Sri Lanka’s 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination popular-school cut-off marks are expected to be released in early November 2026, based on the release pattern seen in the previous two examinations.
The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination is a competitive national examination used to determine eligibility for admission to selected popular schools in Sri Lanka.
2026 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination
The 2026 examination was held on August 9, 2026, and the results were released on September 2, 2026.
The Department of Examinations has since released the district-wise cut-off marks for Sinhala and Tamil medium students. However, the individual school cut-off marks have not yet been released.
When will the 2026 popular-school cut-off marks be released?
2026 popular-school cut-off marks could be released in early November 2026. This is an estimate based on previous release dates and is not an officially announced release date.
2026 District-Wise Cut-Off Marks
The 2026 district cut-off marks are:
| District | Sinhala Medium | Tamil Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Colombo | 139 | 135 |
| Gampaha | 139 | 135 |
| Kalutara | 139 | 135 |
| Kandy | 139 | 135 |
| Matale | 139 | 135 |
| Nuwara Eliya | 133 | 132 |
| Galle | 139 | 135 |
| Matara | 139 | 135 |
| Hambantota | 135 | 133 |
| Jaffna | — | 133 |
| Kilinochchi | — | 133 |
| Mannar | 125 | 131 |
| Vavuniya | 125 | 132 |
| Mullaitivu | 125 | 132 |
| Batticaloa | 125 | 132 |
| Ampara | 133 | 133 |
| Trincomalee | 133 | 131 |
| Kurunegala | 139 | 135 |
| Puttalam | 133 | 131 |
| Anuradhapura | 133 | 130 |
| Polonnaruwa | 133 | 130 |
| Badulla | 134 | 133 |
| Monaragala | 134 | 133 |
| Ratnapura | 135 | 133 |
| Kegalle | 139 | 135 |
The highest 2026 district cut-off is 139 for Sinhala Medium and 135 for Tamil Medium.
What were the popular-school cut-offs in 2025?
The 2025 popular-school cut-offs included:
| School | 2025 Cut-Off |
|---|---|
| Visakha Vidyalaya | 194 |
| Royal College | 193 |
| Dharmaraja College | 192 |
| Devi Balika Vidyalaya | 191 |
| Ananda College | 191 |
| Maliyadeva Balika Vidyalaya | 191 |
These figures demonstrate that popular-school cut-offs are substantially higher than the district-wise cut-off marks. For example, the 2025 district cut-off for Colombo was 140, while the cut-off for Royal College was 193.
FAQs
When will the Grade 5 Scholarship 2026 popular-school cut-off marks be released?
They have not yet been officially released. Based on the 50-day and 78-day intervals seen in the previous two examinations, they are expected around early November 2026, with November 5 being an approximate date based on the two-year average.
What will be the cut-off mark for schools in Colombo?
The 2026 school-specific cut-off marks for Colombo schools are not yet known. The Colombo district cut-off is 139 for Sinhala Medium and 135 for Tamil Medium, but this is not the cut-off required for an individual popular school.
For comparison, 2025 popular-school cut-offs included Royal College – 193, Visakha Vidyalaya – 194, Ananda College – 191 and Devi Balika Vidyalaya – 191.
Will Royal College’s 2026 cut-off be 193 again?
There is currently no official 2026 cut-off for Royal College. The 2025 cut-off was 193, but the 2026 figure cannot be confirmed until the Department of Examinations releases the school-specific cut-offs.
What was the Colombo district cut-off for 2026?
The 2026 Colombo district cut-off is 139 for Sinhala Medium and 135 for Tamil Medium.
Are district cut-offs and school cut-offs the same?
No. District-wise cut-offs and individual school cut-offs are different. The district cut-off is a benchmark for eligibility, while the popular-school cut-off varies according to the school and the number of students competing for available places.
When were the 2026 Grade 5 Scholarship results released?
The 2026 results were released on September 2, 2026, following the examination held on August 9, 2026.
Note: The early-November date is a historical-pattern estimate, not an official announcement. The final school-specific cut-off marks should be confirmed through the Sri Lanka Department of Examinations when officially released.
( LankaEducation.com )
