Regulated qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are either in the:

Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF)

Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ)

The table shows how the most common qualifications compare. The levels show how difficult a qualification is.

There’s no simple comparison for NVQ levels 4 and 5*.

*source

LEVEL	RQF EXAMPLES	FHEQ EXAMPLES
Entry 1 to 3	Entry level certificate  Entry level Skills for Life  Entry level award, certificate and diploma  Entry level Functional Skills  Entry level Foundation Learning
Level 1	GCSE (grades D-G)  Key Skills level 1  NVQ level 1  Skills for Life level 1  Foundation diploma  BTEC award, certificate and diploma level 1  Foundation Learning level 1  Functional Skills level 1  OCR National
Level 2	GCSE (grades A*-C)  Key Skills level 2  NVQ level 2  Skills for Life level 2  Higher diploma  BTEC award, certificate and diploma level 2  Functional Skills level 2
Level 3	AS and A level  Advanced Extension Award  Cambridge International award  International Baccalaureate  Key Skills level 3  NVQ level 3  Advanced diploma  Progression diploma  BTEC award, certificate and diploma level 3  BTEC National  OCR National  Cambridge National
Level 4	Certificate of higher education  Key Skills level 4  NVQ level 4  BTEC Professional award, certificate and diploma level 4	Certificate of higher education  HNC
Level 5	HND  NVQ level 4  Higher diploma  BTEC Professional award, certificate and diploma level 5  HNC	Diploma of higher education  Diploma of further education  Foundation degree  HND
Level 6	Diploma of higher education  Diploma of further education  Foundation degree  HND	Bachelor’s degree  Graduate certificate  Graduate diploma
Level 7	BTEC Advanced Professional award, certificate and diploma level 7  Fellowship and fellowship diploma  Postgraduate certificate  Postgraduate diploma  NVQ level 5  BTEC Advanced Professional award, certificate and diploma level 7	Master’s degree  Postgraduate certificate  Postgraduate diploma
Level 8	NVQs level 5  Vocational qualifications level 8	Doctorate