We at SQA recognise that it has been a hugely challenging time for everyone undertaking National Qualifications this year.
With national exams being cancelled and learning being disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Qualifications 2021 Group*, which includes SQA along with other education organisations, created a different way to award National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results.
How will my results be decided?
Your teachers or lecturers will use assessment evidence to decide your provisional grades in a way that is consistent and fair. This means that your school, college or training provider will arrange in-class tests or assessments.
These in-class assessments have been developed by schools and colleges to make sure that, like any other year, you have the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and understanding. For instance, there won’t be a National 5 Geography exam that everyone will sit at the same time on the same day, but there will be assessments carried out by your school or college to determine your understanding of the National 5 Geography course.
It also means that on Results Day in August, you will receive the results that best reflect your skills, knowledge and understanding.
Want to know how to get your results sent to you by text and/or email? Our guide below to MySQA explains everything.
What is MySQA?
MySQA is our online results service, which allows you to receive your results straight to your phone by email and/or text. When you sign-up to MySQA, you will also be able to access a record of all the SQA courses and qualifications you have achieved up to that point.
Why should I register for MySQA?
Signing up for MySQA means that you don’t need to wait for the postie delivering your results certificate – your results will be sent to you by text or email from 8am on Results Day, Tuesday 10 August 2021.
Having a MySQA account also lets you check the personal information we hold for you, including a record of all the SQA qualifications you are currently undertaking, as well as any qualifications you may have already achieved (going as far back as 1995!).
How do I register for MySQA?
To register, you will need to create a MySQA account at www.mysqa.org.uk.
You must register for and activate your account by 5pm on Wednesday 21 July 2021.
To register you need:
- your Scottish Candidate Number (SCN)
- an email address
You can find your SCN on a previous SQA certificate. If you don’t have a SQA certificate, speak to your school or college, call us on 0345 279 1000, or complete our Candidate Enquiry Form.
I received my results through MySQA last year – do I need to create a new MySQA account this year?
If you successfully created a MySQA account last year, then you will automatically receive your results by text and/or email again this year.
You don’t need to renew your account, but if you’ve changed your phone number or email address since you originally signed up, check your details, and make sure we have your up-to-date contact information otherwise you won’t receive your results.
Will I also receive my SQA results through the post?
Yes, all candidates undertaking National Qualifications and awards – so that includes National 1 to National 5, Highers, Advanced Highers, and awards including Skills for Work courses – will receive their SQA certificate by post on Results Day, Tuesday 10 August 2021.
Will I find out my results before Results Day?
Your teachers and lecturers will take time to explain your provisional results to you before the end of June, so you can be confident that the confirmed results you receive in August reflect your work and will be recognised as they would in any other year.
It is really important that you talk to your teachers and lecturers about your progress over the coming weeks, as well as what provisional results are being sent to SQA.
Further Information
SQA has produced an information booklet for learners which tells you what you need to know about your qualifications in 2021. A printed version has been posted to your home address, and it is also available on our website.
For updates on National Qualifications in 2020-21 follow us on Twitter @mysqa_sam and on Facebook @MySQA.
*The National Qualifications 2021 Group includes representatives from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES), Colleges Scotland, Education Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), School Leaders Scotland (SLS), the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the Scottish Government, National Parent Forum of Scotland, and the Scottish Youth Parliament.
