Exams in Scotland 2027
The 2027 National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams run from Monday 26 April to Wednesday 2 June. Results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027.
207 days to go. The last exam is on Wednesday 2 June.
Choose a level
Exam dates, grade boundaries and a grade calculator for each course.
Exam tools and dates
Everything for the 2027 exam diet in one place.
Exam timetable 2027
Every paper by date, filter by course and level
Grade boundaries
The marks needed for each grade, 2022 to 2026
Grade calculator
Turn a practice mark into a likely grade
Results day
When results arrive and how appeals work
Prelims
When schools hold them and why they matter
School leaving date
Summer or winter, from a date of birth
Key dates for 2027
| What | Date |
|---|---|
| Prelims | Set by each school |
| First exam | Monday 26 April 2027 |
| No exams (bank holiday) | Monday 3 May 2027 |
| Last exam | Wednesday 2 June 2027 |
| Contingency day | Thursday 3 June 2027 |
| Results day | Tuesday 10 August 2027 |
| Grade boundaries | August 2027 |
| Appeal deadlines | Not yet published |
Who runs the exams
Qualifications Scotland replaced the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on 1 February 2026. The change came under the Education (Scotland) Act 2025.
Courses and assessment did not change with the new name. You will still see the SQA name on some pages and documents during the move to new systems.
The three exam levels
| Level | SCQF level | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| National 5 | 5 | A to D, or No Award |
| Higher | 6 | A to D, or No Award |
| Advanced Higher | 7 | A to D, or No Award |
Your grade comes from the course assessment. For most courses that is an exam plus coursework, such as an assignment, project, portfolio or performance.
A grade D means a score of 40% to 49%, and you are still awarded the course. National 5 courses are worth 24 SCQF credit points.
The 2027 exam diet
The 2027 timetable has 203 papers across 27 exam days. The first day is Applications of Mathematics on Monday 26 April. The last papers are Italian, Sociology and Advanced Higher Statistics on Wednesday 2 June.
The English and Mathematics dates are:
- Higher English: Friday 7 May
- National 5 English: Monday 10 May
- Higher Mathematics: Friday 14 May
- National 5 Mathematics: Monday 17 May
Qualifications Scotland says more than 95% of learners have only one exam scheduled per day. If two of yours clash, speak to your school.
Coursework
Many courses include coursework that is marked by Qualifications Scotland. Your teachers set the deadlines for handing it in. Late work may not be marked.
Some courses let you use a resource sheet. If yours does, hand it in with your coursework or you lose 20% of the marks available.
The Advanced Higher English writing portfolio is handed in on exam day, Monday 10 May 2027.
Results and what comes next
Your certificate comes by post on results day. Sign up to My Qualifications Scotland, formerly MySQA, to get results by text or email as well. In 2026 these were sent from 8am.
The appeals service is free and reviews how your work was marked. Your grade can go up, stay the same or go down. If you applied through UCAS, your results are sent to UCAS for you.
Illness and exceptional circumstances
If illness or a serious event affects an exam, tell your school straight away. Your school can ask for your grade to be based on other evidence, such as prelims and class work. It must apply within 10 working days of the exam.
In this section
- Exam timetable 2027: every paper by date, level and course, with filters.
- Results day: dates, times, appeals and Clearing.
- Prelims: what they are and how schools use them.
- Grade boundaries: the marks needed for A, B and C.
- Grade calculator: check what grade a past paper mark would get.
Quick answers
- When do exams start in Scotland in 2027?
The National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams start on Monday 26 April 2027. The last exams are on Wednesday 2 June 2027.
- When is results day 2027 in Scotland?
Results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027.
- Does SQA still run the exams?
Qualifications Scotland replaced SQA on 1 February 2026. It now runs National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams. Courses and assessment did not change.
- When will the 2027 appeal deadlines be published?
They had not been published by 1 October 2026. In 2026 the first learner deadline was Tuesday 11 August, one week after results day.
- Are prelims part of the national exam timetable?
No. Schools set, run and mark their own prelims, on dates they choose.