT FOR LEAVING CERTS & LCAS

State Exams

Please find the state exams website at the following link:

St. Patrick's Comprehensive School, Shannon, Co. ClarE. V14 Y434

Hours

M & T: 9am - 4pm
W - F 9am - 3.20pm

Telephone

061-361428

Email

[email protected]