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Qualifications at Levels 4–8 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) are counted as Higher Education.
Higher Education (HE) has its own system for setting levels and types of qualification, called the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, or FHEQ. The FHEQ is shown in the table at the bottom the this page.
Find out more about HE – including student life, finance and gap years – in our Higher Education section.
What do HE qualifications give you?
Specialist learning involving high level of knowledge in a specific occupational role or study area. Appropriate for people working or wishing to progress to specialised technical and professional roles, and/or managing and developing others.
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
Click any qualification in the table to learn more about it…
| FHEQ level | Academic qualifications | Vocational qualifications | NQF equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| D (Doctoral) |
| Level 8 | |
| M (Masters) |
| Level 7 | |
| H (Honours) |
| Level 6 | |
| I (Intermediate) |
| Level 5 | |
| C (Certificate) |
| Level 4 |
The higher the level, the greater the depth of knowledge, skills and understanding you have to demonstrate for the qualification to be gained.
