The grading system in Ireland works around the leaving certificate given to the students by conducting the test before departure. Hence, every college and university has its own grading system, which mainly relies on the numbers students obtain after their leaving exams. Moreover, selecting your aimed course also requires a certain amount of percentage.
In Ireland, it is mandatory to pursue education between the ages of 6 to 16. In the same way, the passing percentage per course is 40 out of 100. Thus, that’s the reason many universities prefer excellent and error-free graded students. Here we are going to discuss the multiple grading levels in Ireland.
From the early childhood years to qualifications, these grading requirements are applied by various colleges and universities in Ireland. Likewise, secondary level or level 4 and 6 leaving certificates come under a grading structure. Similarly, this system involves
For Simple Understanding, here are all the grading levels explained if you are confused by the academic grading system in Ireland.
In Ireland, Secondary education is known as The Irish High School System, which is attained by students aged 12 to 13. Hence, also called a junior-level school where students take 9 to 12 courses and are considered less experienced.
After gaining the junior certificate by completing the 3 years cycle, they have to pass the leaving certificate test in order to enter the senior level. Here is the table of grades and scales, along with descriptions.
| GRADE | SCALE | GRADE DESCRIPTION | US GRADE | NOTES |
| A | 85.00 – 100.00 | Excellent | A | |
| B | 70.00 – 84.99 | Very Good | A | |
| C | 55.00 – 69.99 | Good | B | |
| D | 40.00 – 54.99 | Satisfactory | C | Lowest passing grade |
| E | 25.00 – 39.99 | Weak | F | |
| F | 10.00 – 24.99 | Fail | F | |
| NG | 0.00 – 9.99 | - | No Grade |
| Grade Letter | Grade Point (Higher Paper) | Grade Point (Ordinary Paper) |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 100 | 60 |
| A2 | 90 | 50 |
| B1 | 85 | 45 |
| B2 | 80 | 40 |
| B3 | 75 | 35 |
| C1 | 70 | 30 |
| C2 | 65 | 25 |
| C3 | 60 | 20 |
| D1 | 55 | 15 |
| D2 | 50 | 10 |
| D3 | 45 | 05 |
Courses in higher education level require less than 45 per cent. In simple terms, if a subject has a grade rate of 100 per cent then the passing percentage will be 40 per cent. A student must have knowledge of assignment writing before going for higher education. Therefore, there are numerous tutors for school homework and college essay writing Ireland. Moreover, students need expertise in their given subjects as institutions in Ireland have different grading systems. However, for better understanding, the following is the grading percentage requirement for the higher educational level grading system in Ireland.
| International Scale | Description | Percentage of Grade |
| A (Excellent) | First Class Honours | 70% or above |
| B (Very good, with few errors) | Upper Second Class Honours | 69% – 60% |
| C (Good, with some errors) | Lower Second Class Honours | 59% – 50% |
| D (Satisfactory, with many errors) | Third Class Honours | 49% – 45% |
| E (Sufficient) | Fail | 40% -44% |
As we know that the main purpose of leaving a certificate is to furnish the foremost education possible. Similarly, in 2017 the new certificate was established with 8 grades by the department of education in Ireland. The first 7 grades divide the percentage between 100 to 30% and grade 8 is the underperformed grade which comes below 30%. In addition, the full explanation of leaving certificate 2017 is shared below:
| Grade | Scale | US Grade |
| H1 | 90 - 100 | A |
| H2 | 80 – 89 | A- |
| H3 | 70 – 79 | B |
| H4 | 60 – 69 | B- |
| H5 | 50 – 59 | C |
| H6 | 40 – 49 | D |
| H7 | 30 – 39 | E |
| H8 | 00 - 29 | F |
| Scale | Grade Description | US Grade |
| 80 to 100 | Distinction | A |
| 65 to 79 | Merit | B |
| 50 to 64 | Pass | C |
| Grade | Scale | US Grade | Grade Description |
| A | 90 - 100 | A | Excellent |
| B | 80 – 89 | B+ | Very Good |
| C | 70 – 79 | B | Good |
| D | 60 – 69 | C+ | Satisfactory |
| E | 50 – 59 | C | Sufficient |
| F | 00 – 49 | F | Fail |
| Degree Clarification | Description | Percentage Range |
| First Class Honours | Excellent, exemplary, thorough, clear, and free of errors. | 70 – 100% |
| Second Class Honours, Grade 1 | Good, well-structured, with only minor omissions or errors. | 60 – 69% |
| Second Class Honours, Grade2 | Fair, satisfactory content, some less developed areas, errors. | 50 – 59% |
| Third Class Honours | Adequate, or barely adequate, substantial errors and/or omissions | 45-49% |
| Pass | Poor; meets minimum expectations | 40 – 44% |
| Fail | Insufficient does not meet the minimum expected standards | Less than 40% |
Most colleges require better grades in terms of enrollment. Therefore, an excellent command of the selected course is also essential. Moreover, at the colleges, the passing percentage range is 40 and if less than it, the applicants are considered failures. Here are the proper descriptions, along with the H1 and H2 percentages.
National University of Ireland
| Honours | Grade | Description | Percentage Range |
| H1 | A | Excellent; exceeds expectations | 70 – 100% |
| H2 | B | Very good; meets all expectations | 60 – 69% |
| H2.2 | C | Good; meets most expectations | 50 – 59% |
| Pass | D | Poor; meets minimum expectations | 40 - 49% |
| Fail | F | Fail; does not meet expectations | Less than 40% |
| Degree Classification | Description | Percentage Range |
| First Class Honours | Excellent, exemplary, thorough, clear, free of errors. | 70 – 100% |
| Second Class Honours, First Division | Good, well-structured, only minor omissions or errors. | 60 – 69% |
| Second Class Honours, Second Division | Fair, satisfactory content, some less developed areas, errors. | 50 – 59% |
| Third Class Honours | Adequate, or barely adequate, substantial errors and/or omissions | 40-49% |
| Fail | Insufficient does not meet the minimum expected standards | Less than 40% |
If you are a student of honours, then it becomes necessary to score well in that course. Although, if you are not good at it, then the overall percentage won’t matter.
These were mainly Ireland's educational school and college grades and percentages, which start with and from primary to graduation. Likewise, most universities have a minimum passing percentage of around 40%. However, always check the passing structure before applying for any college.