Overview
This briefing covers entries and attainment for STEM subjects at A level and Scottish Highers in 2025. It looks at the changes from 2024, as well as gendered differences in entries and attainment across STEM subjects. Trends are considered back to 2021.
A level and Scottish Highers results 2025
Who this is for
- Employers
- Policymakers
- PEIs
- Researchers
Key findings
- Maths remains the most common A level, staying above 100,000 entries for the second year running
- Maths also remains the most common Higher subject
- The proportion of A level entries for maths, further maths and physics have increased since 2024
- The proportion of A level entries for computing and digital technology have decreased since 2024
- Female students remain underrepresented in A level maths (37%), Design & Technology (33%), further maths (27%), physics (24%), and computing (19%)
- Application of Mathematics Higher has seen a 56.3% increase – up from 2,995 to 4,680 entries
- 9 of 15 Higher STEM subjects saw increases since 2024
- Female students are particularly underrepresented in Higher engineering (12%), computing science (21%), and physics (27%)
It’s great to see the 4.3% growth in physics was driven by a 7.9% increase in entries from girls. There was also a 3.3% increase in female entries for D&T, higher than the small increase (0.3%) seen overall.
Despite the small overall decline in computing science, there was actually a 3.5% increase in entries from female students.
— Becca Gooch, Head of Research, EngineeringUK
