Highers & Advanced Highers
Highers and Advanced Highers are the Scottish equivalents of A Levels and both are recognised by universities worldwide; while Highers are considered the same as AS levels, Advanced Highers are considered slightly harder than A Levels.
The most able candidates in S5 typically take five Higher subjects; in general, students need to get around four Highers by the end of S5 or the end of S6 to be accepted into university.
Advanced Higher courses are the highest certificate offered by the SQA. Some UK universities require students to study to Advanced Higher level as part of their entry requirements, and it’s essential for courses such as medicine and veterinary medicine. Students with specific Advanced Highers may be able to enter some degrees in the second year of university.
