Scotland SQA Exam Dates 2026: National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Timetable

Complete SQA 2026 exam timetable for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher

The table below is designed for students, parents, tutors and schools who need a fast, practical way to check the Scotland 2026 exam schedule. It includes the date, session, subject, level, paper name and time. Because many learners sit a mixture of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher subjects, the table is intentionally arranged by date rather than by subject only. This makes it easier to spot heavy weeks, same-day exams, close turnarounds and potential revision bottlenecks.

Use the search box for a subject such as Mathematics, English, Physics, Biology, History or Spanish. Use the level filter to isolate National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher. Use the session filter to separate morning and afternoon exams. The clear button restores the full table.

How to use the SQA 2026 timetable properly

A timetable is more than a list of dates. For students taking National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher courses, it is the structure that should guide the final months of revision, the order of past-paper practice, and the timing of lighter recovery days. The strongest students do not simply highlight their exam dates and hope for the best. They translate every date into an action: when to finish first-pass revision, when to move into timed papers, when to review marking instructions, when to rest, and when to avoid adding brand-new content that may increase anxiety.

The first step is to identify every exam you are actually sitting. Do not rely only on a general public timetable if your school has given you a personalised timetable. Your personal timetable may include rooming arrangements, candidate number, seat number, extra time, separate accommodation, practical arrangements or clash instructions. If the official timetable and your school timetable look different, speak to your school, college or training provider before making travel or study decisions.

The second step is to group your exams into clusters. An exam cluster is any period where two or more papers sit very close together. For example, a learner may have a language paper and a science paper in the same week, or Higher Mathematics on one day and another demanding subject soon after. Clusters do not automatically mean the timetable is unfair; they simply mean you need earlier preparation. The closer two papers are, the less realistic it is to revise both from scratch in the final forty-eight hours. That final period should be used for retrieval practice, command words, error logs and confidence building.

The third step is to identify paper structure. Some courses have one written paper. Others have several papers on the same day. English, Mathematics, sciences and languages often require a different kind of stamina because the exam experience may involve multiple components. A short break between papers is not the same as a full day of rest. Plan food, hydration, equipment and mental reset strategies for these multi-paper days.

The fourth step is to mark asterisked entries. An asterisk after the time indicates that candidates are normally accommodated separately from candidates in other examinations, usually because the paper needs a practical or suitably equipped room. This matters for Music, Music Technology, Administration and IT, listening papers, and some mathematics applications entries. Students should treat asterisked papers as logistical events, not just academic events. You need to know where to go, what equipment is involved, how early to arrive and whether your school has any additional instructions.

The fifth step is to build a personal revision calendar backwards from the exam date. Work backwards in three layers: final review, timed practice, and content repair. Final review is the last week or few days before the exam. Timed practice is the period where you sit papers or paper sections under exam conditions. Content repair is where you fix weak topics. Many students make the mistake of spending too long on content repair and too little time on timed performance. By the final stage, the priority should be using knowledge under pressure.

National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher: what the timetable means for each level

National 5 exam planning

National 5 exams often sit at a crucial point in a student’s school journey because they can shape course choices for the following year. The timetable shows National 5 exams across a wide range of subjects, including English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, Modern Studies, languages, Business Management, Computing Science, Art and Design, Drama, Music, Practical Cookery and many more. For National 5 students, the main priority is to turn the timetable into a clear sequence of manageable goals.

National 5 learners should pay particular attention to subjects with multiple papers or components. National 5 English has Reading for Understanding, Analysis and Evaluation followed by Critical Reading on Thursday 30 April. National 5 Mathematics has Paper 1 Non-calculator and Paper 2 on Friday 8 May. National 5 Applications of Mathematics has Paper 1 Non-calculator and Paper 2 on Friday 15 May. Languages usually include reading and writing plus a listening component. These structures require a balanced revision plan because one subject may test several different skill types on the same day.

A sensible National 5 revision plan should begin with the highest-mark topics and the topics where mistakes are repeated most often. Students should keep a small error log for each subject. After every past paper or question set, write down the exact mistake, the correct method and one reminder sentence. This turns revision from passive rereading into targeted improvement. For example, a Mathematics student might record “forgot to show units,” while an English student might record “analysis did not explain the effect of the quote.” The timetable tells you when the exam happens; the error log tells you what to fix before that date.

