Your Exams

Timetable

• Download the exam timetable.
• Double-check the times of your exams as schools can change the start times.
• Make sure you know what exams you’re taking, when they are, and where they are.
• Ask your school which teacher will be in charge of SQA exams on the day. You need to know so you can report to them if you are late.

Past papers

• Practice with previous exam papers.
• Use the marking instructions to check your answers.

SQA Apps

• MyExams app - create a personal timetable, add notes, and add to other calendars.
• MyStudyPlan app - organise your revision by creating a personal study plan.
• Create your own personal exam timetable using the online Timetable Builder.

Info and download links

Your Scottish Candidate number

Your Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) is your personal identification number.

• You need to write it on your exam answer booklets.
• Your school can tell you what your SCN is.

Your teacher will give you an SCN card to write your name, school name, date of birth and SCN on. You can take this card into the exam room as long as you don’t write anything else on it.

Check your school has the right name and address

Has your address changed?

If any of your personal details change, or are going to change over the summer, you must tell your school before you finish for the summer holidays.

You can check the personal details we hold for you by logging in to MySQA.

Arriving for your exam

• Make sure you know when and where your exam is taking place
• Give yourself plenty of time to get there
• Have your SCN with you
• Be outside the exam room 10 minutes before the exam starts

If you're late, the teacher in charge will tell you if you can sit the exam.

How to find your Scottish Candidate Number (SCN)

Speak to your school, call us on 0345 279 1000, or complete our Candidate Enquiry Form.

Supplies

Make sure you have the necessary exam supplies, such as pens.

Desks

If your school allocates a specific desk for exams, make sure you know what desk number is yours for each exam.

Prohibited items

You must not take any prohibited item to your seat. You're not allowed (unless an approved assessment arrangement is in place):

• Mobile phones (even if it's switched off)
• Electronic devices such as tablets, earbuds, smartwatches or any other device that stores information or can connect to the internet
• Books, sketches or paper, and anything written on your clothes or body
• Pencil cases or calculator cases
• Calculators (except when allowed)
• Dictionaries (except when allowed)
• Notes

Check your bags and pockets to make sure you do not have any of these things with you - plan ahead and leave them in a safe place.

When specific items are allowed in an exam, you must make sure they meet SQA regulations.

You are not allowed to share any equipment during an exam.

Invigilators

Invigilators supervise the exam and make sure the rules are followed. Follow any instructions given by the invigilator and ask them for help if you feel unwell or upset.

Leaving the exam room

If you finish early or have done as much of the exam as you can, and you want to leave the exam room, raise your hand and ask the invigilator for permission to leave. If the exam is longer than one hour, the invigilator may allow you to leave after 30 minutes. If the exam is less than one hour, you must stay in the exam room until the end of the exam.

Before you leave, you must give the invigilator all your exam papers, including any answer booklets, extra sheets, question papers and data booklets. You could lose all marks for the paper concerned if you don’t give your exam papers to the invigilator before leaving the exam room.

1. Read the instructions on the front of your question paper
2. Check the subject and level are correct
3. Fill in your details on the front page - including your name, school name and SCN

You will get either a :

• combined question paper and answer booklet

or

• separate question paper and answer booklet

Work through the question paper until you see the statement END OF QUESTION PAPER.

In a question paper, pages that don’t have any questions or instructions will say BLANK PAGE on them.

No page is completely blank. If you find a completely blank page before the END OF QUESTION PAPER statement, tell the invigilator.

Extra paper

If you need extra paper, raise your hand and ask the invigilator.

If you use extra paper, you must write your name, SCN and school name on each sheet and put these inside your answer booklet.

In some subjects, you will find extra pages or graph paper at the end of the answer booklet.

Writing your answers

You must use a pen with black or blue ink.

Do not use gel pens or pencils as these can fade.

It is important the markers can read your writing. They might not be able to award marks if your writing is difficult to read.

When writing on unlined pages, try to leave a space of about one centimetre between lines.

In some subjects, poor spelling and punctuation could also result in marks not being awarded. If you have any concerns about this, or about your handwriting, speak to your teacher.

Cross out any rough work, or any unwanted answers if you make more than one attempt at a question. You are not allowed to use correction pens, tape or fluid in any exam.

Remember

• Take your time.
• Read the question carefully.
• Answer the question being asked.
• Double check your answers if you finish early.
• Stay calm and do your best.

You can only use calculators and dictionaries in specific subjects and levels.

When can you use a calculator?

