Junior Cycle exams and results
- Junior Cycle exam
- Junior Cycle 2024
- Junior Cycle awards and grades
- Junior Cycle exam fee
- Junior Cycle results
- How to appeal your results
- More information
Junior Cycle exam
Junior Cycle examinations are held at the end of the Junior Cycle in post-primary schools.
The written examination takes place in June of the third year of the Junior Cycle.
You can get information about previous Junior Certificate examination papers.
Junior Cycle 2024
Junior Cycle 2024 exam results will be released on Wednesday, 9 October 2024.
Junior Cycle 2024 written exams took place from 5 June 2024 to 17 June 2024. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) published the exam timetable (pdf) and more information for Junior Cycle 2024.
The dates for Junior Cycle 2024 music practical performance tests took place between 22 April 2024 and 3 May 2024.
You can get information about the assessment arrangement for the Junior Cycle 2024 exams (pdf).
Junior Cycle awards and grades
In 2022, the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) fully replaced the Junior Certificate. It adds a classroom-based assessment to the exam which is based on work completed by the student during second and third year.
Read about the changes to the Junior Cycle on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) website.
Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement grades
| Percentage Range | Grade |
| 90 or over | Distinction |
| 75 but less than 90 | Higher Merit |
| 55 but less than 75 | Merit |
| 40 but less than 55 | Achieved |
| 20 but less than 40 | Partially Achieved |
| Less than 20 | Not Graded |
From 2014 to 2021, both the old Junior Certificate grade bands of “A-NG” and the new Junior Cycle descriptors of “Not Achieved-Distinction” appeared on the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement Award.
Junior Cycle exam fee
There was no fee for the Junior Cycle exam in 2024.
Junior Cycle results
Junior Cycle 2024 exam results will be released on Wednesday, 9 October 2024.
Getting your results from previous years
Results from 2017 onwards
Since 2017, the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA) has replaced the Junior Certificate. This is a school-based award, so you should contact the school directly for a statement of JCPA results.
Results up to 2016
To get a certified statement of results from an exam which took place before 2017, you can apply online on the State Examinations Commission website.
You must provide the following personal details:
- Full name
- Name at the time of the examination (if different)
- Current address
- Daytime phone number
- Date of birth
- Year of examination
- Name and address of school attended
- Examination number (if known)
- PPS number
Read more about applying for a statement of examination results.
How to appeal your results
If you want to appeal your Junior Cycle examination results, you should apply through your school.
In 2023, the appeal fee for each subject was €32. The fee is refunded if a higher grade was awarded as a result of the appeal.