The Scottish Exam System

The Scottish public exam system, administered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), corresponds to the General Certificate of Education (GCE) in England and Wales. SQA and GCE exams are recognised for entrance to all universities in the UK.

Standard Grade exams, usually taken in the fourth year of secondary school, cover a broad range of subjects across the curriculum. After Standard Grade, students usually follow a two year programme at Higher and Advanced Higher levels in fifth and sixth year. The programme offers a broad range of subjects, academic and vocational. There are five levels in all - Access, Intermediate 1 & 2, Higher and Advanced Higher. The system is modular and units may be taken on a free-standing basis or grouped together into courses at appropriate levels.

Highers are usually taken in fifth year in four, five or six subjects, giving students breadth, depth of study and individual choice. In the sixth year pupils can improve on their Highers, take more, or continue in selected subjects to Advanced Higher. Highers and Advanced Highers are recognised for entrance to universities throughout the UK. Achievements in core skills - communication, numeracy, information technology, problem solving and working with others - are also recognised, normally within the subject-based courses of the Higher Still programme. Some schools also offer AS and A Levels which are run by the examination boards in England. In Scotland, AS and A Level courses may be offered with the Scottish Higher and Advanced Higher programme in some or all subjects. The following chart sets out the key stages of the Scottish qualifications system and the broadly equivalent stages in England.

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