You can use a calculator in the subjects listed below:

Some learners may be allowed to use a calculator in the non-calculator papers for Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics, or for Gaelic Medium Matamataig or Gnìomhachas Matamataigs as part of an assessment arrangement. The calculator must be a basic calculator and not a scientific calculator. A basic calculator should perform the four basic arithmetic operations only and should not have the function to calculate the square root of a number. Please note that calculators containing the following keys are allowed: %, +/-, M-, M+, and MRC.

Please speak to your teacher or lecturer if you have any questions about the type of calculator allowed.

When can you use a dictionary?

You can use a dictionary in the subjects and levels listed below:

Everyone should have a fair chance to do their best during exams.

Cheating and causing a disturbance during an exam are unfair to other candidates. Examples of cheating and unfair behaviour include:

• Having prohibited items with you
• Pretending to be someone else or getting someone else to take an exam for you.
• Disruptive behaviour in the exam room.
• Using rude, abusive, offensive or discriminatory language or images in your answers.
• Copying from another person.
• Collusion - working with other candidates on an individual task that must be your own work.
• Plagiarism - failing to reference sources properly or presenting someone else’s work as your own, which includes using artificial intelligence programmes such as ChatGPT to create responses.

Any cheating or unfair behaviour can have serious consequences for your results.

This could include losing marks, getting a lower grade or having your qualification cancelled. Your school can explain more about this.

Do

• Do arrive in good time - at least 10 minutes before the exam starts.
• Do bring the right equipment - including black or blue ink pens.
• Do check that you don’t have any prohibited items with you at your seat.
• Do check you have been given the correct exam paper.
• Do put your name, SCN and the name of your school on every piece of work you hand in (including separate answer booklets and answer sheets).
• Do write legibly so markers can read your answers.
• Do read instructions and listen carefully for any announcements from the invigilator.
• Do cross out any rough work that is not part of your answer.
• Do stay in the room until the exam is finished. You can only leave early with permission from the invigilator.
• Do give the invigilator all your exam papers, including any answer booklets, extra sheets, question papers and data booklets, before you leave the exam room.

Don't

• Don’t get someone else to sit your exam for you or pretend to be someone else.
• Don’t take any prohibited items to your seat.
• Don’t behave in a disruptive way or cause a disturbance.
• Don’t copy from anyone else.
• Don’t share your work with anyone else.
• Don’t share equipment with anyone else.
• Don’t use any rude, abusive, offensive or discriminatory language or images in your answers.
• Don’t use correction pens, tape or fluid.

You or your parent or carer should contact your school as soon as possible, explaining what has happened.

They will be able to discuss your options and whether or not you would be entitled to use the Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service. If you are eligible for the service, your school would need to contact us.

Exam Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service

This Service will support you if:

• you have been unable to attend the exam, or prevented from completing the exam, due to a personal circumstance beyond your control (such as a medical issue)
• you have been affected during the exam by a disruption, or other exam circumstance, reported by the chief invigilator
• your performance in the exam was affected by a personal circumstance, or an unplanned incident on the day, which was beyond your control.

Exam nerves, distraction or loss of concentration during an exam are not valid reasons to use this service.

Your school must request the service for you within 10 days after the exam, so it’s important that you speak to them as soon as possible after the exam, giving them the information about what happened. You must give your school permission to request the service.

Your school will then need to provide alternative evidence based on the assessments you completed throughout the year. This could be prelims, class tests, class work, records of performances (in some subjects). SQA examiners will review this, and any exam materials that you completed, to decide your grade.

If you use the EECCS, the grade you are awarded may be different from the estimated grade provided by your school. You will not be able to appeal against your grade through the appeals service.

More on the exceptional circumstances service.

You get your results by post on Tuesday 5 August.

You can also get your results by text, email or both if you sign up to MySQA

Your school will also receive your results.

If you have applied to a university or college through UCAS, they will also receive your results.

If you don’t receive your certificate on results day, contact your school immediately. They can tell you your results and will work with us to find out what has happened to your certificate.

If you think there’s a mistake on your certificate, or something looks wrong, contact your school.

MySQA is where you can:

• see your qualifications
• check the personal details we hold for you
• get your results sent by text, email or both

You’ll need to sign up at MySQA by 5pm on Wednesday 16 July (you need an email address and your SCN).

You will still receive your certificate by post.

Remember, if you change your mobile number or email after signing up, you’ll need to update your details to receive your text message or email.

On results day, if you cannot find your results email in your inbox, please check your spam or junk folder.