of or pertaining to education beyond the secondary level; as, higher education; higher learning.

Highers are National Qualifications and are usually taken in the fifth and sixth years of secondary education at about age 17 or 18. Highers are required for entry into higher education. The awards are graded by performance in national examinations and also require candidates to pass all unit assessments associated with the course.

(... Foundation) GCSE Higher level. Covers grades A* to D.

In Scotland the Higher is one of the national school-leaving certificate exams and university entrance qualifications of the Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC) offered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority which superseded the old Higher Grade on the Scottish Certificate of Education (SCE). Most people refer to both simply as "Highers". (For information on the lower SCE grade see Standard Grade.)