Irish Leaving Certificate to UCAS Points

Quick answer: Irish Leaving Certificate Higher grades convert to UCAS points as H1=36, H2=30, H3=24, H4=18, H5=12, H6=9. Ordinary level: O1=12, O2=10, O3=8, O4=6. UCAS counts your best results, but many UK universities ask for specific LC grades instead.

Irish Leaving Certificate to UCAS Points

A H1 is worth 36 UCAS points. This page shows you exactly how your Irish Leaving Certificate grades become UCAS Tariff points, what your whole profile adds up to, and the one caveat every applicant from Ireland should know before they trust a points total. Lead with the number, then check it against the course you actually want.

How many UCAS points is the Irish Leaving Certificate worth?

The Leaving Certificate sits on the UCAS Tariff as a Level 3 qualification, just like A-levels, the IB, and BTECs. Your Higher-level subjects do the heavy lifting: a H1 is worth 36 points, and each grade below steps down clearly. Here is the full Higher-level conversion at a glance.

So if you picture a strong Higher-level profile, you can already estimate your total in your head. Three H1s come to 108 points, four H2s come to 120, and a mix of H1 and H2 grades across six subjects pushes you well into the range most courses are looking for. The values are fixed and published, so there is no guesswork in the conversion itself — the only thing that varies is how each university chooses to use it.

Ordinary level Leaving Certificate UCAS points

Ordinary level grades also carry UCAS points, but they sit well below Higher level on the Tariff. Here is how they convert:

An O1 (12 points) is worth a third of a H1 (36 points), which tells you exactly where Ordinary level fits. It still adds to your total, and it can be useful for filling out your best-six count, but most UK offers are built on your Higher-level results. If you are choosing where to put your effort, Higher-level subjects are where the points — and the offers — really come from. A practical way to think about it: an Ordinary-level subject is best treated as a small top-up, not the foundation of your application. If your strongest six results are all at Higher level, you may not need to count Ordinary grades at all.

How your Leaving Cert total is calculated for UCAS

UCAS adds up the points from your best six subjects, and it does not double-count a subject you took at both levels. Here is a realistic worked example so you can see how it lands:

• H1 in one subject = 36
• H2 in two subjects = 30 + 30 = 60
• H3 in two subjects = 24 + 24 = 48
• H4 in one subject = 18

That profile (H1, H2, H2, H3, H3, H4) totals 186 UCAS points from six subjects. A slightly more typical strong result — say two H2s, three H3s and a H4 — comes in around 150 points. To compare that to A-levels, three A grades (AAA) is 144 points and ABB is 128, so a solid Leaving Cert profile is broadly in the same territory. The grades do not map one-to-one (a H1 at 36 sits below an A-level A* at 56), so always compare totals, not single grades. If you want the mechanics in full, see how UCAS points are calculated and what the UCAS Tariff is.

What UK universities check beyond the Tariff

Here is the caveat that matters most: a points total is a guide, not a promise. Plenty of UK universities — and especially more selective courses — set offers in specific Leaving Certificate grades rather than a Tariff number. That means hitting "144 points" is not always enough on its own; the course may want, for example, particular grades in named subjects.

Watch for this on:

• Russell Group universities — many publish offers as specific Higher-level grades.
• Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary — almost always grade-specific, often with subject requirements like Chemistry or Biology.
• Law and other competitive courses — frequently ask for named grades rather than points.
• Subject prerequisites — a course may require a Higher-level Maths or science grade regardless of your total.

None of this should worry you — it is completely normal to be unsure how your grades map across systems, and the fix is simple. Read each course's entry requirements and note whether they are written in points or in grades. For the bigger picture, see whether all universities use UCAS points and how many UCAS points you need.

Your next step with your Leaving Cert points

Once you have your total, put it to work. Use it to see which courses are realistically in range, then cross-check those courses for grade-specific offers. Two tools will save you time:

• What can I study with my UCAS points? — match your total to real course options.
• How many UCAS points do I need? — work back from your target courses.

You have the numbers and you know the one caveat to check. That is a clear, realistic starting point — and the next step is simply checking your shortlist against the grades each course asks for.