For any student in Ireland, the Leaving Certificate is a significant milestone in their academic journey. With the 2025 exams approaching, ensure you're prepared and understand your timetable.
Here, we've included the 2025 Leaving Cert timetable, insights into exam strategy, and more information to help you maximise your exam preparation.
Leaving Cert 2025 Exam Schedule
The State Examinations Commission has published the official timetable for the 2025 Leaving Cert.
| Date | Subject | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, June 4 | English, Paper 1 (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:20 |
| Home Economics, Scientific and Social (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Thursday, June 5 | Engineering (O) | 9:30 – 12:00 |
| Engineering (H) | 9:30 – 12:30 | |
| English, Paper 2 (H & O) | 2:00 – 5:20 | |
| Friday, June 6 | Geography (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:20 |
| Mathematics, Paper 1 (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Mathematics (F) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Monday, June 9 | Mathematics, Paper 2 (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:00 |
| Irish Paper 1 (H incl. aural) | 2:00 – 4:20 | |
| Irish Paper 1 (O incl. aural) | 2:00 – 3:50 | |
| Irish (F incl. aural) | 2:00 – 4:20 | |
| Tuesday, June 10 | Irish, Paper 2 (O) | 9:30 – 11:50 |
| Irish, Paper 2 (H) | 9:30 – 12:35 | |
| Biology (H & O) | 2:00 – 5:00 | |
| Wednesday, June 11 | French (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| History (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:50 | |
| Thursday, June 12 | Business (O) | 9:30 – 12:00 |
| Business (H) | 9:30 – 12:30 | |
| Art, Visual Studies (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Friday, June 13 | German (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| Construction Studies (O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Construction Studies (H) | 2:00 – 5:00 | |
| Monday, June 16 | Polish, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| Non-Curricular Languages | 9:30 – 12:30 | |
| Agricultural Science (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Tuesday, June 17 | Spanish (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| Chemistry (H & O) | 2:00 – 5:00 | |
| Wednesday, June 18 | Physics (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:30 |
| Physics and Chemistry (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:30 | |
| Accounting (H & O) | 2:00 – 5:00 | |
| Thursday, June 19 | Design and Communication Graphics (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:30 |
| Music - Listening (Core) (H & O) | 1:30 – 3:00 | |
| Music Composing (H & O) | 3:15 – 4:45 | |
| Music - Listening (Elective) (H) | 5:00 – 5:45 | |
| Friday, June 20 | Economics (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:00 |
| Physical Education (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Monday, June 23 | Italian (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| Russian (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 | |
| Classical Studies (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Latin (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:00 | |
| Technology (O) | 2:00 – 4:00 | |
| Technology (H) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Tuesday, June 24 | Japanese (H & O) - Written & Aural | 9:30 – 12:00, 12:10 – 12:50 |
| Politics & Society (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:00 | |
| Arabic (H & O) | 9:30 – 12:00 | |
| Religious Education (O) | 2:00 – 4:00 | |
| Religious Education (H) | 2:00 – 4:30 | |
| Applied Mathematics (H & O) | 2:00 – 4:30 |
This timetable was extracted from the State Examinations Commission, but double-check your specific exam timetables with them as there could be discrepancies or changes.
The Leaving Certificate exams will start on Wednesday, June 4th and finish on Tuesday, June 24th. The exams are scheduled and regulated by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), meaning all candidates follow a national standardised schedule.
Remember that most exam days consist of two exam sessions: a morning exam starting at 9:30 AM and an afternoon session beginning at 2:00 PM.
Many students consider the leaving cert schedule when they are selecting their subjects before even entering their fifth year at secondary school after finishing their Junior Cert. It is, in fact, just one area that can actually put students at a disadvantage unknowingly.
Common Questions About the Leaving Cert
Learning about the Leaving Cert is a good idea to best prepare for it. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions.
What Is the Leaving Cert?
The Leaving Certificate (commonly called the Leaving Cert) is Ireland's state examination for the end of secondary school. Students aged 17 to 18 typically sit it.
It covers a wide range of subjects across higher, Ordinary, and Foundation Levels. The Leaving Cert results play an important role in determining eligibility for higher education and university courses through the CAO points system.
What Subjects Are Included in the Leaving Cert?
Students must sit core subjects like English, Maths, and Irish (unless exempt) and can also choose from many optional subjects.
Optional subjects include:
- Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
- Humanities: History, Geography
- Business: Accounting, Business, Economics
- Arts & Practical Subjects: Art, Music, Construction Studies
- Languages: French, Spanish, German, Japanese
When Is the Leaving Cert Held?
The Leaving Cert 2025 exams will be between Wednesday, June 4th and Tuesday, June 24th. Exam days are usually split into morning and afternoon sessions, with a different paper in each session.
Some subjects, such as English and Maths, may span multiple exam days, which include various papers.
What Is a Passing Grade in the Leaving Cert?
The Leaving Cert grading system uses numbers and letters to indicate the level taken (H for higher, O for ordinary) and numbered grade boundaries from 1 to 8. The lower the number, the higher the mark achieved.
Here is the grading scale for Leaving Cert:
- H1/O1: 90-100%
- H2/O2: 80-89%
- H3/O3: 70-79%
- H4/O4: 60-69%
- H5/O5: 50-59%
- H6/O6: 40-49%
- H7/O7: 30-39%
- H8/O8: 0-29%
Technically, there are no "pass" and "fails" at Leaving Cert. Instead, consider the CAO points you need for your desired course.
What Is the Hardest Leaving Cert Subject?
