Post-16 level 3 qualifications submitted for funding approval from 1 August 2025
Updated 26 March 2024
Applies to England
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This page is an update to the reforms to post-16 qualifications in England. It gives information about the range of reformed level 3 qualifications submitted by awarding organisations for public funding approval from 1 August 2025 (cycle 1).
The Department for Education will confirm the list of approved qualifications in May 2024. Those that have been approved will be available for first teaching from 1 August 2025.
This information is intended as a guide to support education providers in planning their curriculum. It:
- is only relevant to the first cycle of submissions – there will be subsequent cycles
- does not constitute the total range of areas in which new and reformed level 3 qualifications will be available once the reforms are complete.
For further information on the cycles, refer to the guide to the future post-16 qualifications landscape.
Cycle 1 submissions
The qualifications we have received to date are currently being assessed, and must meet the funding approval criteria.
In many areas, several qualifications have been submitted. However, for commercial sensitivity reasons, we are unable to publish numbers, or any further detail about the specific qualifications being assessed. For questions about qualifications, or potential future qualifications, education providers should engage directly with the relevant awarding organisation.
Additional qualifications may still be submitted in these areas in cycle 2. We recognise this was the first time that awarding organisations had undertaken this process.
Occupational routes
In cycle 1, we will approve level 3 alternative academic and technical qualifications in subjects in the following occupational routes:
- construction and the built environment
- digital
- education and early years
- engineering and manufacturing
- health and science
These occupational routes align with waves 1 and 2 of the T Level rollout.
Level 3 small alternative academic qualifications
The following information sets out the small alternative academic qualifications (AAQs) submitted for funding approval in cycle 1. Small AAQs require 150 to 420 guided learning hours.
| Sector subject area | Aligned occupational route | Small AAQs submitted |
|---|---|---|
| Building and construction | Construction and the built environment | Yes |
| Child development and wellbeing | Education and early years | Yes |
| Engineering | Engineering and manufacturing | Yes |
| Health and social care | Health and science | Yes |
| ICT practitioners | Digital | Yes |
| Science | Health and science | Yes |
Technical qualifications
Level 3 occupational entry qualifications
The following information sets out the occupational standards against which technical occupational entry qualifications were submitted for funding approval in cycle 1. If a qualification has been submitted for funding approval for both 16- to 19-year-olds and adults, against a non-T Level standard, and has been approved for funding, it will be available in both funding streams.
Health, public services and care
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education and early years | ST0135 Early years educator | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Health and science | ST0113 Dental nurse (integrated) | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Health and science | ST0217 Senior healthcare support worker | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Health and science | ST0300 Pharmacy technician (integrated) | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Engineering and manufacturing technologies
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering and manufacturing | ST0432 Engineering fitter | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Engineering and manufacturing | ST0457 Engineering technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Engineering and manufacturing | ST0607 Metal fabricator | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Engineering and manufacturing | ST1305 Machining technician | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Construction, planning and the built environment
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and built environment | ST0052 Highways electrician or service operative | No | Yes | Not applicable |
| Construction and built environment | ST0091 Civil engineering technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Construction and built environment | ST0152 Installation electrician and maintenance electrician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Construction and built environment | ST0263 Advanced carpentry and joinery | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Construction and built environment | ST0303 Plumbing and domestic heating technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Construction and built environment | ST1334 Craft bricklayer | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
Information and communication technology (ICT)
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital | ST0120 Digital support technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Digital | ST0795 Data technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
| Digital | ST0865 Cyber security technician | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
Retail and commercial enterprise
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction and built environment | ST0170 Facilities management supervisor | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Leisure, travel and tourism
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and science | ST0302 Personal trainer | No | Yes | Not applicable |
Education and training
| Occupational route | Occupational standard | T level overlap with standards in the occupational route (16 to 19 only) | Occupational entry qualification (16 to 19 and adults) | Occupational entry qualification (adults only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education and early years | ST0454 Teaching assistant | Yes | Not applicable | Yes |
Level 3 additional specialist technical qualifications
The following information pertains to additional specialist qualifications received in cycle 1.
| Sector subject area classification | Occupational routes | Additional specialist qualifications |
|---|---|---|
| Health, public services and care | Education and early years | Yes |
| Health, public services and care | Health and science | Yes |
| Engineering and manufacturing technologies | Construction and built environment | Yes |
| Engineering and manufacturing technologies | Engineering and manufacturing | Yes |
| Construction, planning and the built environment | Construction and built environment | No |
| Information and communication technology (ICT) | Digital | No |
| Retail and commercial enterprise | Construction and built environment | No |
| Leisure, travel and tourism | Health and science | Yes |
| Education and training | Education and early years | Yes |