Moving to Scotland from the United States
Scottish schools place children by age rather than grade, and the qualifications for university are different.
Which class would my child be in?
Guidance only: the school and council make the final placement decision. Cut-offs: Scotland 1 March, England and Wales 1 September, Northern Ireland 2 July.
What's different
- Children are placed by date of birth: those born 1 March to the end of February start Primary 1 together in August, aged about 4½ to 5½.
- Primary is P1–P7 (roughly ages 5–12) and secondary S1–S6 (roughly 12–18). Each address has a catchment school.
- Council schools charge no fees. Whether your child can take up a place can depend on your visa, so check with the council before you move.
Exams and university
- Pupils take National 5s (usually S4), Highers (S5) and Advanced Highers (S6). Scottish universities admit mainly on Highers.
- Bring transcripts and any test results; the school will decide which courses suit your child.
Getting a school place
- Find your catchment school for the exact address you will live at (it may not be the nearest school).
- Contact the council's education department, or the school, to enrol. Councils usually ask for proof of address and your child's birth certificate or passport; some only enrol once you are living there.
- For a different school, make a placing request to the council. For an August start, councils usually take these between December and February.
- If a placing request is refused, you can appeal, usually within 28 days.
General guidance, not an admissions decision or a formal comparison of qualifications. Moving from somewhere else? England · Wales · Northern Ireland · Ireland · another country