For 2026 undergraduate medicine entry, your HPAT and Leaving Certificate results are combined into an overall score.³ What's really important is how the entry rules bring the results together and how you compare to other applicants. The calculation is most useful for understanding your position and testing different outcomes, not predicting an offer before the CAO process is complete.
Key Takeaways
- For 2026 medicine entry, applicants can combine up to 565 moderated Leaving Certificate points with up to 300 HPAT points, giving a maximum combined score of 865.³
- HPAT-Ireland results are scaled scores rather than percentages, and candidates also receive percentile information to compare their performance with the cohort.²
- In 2026, an HPAT score of 158 corresponded to the 60th percentile, while 181 corresponded to the 90th percentile.¹
- From 2027, full Leaving Certificate points up to 625 will count, and HPAT will be weighted to a maximum contribution of 150.⁵
- Previous CAO medicine cut-offs are useful context rather than guaranteed future targets, and some applicants at a published cut-off score may not receive an offer.⁴
An HPAT points calculator can show how your Leaving Certificate and HPAT scores combine under the relevant admissions system, but it cannot predict whether you will receive a medicine offer. Published CAO cut-offs reflect a particular admissions round, and some applicants at the cut-off score may not receive an offer.⁴
How the HPAT Points Calculator Works
Firstly, check which admissions year you're working with. The rules can change. A calculated result may be wrong if the weighting system has since changed.⁵ It's more important to be familiar with the question types than what your points might be, though.
For 2026 entry, applicants can combine up to 565 moderated Leaving Certificate points with an HPAT score of up to 300.³ From 2027, full Leaving Certificate points up to 625 will count while HPAT will be weighted to a maximum contribution of 150, so students should always use the formula for their own admissions year.⁵
2026 Medicine Formula
Combined medicine score
Moderated Leaving Certificate points
+
HPAT-Ireland score
Maximum:
565 + 300 = 865³
Worked Example
Leaving Certificate points: 550
HPAT score: 170
Calculation:
550 + 170 = 720
Combined medicine score: 720³
The HPAT and Leaving Certificate Points Formula
- 2026 formula: moderated Leaving Certificate points + HPAT score.
- Maximum LC contribution: 565 points.
- Maximum HPAT contribution: 300 points.
- Maximum combined score: 865 points.
- From 2027, the scoring system changes.³
Worked HPAT Points Calculation Example
- Leaving Certificate: 550 points.
- HPAT score: 170 points.
- Calculation: 550 + 170.
- Combined score: 720 points.
- Remember: the result is a calculation, not an offer prediction.³
| Leaving Cert points | Moderated LC points | HPAT score | Combined score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | 500 | 150 | 650 |
| 550 | 550 | 170 | 720 |
| 575 | 555 | 180 | 735 |
| 600 | 560 | 190 | 750 |
| 625 | 565 | 200 | 765 |
What Is the HPAT Out Of?
HPAT results aren't like a normal school percentage. The test offers scaled results across the candidate cohort.² The overall result reported by ACER is probably your best option.
HPAT-Ireland results are scaled rather than reported as a simple percentage of correct answers. Candidates receive section scores, an overall score and percentile information that shows how their performance compares with other candidates.²
points under the 2026 scoring scale.²
How Many HPAT Points Do You Get for Your Score?
If you want to interpret your results, look at what happens to the final admissions total when HPAT changes while the academic result stays the same. Compare realistic scenarios rather than focusing on the HPAT number in isolation. This can help when two applicants have similar school results but noticeably different HPAT performances.
| HPAT score | HPAT contribution | With 550 LC points | With maximum 565 LC points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 150 | 700 | 715 |
| 160 | 160 | 710 | 725 |
| 170 | 170 | 720 | 735 |
| 180 | 180 | 730 | 745 |
| 190 | 190 | 740 | 755 |
| 200 | 200 | 750 | 765 |
| 220 | 220 | 770 | 785 |
| 250 | 250 | 800 | 815 |
| 300 | 300 | 850 | 865 |
HPAT Score Conversion Table
- 150 HPAT: contributes 150 points in 2026.
- 170 HPAT: contributes 170 points.
- 180 HPAT: contributes 180 points.
- 200 HPAT: contributes 200 points.
- 300 HPAT: maximum theoretical contribution.³
Why a Higher HPAT Score Can Make a Major Difference
- Every additional HPAT point adds one point to the 2026 combined total.