Higher exam planning

Higher exams are often more demanding because they may affect university, college or apprenticeship pathways. The 2026 Higher timetable includes major subjects such as English, Mathematics, Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Modern Studies, Business Management, Computing Science, Economics, languages and many others. Higher candidates should not only know the date of each paper; they should understand how each paper is weighted, what question types are common and which skills are most exposed under timed conditions.

Higher students should build revision around timed performance earlier than National 5 students. At Higher level, knowing the content is not enough. You must be able to select the right method quickly, manage time across sections, respond to command words precisely and avoid losing marks through vague wording. For science subjects, Higher Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry and Physics all include structured paper arrangements where speed, accuracy and interpretation matter. For essay-based subjects, the challenge is often planning, evidence selection and concise argument under time pressure.

The timetable also matters emotionally. Many Higher candidates feel pressure because the exams can feel more consequential. A good timetable plan reduces uncertainty. Instead of vaguely saying “revise Chemistry,” set a specific action such as “complete Paper 1 multiple-choice practice, mark it, list five weak areas, and review those before Paper 2 practice.” This kind of task is measurable. Measurable tasks are easier to start and easier to evaluate.

Advanced Higher exam planning

Advanced Higher exams require a mature revision style. The timetable includes Advanced Higher subjects such as Mathematics, Mathematics of Mechanics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, History, Geography, Modern Studies, Statistics, languages, Business Management, Accounting and others. At Advanced Higher, the issue is rarely just memorisation. Students must demonstrate deeper understanding, flexible problem solving, high-level writing, precise interpretation and sustained concentration.

Advanced Higher candidates should use the timetable to protect longer blocks of thinking time. Short revision bursts can help with recall, but many Advanced Higher tasks require extended work: full essays, full problem sets, complete statistics papers, mechanics questions, translation practice or high-level science interpretation. The closer the exam is, the more your revision should resemble the exam itself. If the exam lasts three hours, you should complete at least some full timed sessions before exam day so the length does not surprise you.

Advanced Higher students should also plan around recovery. Long papers, especially in Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or essay subjects, can drain attention. If another exam follows soon after, avoid scheduling a huge new-topic session immediately after a major paper. A better approach is light review, sleep, food and a short reset before moving to the next subject. The timetable is not just an academic schedule; it is an energy-management plan.

Build a revision plan from the exam timetable

The simplest way to turn the timetable into a working study plan is to calculate the revision demand for each subject, then spread that demand backwards from the exam date. You do not need a complicated system. You need a system you will actually follow. A useful weekly plan should include subject blocks, timed practice, marking time, correction time and rest. Marking is part of revision; if you complete a paper but do not check the marking instructions, you have only done half the job.

Use this simple planning formula to estimate revision time. It is not an official SQA formula; it is a practical study-planning method for students and tutors:

This formula is useful because it makes the timetable feel concrete. A subject that looks far away can still require a large amount of practice. A subject that looks close may need a sharper, more selective plan. The goal is not to fill every hour. The goal is to spend the right hours on the right tasks. A high-quality 45-minute session focused on one weak skill is usually better than a three-hour session of passive highlighting.

For content-heavy subjects such as Biology, Human Biology, History, Modern Studies, Geography, Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies, and Business Management, split revision into recall, explanation and exam response. Recall means you can bring the information to mind without looking. Explanation means you can connect ideas and explain them clearly. Exam response means you can write the answer in the style the paper expects. Many students stop at recall, but marks are usually awarded for how well knowledge is used.

For calculation-heavy subjects such as Mathematics, Applications of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Statistics, Engineering Science and Mathematics of Mechanics, split revision into method, accuracy and timing. Method means choosing the correct process. Accuracy means carrying it out without careless errors. Timing means doing it quickly enough in the exam. If you are losing marks through arithmetic, units, rounding or notation, write those mistakes down and practise them deliberately.

For language subjects such as Spanish, French, German, Italian, Gaelic, Cantonese, Mandarin and Urdu, the timetable shows that students may sit reading, writing, listening, directed writing, translation or discursive writing components. These papers require different preparation modes. Reading practice builds vocabulary and inference. Writing practice builds structure and accuracy. Listening practice requires regular exposure, not just last-minute cramming. Translation requires precision and attention to tense, agreement and meaning. Build short, frequent language practice into the weeks before the exam.

