HPAT Results Will Be Released Soon! Here Are Some Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Regarding HPAT Results
1 month ago by Tom
HPAT results are due to be released in late June. You may have questions about your HPAT results, how they are calculated and what they mean. This blog seeks to answer those questions.
When will I receive my HPAT 2026 results?
You will receive your HPAT 2026 results in late June. ACER does not normally release a specific date when HPAT results are made available, however, for the past few years HPAT results have been released during the last week of June, often the day after the final Leaving Cert exam. In 2025, HPAT results were released on 25 June at approximately 5:00 am. ACER does not guarantee this pattern and has not announced a confirmed date for HPAT 2026.
How will I receive my HPAT 2026 results?
Once your HPAT 2026 results are available, you will receive an email from ACER to notify you of their release. You will be able to access your results via the ACER website, by logging into your account.
Why does it take so long for HPAT results to be released?
HPAT takes place in late February each year, and results are not released until late June for most candidates. Results are released earlier, in mid to late April, to UL MSc Occupational Therapy and MSc Speech and Language Therapy applicants, and to mature test takers.
Furthermore, ACER conducts extensive statistical analysis on student performance following HPAT to ensure that HPAT scores are accurate, valid and reliable. This process can take many weeks.
How is HPAT scored?
When you receive your HPAT results, you will be given a scaled score for each HPAT section, usually ranging from 0 to 100.
Scaled scores are derived from your raw scores (the number of questions you got right) using statistical methods which are not released publicly by ACER. The methodology ACER uses to calculate scaled scores is discussed in detail in MedEntry's HPAT workshops.
Scaled scores for each section are then weighted as follows:
- Section 1 Logical Reasoning and Problem Solving: 40%
- Section 2 Interpersonal Understanding: 40%
- Section 3 Non-verbal Reasoning: 20%
Weighted HPAT scaled scores are then combined to form an overall score, which ranges from 0 to 300 (note that 300 is theoretical, the highest HPAT score ever achieved was 261).
HPAT candidates will also be provided with a percentile rank. This shows candidates how they performed in relation to the rest of the HPAT cohort. For example, a percentile of 80 means that the student performed better than 80% of candidates, and 20% of candidates performed better than them.
Note that this scoring system applies to HPAT 2026. From HPAT 2027, the scoring system is changing, see our blog on changes to medical entry from 2027 for more details.
What will HPAT scores look like?
Your HPAT score report will be laid out as follows:
This is the highest HPAT score achieved last year, attained by a MedEntry student. As you can see, this student achieved scaled scores of 100 for HPAT section 1, 72 for HPAT section 2, and 75 for HPAT section 3. This translated to an overall score of 251, which placed the student in the 100th percentile.
How are points calculated for medicine?
When applying for medicine, universities use your overall HPAT score (combined with your adjusted Leaving Certificate points) to determine entry into medicine.
Your Leaving Certificate points are adjusted if you score above 550, such that every 5 points scored above 550 are adjusted down to 1 point. This is discussed in more detail in our HPAT guide.
Students are ranked on this basis, and those achieving the highest combined scores are awarded places in medicine.
Note that this scoring system applies to 2026 applicants. From 2027 admissions (for courses beginning 2027), the scoring system is changing, see our blog on changes to medical entry from 2027 for more details.
Will my HPAT score get me into medicine?
Each year, the cut-offs for HPAT and Leaving Cert scores vary slightly for entry into undergraduate medicine.
Remember that it is not your HPAT score alone that will determine if you will be successful in gaining entry into your chosen undergraduate medicine course, but a combination of your HPAT and adjusted Leaving Cert results.
You cannot be sure whether your HPAT score will get you into medicine until you have received your Leaving Cert results, and the points required for medicine this year are known. It is important not to make a rash decision and remove medicine from your CAO if you feel you have not scored well in HPAT, as this is described in detail in our blog.
How long is my HPAT score valid for?
HPAT scores are only valid for one year. This means that, for example, if you score highly in HPAT but not in your Leaving Certificate, you can re-sit the Leaving Cert, but you will also need to re-sit the HPAT.
Note that you can re-sit the HPAT as many times as you like, as long as you are in 6th year or thereafter.
Once HPAT results are released, MedEntry will publish a blog to help you interpret them. Stay tuned!
