SQA results day 2025: What happens after results come out?

Results can come by post or text

About 147,000 peopel across Scotland are receiving their SQA results.

Here is everything you need to know.

What time will Scottish exam results arrive?

The results for Nationals, Highers and Advanced Highers - as well as the more vocational National Progression Awards, Skills for Work Awards, and National Certificates - are being issued on Tuesday.

They are sent out by first-class post but many students have opted to receive their grades digitally.

Text messages and emails were due to be sent to candidates who had an activated MySQA account from 08:00 onwards.

If you have opted to receive your results by post, it will depend on when your mail normally arrives.

The SQA has warned that the disruption caused by Storm Floris means there will be delays to the delivery of results in several areas, including the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland.

Pupils at Madras College in St Andrews celebrated their results last year

What percentage is an A grade?

Courses at National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher are graded A-D.

National 2, National 3, and National 4 courses are not graded — the units that make up these courses are assessed as pass or fail.

Grade boundaries vary from year to year and the exact percentages for 2025 won't be published until results day.

However, the SQA sets initial grade boundaries for their assessments at 50% for a C, 70% for an A, and 85% for an Upper A.

These boundaries are the starting point for deciding the final grade boundaries each year.

Is a grade D at National 5 a pass?

A grade D is a pass.

If you receive a grade D result this usually means you scored between 40 and 49% in the course assessment.

Candidates who score less than 40% are not awarded a national course and will receive a no award result.

What were the SQA national average marks for 2025?

The number of pupils achieving an A, B or C grade at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher increased this year.

The National 5 qualifications figure rose from 77.2% last year to 78.4% this year.

The rate for Higher increased from 74.9% to 75.9%, and the rate for Advanced Higher rose from 75.3% to 76.7%.

What happens if you fail your exams?

There is lots of support available if you don't get the results you are hoping for.

The SQA's candidate advice line can be reached on 0345 279 1000.

It will open at 08:00 on results day and will stay open until 18:00. It will then be available from 08:30 until 17:00 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Guidance staff at your school will also be on hand to provide help.

If you have a conditional offer for university or college that you don't meet, you can apply to Ucas' clearing process which is used by universities and colleges to fill empty places.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the agency which supports training and skills for work, will also operate an advice line from 5 to 8 August.

If you need help and advice about the next steps in your career or education or if you didn't get the results you hoped for you can phone the SDS results helpline number on 0808 100 8000.

Can I appeal my SQA grade?

Yes, and every year thousands of pupils do.

Before anyone sits an exam their school, college or training centre submits estimated grades for every candidate to the SQA.

If you don't think your grade is correct, you should first talk to your school or college.

It will contact the exam board on your behalf and ask for your marks to be reviewed.

You can also submit your own appeal.

Appeals will be subject to a marking review - a check that marks have been added up and submitted correctly and a check that the marking meets the national standard.

An appeal can be prioritised if you have a conditional place at university or college, or are in training or employment that depends on your grade.

The deadline for individuals to submit a priority appeal is 12 August, or 26 August for other appeals. If the appeal is being lodged by your school or college, the deadlines are 21 August for priority cases and 29 August for others.

What was the success rate of SQA appeals in 2024?

In 2024, 44,855 of the 552,695 certificated grades for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher were appealed. This was a 7% increase from the year before.

A total of 3,990 appeal requests resulted in an upgrade while five resulted in a downgrade.

This means the success rate is just under 9%.