Details about cookies on qualifications.gov.scot
Please note: our cookies for our website sqa.org.uk are different. A full list can be found on our SQA.org.uk cookies statement.
Our use of cookies
This policy explains how we use cookies on this website, qualifactions.gov.scot, (the ‘Website’). This policy should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Statement and Website Terms and Conditions.
Cookies are small text files stored on your device by websites that you visit. Website operators use cookies to make websites work, or work more efficiently. Cookies provide information to the website operators or third parties. Each cookie usually contains a unique string of characters, which allows a website to distinguish your browser or device from other users. In this policy, we use the term ‘cookie’ to mean a cookie and any other similar technology, such as web beacons, local stored objects, and pixel tags.
Session cookies are cookies which expire at the end of a browser session. When the browser closes, the cookie is permanently lost from this point. Session cookies allow websites to recognise and link actions of a user during browsing sessions.
Persistent cookies are stored on a user’s device between sessions. They can allow the preferences of actions of the user across a site (or across different websites) to be remembered. These cookies will stay on your device until they reach their expiry date, or until you delete them.
We use cookies to enable you to navigate between pages on our Website and to generally improve your user experience. We also use cookies to analyse how users interact with our Website and to enable you to share content using social media.
We may combine information collected via cookies with information such as your IP address, the type of browser, device and operating system, for example, to provide statistical information about visitors to the Website.
The cookies that we currently use on the Website are summarised in more detail below. We recommend that you read this so that you are aware of how we use them and can take steps to reject or delete the cookies if you do not agree to them being used.
We use them to:
remember settings you've saved
measure website usage
Types of cookies:
necessary: essential for the operation of the Website
functional: personalises the content and recognises you when you return to our Website, allowing us to remember your preferences
analytical performance: counts the number of visitors and how visitors move around the Website (does not collect personal information)
Third party websites: please be aware that if you access third party websites including social media platforms from this Website you will be subject to their terms and conditions.
Cookies used across our website
You can find more information about the individual cookies we use and their purposes in the tables below.
Necessary
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| cookie_control | Used to manage and store user cookie preferences. | 90 days |
Analytical performance
Google Analytics
These cookies are used to monitor website traffic, search queries and visits to this website. User data is anonymised.
| Name | Purpose | Expiration |
|---|---|---|
| _ga | Used to distinguish users and sessions. | 2 years |
| _ga_<container>-id | Used to persist session state. | 2 years |
Choices about cookies
Some types of cookies require your consent before we can set the cookie. If a cookie is not ‘necessary’ to the functioning of the Website, then we will ask for your consent. Cookies that are necessary and essential to the operation of the Website will be set automatically. You can control your consent using the Cookie Control feature on the Website.
We may also remind you periodically about our use of cookies and ask you to reconfirm your consent to cookies when you register for certain services or activate a certain function on the Website that relies on the use of cookies.
How do I change my cookie settings?
You can control the use of cookies using the Cookie Control feature on this Website, which works with most browsers and devices.
Cookie Control uses a cookie to remember your preferences. If you clear any cookies from your browser or device then you may need to reset your cookie preferences when you next visit.
Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings.
To opt out of Google Analytics on all websites, visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Cookies updates
We may amend this policy at any time. Please check this page periodically so that you are aware of any changes. This policy was last updated on 1st February 2026.
Contact us
For any information on our cookies, please contact: Customer Enquiries or 0345 279 1000, or write to: The Optima Building, 58 Robertson Street, Glasgow, G2 8DQ.