GPA in Ireland

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This article is about the type of grading being used currently in Ireland.

In Irish secondary schools grades are awarded using letters along this scale:

  • A: 100% - 85%
  • B: 84% - 70%
  • C: 69% - 55%
  • D: 54% - 40%

Anything below 40% is considered a failing grade and is awarded an E (40% - 25%) or F (25% - 10%) grade. Any score below 10% is classed as NG or No Grade. At Higher Level a C grade and above is considered an 'Honor' grade. For some purposes the grade letter ranges are further sub-divided from 15% ranges to 5% ranges yielding grades A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, etc. (or A1, A2, B1, B2, B3...).

Leaving Certificate results are measured by the number of 'points' awarded to the student. It is usually the amount of points awarded to the student that forms the basis for the student's acceptance or otherwise into a course of higher education (e.g. a university degree course). A number of points between 0 and 100 are awarded to the student for each Leaving Certificate exam sat. The student then combines the points from his or her six top scoring exams giving a final total score between 0 and 600. The number of points awarded for a particular grade depend on whether the student sat the exam for the 'Higher Level' course or the 'Ordinary Level' course. The number of points awarded for each grade at the two levels are as follows:

Grade Percentage Range Points at Higher Level Points at Ordinary Level
A1 100% - 90% 100 60
A2 89% - 85% 90 50
B1 84% - 80% 85 45
B2 79% - 75% 80 40
B3 74% - 70% 75 35
C1 69% - 65% 70 30
C2 64% - 60% 65 25
C3 59% - 55% 60 20
D1 54% - 50% 55 15
D2 49% - 45% 50 10
D3 44% - 40% 45 5

Anything below a D3 is considered a failing grade, and no points are awarded.

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