Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA) results are due on Tuesday, 4 August, 2026.

Sign up to My Qualifications Scotland to have them sent to you by text or email. Register by 15 July at info.qualifications.gov.scot/MyQualificationsScotland. Everyone will also receive their results certificate by post.

SCQF levels and credit points are included in all Scottish qualifications certificates, so understanding what these mean can help when making decisions about your future learning or career options.

If you’re a parent, learning about the SCQF will help you support your teenager with making important choices about their next steps.

A collage of official Qualifications Scotland documents for a candidate named Sam Scholar, including a congratulatory cover letter, a Scottish Baccalaureate in Science certificate with distinction, and several records summarising and detailing attainment, grades, SCQF levels, and core skills.

Your Scottish Qualifications certificate

Inside the envelope, you will receive:

  • A letter, which has a short message and it may also state that you have not passed the subjects/courses listed.
  • A commemorative certificate if you have passed a certain qualification – the full list is on the Qualifications Scotland website here.
  • A summary of attainment, which shows all the SQA/Qualifications Scotland qualifications you’ve passed since 1995, including their SCQF level.
  • A detailed record of attainment, which features the SCQF level and credit points for each qualification listed.
  • A profiles page, which outlines the core skills you’ve gained while completing the qualifications, and their SCQF level. It also outlines the total number of credit points you’ve gained at each SCQF level. An explanation of SCQF levels and credit points is featured below.

What is the SCQF?

The SCQF is the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and it provides a way of comparing Scottish qualifications. The Framework features the qualifications you will achieve at school, college, university and many other qualifications you may go on to achieve at work or in the community. Each qualification has an SCQF level and credit points. 

What are SCQF levels?

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework has 12 levels. The different levels indicate the level of difficulty of a particular qualification, with 12 being the most challenging.

A blue infographic titled “The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework” showing how different Scottish qualifications align across SCQF levels 1 to 12. On the left, a vertical column lists SCQF levels from 1 (bottom) to 12 (top). Across the middle and right, the diagram is divided into three main columns: Qualifications of Qualifications Scotland (formerly SQA) Lower levels (1–4): National 1–4 and related awards Level 5: National 5 and Skills for Work Level 6: Highers and Skills for Work Higher Level 7: Advanced Highers and Scottish Baccalaureate Level 7–8: Higher National Certificate (HNC) Level 8: Higher National Diploma (HND) Vertical arrows show progression between “National Certificate,” “Higher National” awards, and “Professional Development Award.” Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions Level 7: Certificate of Higher Education Level 8: Diploma of Higher Education Level 9: Bachelor’s/Ordinary Degree, Graduate Certificate/Diploma Level 10: Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate/Diploma Level 11: Master’s Degree, Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate Level 12: Doctoral Degree Apprenticeships & SVQs Level 4–5: SVQs and Modern Apprenticeships Level 6: Foundation Apprenticeships Level 7: Modern Apprenticeship (SVQ) Level 8: Higher Apprenticeship (SVQ) Level 9–11: Graduate and Professional Apprenticeships Level 12: Professional Apprenticeship Arrows in the centre indicate progression pathways upward through levels and different qualification types. At the top, explanatory text states that the diagram shows mainstream Scottish qualifications and refers users to the SCQF website (www.scqf.org.uk) for more information.

See your level of learning and compare qualifications on our interactive framework diagram

What are SCQF credit points?

Credit points are a way of showing how much time it takes, on average, to complete a qualification or learning programme. They allow learners, learning providers and employers to compare different qualifications at the same or even different levels.

One credit point is approximately 10 hours of learning. For example, 15 credits involves 150 hours of learning. 

What is the SCQF for?

The SCQF makes it easier to describe, compare and understand qualifications. Before the SCQF, there was no easy way to compare different qualifications. Now it is easy to see that, for example, a National Progression Award (NPA) at SCQF Level 5 is at the same level as a National 5. Most Scottish universities and colleges now use SCQF levels and credit points to describe their courses.

The SCQF can:

  • help you plan your learning and make the right choices;
  • help employers understand your qualifications;
  • help universities or colleges identify the level you have studied at in a particular subject, and make it easier to transfer credits between different learning programmes;
  • increase your confidence by showing you the level of learning you have achieved; and
  • recognise other areas of formal and informal learning or skills that may help you to develop and achieve your goals.

