We're here to help you, no matter what your results are.
We also have information about further support and what your options might look like.
Our Results Helpline is now closed and will reopen in August 2024.
However, our careers advisers are here all year round to support you. You can talk to an adviser by either:
BSL users can use Contact Scotland. You can use their app to sign with an interpreter who will make the phone call for you.
*Our helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
When the Results Helpline reopens in August 2024, our advisers can help with:
Got your results and feeling a bit worried? Perhaps you did not get the grades you expected or maybe you're having second thoughts about your chosen course. We've got lots of resources and different options to help you with your next steps.
Find out from SQA what happens on results day and how to find out your results if you did not receive a text or email with your results.
You can find out from SQA about the appeals process and how to request an appeal.
UCAS have advice on what to do in different circumstances, depending on your exam results.
The level of the qualification is an indicator of its difficulty. You can find out more on the SCQF's website.
Ruth Scott, who helps run the Results Helpline, answers some of the most common questions that come up about results.
Courses at National 2, National 3, and National 4 levels are not graded — the units that make up the course are assessed as pass or fail.
Courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are graded A to D. These courses are usually assessed by a combination of internally assessed units and an external (graded) assessment. External assessments are graded by SQA markers as either A, B, C or D, and this is the grade that will appear on your certificate on Results Day.
Congratulations, you have a place at uni! Your place at your insurance choice will be confirmed in your UCAS Hub. You should log in to your account to check your application status has updated. Here you'll find confirmation of the course you'll study, and it'll explain if there's anything else you need to do.
If you did not meet the conditions, they may still be considering your application. Whether or not they can make you an offer will depend on whether there are remaining places and the performance of other applicants. Keep in mind that not all applicants get their results at the same time and the university or college may have to wait a few days to see if there are any spaces.
If you've met all the conditions, but still have not heard from them, check they’re not waiting for further details from you. For example, your exam certificates or health checks. Check your UCAS Hub for this information or try searching in the email account you used to register with UCAS.
If the university or college has everything they should need, contact them directly to find out what's happening.
As soon as you were accepted by your 'firm choice', your 'insurance choice' would have been informed – this means that your insurance place will no longer be held for you.
First, you'll need to contact your insurance choice college or university to see if they can still offer you a place. If they agree to this, you should immediately contact your firm choice to tell them your plans. You must ask them to withdraw your offer so you can be entered into Clearing. Your insurance choice can then make you an offer through Clearing, which you can access in the UCAS Hub..
When making this decision, remember there are no guarantees. Once your firm offer has been cancelled, you cannot automatically go back to this. If you wish to explore what's out there before making any decisions, give us a call to chat things through with a careers adviser.
ou should contact your insurance choice university or college to discuss your situation. If they agree to withdraw your offer, you can then apply for another course through UCAS Clearing.
Always check the course you want to apply to is willing to offer you a place before speaking to your insurance choice. Once you withdraw your insurance choice, you cannot go back.
Even if you did not meet the conditions, the university or college may still accept you or consider offering you a place on another course. Speak to them directly to discuss your options. You can also give us a call to explore what other options are out there.
It's understandable to feel anxious when plans change unexpectedly. If you're not feeling ready to make decisions right now - that's okay. It might help to talk to someone you trust and do some research into your next steps. Our team of advisers will listen and help you explore all your options so give us a call to have a chat. We've got lots of resources to support your wellbeing, which you can explore for tips and advice.
There are also lots of organisations offering support to young people who have received their results and are feeling like you are. Here's some links that might help you:
It's never nice to feel big emotions like these, but you don't need to feel them alone. Help is available for you. Even if your plans for this year need to change, there's still a world of opportunity for you to explore and many wonderful things ahead.
Appeals 2023 is a free service that you can use if you have concerns about a grade on your results certificate. You can appeal directly to the SQA or ask your school to do this for you.
The service will open on Results Day, Tuesday 8 August at 9am. The learner direct submission deadlines are:
Tuesday 15 August at 11:59pm for priority appeals
Tuesday 29 August at 11:59pm for all other appeals
Your appeal can be prioritised if you have a conditional place at university or college. You can also appeal if training or employment depends on your grade.
Of course! There are so many ways to take that first step in your career. You could:
do a Modern or Graduate Apprenticeship
sign up for a training course
spend time volunteering
take a gap year
do a combination of all these things
My World of Work can help you explore your options if you're unsure about what you want to do next.
Find more than 30,000 jobs, courses, apprenticeships and volunteering options all in one place with the Opportunity Finder. The Young Person's Guarantee aims to connect every 16 to 24 year old in Scotland to an opportunity.
Explore opportunities
If you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious or worried, that's okay. If you're not ready to look at options right now, that's also okay. We have support and resources available for your wellbeing that you can access any time you need.
Access wellbeing support