Claiming one Leaving Cert is more difficult than all the others since no two students are alike. What one student finds challenging might be incredibly easy for another.
However, physics is often cited as one of the hardest subjects at Leaving Cert due to its demanding theoretical content and complex problem-solving requirements.
Physics is often said to be the trickiest subject at Leaving Cert.
What Is the Easiest Leaving Cert Subject?
Again, the easiest and most difficult are relative terms. However, the Russian Leaving Cert had many H1 rates in 2024. This could be down to Russian-speaking students opting for this exam and very few others choosing to study Russian at Leaving Cert.
Russian had a really high H1 rate in 2024
Which Subjects Had the Most H1s in 2024?
In 2024, the subjects with the most H1s (the highest possible Leaving Cert grade) were
Just remember that this doesn't necessarily indicate relative ease. These results could also have been achieved by having particularly strong student cohorts opt for these subjects.
Taking a Look at the Leaving Cert Timetable
The Leaving Cert timetable is more than just the exam dates; it's a detailed schedule that shows you the date, time, and subject for every exam you will sit on. The State Examinations Commission (SEC), the timetable is an essential tool for effective planning and preparation.
By knowing your exam dates in advance, you can strategically prioritise subjects based on when you'll sit the exam.
For example, if your first exam is English Paper 1, followed by Home Economics, you could focus on the days leading up to the exam while planning time for Home Economics afterwards.
The exam timetable will also affect your exam strategy. It shows the start, duration, and conclusion of your entire examination period.
You will need every edge that you can get if you are looking to maximise your grades in the leaving cert, make sure you get the points that you deserve when the moment comes!
In 2025, most days have two exams scheduled: a morning and an afternoon session. It may feel overwhelming to sit multiple papers in a single day. Consider using short-term memory retention when reviewing key topics in the days leading up to each test.
Review the Leaving Cert schedule early, planning around your strengths. For example, if your schedule places subjects like Maths Paper 2 right after a tricky English Paper 2, consider focusing on both subjects in your revision sessions.
Why the Leaving Cert Timetable is So Importance
Crafting a successful exam strategy requires considering the timetable. Knowing when your exams are scheduled is not enough; you also need to optimise your preparation and performance.
Your first step should be downloading the official timetable from the State Examinations Commission website. We recommend you print a copy and keep it somewhere you'll see it regularly, like your study area.
Highlight the subjects you'll be sitting and note whether they're part of the morning or afternoon session. This simple step will help you be aware of what's coming up.
It's also worthwhile highlighting the gaps between exams. These gaps are great opportunities for extra revision or much-needed rest.
Imagine you have a two-day break before Biology. Then would be a good time to consolidate your knowledge, view past exam papers, or recharge.
Knowing your timetable is far from everything, you will also need to be aware of the leaving cert amendments that are being implemented in this year's leaving cert exams!
The Advantage of Familiarising Yourself with Your Exam Timetable
The Leaving Cert timetable is more than just the dates. Use it to shape your revision strategy and exam-day performance. Familiarising yourself with it in advance will help you make informed decision decisions.
The most significant advantage of knowing your exam timetable so early is that you can create a balanced revision schedule. You can plan your study sections based on the sequence of your exams, first studying earlier subjects.
You can also manage multiple exam days. If you have to sit two exams on the same day, ensure you know about it and split your efforts across revising for them both. You can even sit mock exams under similar conditions on the same day for the corresponding subjects.
The timetable will allow you to plan for study breaks between exams. The gaps between subjects can be used for light revision or reviewing past papers. You can even focus on short-term memory recall strategies.
By studying your timetable in advance, you can:
- Prioritise revision for subjects scheduled earlier.
- Prepare for days with back-to-back exams.
- Maximise revision breaks effectively.
- Stay organised and reduce last-minute stress.
Preparing for the Leaving Cert
The key to doing well on the Leaving Cert isn't to try to game the system. Don't attempt to get good results by looking for "easy" subjects or giving yourself a better timetable.
Instead, it's a matter of clever planning, hard work, and effective time management. Here are our favourite strategies for preparing for the Leaving Cert exams.
- Create a Study Plan: Break down your revision schedule based on the timetable, prioritising subjects with earlier exams.
- Practice with Past Papers: Familiarise yourself with the exam format and common question types.
- Time Management: Allocate specific revision sessions to different subjects and stick to the timetable.
- Use Active Recall: Techniques like flashcards, summarising topics, and self-testing can improve retention.
- Take Breaks: Avoid burnout by scheduling breaks and maintaining a healthy study-life balance.
If you create a solid leaving cert study plan that is based on your assessment schedule, you will have a concrete goal to work towards, which can take a lot of pressure off you!
Prepare for Your Leaving Cert with a Private Tutor
When you first see the timetable for the Leaving Cert exams, you may feel overwhelmed by all the exams you have coming up. Exam preparation can be testing, make sure that you are employing an optimal strategy by consulting our guide to the leaving cert.
An effective way to manage this challenge is to work alongside private tutors. Private tutors can offer personalised support in any subject.
A tutor can support you if you're struggling with subjects like Maths, Irish, or Physics or want to work on your exam technique.
Benefits of a Private Tutor
- 🎯 Tailored Study Plans: Customised strategies based on your subject mix and exam schedule.
- 🧠 Focus on Weak Areas: Targeted support for challenging topics.
- ✏️ Exam Techniques: Practice with mock exams and time management strategies.
- ⏰ Consistent Feedback: Regular assessments to track progress.
If you're looking for a private tutor to help with your Leaving Cert, you can search for one on the Superprof website!
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