Everything you need to know about Appealing your Leaving Cert Results

In 2019, over 16,965 scripts were appealed and nearly 3,000 of these scripts were awarded a higher grade. Only 2 out of these 16,965 were downgraded. This means 17.2% of appealed papers went up a grade. In 2017, I was awarded the next grade in Higher Level Maths. Here, you can find everything you need to know about appealing your Leaving Cert Results. 

Results Day

On the day of your Leaving Cert results, you can apply to view your examination script. This allows you to see how your work was marked so you can make an appeal if you think there was a mistake. This costs €40 per Leaving Cert subject, but if your subject result is upgraded then you will get a refund. 

If you'd like to view your scripts, you need to apply online via the Candidate Self-Service Portal. There is only a small window to do this, between 5 pm Tuesday, August 27th and closes at 8 pm on Wednesday, August 28th. 

• Application for viewing Leaving Certificate scripts will be online.

• Application for viewing Leaving Certification Applied (LCA) scripts will be by email.

Viewing Scripts

You will have only a short period of time view your script.

If your subject was marked online, you can access to view scripts online for 24 hours between 9 am on Saturday, August 31st, and 9 am on Sunday, September 1st 2024. 

If your subject was manually marked, you will be given a timed viewing session at your school on Saturday, the 31st of August:

• Session 1 9.30am-12.30pm
• Session 2 2pm-5pm

For information on which subjects were marked online and which ones were manually marked, you can check the Candidate Information Guide to Results and Appeals. This will be emailed to you by the SEC before the Leaving Cert results come out.

Tips for viewing your scripts

• Have a copy of the exam paper and marking scheme with you to view alongside your scripts (you can access these online at examinations.ie or on Studyclix.
• The first thing you should do when you receive your scripts is to check that all the marks were added correctly and that all the questions were marked.
• Check the exam paper marking scheme, open your own paper, and carefully read through both to make sure your paper was fairly marked.
• If you find a question you feel you should have received more marks for, make a note of it.
• If you are viewing your scripts in school, you are not allowed to bring a pen or paper but you may take pictures on your phone or tablet
  
  

Once you have viewed all your papers you must then decide whether or not you are going to make an appeal. Not all appeals are upgraded and some appeals may even result in a downgrade. You must remember that it is the same marking scheme that will be used in the re-check of the paper. The examiner will be a different examiner, called an appeal examiner, whose aim is to ensure that the marking scheme was applied properly the first time and where not, will either add or deduct marks. Their aim is not to bring up a candidate, so you must have valid examples of where you believe your paper was not corrected following the marking scheme.

For the paper I sent to be re-checked and was awarded the appeal I was 1% off the next grade. I would highly recommend anyone who is over the halfway point between grades to really consider getting their script re-checked as it is more likely to go up than it is to go down a grade. 

For language orals and projects, the grade you were awarded is not provided with the scripts, you only see the written paper and the aural paper. If you are appealing a language or a subject that has a project, the marking of these will also be re-checked by the appeals examiner.

Appealing your results

The timeline to view your Leaving Cert scripts and to lodge appeal applications is very short and the deadlines will be very strict. If you want to appeal your results, you can do so from 10 am on Sunday, September 1st until 5 pm on Monday, September 2nd.

You will use the CSSP to view your examination scripts, make an appeal application and access your appeal results. 

Once you believe you are more likely to be awarded a higher grade rather than be downgraded, you must fill out the Appeals Form (Form AP1) which you can access online via the Appeals Application Service on the Candidate Self-Service Portal.  You need your Examination Number and password to access this. You fill out a form for each subject you wish to appeal and you state the areas and questions where you believe you should have received more marks according to the marking scheme. **Note: This is based on information from the 2022 process**. 

More information about the fee for appealing in 2024 will be published on the State Examinations Commission website.

Appeals Results

The date of the appeal results in 2024 will be 11am on Tuesday, September 27th 2024.

If you have been upgraded, you will receive the fee you paid back. If the upgrade means you would have got your first choice or next preference on your CAO, then the college or university will be notified and then decide whether they will take you this year or hold a place for you on the course for the following September regardless if the points go up or down for the course. If you are still unhappy with the outcome of your appeal, you can get the script re-checked again by the Independent Appeals Scrutineers and you must apply to the State Examinations Commissions for this before a certain date in October.

Key dates

So, in summary, here are the key dates you need to know:

Finally...

We hope this helps, send us a message if you have any further questions!