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New name for SQA Higher National qualifications outside Scotland

SQA has changed the name of SQA Higher National qualifications (HNs) for use in countries outside Scotland:

Posted Wed 19 December 2018
  • The SQA Higher National Diploma (HND) will be known as the SQA Advanced Diploma.
  • The SQA Higher National Certificate (HNC) will be known as the SQA Advanced Certificate.

Centres in the countries currently approved to deliver SQA HNs will have a period of time to transition to the renamed qualifications. Those countries are China, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, Indonesia, Brunei, Oman, Bahrain, UAE, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, India, Bangladesh, Maldives, USA, Canada, Angola, and Pakistan.

These centres can continue to submit SQA HN entries until 31 December 2018, and receive results until 31 December 2021. In any country not listed above, centres will submit entries for SQA Advanced Diplomas/Certificates from now on, so applications from students holding the renamed qualifications will start from March 2020 onwards.

More information is available in the ‘Guide to SQA Advanced Qualifications’.

New exam levels have been added for this purpose:

  • Exam level: RX – SQA Advanced Diploma
  • Exam level: RY – SQA Advanced Certificate