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Further and higher education courses and qualifications

Functional skills, essential digital skills, qualifications eligible for funding, what qualification levels mean and checking a university is recognised. 

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Services

  1. What qualification levels mean

    Find the difficulty level of a qualification and compare qualifications across different countries.

  2. Career skills and training

    Find courses and training online with the National Careers Service and get advice on funding the costs of learning

  3. Check if a university or college is officially recognised

    Recognised bodies, listed bodies, recognised universities, accredited higher learning institutions, bogus degrees

  4. Further education courses and funding

    Find and apply for a further or adult education course and work out what financial help you can get

  5. Mature students: university and funding

    Funding and university courses for mature students - entry requirements, find courses, student finance

See more services in this topic

Guidance and regulation

  1. Find out if you need an ATAS certificate
    • Detailed guide
    • Foreign & Commonwealth Office
  2. Studying in the UK: guidance for EU students
    • Detailed guide
    • Department for Education
  3. Ask Ofqual - common questions answered
    • Guidance
    • Ofqual
  4. 16 to 19 funding: maths and English condition of funding
    • Detailed guide
    • Education and Skills Funding Agency
  5. NHS Bursary Scheme rules 2019
    • Guidance
    • Department of Health and Social Care
See more guidance and regulation in this topic

News and communications

News story

IFA surrenders Ofqual recognition

Ofqual

Research and statistics

  1. Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19 in 2019
    • Department for Education
    • National statistics
  2. National achievement rates tables: transparency data
    • Department for Education
    • Official statistics
  3. Graduate outcomes (LEO): 2017 to 2018
    • Department for Education
    • Official statistics
  4. Vocational qualifications dataset
    • Ofqual
    • Statistical data set
  5. Vocational and other qualifications quarterly: October to December 2019
    • Ofqual
    • National statistics
See more research and statistics in this topic

Policy papers and consultations

  1. Exceptional arrangements for assessment and grading in 2020
    • Ofqual
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 08 May 2020
  2. Legal establishment and location of awarding organisations
    • Ofqual
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 21 February 2020
  3. Moderation and verification of centre assessment judgements
    • Ofqual
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 20 May 2019
  4. Guided learning in Functional Skills
    • Ofqual
    • Consultation outcome
    • Date closed 30 April 2019
  5. National retraining scheme
    • Department for Education
    • Policy paper
See more policy papers and consultations in this topic

Transparency and freedom of information releases

  1. End point assessment quality assurance report: 2018 to 2019
    • Ofqual
    • Corporate report
  2. Non-GCSE qualifications in England: key stage 4 entries and absence and exclusions outcomes
    • Department for Education
    • Transparency
  3. Students and qualifications at level 3 and below in England
    • Department for Education
    • Transparency
  4. nucleargraduates: 10 years of achievement
    • Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
    • Corporate report
  5. Graduate Outcomes (LEO): international outcomes 2006 to 2016
    • Department for Education
    • Transparency
See more transparency and freedom of information releases in this topic

Organisations

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Explore sub-topics

  1. Functional skills
  2. Principal learning qualifications