The Leaving Certificate Applied is a self-contained Leaving Certificate programme. The programme is pre-vocational by nature and is designed for those students who do not wish to proceed directly to higher education or for those whose needs, aptitudes and learning styles are not fully catered for by the other two Leaving Certificate programmes. Participants in the Leaving Certificate Applied are mainly engaged in work and study of an active, practical and student-centred nature.
As learners complete their course work they collect credits. It is possible to collect a total of 200 credits. A certificate is awarded at three levels: Distinction (170-200 credits): Merit (140-169 credits); Pass (120–139 credits). Students who accumulate fewer than 120 credits receive a Record of Experience.
One of the most anticipated events in the LCA calendar year is the football and basketball match versus a select panel of male and female teachers. LCA studets organise and run this as part of their "General Education Task". This event runs over two weeks seeing male students take on the male teachers in a soccer match in the sports hall followed by the female stuents playing against the female teachers in Basketball. First and Second year students attend both events with all money from entry and the tuck shop going towards "South Westmeath Hospice".