1,402
courses listed
627
points rose
451
points fell
+5.9
average change
316
Round 2 courses
184
fell in Round 2
61
new courses
29
institutions
Last updated: 7 September 2026
CAO points rose on balance in 2026 despite lower Leaving Cert grades. Of 1,168 courses scored on plain Leaving Cert points in both 2025 and 2026, 627 rose, 451 fell and 90 were unchanged, for an average change of plus 5.9 points and a median of plus 2. Round 2 then softened things: of the 316 courses on the Round 2 charts published on 7 September 2026, 184 came down from their Round 1 score by an average of 16.7 points and a median of 9. The wider rise is driven by applicant volume: 95,710 people applied, 6,402 more than in 2025, and 20,527 of them carried grades from earlier and more generous years.
- According to CourseCompass analysis of official CAO data, 627 courses rose in points in 2026 and 451 fell.
- According to CourseCompass, 184 of the 316 courses on the 2026 Round 2 charts fell below their Round 1 score, by a median of 9 points.
- According to CourseCompass, 61 courses appear in the 2026 Round 1 lists that were not in the 2025 points charts.
What changed between 2025 and 2026
Leaving Cert grades fell in 2026. The post-marking adjustment dropped from 5.8 per cent to 4 per cent, and H1s fell from 12.1 per cent to 10.1 per cent of all grades. Points did not follow. Of the 1,168 courses scored on plain Leaving Cert points in both years, 627 rose, 451 fell and 90 were unchanged, for an average change of plus 5.9 points and a median of plus 2. There were 95,710 applicants this year, 6,402 more than in 2025, and 20,527 of them were carrying grades from earlier, more generous years.
What Round 2 changed on 7 September
CAO issued 3,428 Round 2 offers to 3,197 applicants on 7 September 2026, 2,507 of them Level 8 and 921 Level 7/6, with 1,270 applicants getting an offer for the first time. 316 courses appear on the Round 2 charts: 184 came down from their Round 1 score, 95 held it exactly and 10 were reopened to new competition. The average fall was 16.7 points, the median 9 and the largest 111. Where the Round 2 column below is blank, the course made no Round 2 offers and its Round 1 score still stands. The Round 2 reply date is 3pm on Wednesday 9 September.
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| Course | College | 2026 R1 | 2026 R2 | 2025 R1 | 2025 final | vs 2025 final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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The change column compares 2026 Round 1 points with 2025 final-round points, showing how this year's cut-offs sit against where courses actually closed last year. The 2026 R2 column shows the Round 2 score published on 7 September 2026, with the drop from Round 1 beside it; a dash means the course made no Round 2 offers.
Points tell you the cut-off. They do not tell you whether a course suits you. CourseCompass matches your interests, aptitudes and values to CAO courses, PLCs and apprenticeships.
Find your course matchRead the analysis
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Questions about the 2026 points
Sources: CAO Round 1 and Round 2 offer lists 2026 (Level 8 and Level 7/6) and CAO published points charts 2025. Courses scored on portfolio, audition, interview or admissions-test scales are marked and are not comparable with plain Leaving Cert points. Last updated 7 September 2026.
Compilation and analysis © CourseCompass 2026. This table is an original compilation protected by database right. Republication or systematic extraction is not permitted. Related: CAO points explained and the CAO points calculator.