Provisional: the universities have said the HPAT will be “weighted to 150 maximum” but have not yet published the exact conversion. This calculator assumes your HPAT score is halved (300 becomes 150). It is not affiliated with the CAO, ACER or any university.
How CAO points for medicine work from 2027
For undergraduate medicine in Ireland, your Leaving Certificate points and your HPAT score are added together. The Irish universities with medical schools announced two changes that apply from 2027 entry:
- Leaving Certificate points are no longer moderated. All points up to 625 now count in full.
- The HPAT is weighted to a maximum of 150 points, down from 300.
That gives a new maximum of 775 (625 + 150), down from 865. ACER still reports your HPAT score out of 300; the weighting is applied when the points are combined. You also still need at least 480 Leaving Certificate points in one sitting, as well as the minimum entry requirements for the course, and your HPAT must be from the year you are applying.
The old rule, for comparison
Up to 2026 entry, Leaving Certificate points above 550 were moderated in bands of five: 551–555 counted as 551, 556–560 as 552, and so on up to 621–625, which counted as 565. The full HPAT score out of 300 was then added, for a maximum of 865. In the universities’ own example, 621 Leaving Certificate points became 565, and with an HPAT score of 160 the total was 725.
| Example | Up to 2026 (out of 865) | From 2027, provisional (out of 775) |
|---|---|---|
| 625 Leaving Cert, HPAT 180 | 565 + 180 = 745 | 625 + 90 = 715 |
| 600 Leaving Cert, HPAT 200 | 560 + 200 = 760 | 600 + 100 = 700 |
| 560 Leaving Cert, HPAT 220 | 552 + 220 = 772 | 560 + 110 = 670 |
What the change means for you
Under the old rules, a Leaving Certificate point above 550 was worth only a fifth of a point, while every HPAT point counted in full. From 2027, every Leaving Certificate point counts, and on a straight halving each HPAT point is worth half a point. Your Leaving Certificate therefore carries more weight than before. The HPAT still matters: it can add up to 150 points, and a few points often separate applicants near a course’s cut-off.
To see where your HPAT score might land, read what is a good HPAT score, try our free practice questions, or sit a full timed mock for an estimated score on ACER’s 0–300 scale.
Common questions
How many CAO points is the HPAT worth from 2027?
What is the maximum CAO points for medicine in 2027?
Are Leaving Cert points above 550 still moderated for medicine?
Can I compare 2027 points with past medicine cut-offs?
Is there a minimum Leaving Cert requirement for medicine?
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.