What Are Scottish Highers?
Scottish Highers, the Scottish counterpart to A-levels, are taken by students aged 16-18 in Scotland. These courses pave the way to university, further study, training, or work. Typically, students tackle four to five Highers beginning in their fifth year of secondary school. Highers can also be pursued in sixth form along with Advanced Highers, which are explained below
Highers are assessed through a combination of coursework set and marked by teachers and an external exam. How do Scottish Highers differ from A-levels? Both are similar, but there are notable differences. The most obvious is geography: Scottish Highers are for Scottish students. Additionally, Highers are one-year courses, whereas A-levels take two years. Students in Scotland can spend a second year completing Advanced Highers, an additional qualification. Although Highers take only one year, they still provide substantial UCAS points.