For creative, practical or performance-linked subjects such as Music, Music Technology, Art and Design, Drama, Dance, Practical Cookery, Practical Electronics, Administration and IT, Design and Manufacture, and Graphic Communication, check the exact requirements with your school. The written timetable is only one part of the assessment experience. Some courses involve practical skills, portfolios, coursework, performance or specialist rooms. If your timetable entry has an asterisk, treat it as a reminder to confirm the practical arrangement early.

Recommended four-phase plan

A healthy revision plan also includes buffer time. Students often build perfect calendars that collapse the first time something unexpected happens. Add a buffer after heavy subjects and before difficult exam clusters. A simple buffer formula is:

Exam-day guide for Scotland National Qualifications

Exam day should be boring in the best possible way. You want no surprises, no missing equipment, no confusion about rooms, no last-minute panic about timings and no uncertainty about what happens if two papers appear close together. The best way to make exam day calm is to prepare the practical details before the exam period begins.

Check your candidate information, venue, seat, start time and required equipment. For Mathematics and science papers, confirm calculator rules with your teacher. For non-calculator papers, do not assume you can use a calculator just because the subject normally involves calculation. For English and essay subjects, practise writing by hand under time if you usually type notes. For language listening papers, ask your school where you need to be and how the listening component will be managed.

Arrive early enough to solve small problems without panic. Travel delays, forgotten pens, room changes and nerves are easier to handle when you are not rushing. Bring more than one pen. Bring approved equipment only. Keep water simple and avoid anything that might spill over your paper. Eat something steady before the exam, especially for long papers or days with multiple components.

After an exam, do not spend hours replaying every answer if you have another paper soon. A quick reflection can be useful, but obsessive post-exam analysis often damages preparation for the next subject. If a mistake comes to mind and it is relevant to another paper, write it down briefly, then move on. Your goal during the exam diet is not emotional perfection. Your goal is steady execution across all papers.

If you think you have an exam clash, speak to your school, college or training provider as early as possible. Do not try to solve it yourself by choosing one exam or assuming the arrangement will be obvious. The official timetable acknowledges that clashes can happen because of the wide range of subject combinations across Scotland. Schools and centres are responsible for advising learners on the arrangements that can be put in place.

Subject-by-subject planning notes

English: National 5 English appears on Thursday 30 April, Higher English on Friday 1 May, and Advanced Higher English on Thursday 30 April. Because English often involves reading, analysis and critical response, revision should include timed reading practice, quotation recall, essay planning and careful work on how to explain evidence. Students should practise moving from point to evidence to analysis without writing vague commentary.

Mathematics: Higher Mathematics and Advanced Higher Mathematics are scheduled on Thursday 7 May, while National 5 Mathematics is on Friday 8 May. Maths revision should be active. Reading solutions is not enough. Students should complete questions, check answers, correct methods and revisit the same topic a few days later. Non-calculator papers need mental arithmetic, algebraic fluency and clean working. Calculator papers still require method, interpretation and sensible checking.

Sciences: Biology and Human Biology Higher papers appear on Tuesday 28 April, Chemistry Higher and Advanced Higher on Tuesday 12 May, and Physics Higher and Advanced Higher on Thursday 21 May. Science students should practise command words, data handling, definitions, calculations and explanation questions. A strong science answer is usually precise rather than long. Learn the marking style, not just the topic list.

Social subjects: Geography, History, Modern Studies, Classical Studies, Politics, Economics, Philosophy and Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies appear across the timetable. These subjects reward knowledge, structure and relevance. Students should practise introductions, paragraph structure, source handling where relevant, and timing. For essay subjects, a plan that takes two minutes can save many marks by preventing unfocused writing.

Languages: Spanish opens the timetable on Wednesday 22 April. French appears on Wednesday 6 May, German on Monday 18 May, Gaelic (Learners) on Wednesday 20 May, Cantonese and Mandarin on Wednesday 27 May, Italian on Thursday 28 May, and Urdu on Monday 1 June. Language revision benefits from regularity. Ten to twenty minutes of vocabulary, listening or translation practice every day is usually more effective than one long session at the end of the week.

Practical and creative subjects: Music, Music Technology, Art and Design, Drama, Dance, Practical Cookery, Practical Electronics, Administration and IT, Design and Manufacture, Graphic Communication, Fashion and Textile Technology, and Engineering Science all require careful attention to instructions. Check whether your assessment involves a written paper, practical component, portfolio, specialist room or equipment. The public timetable is helpful, but your centre’s instructions are essential.

Frequently asked questions about the Scotland SQA 2026 exam timetable