Results delayed for some NESCol students
August 3, 2026
Update: 7 August 2026
Qualifications Scotland has confirmed that all certification for NESCol students that was due to be issued on 4 August was concluded by the close of play on Thursday (6 August). This includes the 664 learners who completed Skills for Work Courses and who were due to receive certificates on 4 August. Candidates will receive certificates by post in the coming days and information is available to view online via the My Qualifications Scotland service for those who have registered for digital access.
More widely, certification for NESCol students who have completed other qualifications awarded by Qualifications Scotland, including at HNC and HND level, was also concluded by the close of play on Thursday (6 August). Although these certificates were not due on 4 August specifically, and are usually issued on a rolling basis through July and August, learners in this category have also been impacted by delays. These candidates will also receive certificates by post in the coming days and, for those registered for online access, can view their information online via the My Qualifications Scotland service.
NESCol sincerely apologises to all who have been affected.
Update: 4 August 2026
A resolution has been finalised and data re-submitted by NESCol to Qualifications Scotland. There will be a short period of data cleansing, as is normal in the process, before certificates are issued. NESCol and Qualifications Scotland are committed to completing these steps as soon as possible and endeavouring to conclude certification by Thursday evening.
Original statement: 3 August 2026
Some NESCol students due to receive results from Qualifications Scotland tomorrow (4 August) are being advised of a delay in certification.
A group of 664 students on Skills For Work courses were due to receive their results tomorrow. They are now expected to be issued next week.
The delay is due to a technical problem with the data shared by NESCol. Results were uploaded to the Qualifications Scotland system in mid-July but the problem came to light last week. NESCol has been working with Qualifications Scotland to rectify the issue since then.
Those who sat National 5 and Higher exams will receive their results on 4 August as scheduled. There are 369 students in that category.
More widely, NESCol students who have completed other courses awarded by Qualifications Scotland are expected to receive certificates over the next two weeks. These were due to be issued on a rolling basis over the summer, rather than on 4 August, but have been impacted by the data sharing issue. This includes those who have completed National Certificates, HNC and HND courses as well as Foundation Apprenticeships.
NESCol Principal Neil Cowie said: “We sincerely apologise to the students affected by this issue. We know the excitement and anxiety that receiving results brings for school pupils and college students each year, and this delay causes unnecessary stress and inconvenience for those impacted.
“With the support of Qualifications Scotland and external system providers, a resolution is being progressed. Unfortunately, this was not possible in time to avoid a delay in certification. Our focus has been on overcoming this challenge and minimising disruption to students, but our attention will then turn to fully investigating the underlying cause and ensuring a robust permanent solution.”
The College is already working closely with RGU to ensure resulting information is confirmed for students who are progressing to the university and is committed to doing so for other institutions requiring information on qualifications prior to certificates being issued.
NESCol’s Student Advice Centre team is available to provide guidance to any student with concerns about certification. A hotline (01224 612301) is available from 10am to 3.30pm from 4-7 August, with drop-in advice on offer at the City and Fraserburgh campuses. LiveChat is also in place via the website, when the icon is displayed.
NESCol is one of the largest providers of vocational education and training in Scotland, delivering to more than 20,000 full-time, part-time and distance learning students each year. The College works with a range of awarding bodies, in addition to Qualifications Scotland, who are unaffected by this delay. The College operates from its Aberdeen Altens, Aberdeen City and Fraserburgh campuses as well as the Scottish Maritime Academy in Peterhead.
