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Higher

Higher History

Higher History is marked out of 110: two exam papers worth 44 and 36 marks, and a 30-mark assignment. Both papers are on Wednesday 19 May 2027.

2027 examWednesday 19 May 2027
  • British, European and World History09:00 to 10:30
  • Scottish History11:00 to 12:30
Paper 1: British, European and World History44 marks, 1 hour 30 minutesTwo extended essays, one from the British section and one from the European and World section, 22 marks each.
Paper 2: Scottish History36 marks, 1 hour 30 minutesSource-based and knowledge questions on one Scottish topic.
Assignment30 marks, 1 hour 30 minutes to write up, after about 8 hours of researchWritten under supervision using a resource sheet of up to 250 words. Marked by Qualifications Scotland.

What grade is my mark?

out of 110
?

Type a total mark to see the grade it would have got.

How the A and C boundaries have moved

35%40%45%50%55%60%65%70%75%202220232024202520262022: 53 of 802023: 56 of 802024: 75 of 1102025: 77 of 1102026: 77 of 1102022: 34 of 802023: 38 of 802024: 53 of 1102025: 55 of 1102026: 55 of 110AC

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.

YearOut ofABCD
202611077665544
202511077665544
202411075645342
20238056473829
20228053433424

The three parts of Higher History

The course total is 110 marks. Paper 1 is worth 44, Paper 2 is worth 36 and the assignment is worth 30.

Paper 1 covers British, European and World History. You write two essays in 1 hour 30 minutes, one from each section. Each essay is worth 22 marks.

Paper 2 covers Scottish History, also in 1 hour 30 minutes. Most questions are based on sources. Typical question stems include:

  • Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of...
  • How fully does Source B explain...
  • How much do Sources C and D reveal about differing interpretations of...
  • Explain the reasons why...

In 2027 Paper 1 runs from 9am to 10:30am on Wednesday 19 May. Paper 2 follows from 11am to 12:30pm.

Topic choices

Schools choose one Scottish topic, one British topic and one European and World topic. Scottish options run from the Wars of Independence to the impact of the Great War. British options include Britain 1851 to 1951 and the trade in enslaved African people. European and World options include Germany, Russia, the USA and the Cold War.

The assignment

You choose your own historical question and research it for around 8 hours. You then write it up in 1 hour 30 minutes under supervision. The only support allowed is a resource sheet of up to 250 words.

The 2026 course report warned that text copied word for word from the resource sheet gains no marks. Some candidates also chose questions that did not suit the task. Pick an issue with a genuine debate, not a story to retell.

What the 2026 course report said

Most Paper 1 essays had strong introductions, detailed knowledge and conclusions. Analysis was often too brief for Higher level. Few candidates attempted the evaluation that pushes an essay into the top bands.

In Paper 2, many answers on usefulness gave generic comments on author, type, purpose and timing. Markers wanted those points tied to how useful the source is for the question.

In 2026, an A needed 77 out of 110, a B 66 and a C 55.

Possible future changes

In June 2026, Qualifications Scotland began surveying teachers and learners on proposed changes to Higher History assessment. Nothing has been confirmed for 2026/27. The current course specification still applies.

Using past papers

Write timed essays to past questions you have not seen before. Then check the marking instructions to see how knowledge, analysis and evaluation marks are split. For source questions, practise the usefulness stem until each origin point links to the question.

Revision checklist

Tick topics as you revise. Ticks are saved on this device only.

  • Write one timed 22-mark essay a week from a past Paper 1 question
  • Add at least two pieces of evaluation to every practice essay
  • Learn the four Paper 2 question stems and how each is marked
  • Link every comment on a source's author, type, purpose and timing to its usefulness
  • Build recall lists of key events and figures for your Scottish topic
  • Choose an assignment question with a real debate, not a description
  • Keep the 250-word resource sheet to prompts, since copied text earns nothing
  • Practise writing your assignment in 1 hour 30 minutes under exam conditions
  • Use marking instructions to check where your analysis marks came from

Quick answers

How many marks is Higher History out of?

110. Paper 1 is worth 44 marks, Paper 2 is worth 36 and the assignment is worth 30.

How many essays are in Higher History Paper 1?

Two. You write one essay from the British section and one from the European and World section. Each is worth 22 marks.

What can I take into the Higher History assignment write-up?

A resource sheet of up to 250 words. You have 1 hour 30 minutes to write the assignment under supervision.

When is the Higher History exam in 2027?

Wednesday 19 May 2027. Paper 1 runs from 9am to 10:30am and Paper 2 from 11am to 12:30pm.