Junior Cert Dates 2026: Official Timetable & Key Facts

If you have a child sitting the Junior Cycle in 2026, those calendar dates matter more than they might seem. Ireland’s State Examinations Commission sets the written exams for a tight two-week window every June, and missing a slot means sorting out a clash with your school — fast. The good news is the full official timetable for 2026 is already published online, so you can lock in study plans, booking time off, or just knowing exactly when the pressure ramps up.

Junior Cert Start Date: 3 June 2026 ·
Junior Cert End Date: 15 June 2026 ·
Exam Duration: 2 weeks

Key details about the 2026 Junior Cycle Examination are organised in a structured format below for quick reference.

What are the junior cert dates for 2026?

The Junior Cycle written examinations for 2026 are scheduled to run across 13 consecutive calendar days, starting in early June. According to published sources and the official SEC timetable, candidates will sit exams from Wednesday, 3 June through to Monday, 15 June 2026. The State Examinations Commission issues the timetable nationally — every school in the Republic of Ireland follows the same dates, with no regional variations.

Start and end dates

Exams begin on Wednesday, 3 June 2026 with the English paper in the morning slot (9:30–11:30), followed by Religious Education in the afternoon (1:30–3:30). The final day falls on Monday, 15 June 2026, when Applied Technology is scheduled for the morning session (9:30–11:00). The SEC’s own PDF emphasises that candidates should note the dates and hours carefully, as the timetable is fixed and rescheduling is limited to documented clashes.

Full written exam period

Nine exam days span the fortnight, with most mornings starting at 9:30 AM and afternoons at 1:30 PM. The two-week window is shorter than the Leaving Cert, which runs for three weeks from the same early June start date. This matters practically: students sitting both exams simultaneously (or siblings in different years) can plan around overlapping weeks more reliably.

What date does the junior cert start in 2026?

The official start date for the Junior Cycle 2026 written examinations is Wednesday, 3 June 2026. This date has been confirmed across multiple independent education sources and aligns with the State Examinations Commission’s published timetable. The first paper of the cycle — English — begins at 9:30 AM on that Wednesday morning, with the second paper of the day (Religious Education) following in the afternoon.

Official start date

The SEC sets the national start date and publishes it via Gov.ie Department of Education publications and through individual school websites. The June 3 start places the Junior Cycle firmly within the same exam season as the Leaving Cert, which also kicks off on 3 June 2026. For schools managing both examinations simultaneously, the shared start date means early June is the busiest period of the Irish academic calendar.

First exam details

English opens the cycle on 3 June 2026 from 9:30 to 11:30, a morning slot that gives candidates two hours for the paper. The SEC’s own timetable document instructs candidates to arrive at their examination centre with ample time before the published start hour, as entries close at the scheduled time. Students sitting English should check with their school about the specific venue within the centre, as larger schools sometimes run multiple rooms.

What are the Irish school holidays for 2026?

The Junior Cycle written exam period in June 2026 sits outside the main school holiday windows, which means most students are still in school for the weeks leading up to the exams. The Christmas break, mid-term in February, and Easter break all fall before June, leaving May as the final intensive revision month. For exam-year students, these prior holidays are already a memory by the time June arrives.

Mid-term and summer breaks

The February mid-term break (typically one week) and Easter break (two weeks, dates vary by county) both occur before the exam season. The June exam window itself runs for just two weeks, so the summer holiday effectively begins after 15 June. This gives students approximately 10–11 weeks of summer holiday before the new academic year starts in September — a longer break than some previous years, depending on how the term dates fall.

Exam period impact

Because the Junior Cycle exam dates are fixed nationally, schools are closed during the exam period itself for examination candidates. Teachers typically use this time for marking or study leave. For working parents, the two-week window (3–15 June) may require childcare arrangements for younger siblings who are still in school.

How much is the junior cert 2026?

Exam entry fees for the Junior Cycle are not independently billed to candidates in the same way as some international equivalents. The State Examinations Commission administers the examinations through the school system, and costs are largely covered by the Department of Education’s annual funding allocation. Parents and students are not required to pay registration fees directly at the point of entry.

Exam entry fees

According to available information, the SEC charges schools a per-candidate entry fee, but schools do not typically pass this cost directly to families. Some schools have historically requested a nominal contribution toward administration costs, but this varies by institution. The Department of Education’s guidance on Gov.ie Department of Education publications does not specify a candidate-facing fee for the 2026 cycle, and exact figures for the current year are not prominently published on primary government sources.

Related costs

The more tangible costs for Junior Cert candidates tend to be revision materials, subject-specific workbooks, and mock exam fees. Some schools run internal mock examinations and may charge a small fee to cover supervision and materials. Private tutoring costs are separate and vary widely depending on the provider. The SEC PDF itself is free to download from school and college websites.

Where to find the Junior Cert timetable 2026 PDF?

The official Junior Cycle 2026 timetable is available as a PDF hosted by schools and colleges that have access to the SEC’s distributed materials. One confirmed source is St. Nathy’s College, which publishes the direct link to the SEC document on its website. Students and parents can also request a printed copy from their school’s examinations officer, as schools receive the official timetable by post from the SEC.

Official download links

The primary download source is the SEC timetable PDF, which schools host on their own websites. The direct link from St. Nathy’s College confirms the document exists and is hosted at St. Nathy’s College hosted SEC timetable PDF. Schools like St. Mark’s College and St. Muredach’s College also publish links to the official timetables on their sites. The Gov.ie page for State Examinations 2026 provides the central government landing page, though the direct PDF is typically accessed via school portals.

Mocks and full timetables

Mock examination timetables are set by individual schools rather than the SEC, so dates vary. Most schools run mocks in January or February ahead of the June exams. Education platforms like Studyclix educational platform and SimpleStudy Ireland revision resource publish subject-by-subject listings that mirror the SEC schedule, useful for revision planning even if the mocks fall at different dates.

Summary

The Junior Cert 2026 runs across a precise two-week window from 3 to 15 June, with English opening the cycle on the first Wednesday morning. The State Examinations Commission publishes the official timetable, and the SEC’s own guidance makes clear that dates are fixed — candidates who miss a paper must follow the formal clash procedure through their school. For families, the implication is straightforward: download the PDF from your school’s website now, check for any subject clashes, and flag them to the examinations officer before May ends. The two-week exam stretch is shorter than the Leaving Cert’s three weeks, so those managing both years in the same household have a clearer planning window — but only if the dates are locked in from the start.

Related reading: World Cup 2026 Qualifiers Ireland · Bohermeen Half Marathon 2026

While focusing on 2026 dates, the 2025 Junior Cycle timetable offers valuable insights into last year’s full exam schedule and structure.

Frequently asked questions