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Guide: How To Appeal Your SQA Results 2023

Calling All Students Waiting to Receive Their SQA Results! :angel:

With less than one week to go until you receive your results, we understand that some of you might be concerned about the possibility of an appeal. To help you navigate the appeals process, we've compiled essential information from the official SQA Appeals Procedure 2023 to help support you through this process, should you need it.

First, what is an Appeal? :K:

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An appeal is a formal process that allows candidates who are receiving SQA results for National 5’s, Highers, or Advanced Highers to challenge the outcome of their exam results if they believe there has been an error in the marking or grading process.

What are the dates I need to know? -

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Results Day: Tuesday 8th August

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Appeals Service Opening: Tuesday 8th August at 9 am

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Priority Appeals (that you do directly) Deadline: Tuesday 15th August 11.59 pm

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All Other Appeals (that you do directly): Tuesday 29th August 11.59 pm

The deadlines for your school, college or training provider appealing on your behalf are as follows -

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Priority appeals – Monday 21 August 5 pm

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All other appeals – Friday 1 September 5 pm

What are the grounds for an Appeal? :hmmmm2:

- You can appeal your results on the following grounds as outlined by SQA:

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Procedural Error - If you believe there was an error made during the administration of your exam.

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Marking Review - If you think there has been an error in the marking process, you can request a review of your script.

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Academic Judgment - If you disagree with the academic judgment exercised during the marking process.

How do I request an Appeal? -
If you're worried about your exam results and think there might be a mistake, there's a free appeals service available for you. You have two options to make an appeal:

You can directly appeal to SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) yourself.

Alternatively, you can ask your school, parent, carer or training provider to appeal on your behalf.

If you would like to make an appeal directly, you can do this by visiting sqa.org.uk/appeals, alternatively, you can ask a parent or carer to do this for you.

To register, you will need to provide the following information - your name; your date of birth; your Scottish Candidate Number (shown on your certificate).

Once you have registered, you can - submit (make) an appeal; and withdraw an appeal if you change your mind.

Does this cost anything? -
Nope! This service is completely free. :congrats:

In what circumstances will I not be able to appeal? -
There are some situations where you won't be able to appeal your exam results. Here they are:

If your course award has been cancelled because of rule-breaking, which is known as malpractice.

If you have already used the Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (check page 10 on the booklet linked at the bottom for more info).

If you received a grade A.

Appeals are not possible for qualifications that are assessed by your school, college or training provider. These are: National 5 Practical Electronics, National 5 Practical Metalworking, National 5 Practical Woodworking

Is there anything else I should be aware of? -

Before initiating an appeal, we recommend that you consult with your teachers or training provider to get a better understanding of the process and its potential outcomes.

Double-check the deadline for submitting your appeal request. Late submissions may not be considered.

If you decide to appeal, your grade can go stay the same, go up OR go down.

Your appeal can be prioritised if you have a conditional offer for university, college, or training this year or an employment opportunity depends on your grade. Priority appeals must be approved by your school, college or training provider

Decisions will be communicated as quickly as possible, but it is important to note that the timeline can vary depending on the number of appeals received.

For priority appeals, a decision will be communicated by Monday 4th September.

Useful Resources -

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SQA Appeals 2023 document: The official document outlining the appeals process in detail.

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SQA Website: The official website of the Scottish Qualifications Authority for additional information and updates.

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SQA Results Day Discussion Thread

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SQA Predict Your Results Thread

Remember, the appeals process is in place to ensure fairness and accuracy in grading. If you feel you have genuine grounds for appeal, don't hesitate to take the necessary steps. Good luck to everyone with their exam results, and we hope this information proves helpful to those considering an appeal. If you have any questions or experiences to share, feel free to join the discussion below!