- Moving from 170 to 200 HPAT adds 30 combined points.
- Similar Leaving Cert results can therefore produce different rankings.
- Applicants must still meet academic and subject requirements.
- Previous CAO cut-offs are context, not guarantees.³
30 points
720 vs 750
735 vs 765
A 30-point increase in HPAT produces a 30-point increase in the 2026 combined medicine score.³
A higher combined score can improve an applicant’s ranking, but it does not guarantee a medicine offer.⁴
Have you taken the HPAT already?
What Is the Average HPAT Score?
The average HPAT score is not particularly useful. After all, the admissions threshold is probably more important. You may need a result above the middle of the cohort and strong academic results to be considered.
There is no fixed annual HPAT score that applicants should treat as an official average. In 2026, a score of 158 corresponded to the 60th percentile, while a score of 181 corresponded to the 90th percentile.¹
HPAT Minimum Score and Medicine Entry Requirements
Medicine requires a strong combination of HPAT and Leaving Cert. You must be eligible under the academic, subject, and applicant-category rules that apply to your route.³ You'll see that school-leaver, mature, graduate and international applicants may not all be assessed in the same way, and individual institutions can publish additional conditions for their programmes.⁶
Before Relying on Your Calculator Result
Why Your Calculator Result Is Not the Same as a Guaranteed Offer
- CAO offers depend on applicant ranking.
- The number of medicine places is limited.
- Cut-off points can change from year to year.
- Random selection can apply at the final cut-off.
- Previous medicine points do not guarantee a future offer.⁴
How to Use Your HPAT Result to Plan Your Medicine Application
The real use of a calculator is comparing possibilities. Don't choose a single target and treat it as fixed. Instead, think about stronger and weaker outcomes to see how sensitive your overall position is to each part of the application. This can help you prioritise areas of study.
Once you have a better idea of how your HPAT and Leaving Certificate results work together, you should focus on how you can still improve. The calculator results are for exploring different scenarios; focus on preparation, exam technique, and academic performance, as these will affect your results more than a calculator.
Luckily for you, Superprof can help you find a tutor for HPAT prearation, Leaving Cert subjects, and general study skills. With one-to-one lessons, you can work through difficult question types, build a realistic study plan, and get feedback on the areas costing you marks. With most tutors offering the first ssession for free, you can even try a few. Use the calculator as a planning tool, but always check the current admission rules for entry year and focus on areas where extra work will make the biggest difference.
If You Already Have Your HPAT Result
- Enter your overall HPAT score.
- Use the formula for your admissions year.
- Test different Leaving Certificate outcomes.
- Use previous CAO points for context only.
- Check individual course requirements.³
If You Have Not Sat the HPAT Yet
- Test scenarios such as 150, 170, 180 and 200.
- Compare them with realistic Leaving Cert targets.
- See how changes in either score affect the total.
- Avoid relying on one supposedly “safe” score.
- Use the new scoring system for 2027 entry onwards.⁵
Reverse Calculator Option
- Choose an illustrative combined target.
- Calculate your moderated Leaving Cert score.
- Subtract it from the target.
- The difference is the HPAT score needed mathematically.
- Treat the result as a scenario, not an offer prediction.³
References
- Australian Council for Educational Research. HPAT-Ireland 2026 Candidate Performance. ACER, 2026. https://hpat-ireland.acer.org/files/HPAT_-_Ireland_2026_Candidate_Performance.pdf. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
- Australian Council for Educational Research. HPAT-Ireland Information Booklet 2026. ACER, 2026. https://hpat-ireland.acer.org/files/HPAT-Ireland-Information-Booklet.pdf. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
- Central Applications Office. Selection Criteria for Undergraduate Entry to Medicine for EU Applicants 2026. CAO, 2026. https://www2.cao.ie/downloads/documents/2026/UGMedEntry2026.pdf. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
- Central Applications Office. “Points Required for Entry to 2026 Level 8 Courses.” CAO, 2026. https://www2.cao.ie/points/l8.php. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
- Irish Universities Association. “Changes to CAO Entry to Undergraduate Medicine Programmes in 2027.” Irish Universities Association, 18 July 2025. https://www.iua.ie/press-releases/changes-to-cao-entry-to-undergraduate-medicine-programmes-in-2027/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
- RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. “Undergraduate Medicine Course at RCSI Dublin: Entry Requirements.” RCSI, 2026. https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/undergraduate/medicine/entry-requirements. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
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