Results Day Hub
SQA Results Day 2026 — appeals, Clearing and what to do now
SQA results came out on Tuesday 4 August 2026. If the grades weren’t what you needed, one thing is still open: Clearing, which lists Scottish vacancies until 19 October. The appeals service has closed for 2026 — the last ordinary deadline was Friday 28 August — and priority decisions went out on Monday 31 August. If an ordinary appeal was lodged for you, its decision arrives in October. Here’s what to do, and the timeline of what happened on the day.
This page is the record of 2026. For next year, see the Results Day 2027 hub (Tuesday 10 August 2027); for how the day works every year, the results day guide; and to get results by text, the My Qualifications Scotland guide.
Results released
4 Aug 2026
Already out
Appeals
Closed
Last deadline 28 Aug · ordinary decisions in October
Clearing
Open
Last date to add a choice: 19 Oct
A marking review can move a grade up, down or not at all, and the decision is final · My Qualifications Scotland (my.qualifications.gov.scot) is open again, and the next results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027.
Two things to read if you’re weighing up an appeal
Appeals closed 25 / 28 August
How the SQA appeals process actually works
Who can lodge one, what a marking review does and doesn’t look at, the risk that a grade moves down, and how to decide whether an appeal is worth it.
Read the guide
Understand the grades
How SQA grade boundaries work
Why pass marks move every year, how awarding meetings set them, where the official 2026 tables sit — and what a near-miss boundary means for an appeal.
Read the guide
The Results Day timeline — and what is still to come
What happened on the day and through August. Every appeal deadline has passed; the ordinary-appeal decisions due in October are the one date still ahead.
Mon 3 August, 6pm
Schools receive results
Head teachers and guidance staff see results the evening before but cannot share them with pupils or parents. Use the evening to double-check your My Qualifications Scotland sign-up and plan-B contact details.
Tue 4 August, 08:00
Results by text and email
From 8am, results land by text and email for everyone who signed up to My Qualifications Scotland before the window closed at 5pm on 15 July. Missed it? No text or email — but your certificate arrives by first-class post the same morning, and schools open early for collection.
Tue 4 August, 09:00
UCAS Hub updates
Scottish UCAS applicants see firm and insurance decisions update from 9am, when the results embargo lifts — an hour before Clearing choices open. Log in, check both choices, and know where you stand before the Clearing lines get busy.
Tue 4 August, 10:00
Clearing choices open
Vacancies have been in the UCAS search tool since July; from 10am eligible Scottish applicants can add a Clearing choice. Call the hotlines for the courses you want — speak to admissions directly, take verbal offers, then lodge your Clearing choice in UCAS.
Tue 4 August, morning
School opens for collections
Secondary schools across Scotland open early for pupils to pick up printed results and speak to guidance staff. Many schools run a drop-in Clearing support session the same morning.
Tue 11 August
Priority appeal deadline — you or your parent/carer
Last day to ask for a priority appeal yourself through the learner direct appeals service. A priority appeal is for when a conditional offer at a university, college, training provider or employer depends on the grade.
Thu 20 August
Priority appeal deadline — your school
Last day your school, college or training provider can ask for a priority appeal on your behalf. Speak to guidance staff well before this — they need time to look at your evidence.
Tue 25 / Fri 28 August
Ordinary appeal deadlines
Tuesday 25 August is the last day you or your parent/carer can lodge an ordinary (non-priority) appeal; Friday 28 August is the last day your school can lodge one for you.
Mon 31 August
Priority appeal decisions issued
Qualifications Scotland sends priority appeal decisions to schools, colleges and training providers. Decisions on all other appeals follow in October 2026.
If you got the grades you needed
UCAS Hub will show your firm offer as confirmed by 9am. A few things to tick off in the week that follows:
- Check your SAAS application status. Funding triggers automatically when the uni confirms your enrolment — no need to reapply.
- Accept your accommodation offer. Halls allocations usually open within a few days of results day.
