Scottish Qualifications Authority

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA; Gaelic: Ùghdarras Theisteanas na h-Alba) was an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for awarding qualifications and accrediting other awarding bodies. The majority of the authority’s funding came from the Scottish Government. This was supplemented by fees for delivering qualifications and for accreditation. In January 2026 (amidst its transitioning to Qualifications Scotland) the authority employed over 1,000 people across its Glasgow and Dalkeith offices.

The SQA was best known for its delivery of the annual diet of public examinations to school pupils within Scotland. SQA Higher qualifications were the generally accepted level for entry to University, with Scottish Universities typically requiring a minimum of four Highers, with the required grades being dependent on the institution. However, a greater number of candidates of all ages participated in SQA specialist, vocational and higher education qualifications. The SQA was also accredited by Ofqual to offer educational qualifications in England.

In June 2021, following a review of Curriculum for Excellence by the OECD, there was an agreement that the SQA placed too much importance on exams and the Scottish government announced that the SQA was to be replaced.

The Education (Scotland) Act 2025 established the SQA's replacement body, Qualifications Scotland (QS; Scottish Gaelic: Teisteanasan Alba), on 1 December 2025. The BBC reported that QS was "taking [the SQA's] place" from 2 December 2025. QS later stated that it "replaced" the SQA on 1 February 2026; it was on this date that staff and property were transferred to the new organisation. The SQA was formally dissolved on 26 February 2026.