Date confirmed for the publication of 2024 Leaving Cert results 

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has confirmed the date for the publication of the 2024 Leaving Certificate results. 

Some 136,300 candidates are entered to take the certificate examinations this year, a slight increase on last year’s entries at the same point in time (+1%, 134,800 in March 2023). 

Of the total, 62,700 are entered to sit Leaving Certificate Established or Leaving Certificate Applied examinations.

Last year, more than 6,500 students in Cork sat the examination. 

The SEC said it intends that the results of the 2024 Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied examinations will issue to candidates on Friday, August 23. 

Minister Norma Foley TD, announcing the arrangements that will apply in relation to the 2024 Leaving Certificate, has also confirmed that for 2024 the overall results in the aggregate will be no lower on average than those in 2023.

For 2024, the SEC will again apply a post-marking adjustment after all marking in the Leaving Certificate examinations is completed to ensure that the overall results in the aggregate are no lower on average than last year.

"The results of the Leaving Certificate have been maintained at 2021 levels through the application of a post-marking adjustment in both 2022 and 2023. 

"This requires a process of analysis to be undertaken on the marks achieved in the examinations and, on foot of this analysis, an adjustment to the marks awarded to candidates through the marking process. 

"By its nature, the post-marking adjustment can only be applied once all of the marking has been completed and so this step adds time to the results process in comparison to a normal (pre-Covid) year," the SEC said in a statement. 

The Minister also confirmed that the gradual return to normal Leaving Certificate outcomes will begin in 2025. 

“As is widely recognised, we must return aggregate results towards pre-pandemic levels. However, given the disruption to teaching and learning for students, it was right to maintain overall results at their current level in the last two years through a post-marking adjustment. It is right to do so again in 2024, with the majority of students this year not having had the opportunity to sit Junior Cycle examinations given that most students sitting the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2024 would have completed Junior Cycle in 2021.

“We must over time return to the normal arrangements for the Leaving Certificate outcomes, and by making a modest, gradual reduction in the level of post-marking adjustment applied, we will minimise the impact on students in so far as possible," the Minister said. 

“I can confirm that the process of returning Leaving Certificate outcomes to pre-pandemic levels will begin for 2025 students and it will be a gradual process, in line with my commitment that there would be no cliff-edge in terms of a return to pre-pandemic outcomes."

The SEC said it will be liaising with the Department of Education on the review of the 2025 experience to inform future decisions about the Leaving Certificate examinations and results.