- Open a student bank account if you haven’t already — most banks require proof of enrolment, which you’ll get from the uni in August.
- Read the student living costs guide so you budget for September with no surprises.
If you didn’t get the grades
Don’t panic, and don’t refresh UCAS Hub hoping it changes. Scotland’s system has more real off-ramps than any other UK nation. Work through these steps in order.
Step 1 — Check UCAS Hub (9am)
Your grades arrive by text from 8am; your firm and insurance outcomes are on UCAS Hub from 9am, when the results embargo lifts. If your firm is unsuccessful but insurance is confirmed, you’re going to your backup university — that’s the system working. Only enter Clearing if both choices are unsuccessful.
Step 2 — Call your firm university before Clearing choices open (9–10am)
Admissions offices are open from the morning. A single phone call explaining your grades sometimes results in a lowered offer or a deferred place — especially for courses that haven’t filled. This window closes at 10am when Clearing choices open and competition intensifies.
Step 3 — Appeals: what an appeal lodged in August still means
Only if you have strong evidence: a prelim script well above your result, a personal illness during exams, or a clearly borderline grade. Both priority routes have now closed (11 August learner/parent, 20 August school) — if one was lodged for you, universities hold reserved places and decisions are issued on Monday 31 August. The ordinary appeal window closed on Tuesday 25 August for appeals you or your parent/carer submitted and Friday 28 August for ones your school, college or training provider submitted — an appeal lodged by then gets its decision in October, so it corrects the record rather than rescuing this year’s offer. Note: a marking review can result in a grade going up, down, or staying the same, and the decision is final — read the appeals process guide and get advice before lodging one.
Step 4 — Go into Clearing (10am onwards)
Call admissions lines directly. Have your UCAS Personal ID, your grades, and a 30-second pitch ready. Vacancies have been listed since July, but from 10am Scottish applicants can add a choice, and popular courses can fill by midday — act fast. You can add a Clearing choice in UCAS Hub once you have a verbal offer.
Step 5 — Consider S6 or college (August–September)
Scotland’s S6 year is a genuine second attempt: retake Highers alongside new Advanced Highers, reapply through UCAS in January, and start university the following September. Alternatively, an HNC or HND at college articulates into year 2 or 3 of many degrees — sometimes at the exact university that turned you down this year.
How Scottish Clearing is different
Clearing is a UK-wide UCAS process, but the Scottish leg runs two weeks ahead of A-Level results day and has a few quirks worth knowing.
| What | Scottish Clearing (4 Aug) | English Clearing (13 Aug*) |
|---|---|---|
| Opens | Choices from 10:00 on 4 Aug 2026 (vacancies listed since 2 July) | Choices from 13:00 on 13 Aug 2026 |
| Vacancies listed | Scottish universities only, early in the day | UK-wide, large inventory |
| Tuition funding | SAAS (£1,820 grant) — no tuition debt | Up to £9,790/year borrowed |
| Popular courses gone by | Often early afternoon | Spread across the day |
| Repayment on resulting debt | Plan 4 (threshold £33,795) | Plan 5 (threshold £25,000) |
*A-Level results day 2026 is confirmed as Thursday 13 August 2026. Check UCAS for the final confirmed date.
Deep dive
Scotland-specific Clearing guide
How to search for vacancies, what to say on the phone, SAAS in Clearing, and how self-release works if you beat your offer (Adjustment no longer runs).
Parent checklist for Results Day
You can’t sit the exams for them, but you can make the morning run smoothly. Here’s what to prepare in advance and what to do on the day.
The week before — prepare
- Confirm your child has signed up for My Qualifications Scotland at my.qualifications.gov.scot. Without it, no text or email.
- Write down their 10-digit UCAS Personal ID — it's on their UCAS Hub and needed for every Clearing call.
- Print or screenshot the UCAS Clearing number: 0371 468 0468.
- Know which courses they'd consider in Clearing — not just their first choice.
- Check whether the school is open early on 4 August for Clearing support.
