Have I got the right Highers grades to go to uni?

CONTENTS

1. What are Scottish Highers?

2. What’s the Difference between Scottish Highers and A Levels?

3. How many Highers do I need to get into university?

4. What are Advanced Highers?

5. Tips for choosing your Highers 

6. Checking the entry requirements 

7. What to do if you don't have the right Highers grades

What are Scottish Highers?

Scottish Highers are a type of exam studied for as part of a Scottish secondary school education. They are like A Levels taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What’s the Difference between Scottish Highers and A Levels?

While Scottish Highers and A Levels are both school leaving exams and often needed to get into university, they are offered by different exam boards and part of different education systems.

In general students doing Scottish Highers take four or five subjects and start them in the fifth year of secondary school. Students taking A Levels tend to select three subjects in the sixth year of secondary. Assessment can also vary with Scottish Highers being exam based and A Levels being a mix of coursework and examinations.

How many Highers do I need to get into university?

While the number of Highers needed varies from uni to uni and course to course, you’ll usually need a minimum of four.

How to find entry requirements 

Universities specify entry requirements including the number of UCAS points needed. Points and other entry requirements will vary according to individual institutions and courses. Our course finder tool lists the universities, courses and UCAS points asked for so you can compare the different options open to you.

You’ll need to convert your Higher results into UCAS points to use this tool successfully, for example, one grade A Higher is equivalent to 33 UCAS points.

You can read more in our UCAS points article.

What are Advanced Highers?

Advanced Highers are aimed at students who want to extend their skills and knowledge having successfully passed their Higher exams. You’ll generally need Highers to go to a Scottish University but for more competitive subjects such as medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine, you’ll need a combination of the two. Many students choose to stay on at school to continue their learning regardless of the subject.

Tips for choosing your Highers

If you’re not sure which Highers to opt for, here are a few things to consider:

Think about your interests and what you want to study at university 

It’s important to consider what subjects you enjoy and perhaps go onto study at university. For example, it you enjoy art-based subjects and like developing those skills in your spare time, you might want to consider a creative arts degree of some kind.

Do some research on different university courses and their entry requirements 

Look into the courses you’re interested in and find out what Highers are required to be accepted.

This will give you an idea of what subjects you need to choose.

Consider your strengths and weaknesses 

Think about the subjects you’re good at and the ones that are more challenging. This will help you choose Highers that you’re more likely to do well in.

Talk to your teachers or a careers advisor 

Your teachers can provide valuable advice on which Highers to take based on your strengths and interests. A careers advisor can help you make sense of university course entry requirements and should be aware of alternative pathways such as apprenticeships and vocational qualifications.

Checking the entry requirements

University entry requirements are not always just about your grades. There may be other criteria to be aware of such as fitness assessments, ability to speak a second language, portfolio of work or work experience. Being clear about what’s involved will help you apply for the course you have the most chance of being accepted for.

What to do if you don't have the right Highers grades

If things don’t go to plan with your Highers, there are always options so don’t panic. If you’ve only just missed your grades, you could still be offered a place as the university may be short of applicants or other offer-holders could've got worse results than you.

Alternatively, you could consider:

Applying to a different university or course 

You could apply to a different university or course through a process called Clearing. This is where UCAS matches students without places to courses without students.

Taking a gap year 

Taking a year out from formal education could give you opportunities to reflect and refocus as well as travel and work. Read more on the pros and cons of gap year life.

Doing a foundation course 

Foundation courses give you an introduction into your area of interest. Although this could add a year to your overall study time, the entry requirements are often significantly lower. It also gives you an opportunity to be sure you enjoy the subject as well as highlight specific areas you could specialise in later.