Scottish Qualifications Authority

What Scottish Qualifications Authority does

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), now operating as Qualifications Scotland, is a Non-Departmental Public Body established in 1995 through the merger of several predecessor bodies (Scottish Certificate of Education, SCOTVEC, SCOTBEC, SCOTEC, SEB, SANCAD, SCCAPE). It serves as Scotland's sole national accreditation and awarding body, with statutory responsibility for developing, designing, quality assuring and certificating qualifications across the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels 1–12.

The portfolio spans National Qualifications (National 1–5, Higher, Advanced Higher, Skills for Work, Foundation Apprenticeships, Scottish Baccalaureates) at SCQF levels 1–7, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNCs/HNDs) at levels 7–8, Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) delivered in the workplace, Professional Development Awards, National Certificates, National Progression Awards, Advanced Certificates/Diplomas, and Customised Awards developed for partner organisations. Underpinning the portfolio is a digital infrastructure comprising the Connect portal (centre services and quality assurance), Secure portal (assessment materials), SOLAR (digital assessments and question banks), My Qualifications Scotland (candidate results), the Appointee Portal, the SQA Academy (training), and Understanding Standards (assessment guidance). Digital Question Papers provide accessible, interactive PDFs for candidates with disabilities and additional support needs.

The business model is dominated by Scottish Government grant-in-aid funding the public duties of qualification development and certification, with limited commercial revenue streams layered on top: £40 replacement certificates (with optional £6.50 recorded delivery or £30 international courier), authentication services for third parties (including international organisations such as World Education Services), and fees for Customised Awards development and Consultancy services. Delivery is intermediated through an approved centre network of Scottish schools, colleges, employers and training providers, supported by approximately 11,000 contracted markers, verifiers and assessors annually. In 2025–2026 the organisation is transitioning its brand and digital estate from SQA to Qualifications Scotland while continuing a multi-year qualifications reform programme.

Name

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Legal name

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Website

https://sqa.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Scottish Qualifications Authority (now Qualifications Scotland) is Scotland's national awarding and accreditation body, developing, quality assuring and certificating National Qualifications, HNCs/HNDs, SVQs and related awards delivered through schools, colleges, employers and training providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Qualifications and Accreditation Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC), Test Administration, Proctoring & Security Authorities (EDADAFAH), Qualifications Framework Authorities (NQF/Skills Framework) (EDADAFAB), Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ)

Keywords

• National qualifications awarding
• Vocational qualification certification
• Accreditation services education
• Workplace competence qualifications
• Digital assessment platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a Non-Departmental Public Body accountable to the Scottish Government, SQA receives government funding to perform its public duties of developing, designing, quality assuring, and certificating qualifications in Scotland.
2. Replacement Certificates: Charge of £40 for replacement certificates. Additional fees for courier delivery outside UK (£30) and recorded delivery within UK (£6.50).
3. Authentication Services: Authentication of qualifications for third party companies, sending confirmation by email and/or letter.
4. Customised Awards Development: Fees for creating bespoke qualifications tailored to business needs, with costs varying depending on development time and requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Scottish Qualifications Authority develops, designs, quality assures, and certificates qualifications for Scotland across all levels of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. It awards National Qualifications (National 1-5, Higher, Advanced Higher), Higher National Certificates and Diplomas, Scottish Vocational Qualifications, Professional Development Awards, National Certificates, National Progression Awards, and bespoke Customised Awards. Qualifications are delivered through approved centres (schools, colleges, employers, training providers) and supported by digital platforms for candidate services, assessment, and certification.

Product overview

Qualifications Scotland operates as Scotland's national awarding and accreditation body, offering a comprehensive portfolio of qualifications across multiple types and levels. The core offering consists of National Qualifications (NQ) including National 1-5, Higher, and Advanced Higher at SCQF levels 1-7, alongside Higher National Qualifications (HNC/HND) at levels 7-8, and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) delivered in workplaces. Supporting products include Professional Development Awards (PDAs), Awards, National Certificates (NC), National Progression Awards (NPAs), and SQA Advanced Certificates and Diplomas. Core Skills in Communication, Numeracy, ICT, Problem Solving, and Working with Others are embedded across qualifications. Supporting platforms include Connect (centre portal), Secure (secure services), SOLAR (digital assessments), My Qualifications Scotland (candidate results portal), Understanding Standards (assessment guidance), Appointee Portal, and SQA Academy (training). The organisation also offers Replacement Certificate Services and Customised Awards for bespoke organisational needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Connect: Online portal providing access to candidate services, results services, National Qualification quality assurance, Navigator, File Exchange, and Monitor applications
• Secure
• Appointees Portal
• My Qualifications Scotland