- Confirm SAAS application status is submitted and not waiting on documents.
Results morning — what to do
- Let them check UCAS Hub at 9am without pressure — give them a few minutes to process.
- If an offer is unsuccessful, prompt your child to call their firm university between 9am and 10am, before Clearing choices open. Admissions offices sometimes lower offers for borderline grades — but universities won't speak to parents, so your child needs to make this call.
- Have a quiet space and a charged phone ready for Clearing calls from 10am.
- If a priority appeal is needed, speak to guidance staff at school that morning — the window is short.
- Don't make big decisions under pressure. If nothing is right in Clearing, S6 and college are real options, not consolation prizes.
- Remind them: a Scottish Clearing place still means free tuition and a reasonable repayment threshold.
Free printable
Get the Results Day survival checklist
The one-page version of everything above — key times, Clearing numbers and both checklists — emailed to you to print and stick on the fridge.
The honest take
Scotland’s results day is genuinely more forgiving than England’s.
S6 exists as a real option, not a consolation prize. Priority appeals work for borderline cases with evidence. Clearing moves fast but Scottish universities list early and take verbal offers on the phone. And a Scottish student who lands in Clearing at a Scottish university still walks away with free tuition and a £33,795 repayment threshold — a financial package their English counterpart never sees. The day is intense. The system is not cruel. If results don’t go to plan, there is always a next step.
Frequently asked questions
When is Results Day Scotland 2026?
Results Day for the 2026 SQA / Qualifications Scotland diet is Tuesday 4 August 2026. This is the first Tuesday of August, the traditional Scottish results day that falls roughly two weeks before A-Level results day in England.
Is exam results day in Scotland the same as SQA results day?
Yes. "Exam results day Scotland", "Scottish exam results day" and "SQA results day" all refer to the same date — Tuesday 4 August 2026 — when Qualifications Scotland (the body that replaced the SQA) releases National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results. There is only one results day for all Scottish school qualifications.
When do Higher results come out in 2026?
Scottish Higher results came out on Tuesday 4 August 2026 — the same day as National 5 and Advanced Higher results. My Qualifications Scotland (formerly MySQA) sent results by text and email from 8am on 4 August, and UCAS Hub updated at 9am when the results embargo lifted. The next results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027.
Do National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results come out on the same day?
Yes — every Scottish qualification is released on one day. National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results (plus National 3, National 4 and Skills for Work awards) all land together on Tuesday 4 August 2026, in a single My Qualifications Scotland notification and a single certificate. This is unlike England, where GCSE and A-Level results days are about a week apart.
What time do SQA results come out in 2026?
Results were issued on 4 August 2026. Students signed up to My Qualifications Scotland got them by text and email from 8am; schools had them at 6pm the evening before but were not permitted to share them. UCAS Hub updated for Scottish applicants from 9am, when the results embargo lifted, and Clearing choices could be added from 10am. If you did not receive yours, contact your school, college or training provider first, then Qualifications Scotland on 0345 279 1000.
How do I get my SQA results in 2026?
Results have been issued. Anyone who signed up to My Qualifications Scotland (my.qualifications.gov.scot) by 5pm on Wednesday 15 July 2026 got them by text and email from 8am on Tuesday 4 August; everyone else received their Scottish Qualifications Certificate by first-class post that day, and schools opened in the morning for printed copies. Sign-up has since reopened for the next diet — the next results day is Tuesday 10 August 2027. If you still have not received your 2026 results, speak to your school, college or training provider, then Qualifications Scotland on 0345 279 1000.
Can I appeal an SQA result in 2026?
Yes. Results day was Tuesday 4 August 2026 and the appeals service opened at 9am that morning. Every 2026 deadline has now passed, so no new appeal can be lodged; if one was lodged for you, priority decisions went out on 31 August and the rest arrive in October. You could appeal yourself through the learner direct appeals service, or ask your school, college or training provider to appeal for you — it was not school-only. The 2026 deadlines were: Tuesday 11 August for a priority appeal you or your parent/carer submit; Thursday 20 August for a priority appeal your school submits for you; Tuesday 25 August for an ordinary appeal you submit; and Friday 28 August for an ordinary appeal your school submits. A priority appeal is for when a conditional offer depends on the grade. A marking review can see your grade go up, down, or stay the same, and the decision is final, so get advice before lodging one.