Comparing old vs new qualifications

The names of qualifications have changed over the years, but that doesn’t mean their harder, easier or less valuable – they’re just different. To help you make sense of all it, we’ve created a handy guide to help you understand how older qualifications relate to today’s.

View the simplified version, right, or download the more detailed Old V New, which contains more qualifications, such as Skills For Work, National Progression Awards and Foundation Apprenticeships.

By understanding how your qualifications relate to your child’s, you’ll be able to support them with confidence when they get their results on August 4.

Frequently asked questions

Are SCQF credit points the same as UCAS tariff points?

SCQF credit points are not the same as UCAS tariff points. UCAS tariff points relate to the grades you have achieved. SCQF credits are a measure of how long it takes to achieve a qualification, no matter what grade you get.

Why does an ‘A’ at Higher get the same number of SCQF credit points as a ‘C’ at Higher?

The number of SCQF credit points you’ve gained doesn’t change depending on your grade at any particular level. SCQF credits reflect how many hours of learning you’ve done, not how well you’ve learned a subject.

Will my qualifications be recognised if I move abroad?

SCQF levels are referenced against the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), so learning institutions and employers in Europe can easily compare your qualifications against their own country’s qualifications framework.

If I build up SCQF credit points, will I get into college or university?

Not directly, although SCQF credit points help admissions officers in colleges and universities know exactly how much learning you have done and at what level. The admissions officers still have other factors to consider, such as the subjects you studied and grades you achieved.

Will the SCQF help me to get a job?

Not directly, but it will help employers understand the level of difficulty of each qualification, as well as the number of credit points you have achieved as part of your personal development. As your career develops, any work-based qualifications you achieve may add to the number of credits you already have.

What if don’t get the results I expected?

There is more than one path to get you to where you want to go. You can use our interactive framework to help you plan your learning journey. For example, if you want to go to university, but don’t have the grades, you can apply to study an HNC or HND at college. Many colleges have articulation agreements with universities so that students can gain entry into the second or third year of a university course upon completion of their college qualification. Contact your local college for more information. An apprenticeship is also a valuable option that could bring you a step closer to your ideal career.

Results Helpline

Skills Development Scotland’s Results Helpline goes live at 8am on results day.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday: 8am to 8pm
  • Thursday and Friday: 9am to 5pm

The SDS Results Helpline number is 0808 100 8000.

You can talk to SDS’s expert careers advisers about course vacancies at UK colleges and universities, Confirmation and Clearing, advice about Foundation, Modern, and Graduate Apprenticeships, jobs, volunteering, or staying on at school.

SDS careers advisers are at the end of the phone to help young people and their parents and carers.

There’s also lots of results support on Scotland’s career website, My World of Work – it’s packed with advice, information and resources.

If you would prefer to speak to someone in person, you can visit an SDS centre or community venue to talk to a careers adviser about your results and next steps. No appointment is necessary. Find your nearest centre at Contact us – Skills Development Scotland

BSL users

BSL users can use Contact Scotland BSL for support in speaking to an adviser. You can use their app to sign up with an interpreter who will make the phone call for you. Visit contactscotland-bsl.org

**Before 4 August you can still speak to an adviser by calling 0800 917 8000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Qualifications Scotland support

If something is wrong or missing from your certificate, call your school/college who will contact Qualifications Scotland Support on 0345 279 1000.

Learner support for National Qualifications – Qualifications Scotland

Information on Qualifications Scotland Appeals

We offer support for learners and their parents/carers at Support for Learners.

You can also visit Qualifications Scotland, Young Scot and My World of Work and for parents via NPFS and Connect.

If you have any further questions relating to SCQF credits or levels, please get in touch via email on info@scqf.org.uk, or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram.

Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

Glossary Term

Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

Glossary Term

Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

Glossary Term

Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

Glossary Term

Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

Glossary Term

Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

Glossary Term

Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

Glossary Term

Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

Glossary Term

Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

Glossary Term

Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

Glossary Term

Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

Glossary Term

Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

Glossary Term

Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

Glossary Term

Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.