| Acronym | JC |
|---|---|
| Type | Digital / Oral / Written-based |
| Administrator | National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the State Examinations Commission |
| Purpose | To provide a well-balanced, general education to students who wish to enter on more advanced courses of study |
| Duration | ~ 2 weeks |
| Offered | Once a year |
| Languages | English, Irish, other EU languages |
| Annual number of test takers | 71,494 (2023) |
| Prerequisites | At least 12 years of age on year of admission and must have completed primary education |
| Fee | Free (2023) |
| Website | www |
The Junior Cycle (Irish: An tSraith Shóisearach) is the first stage of the education programme for post-primary education within the Republic of Ireland. It is overseen by the Department of Education and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), and its terminal examination, the Junior Certificate, by the State Examinations Commission.
New specifications and curriculum reforms saw the Junior Cycle replaced the original Junior Certificate programme (as first introduced in 1992). The revised curriculum was introduced on a gradual phased basis from 2014, and the process was completed in 2022. A Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement is issued to students who have successfully achieved a minimum standard in their Junior Cycle assessments and examinations.[1]
A "recognised pupil" who commences the Junior Cycle must reach at least 12 years of age on 1 January of the school year of admission and must have completed primary education; the examination is normally taken after three years' study in a secondary school.[2]