Home > Qualifications and awards > Private Candidate Exams

Private Candidate Exams

As well as those taking fully-taught SQA National Qualification courses with us, many students contact us each year and ask if we can present them for the SQA exams.  Such enquiries are typically from adults or young people who are learning the coursework independently or with another centre outside of The Education Academy Scotland.

Whilst there are some important quality assurance steps we need to take to ensure the candidate is ready for the final exam, the answer is often yes, The Education Academy Scotland can present external/private candidates for SQA National 5 and Higher exams, including any externally assessed course work such as English folio pieces or Science assignments.

Exam and qualification options

Maths

National 5 Maths

  • Exam only - £350
  • Fully-taught online qualification course without final exam - £600
  • Fully-taught online qualification course with final exam - £950

National 5 Applications of Maths

  • Exam only - £350

Higher Maths

  • Exam only - £350

English

National 5 and Higher English​

  • Final exam and submission of the externally assessed portfolio - £950
  • Fully-taught online qualification course with final exam and submission of the externally assessed portfolio - £950

Sciences

National 5 and Higher Science subjects​

(available for H/N5 Biology, H/N5 Chemistry, H Human Biology and N5/H Physics) 

  • Final exam and completion of the externally assessed practical assignment - £1250

Please note that the science assignments require mandatory candidate attendance at:

Online information sessions for assignment:

  • Biology (all levels) - Tuesday 14th January 2025, 7pm to 8:30pm
  • Chemistry (all levels) - Wednesday 15th January 2025, 7pm to 8:30pm
  • Physics (all levels) - Thursday 16th January 2025, 7pm to 8:30pm

In person practical science work (at The Glasgow Academy):

  • Biology (all levels) - Saturday 1st February, 2025, 9am to 12pm
  • Chemistry (all levels) - Saturday 8th February, 2025, 9am to 12pm
  • Physics (all levels) - Saturday 15th February, 2025, 9am to 12pm

In person report writing under exam conditions (at The Glasgow Academy)

  • Biology (all levels) - Saturday 22nd February, 2025, 9:30am to 12pm
  • Chemistry (all levels) - Saturday 1st March, 2025, 9:30am to 12pm
  • Physics (all levels) - Saturday 8th March, 2025, 9:30am to 12pm

In order to maximise success in the above exam and qualification options, it is advised to access the enhanced support available with our Monthly Masterclasses, Weekly Lessons and Grade Booster Days.

If you have been learning an SQA National 5 or Higher course at another centre or independently via a self-study or home-educated model, then you can still take your final SQA exam with us.  The terminology here is that you would be a "private candidate" and The Education Academy Scotland (TEAS) will be your "presenting centre".  You will of course need to register with us and meet the appropriate deadlines for coursework and registration.

For subjects like N5 and H Maths, this means you will come to us for the final exam, for subjects where there are additional externally assessed items of coursework - such as English folio pieces or Science assignments - you’ll need to come and take these with us too but TEAS will support through the entire process and all coursework and exam fees are included in your cost.

Before we register candidates for exams, we may set a short assessment to ensure that you are ready for the challenges of the final SQA exam at that particular level.  Many candidates come to us having already met the entry requirements for a particular course, so no assessment is required in such cases.  It should be noted that your performance in this may result in the refusal to present you for that exam – but only in the case where we feel you have no realistic chance of success in the final exam.

If you would like to discuss the options above with us in more detail, or if you have a specific/bespoke request, then please contact: info@educationacademyscotland.co.uk

You can also take a fully taught qualification course with us too, learn more about our courses on our qualifications page.

The final SQA exam diet is typically April/May each year which requires students to attend the final exam in-person at our exam centre in Glasgow.

Alternative exam venues may be possible on request.