The National Certificate (Irish: Teastais Náisiúnta) was a two-year broadly based higher education qualification in a technology discipline offered by an Institute of Technology or a HETAC-designated institution in Ireland.
The certificate generally exempts a student from the first year of a four-year university Bachelor's degree or the first two years of an ab initio National Diploma in Ireland.
Many students continue education and transfer to a National Diploma course or a Bachelor's degree.
The first National Certificates in Ireland were awarded in 1972 at five Regional Technical Colleges.
Since June 2006 and the implementation of the National Framework of Qualifications, the National Certificate has been replaced by the Higher Certificate in a number of similar disciplines.