Higher Geography
Higher Geography has two exam papers and an assignment, scaled to a total of 110 marks. Both papers are on Thursday 6 May 2027.
- Physical and Human Environments09:00 to 10:50
- Global Issues and Geographical Skills11:20 to 12:30
What grade is my mark?
Type a total mark to see the grade it would have got.
How the A and C boundaries have moved
Boundaries as a share of the total marks. A lower line means the papers were judged harder that year. Qualifications Scotland publishes boundaries from 2022 in this format.
| Year | Out of | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 110 | 76 | 63 | 50 | 37 |
| 2025 | 110 | 77 | 64 | 51 | 38 |
| 2024 | 110 | 76 | 63 | 50 | 37 |
| 2023 | 70 | 47 | 38 | 29 | 20 |
| 2022 | 70 | 49 | 39 | 30 | 20 |
How the marks add up
Higher Geography is scaled to 110 marks. Paper 1 counts for 50, Paper 2 for 30 and the assignment for 30.
Paper 1 is Physical and Human Environments. It lasts 1 hour 50 minutes and is marked out of 100, then scaled to 50. You answer every question. Half the marks are physical and half are human.
Paper 2 is Global Issues and Geographical Skills. It lasts 1 hour 10 minutes and is marked out of 60, then scaled to 30. You answer two global issues from four, at 20 marks each. The skills question is compulsory and worth 20 marks. It can use Ordnance Survey maps, photos, field sketches, cross-sections and data.
On Thursday 6 May 2027, Paper 1 runs from 9am to 10:50am. Paper 2 runs from 11:20am to 12:30pm.
Content
Physical environments cover the atmosphere, rivers and the hydrological cycle, glaciated and coastal landscapes, and soils. Human environments cover population, rural land degradation and conflicts, and urban change. Global issues are river basin management, development and health, global climate change, and energy.
The assignment
You research a geographical topic for about 8 hours, often including fieldwork. You then write it up in 1 hour 30 minutes under supervision. Processed information goes on two single-sided A4 sheets or one A3 sheet.
If you do not hand in the processed information, 6 marks are deducted. Drafts of your report cannot be included on it.
What the 2025 course report found
Most candidates explained glacial erosion well. Many described population data methods beyond the census, such as sampling.
Weaker areas included:
- describing the hydrological cycle beyond a basic level
- answering only the first command word when a question had two
- misreading graphs, such as mixing up months
- using case studies on primary healthcare from over 50 years ago
Examiners advised using a ruler to read graphs. They also stressed the difference between explain and comment on the effectiveness. Case studies should be recent.
In 2025, an A needed 77 out of 110, a B 64 and a C 51.
Future changes
In June 2026, Qualifications Scotland began surveying teachers and learners on proposed changes to Higher Geography assessment. Nothing has been confirmed for 2026/27.
Getting value from past papers
Highlight both command words in every past question before you start writing. Then mark your answer with the marking instructions, which show how many points each command word needs.
Revision checklist
Tick topics as you revise. Ticks are saved on this device only.
- Practise OS map questions with grid references and map evidence
- Learn a full annotated diagram of the hydrological cycle
- Highlight every command word before answering past questions
- Practise comment on the effectiveness questions, not just explain
- Update case studies so examples are recent and specific
- Read graphs with a ruler and check the units and labels on each axis
- Revise your two chosen global issues with named examples
- Prepare clear, labelled processed information for the assignment
- Rehearse the assignment write-up in 1 hour 30 minutes
- Time Paper 1 at 1 hour 50 minutes for all questions
Quick answers
- How many marks is Higher Geography out of?
110 after scaling. Paper 1 is marked out of 100 and scaled to 50. Paper 2 is marked out of 60 and scaled to 30. The assignment is worth 30.
- How many global issues do I answer in Higher Geography?
Two from the four on offer: river basin management, development and health, global climate change, and energy. Each is worth 20 marks.
- What is processed information in the Higher Geography assignment?
Your own maps, graphs and data summaries on two A4 sides or one A3 sheet. You use it while writing up. Missing it costs 6 marks.
- When is the Higher Geography exam in 2027?
Thursday 6 May 2027. Paper 1 runs from 9am to 10:50am and Paper 2 from 11:20am to 12:30pm.