Quick answer
On the Higher Level scale a H1 is worth 100 CAO points, then 88, 77, 66, 56, 46 and 37 down to H7, with H8 worth zero. Ordinary Level tops out at 56 points for an O1. Your best six subjects count, and a H6 or better in Higher Level maths adds a 25 point bonus, so the theoretical maximum is 625.
Sixth years quote points targets all day long, 450 for this course, 590 for that one, and yet a surprising number cannot say off the top of their head what a H3 is actually worth. The conversion between grades and CAO points is a small table that runs your whole application, so it deserves five clear minutes. This is that table, plus the two rules around it that change the sums: best six, and the maths bonus.
The conversion table
| Grade (Higher) | Points | Grade (Ordinary) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | 100 | O1 | 56 |
| H2 | 88 | O2 | 46 |
| H3 | 77 | O3 | 37 |
| H4 | 66 | O4 | 28 |
| H5 | 56 | O5 | 20 |
| H6 | 46 | O6 | 12 |
| H7 | 37 | O7 | 0 |
| H8 | 0 | O8 | 0 |
Two patterns worth noticing. The scale is not evenly spaced: the jump from H2 to H1 is 12 points while H5 to H4 is only 10, so the gaps get slightly more valuable near the top. And the levels overlap deliberately: an O1 equals a H5 and an O2 equals a H6, which is exactly the trade-off to weigh if you are deciding between Higher and Ordinary.
What percentage earns what grade
Each grade is a 10 percent band. A H1 is 90 to 100 percent, a H2 is 80 to just under 90, and so on down to H8, which is anything under 30. The same bands apply at Ordinary Level with O in front. There is no secret rounding: 89.9 percent is a H2, painful as that reads. The bands are also why an exam strategy that reliably rescues a few percent, showing working, finishing papers, attempting every part, converts directly into points.
The best six rule
CAO counts your six highest point scores from one sitting. Most students take seven subjects, so one result silently drops away, and the arithmetic has a pleasant consequence: your weakest subject often does not matter at all. It also has a sharp edge. If a seventh subject was your insurance and it outscores a subject a course requires, the requirement still stands: minimum entry requirements are checked against specific subjects, not against your best six. Points get you ranked; requirements get you considered.
The maths bonus bends the table
Higher Level maths is the one subject with its own extra row of arithmetic: score a H6 or better and 25 bonus points are added to your maths result. A H6 becomes 71 points, a H4 becomes 91, and a H1 becomes 125, which is how the famous 625 maximum arises from six H1s. The bonus only counts when maths, bonus included, makes your top six, which for anyone at H6 or above it almost always does. The full logic, including the cases where dropping down still makes sense, is in our bonus points explainer.
The bonus is also why maths effort is priced differently from every other subject. Climbing one grade band in maths at Higher Level moves you the band's value like any subject, but crossing the H7 to H6 boundary swings you from 37 to 71 points in one step. No other single grade boundary in the system is worth 34 points.
The zero rows
H8, O7 and O8 earn nothing, and an H8 or O8 also means failing the paper, which matters separately because many courses require a pass in maths. What failing actually triggers, and the options after it, are covered in what happens if you fail maths. If a January mock lands anywhere near those rows, that is the moment to change something about how the subject is being studied, not in May.
Test yourself: 3 quick questions
Real Higher Level questions from the H1 Owl bank.
X is normally distributed with mean 50 and standard deviation 10. Given that P(z < 1) = 0.8413, the value of P(X > 60) is:
Standardise first: z = (60 - 50)/10 = 1. Then P(X > 60) = P(z > 1) = 1 - P(z < 1) = 1 - 0.8413 = 0.1587, since the table value gives the area to the left of z.
A study finds a strong positive correlation (r = 0.85) between daily ice cream sales and the number of drowning incidents. The best interpretation is:
Correlation measures association, not causation. Hot weather plausibly increases both swimming (and therefore drownings) and ice cream sales, so a lurking third variable explains the link without either variable causing the other.
A game costs €2 to play. You roll a fair die once and receive €k if you roll a six, and nothing otherwise. For the game to be fair (expected profit zero), k must be:
A fair game means the expected amount received equals the stake: k × 1/6 = 2, so k = 12. Then the expected profit is 12 × 1/6 - 2 = 0. Choosing k = 6 ignores the €2 cost of playing.
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Frequently asked questions
How many CAO points is a H1 worth?
100 points, or 125 in Higher Level maths once the 25 bonus points are added.
Do Ordinary Level subjects earn CAO points?
Yes. An O1 earns 56 points, the same as a H5, and the scale runs down to 12 points for an O6.
Does the maths bonus apply at Ordinary Level?
No. The 25 bonus points exist only for H6 or above in Higher Level maths.
Points come from percentages, and percentages come from daily practice. H1 Owl gives you five minutes of Leaving Cert maths a day with worked solutions and an indicative grade, so you always know which band you are sitting in. Join the waitlist below and get access first.