To the Authorities of Second Level Schools. ENTRY FEES FOR THE 2019 CERTIFICATE EXAMINATIONS
1. Provisions for Payment or Application for Exemption of Examination Fees The State Examinations Commission (SEC) introduced a facility in 2018 to allow candidates to pay examination fees or submit an application for an exemption from fees online at fees.examinations.ie. An individual letter for each candidate with instructions to use the on-line portal will issue to schools for distribution to candidates/parents/guardians in the coming weeks.
Candidates who do not have access to the on-line facility can request an individual pre-printed Giro Form (EF3/G) through the school from Fees Section in the SEC at 090-6442797/2798/2799. Candidates paying by EF3/G should continue to return the completed EF3/G form (which has either been stamped by a bank, or completed with medical card details in the case of those covered by the medical card exemption) to the school for transmission to the State Examinations Commission. School authorities are requested to maintain records of candidates who either pay the appropriate fee or make an application for a medical card exemption. Confirmation of payment or an application for a medical card exemption made by candidates online must be returned by the candidate to the school and retained in the school for their records. A candidate listing to record payments or an exemption application will be issued to schools to assist with record keeping in the coming weeks. The closing date for the payment of examination fees or making an application for a medical card exemption is April 26th 2019.
2. Fee Rates for 2019 The rates of examination fees for entry to the 2019 Certificate Examination are as follows: (a) School Candidates The fees for entry to the 2019 Certificate Examinations payable by candidates who are recognised pupils in post primary schools are as follows: Leaving Certificate (including Leaving Certificate Applied) €116 Junior Certificate/Cycle €109
(b) Candidates following VTOS and analogous courses Listed below are the fees payable by candidates who are following courses of study organised under the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, the Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme, the Department of Social Protection second-level scheme for the unemployed, or other analogous courses. These courses, open only to candidates who are NOT recognised pupils of post-primary schools, may include a mix of Leaving and Junior Certificate/Cycle subjects. Leaving Certificate subjects, 3 or more €116 Mix of Leaving and Junior Certificate/Cycle subjects, 3 or more €116 Junior Certificate/Cycle subjects, 3 or more €109 Leaving and/or Junior Certificate/Cycle, 1 or 2 subjects €71
(c) Repeat Leaving Certificate Candidates The fee payable in respect of a recognised pupil who remains at school with a view to repeating the Leaving Certificate is €301. It is important to note that there is no provision for recognised pupils who are repeating the Leaving Certificate to pay a lower fee if they enter for only one or two subjects. In such cases the full fee must be paid.
(d) Leaving Certificate Candidates taking Junior Certificate Modern Continental Languages As schools are aware, pupils entering senior cycle may, if schools so wish, take the Junior Certificate syllabus in French, German, Spanish or Italian as part of their approved senior cycle course. A candidate for the Leaving Certificate who will be sitting the Junior Certificate Examination in a modern continental language will be required to pay only the appropriate Leaving Certificate fee.
3. Exemption of Examination Fees for Medical Card Holders Candidates who hold a full medical card or who are dependent on a parent or guardian who holds a full medical card are not liable for examination fees. Medical cards will be accepted only if valid on 26th April 2019. N.B. Holders or dependents of holders, of G.P. Visit Cards are not eligible for exemption from examination fees.
4. Schemes of Phased Payment Operated by Schools The online payment system described earlier and the Bank Giro Form system both require full payment at the time of payment. In the past, some schools have chosen to collect examination fees from students on a phased basis. Schools opting to provide such a service should contact the Fees Section to discuss a mechanism for onward transmission to the SEC.
5. Consequences for Candidates of Non Payment of Examination Fees All candidates, unless they have an exemption from payment of fees, must pay their examination fees to the SEC. It is SEC policy to ensure all fees are paid in full. Failure to pay examination fees may have serious consequences for candidates and could result in the following sanctions; • Refusal of admission to the Certificate Examination • Withholding of examination results • Withholding of the actual Examination Certificate • Withholding of results from the CAO
Examination fees are not refundable other than in very exceptional circumstances
School authorities are requested to bring the terms of this letter to the attention of candidates. Details of all examination fees, including fee rates for External candidates, are available from the Examination Information section of the SEC website, www.examinations.ie