Higher education at 18+

Types of HE level courses (Level 4+)

Higher education means any nationally recognised qualification which is at Level 4 or above (see the qualifications ladder).

There are different higher education pathways and they can be delivered in different contexts:

• Academic - university degree - this includes undergraduate degrees such as Bachelor’s with Honours, foundation degrees, and integrated master’s programs. These courses are typically studied in a university setting but sometimes in a college.
• Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) - these include Higher National Certificates (HNCs), Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), and other Level 4/5 qualifications. These courses are often more vocational and career-focused and are typically delivered by colleges or training providers, but are also offered by some universities.
• Degree Apprenticeships - which combines paid work with part-time study at a university or college leading to a full degree while gaining practical experience and earning a salary.

Degrees with Foundation Years (different from Foundation Degrees) 

A Foundation Year is an extra year of study at the start of a university course. It allows students who don't meet the entry requirements to acquire the knowledge they need and go on to study a full degree. You can find some Foundation Year courses on UCAS but some providers might want you to apply directly through them rather than through UCAS.

Offers are often lower for courses with foundation years. Not all degree courses offer Foundation Years. Use our course search to find degrees with a Foundation Year (include the word 'foundation' in your subject search).

Bachelor's Degree with Honours

An Honours degree is a course of study leading to a qualification such as a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), or Bachelor of Law (LLB). This typically takes three or four years to complete full time (normally four years if you're doing a placement year, which includes a year in industry or abroad).

There may also be the option of studying an accelerated two-year degree course. The benefits of choosing to study over 2 years, rather than 3 years, is that you will save money in terms of tuition fees and living costs and achieve your qualification quicker. The downside is that your study time will be more intense.

Postgraduate courses

Postgraduate qualifications (Level 7 and above) generally require applicants to have undertaken some previous study or experience in the chosen field, usually at undergraduate level. Postgraduate courses can be full or part-time and lead to, for example, a Post Graduate Diploma, Masters, or Doctorate.

Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)

HTQs are technical qualifications that employers have helped develop so you can get the right training and skills you need to succeed at work. You can study an HTQ full time or part time.

HTQs have been approved against employer developed standards, also known as occupational standards. This ensures that learners gain the skills that employers want, and employers can be confident that learners have the knowledge, skills and behaviours for a particular specialist role. 

Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) and Certificates (HNCs) are job-related qualifications available in a wide range of vocational areas, and are offered by some universities and colleges. HNCs (Level 4) take one year full-time or two years part-time. Full-time HNDs (Level 5) take two years to complete and can be used as a qualification in their own right, or for entry to the second or third year of a degree course. This can vary between universities, so you will need to check. 

Foundation Degrees are vocational courses designed and delivered in partnership with employers and universities and colleges. These two-year courses combine study with workplace learning. It may be possible that some companies will contribute towards the cost of the Foundation Degree. Normally you can continue for a third year and gain a full honours degree, this is often referred to as a Top Up Year and may involve transferring to a university if you are currently studying at college. Foundation Degrees often require lower qualifications at entry than a degree and may also be less expensive with lower tuition costs. 

Find a HTQ using our course search.

Art Foundation Courses

Many art and design degree courses require applicants to have taken a one-year Level 3 art foundation course to help students to explore a range of art and design experiences such as sculpture or fine art which they may not have been able to explore in school. It also gives them time to build their art portfolio. Applications for these courses are made directly to the college and most students tend to stay local to home rather than move away. These could be delivered in a college or in some universities.

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships offer students an opportunity to learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, as well as earning money at the same time. Apprenticeships would suit someone who: has a clear idea of the type of career they wish to pursue, is willing to commit to work and study, but would prefer a more practical and work-related approach to learning

Higher Apprenticeships are at Level 4 - 7 and when completed, depending on what level you are doing, will be equivalent to a HNC, a Foundation Degree or a degree. Both Higher and Degree Apprenticeships can be competitive and hard to find, so always have a Plan B. Be aware that sometimes you have to start at a lower level apprenticeship to build up your technical knowledge of the work.

Use the Careerpilot Apprenticeship search tool to find current apprenticeship vacancies.