Higher Computing Science grade boundaries 2025: A, B, C, D

Higher Computing Science grade boundaries 2025

The table is the Computing Science row of the Higher sheet in the SQA's Grade boundaries 2025 (release 25GB, 5 August 2025); the grade counts are from the SQA's 2025 course report.

An A took 68.3% of the marks and a C exactly 50%. See the Higher Computing Science guide.

What the 120 marks are made of

The question paper is 80 marks and lasts 2 hours, and the assignment is 40 marks, per the course specification. As at National 5, a big section of the paper is for everyone, and the rest is a choice between database design and web design, and the assignment follows the same pattern, so one third of the marks are coursework. In 2025, 66% of candidates did the database sections and 34% the web sections, in both the paper and the assignment.

How many candidates got each grade in 2025

Higher Computing Science had the highest A rate of the Higher courses on our pages: 1,668 candidates, 42.1%. B was 18.4%, C 15.0% and D 10.3%, and 14.2%, 564 candidates, got No Award. Entries rose from 3,746 in 2024 to 3,962.

Turning a mark into a grade

A candidate scores 60 out of 80 on the paper and 24 out of 40 on the assignment, 84 in all. That is above A at 82 by 2 marks, and 16 below the upper A at 100. With 59 on the paper the total would be 83, still an A. With 57 it would be 81, a B.

The B and D lines are calculated from A and C. The gap is 82 − 60 = 22, so B = 60 + ⌊45 ÷ 4⌋ = 60 + 11 = 71, and D = 60 − ⌈43 ÷ 4⌉ = 60 − 11 = 49.

2025 against earlier years

In 2024 the lines were A 84, B 72, C 60 and D 48. In 2025 A fell 2 to 82, B fell 1 to 71, C stayed at 60 and D rose 1 to 49. A and B went down, C stayed and D went up. In 2019 the course was out of 160, with A at 108 (67.5%) and C at 74 (46.3%). In 2022 and 2023 A was 79 and 83.

What the SQA said about the 2025 papers

The report says most questions performed as intended, but both parts of question 9(e), intended as "A-level" questions, proved very challenging, so the grade boundary at A was adjusted down. It adds that candidates are improving at writing all forms of code, while extended-response questions using "describe" or "explain" remain the hardest. The assignment performed as expected, and no change was made for it.

Specific points from the paper: some candidates gave a benefit of a digital certificate when asked for a digital signature (question 2). In 9(e)(ii) many described the code to change instead of the additional code to add, and only a few answered 9(f) in terms of fitness for purpose, with many talking about robustness. In the database section, answers such as "missing join" or "missing GROUP BY" were too general for marks (12(c)), and only a few identified the relationship that creates a many-to-many link (13(d)). On the web design questions few explained the difference between block and inline elements (18(e)) or the resolution issue (18(d)(ii)).

What the 2025 numbers mean for you

A mark of 82 for an A is 68% of the paper and the assignment together. The named losses are about being specific: say which join is missing and between which tables, write the code to add, and answer the question that was asked, fitness for purpose and not robustness. Check logic and conditions with the Boolean Algebra tool.

The next series is Higher Computing Science grade boundaries 2026. For every course, see SQA grade boundaries 2025.

Check yourself with today's paper

Sit today's Higher Computing Science paper, a short timed paper of 8 questions and 25 to 35 marks written by us, with no assignment. Divide your mark by the total: 21 out of 30 is 70%, above the A share of 68.3%, and 15 out of 30 is 50%, equal to the C share.

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Scotland · HigherHigher Computing Science grade boundaries 2026: A, B, C, DHigher Computing Science grade boundaries 2026 from Qualifications Scotland: A needed 84 of 120, B 72, C 60 and D 48, with 45.2% getting an A.