When does Clearing open in Scotland for 2026?
Clearing vacancies have been listed since 2 July; Scottish applicants could add a Clearing choice from 10am on Tuesday 4 August 2026, nine days ahead of the main UK rush on A-Level results day, and the last date to add a choice is 19 October. Scottish universities list live vacancies filtered by subject and grade. The best-known courses went early, but places are still being filled — check the UCAS search tool and phone admissions directly.
What happens if I miss my university offer on Results Day 2026?
Check UCAS Hub first. If your firm choice is unsuccessful but your insurance is confirmed you are going to your backup university. If both are unsuccessful you go straight into Clearing, which is still open and runs until 19 October. Both priority-appeal routes for 2026 have now closed — Tuesday 11 August for the learner/parent route and Thursday 20 August for schools. If a priority appeal was lodged for you, universities hold open priority-appeal places for a short window and decisions are issued on Monday 31 August. The ordinary-appeal deadlines (Tuesday 25 August for you, Friday 28 August for your school) have also passed; an ordinary appeal that was lodged gets its decision in October, so it corrects the record rather than holding an offer.
Do I need to apply to SAAS again after Results Day?
No — but confirm your place and course. SAAS funding is triggered once your university confirms your enrolment, which happens automatically after Results Day if your offer has been met. If you go through Clearing into a different course or university, tell SAAS through your online account so your funding is re-routed to the new institution.
Next steps & related tools
Tool
SAAS Calculator
Work out your bursary and loan package for 2026/27 in 30 seconds.
Tool
UCAS Points Calculator
Total up your Higher and Advanced Higher points for Clearing calls.
Guide
Full SQA Results Day guide
The deeper dive on appeals, school process and parent advice.
Guide
SQA appeals process
Priority vs ordinary appeals, the evidence that works, and the deadlines that matter.
Guide
UCAS points from Highers
Higher A = 33 points, Advanced Higher A = 56. The full tariff table.
Guide
SAAS student finance guide
How tuition, loans and bursaries work for Scottish students.
Guide
Freshers’ Week: a parent’s guide
Move-in dates, the SAAS payment gap, and what to do once the place is confirmed.
Guide
Scottish university rankings
Compare the 19 Scottish universities before picking a Clearing call.
Hub
Exams & Qualifications
Timetables, revision guides, appeal process and all Scottish qualifications explained.
Results Day 2026 has passed. Qualifications Scotland has confirmed the next results day as Tuesday 10 August 2027 — the Results Day 2027 hub has the countdown, the sign-up steps and what to prepare. This page stays as the 2026 record while ordinary-appeal decisions are still arriving. The full SQA results day guide covers the process in detail and is refreshed every year.
Free printable PDF
The full Results Day Survival Guide, by email
The complete 4-page guide — how results arrive, what the grades mean, appeals, Clearing and the helpline numbers — plus a short weekly email through results season. No spam.
Need accommodation near a Scottish university?
For Clearing visits, open days, or parents travelling on results day. Each university page carries a hotel map.
- Abertay University
- Edinburgh Napier University
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Glasgow School of Art
- Heriot-Watt University
- Queen Margaret University
- Robert Gordon University
- Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
- Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)
- The Open University in Scotland
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Dundee
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Glasgow
- University of St Andrews
- University of Stirling
- University of Strathclyde
- University of the Highlands and Islands
- University of the West of Scotland
Information on this page is for general guidance only. Always check the official Qualifications Scotland website (sqa.org.uk) and UCAS for confirmation of dates, times and appeal procedures. Key dates, thresholds and phone numbers last checked on 13 September 2026.