Higher Applications of Maths grade boundaries 2026

Higher Applications of Maths grade boundaries 2026

The numbers are from the Applications of Mathematics row of the Higher sheet in Grade boundaries 2026 (release 26GB, 4 August 2026); the candidate counts are from the course report.

An A therefore took 69.1% of the marks and a C 45.5%. The C share is the lowest of any course in our Higher tables, and it is tied with Geography in the whole Higher sheet. See the Higher Applications of Maths guide.

What the 110 marks are made of

The course has a question paper and a project. The paper is 65 marks, scaled to 80, and lasts 2 hours 5 minutes with spreadsheet and statistical software, and the project is 30 marks. Together they make the 110 marks. The data booklet that comes with the paper holds the tables and the predict function that the report refers to; see the course specification.

Turning a mark into a grade

A candidate scoring 39 out of 65 on the paper has a scaled mark of 48 (39 × 80 ÷ 65), and 18 out of 30 on the project. That is 66 in all. It is above B at 63 and below A at 76, so it is a B, 10 marks short of an A. If the project had scored 30 out of 30, the total would be 78, which is an A.

For the formulas: A is 76 and C is 50, a gap of 26. B = 50 + ⌊53 ÷ 4⌋ = 50 + 13 = 63 and D = 50 − ⌈51 ÷ 4⌉ = 50 − 13 = 37. The B line is exactly 13 above C and 13 below A, so the grades are evenly spaced.

2026 against earlier years

After rising every year, the C boundary came down in 2026, from 53 to 50, and D from 42 to 37, while A rose from 75 to 76. The series for A is now 64, 67, 73, 75, 76 and for C 41, 43, 50, 53, 50. The gap between A and C has widened from 22 marks to 26, because the A line kept going up as the C line dropped.

What Qualifications Scotland said about the 2026 assessment

The report says the question paper performed mostly as intended, with a few questions more demanding than intended, and the project performed as intended with positive feedback from centres.

The marks lost were about explanation. Most candidates did not explain the negative correlation coefficient in context in question 3(b)(ii), most did not name the type of model from their graph in 5(b)(i), and most who built a linear model did not say that a constant rate of change meant profit kept increasing. Many added the probabilities of the manufacturing delay and the delivery delay instead of multiplying them in 9(a)(ii), and most said "cheapest cost" rather than "lowest expected cost" in 9(c). In 10(b) most did not compare savings growth with the consumer price index correctly. Some did not use the predict function from the data booklet in 3(d).

What the 2026 boundaries mean for you

A C needs just under half the marks, but the report shows that the extra marks above it come from interpretation and from using the right term. Learn the phrases the markers want, such as "lowest expected cost", and apply the rule for independent events: multiply the probabilities. A hypothesis test tool lets you practise stating H0 and H1 in context.

The previous series is Higher Applications of Maths grade boundaries 2025. All courses are in SQA grade boundaries 2026.

Check yourself with today's paper

Our Higher Applications of Maths daily paper is a short timed paper of 8 questions and 25 to 35 marks, written by us, with no software tasks and no project. Divide your mark by the total: 21 out of 30 is 70%, above the 69.1% share an A took in 2026. A mark of 14 out of 30 is 46.7%, which is a little above the C share of 45.5%.

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Scotland · HigherHigher Applications of Maths grade boundaries 2025Higher Applications of Maths grade boundaries 2025 from the SQA: A needed 75 of 110, B 64, C 53 and D 42, with the question paper and project explained.