HPAT scores

What is a good HPAT score?

The percentiles ACER publishes, what it suggests aiming for, and what changes for 2027.

In short: There is no HPAT pass mark. ACER suggests aiming for 160 or more out of 300. In 2026, an overall score of 158 was at the 60th percentile and 181 at the 90th, and these points have barely moved since 2023. In 2023, students who received a medicine offer had HPAT scores from 164 to 235.

HPAT percentiles by year

Each year ACER publishes the overall scores at two points in the results: the 60th and the 90th percentile. They have hardly moved in four years.

Test year60th percentile90th percentile
2026158181
2025157181
2024158179
2023157180

So a score of about 158 beat roughly 60% of test takers, and about 181 beat roughly 90%. ACER does not publish the score at other percentiles, such as the 50th or the 99th.

What ACER says to aim for

ACER’s information booklet advises aiming for 160 or more out of 300. It also reports that in 2023, students who received an offer for medicine had HPAT scores ranging from 164 to 235, with Leaving Certificate points from 542 to 625.

There is no pass mark. Whether a score is “good enough” depends on your Leaving Certificate points, the course you want, and how other applicants score that year.

How your overall score is calculated

Each section is scored from 0 to 100. ACER then combines them, counting Sections 1 and 2 twice as much as Section 3:

Overall score = [(2 × Section 1 + 2 × Section 2 + Section 3) ÷ 5] × 3

That gives a maximum of 300. Because Sections 1 and 2 each make up 40% of the total, they usually have more effect on your result than Section 3, which makes up 20%.

A good score from 2027

From 2027 entry, the HPAT counts for at most 150 CAO points instead of 300, and Leaving Certificate points are no longer moderated. Your HPAT score from ACER is still out of 300, so the percentiles above still describe how you compare with other test takers. What changes is how much each HPAT point adds to your CAO total. Try the 2027 points calculator to see your combined total.

How to find out where you stand

Sit a full-length, timed practice test and work out your overall score with the formula above. ACER’s official practice tests are the place to start. PrepGenie’s HPAT mocks give an estimated overall score on ACER’s 0–300 scale after each mock, always labelled as an estimate, and you can warm up with our free practice questions.

Common questions

Is 200 a good HPAT score?
Yes. In 2026, a score of 181 was already at the 90th percentile, so 200 is well above 90% of test takers. ACER does not publish the exact percentile for 200.
Is 150 a good HPAT score?
It is below the 60th percentile, which was 158 in 2026, and below the 160 or more that ACER suggests aiming for. Whether it is enough depends on your Leaving Certificate points and course.
What HPAT score do you need for medicine?
There is no fixed score. In 2023, students who received a medicine offer had HPAT scores ranging from 164 to 235, with Leaving Certificate points from 542 to 625.
What is the average HPAT score?
ACER does not publish the average or the 50th percentile. It publishes the 60th percentile, which was 158 in 2026.
How is the HPAT overall score calculated?
Overall score = [(2 x Section 1 + 2 x Section 2 + Section 3) / 5] x 3, giving a maximum of 300. Sections 1 and 2 each count for 40% and Section 3 for 20%.

Last checked: October 2026. Facts on this page are taken from the official HPAT-Ireland website and the ACER Test Taker Information Booklet for the 2026 test, checked in October 2026. Always confirm dates and rules at hpat-ireland.acer.org before you register.