Students across Scotland receive their 2025 exam grades

About 147,000 students across Scotland are receiving their results for National, Higher and Advanced Higher exams on Tuesday.

Certificates will arrive by first-class post while those with a MySQA account will receive their results by text and email.

However, the release comes amid warnings that Storm Floris may delay Royal Mail deliveries, affecting students who opted for postal results.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)said the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland are likely to be effected with localised disruptions could also occur at short notice.

Learners affected by the postal delays can access their results via their school or college, or submit an enquiry on the SQA website. The text and email service is expected to run as normal.

The exam body is expected to release results from as early as 8am.

A team of 7,550 markers have graded about two million exam papers and more than 1.3 million items of coursework submitted as part of the process.

Staff at a dedicated helpline are also gearing up for calls from Scotland’s students after they receive their results.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has set up a special results helpline, with careers advisers on hand to provide support and assistance.

The results helpline can be contacted on 0808 100 8000 and will be open from 8am until 8pm on both Tuesday and Wednesday, and then from 9am to 5pm on Thursday and Friday.

Teenager Courtney McLaughlin called the SDS Results Helpline last August to get advice about her SQA results.

Kilmarnock Academy pupil Courtney called the helpline after receiving SQA results from her fourth year exams.

Courtney, now 17, didn’t get the National 5 grades she had hoped for in English and History and thought it was a major setback in her career plans.

The Cumnock Ladies football club team player, from New Farm Loch, said: “I was so upset when I opened my results that I started crying and called the Results Helpline for help.

“The adviser calmed me down and made me feel much better through our conversation. I was able to see that it was not the end of the world and that I still had options. They advised me to speak to my teacher, who reassured me that I could re-take those subjects in fifth year, if I wanted.”

After calling the helpline, Courtney continued to get support from her school careers advisers.

There’s an SDS careers adviser linked to every secondary school in Scotland, with almost a quarter of a million school pupils from P7 to S6 receiving careers information, advice and guidance each year.

Ready to tackle fifth year, Courtney got help from her school adviser, Melissa Masterton, to look into careers she was interested in and the subjects, further learning options and qualifications needed to pursue them.

As well as her love of football, Courtney is interested in a career linked to caring for people, drawing from her own experience of being in care when she was younger.

Thousands to receive their exam results on Tuesday iStock

Courtney said: “I would love to be a PE teacher, but I also talked to Melissa about other interests I have, like childcare and policing. Together, we’ve been working through what I would need to do to have all those options open to me.”

Courtney retook her National 5 in English and also chose Higher PE, a sports development course and a Childcare course through college. She also gained work experience with the police, after approaching the school-based officer.

Staying on for sixth year at school, Courtney has plans to apply to college after school, to do an HNC course in Childcare or Health and Fitness, with Melissa available to support her along the way.

Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Results Day is an important opportunity to celebrate achievement and success which is clear through a wider range of pathways for learners than ever before.

“There are many options available for young people, no matter the results they achieve, and the helpline offers invaluable advice on a whole host of issues – from college and university places, to UCAS Confirmation and Clearing, apprenticeships, jobs and volunteering.

“I appreciate the immense hard work and dedication which Scotland’s young people have applied throughout the year and I also know how well supported they have been by our teachers, by lecturers, and by parents and carers.”

The SDS Results Helpline has been going for 33 years and has helped tens of thousands of young Scots.

Dave McCallum, head of career information, advice and guidance operations at SDS said: ”Our message for young people and their parents and carers as their results arrive is not to panic. Everything might seem overwhelming right now but remember that this is just one step on their journey.

“Our experienced advisers are here to provide expert support and guidance, offering information on a wide range of options and opportunities.

“They are also trained to help young people recognise that they are more than their exam results, giving them the confidence to see their strengths and abilities beyond qualifications.”