Products and services

• National Qualifications (NQ) Qualifications taken by students in Scottish secondary schools and colleges including National 1-5, Higher, Advanced Higher, Skills for Work, Scottish Baccalaureates, and Foundation Apprenticeships at SCQF levels 1-7.
• Higher National Qualifications (HNC/HND) Higher National Certificates and Diplomas delivered through colleges and employers at SCQF levels 7-8, designed in partnership with industry and based on National Occupational Standards.
• Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) Workplace qualifications demonstrating competence in occupational areas, delivered and assessed in the workplace and accredited by Qualifications Scotland Accreditation.
• Professional Development Awards (PDA) Shorter qualifications than HNCs/HNDs designed for those in career or vocation to extend or broaden skills, aligned to National Occupational Standards or Professional Body requirements.
• Awards Flexible qualifications at SCQF levels 1-6 recognising life and work skills gained from activities such as sport, mentoring, voluntary work, or fund-raising.
• National Certificates (NC) Qualifications at SCQF levels 2-6 designed to prepare people for employment or progression to HNC/HND level, delivered mainly by colleges and mapped to National Occupational Standards.
• National Progression Awards (NPA) Qualifications assessing defined sets of skills and knowledge in specialist vocational areas, suitable for young people, adults, and career development, linked to National Occupational Standards.
• SQA Advanced Certificates and Diplomas Higher Education qualifications at SCQF levels 7-8 meeting employer needs and enabling advanced entry into undergraduate degree programmes.
• Customised Awards Bespoke qualifications developed in partnership with and owned by partner organisations, administered, quality assured, and certificated by Qualifications Scotland.
• Core Skills Transferable skills framework covering Communication, Numeracy, Information Technology, Problem Solving, and Working with Others at SCQF levels 2-6, embedded in NQ, HN and Modern Apprenticeships.
• Replacement Certificate Service Online ordering service for replacement certificates, course syllabi, and authentication of qualifications for third parties, with processing time of 2-3 weeks. Standard fee of £40 within UK.
• Qualifications Scotland Accreditation Accreditation service for SVQs and other qualifications, ensuring they meet national standards and regulatory requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of Modern Apprenticeship graduates secure permanent positions or further education/training

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Pearson: Largest UK and global awarding body (Edexcel, BTEC, LCCI), competing directly with SQA in vocational qualifications, Customised Awards, and English/Welsh delivery, and also a major digital assessment platform provider.
• Cambridge Assessment International Education: International arm of Cambridge Assessment offering IGCSEs, A-levels, and Cambridge International qualifications globally; comparable in scale of international authentication and global credentialing reach.
• International Baccalaureate (IB): Globally recognised awarding body operating outside any single national jurisdiction; analogous to SQA in designing and assessing standardised qualifications at multiple levels for secondary and pre-university learners.

Direct peers

• AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance): England's largest GCSE and A-level awarding body; a directly comparable national-scale awarding organisation with similar statutory-style remit, assessment infrastructure, and marker-network model.
• WJEC / WJEC-CBAC: Welsh national awarding body, structurally analogous to SQA as a domestic monopolist within its nation; offers comparable qualifications frameworks and assessment services for Welsh learners.
• OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations): Cambridge-Assessment-owned awarding body offering GCSEs, A-levels, and vocational credentials; directly comparable to SQA in qualification design, assessment delivery, and digital candidate services.
• CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment): Northern Ireland's awarding body, equivalent to SQA in role and scope, providing qualifications, assessment, and curriculum support for learners within its home jurisdiction.
• City & Guilds: Major UK vocational and apprenticeship awarding body (now part of ILM/Kaplan), competing with SQA's SVQs, apprenticeships, and Customised Awards across the UK and internationally.

Emerging players

• NCFE: UK awarding and certification organisation focused on vocational, technical, and apprenticeship qualifications, with growing overlap in Customised Awards and end-point assessment markets served by SQA.

Others

• Ofqual: UK qualifications regulator that oversees English awarding bodies such as AQA, OCR, Pearson, and City & Guilds; relevant comparator because the Scottish equivalent regulatory and accreditation function is embedded within SQA's own remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sqanews
• Facebookfacebook.com/scottishqualificationsauthority
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sqa-scottish-qualifications-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/qualifications.scotland

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scottish Qualifications Authority