Examius
🇬🇧 United Kingdom · School
Scottish Higher Syllabus
The main Scottish university-entrance qualification, typically taken in S5 around age 17.. The complete Scottish Higher outline — 7 subjects, 28 chapters and 117 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
Scottish Higher subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
4 chapters · 16 topics · 41 sub-topics
Higher English5 chapters · 18 topics · 20 sub-topics
Higher Physics4 chapters · 18 topics · 31 sub-topics
Higher Chemistry4 chapters · 17 topics · 22 sub-topics
Higher Biology3 chapters · 16 topics · 18 sub-topics
Higher History4 chapters · 16 topics · 19 sub-topics
Higher Modern Studies4 chapters · 16 topics · 17 sub-topics
Scottish Higher flashcard decks
418 question-and-answer cards across 7 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the Scottish Higher syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Higher English carries 18 topics while Higher Modern Studies carries 16. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Scottish Higher.
The ~120 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
Scottish Higher syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the Scottish Higher syllabus?
Scottish Higher covers 7 subjects: Higher Mathematics, Higher English, Higher Physics, Higher Chemistry, Higher Biology, Higher History and Higher Modern Studies. Together they contain 28 chapters and 117 named topics.
How big is the Scottish Higher syllabus?
The full Scottish Higher outline breaks down into 28 chapters, 117 topics and 168 sub-topics. Higher English is the largest single subject with 18 topics across 5 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole Scottish Higher syllabus?
Roughly 120 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 6 weeks.
Are there Scottish Higher flashcards?
Yes — 418 question-and-answer flashcards across 7 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this Scottish Higher syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Scottish Higher syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United Kingdom and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
Related School syllabuses
Vocational qualifications offered at various levels, widely taken in schools and colleges as career-focused alternatives or supplements to GCSEs and A-Levels.
Cambridge IGCSE syllabusThe international version of the GCSE offered by Cambridge, taken in some UK independent schools and worldwide at age 14-16.
Cambridge Pre-U syllabusA post-16 alternative to A-Levels offered by Cambridge Assessment, designed as preparation for university (being phased out).
Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE) syllabusA historic English/Welsh/NI qualification for 16-year-olds run alongside O-Levels, merged into the GCSE in 1988.
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) syllabusA standalone Level 3 qualification in England in which sixth-form students complete an independent research project, valued for university admission.
Functional Skills Qualifications syllabusQualifications in English, maths and ICT in England providing practical core skills, often taken by students who did not achieve GCSE grades 4/C.
GCE Advanced Level (A-Levels) syllabusSubject-based qualifications taken at age 18 that form the primary basis for UK university admission.
General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) syllabusThe main subject-based qualifications taken by students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, typically at age 16 (end of Year 11).
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) syllabusA two-year pre-university diploma offered by many UK schools as an alternative to A-Levels.
Browse all 30 School syllabuses → · All United Kingdom exams →