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*.
| 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) |
|
| 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 RQF Functional Skills level 2 |
|
| Level 3 | AS and A level Advanced Extension Award Cambridge International award International Baccalaureate Key Skills level 3 RQF level 3 Advanced diploma Progression diploma BTEC award, certificate and diploma level 3 RQF BTEC National OCR National Cambridge National |
|
| Level 4 |
Certificate of higher education BTEC Professional award, certificate and diploma level 4 |
Certificate of higher education HNC |
| Level 5 | HND RQF 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 RQF level 5 BTEC Advanced Professional award, certificate and diploma level 7 |
Master’s degree Postgraduate certificate Postgraduate diploma |
| Level 8 | RQFs level 5 Vocational qualifications level 8 |
Doctorate |