National qualifications framework

A National Qualifications Framework is a formal system describing qualifications. 47 countries participating in the Bologna Process are committed to producing a national qualifications framework. Other countries not part of this process also have national qualifications frameworks.

Australia

The Australian Qualifications Framework is the national qualifications framework in Australia.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a former credit transfer system developed for qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was replaced in 2010 with the Qualifications and Credit Framework.

The Framework had nine levels covering all levels of learning in secondary education, further education, vocational, and higher education. Though academic higher education courses (such as academic degrees) are not covered in the NQF, it was broadly aligned with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), allowing levels of achievement to be compared.

Only when a course has been accredited and become part of the NQF was it then eligible for state funding. As such, some courses which are popular internationally and offered by British based organisations are not available to state schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The NQF had the joint responsibility of England's QCA, Wales's DCELLS and Northern Ireland's CCEA.

Framework

The National Qualifications Framework is split into nine levels.

NQF level	Level criteria	Example qualifications	Equivalent FHEQ level	Equivalent FHEQ qualifications
Level 8	Level 8 qualifications recognise leading experts or practitioners in a particular field or profession. Learning at this level involves the development of new and creative approaches that extend or redefine existing knowledge or professional practice and will often contribute at least locally, although more likely regionally or nationally to the area or sector of the doctor's thesis.	Level 8 Advanced Professional Diploma*Level 8 Advanced Professional Certificate Level 8 Advanced Professional Award Level 8 City and Guilds Institute Fellowship	D (Doctoral)	PhD, Doctorates
Level 7	Level 7 qualifications recognise highly developed, advanced and complex levels of knowledge which enable the development of in-depth and original responses to complicated and unpredictable problems and situations. Learning at this level involves the demonstration of high level specialist professional knowledge and is appropriate for senior professionals and senior managers. Level 7 qualifications are at a level equivalent to Master's degrees, postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas.	Level 7 Advanced Professional Diploma Level 7 Advanced Professional Certificate Level 7 Advanced Professional Award Level 7 City and Guilds Institute Membership Cambridge ESOL Delta	M (Masters)	Master's degree PGCE PGDip PGDE PGCert
Level 6	Level 6 qualifications recognise a specialist high level knowledge of an area of work or study to enable the use of an individual’s own ideas and research in response to complex problems and situations. Learning at this level involves the achievement of a high level of professional knowledge and is appropriate for people working as knowledge-based professionals or in professional management positions. Often, registered professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, social workers, teachers and doctors enter their profession with a Level 6 qualification. Level 6 qualifications are at a level equivalent to Bachelor's degrees with honours, graduate certificates and graduate diplomas.	Level 6 Professional Diploma Level 6 Professional Certificate Level 6 Professional Award Level 6 City and Guilds Institute Graduateship NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety British Safety Council Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health	H (Honours)	Bachelor's degree Graduate Certificate Graduate Diploma Professional Certificate in Education
Level 5	Level 5 qualifications recognise the ability to increase the depth of knowledge and understanding of an area of work or study to enable the formulation of solutions and responses to complex problems and situations. Learning at this level involves the demonstration of high levels of knowledge, a high level of work expertise in job roles and competence in managing and training others. Qualifications at this level are appropriate for people working as higher grade technicians, professionals or managers. Level 5 qualifications are at a level equivalent to intermediate Higher Education qualifications such as Diplomas of Higher Education, Foundation and other degrees that do not typically provide access to postgraduate programmes.	HND BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma Level 5 Professional Diploma Level 5 Professional Certificate Level 5 Professional Award Level 5 City and Guilds Institute Affiliateship International Advanced Diploma in Computer Studies (IADCS) NCC Education UK. City and Guilds Full Technological Certificate / Diploma	I (Intermediate)	Foundation degree HND DipHE DipFE
Level 4	Level 4 qualifications recognise specialist learning and involve detailed analysis of a high level of information and knowledge in an area of work or study. Learning at this level is appropriate for people working in technical and professional jobs, and/or managing and developing others. Level 4 qualifications are at a level equivalent to Certificates of Higher Education.	HNC BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate Level 4 Professional Diploma Level 4 Professional Certificate Level 4 Professional Award Level 4 City and Guilds Institute Licentiateship International Diploma in Computer Studies (IDCS) NCC Education UK.	C (Certificate)	Diploma Certificate of Higher Education
Level 3	Level 3 qualifications recognise the ability to gain, and where relevant apply a range of knowledge, skills and understanding. Learning at this level involves obtaining detailed knowledge and skills. It is appropriate for people wishing to go to university, people working independently, or in some areas supervising and training others in their field of work.	A Level AS Level Cambridge Technical L3 Certificate Cambridge Technical L3 Introductory Diploma Cambridge Technical L3 Subsidiary Diploma Cambridge Technical L3 Diploma Cambridge Technical L3 Extended Diploma BTEC Level 3 Certificate BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma BTEC Level 3 90-Credit Diploma BTEC Level 3 Diploma BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Level 3 International Certificate in Computer Studies(ICCS) NCC Education UK. level 3 cpd Level 3 NVQ NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. Access to Higher Education Diploma
Level 2	Level 2 qualifications recognise the ability to gain a good knowledge and understanding of a subject area of work or study, and to perform varied tasks with some guidance or supervision. Learning at this level involves building knowledge and/or skills in relation to an area of work or a subject area and is appropriate for many job roles.	GCSE at grades A*–C Cambridge Technical L2 Certificate Cambridge Technical L2 Extended Certificate Cambridge Technical L2 Diploma Cambridge National L2 Award Cambridge National L2 Certificate Cambridge National L2 Diploma BTEC Level 2 Award BTEC Level 2 Certificate BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate BTEC Level 2 Diploma Level 2 DiDA Level 2 CiDA Level 2 NVQ
Level 1	Level 1 qualifications recognise basic knowledge and skills and the ability to apply learning with guidance or supervision. Learning at this level is about activities which mostly relate to everyday situations and may be linked to job competence.	GCSE at grades D–G Foundation Diploma Introductory Diploma Introductory Certificate Level 1 DiDA Level 1 CIDA+ Level 1 CiDA Level 1 AiDA Level 1 NVQ.
Entry Level	Entry-Level qualifications recognise basic knowledge and skills and the ability to apply learning in everyday situations under direct guidance or supervision. Learning at this level involves building basic knowledge and skills and is not geared towards specific occupations.	Entry Level Certificate Foundation Diploma BTEC Level 1 Certificate

In general usage, qualifications are often compared to the best-known qualification at that level. For example, the Level 2 DiDA is often said to be equal to four GCSEs at grades A*–C.

While the NQF says what each qualification is officially worth, UCAS, the university entrance system, has its own tariff, which sometimes differs from the NQF. Furthermore, colleges and employers often have their own differing ideas as to what a qualification is worth.

BTECs and Cambridge courses are vocational equivalent to 1, 2 or 3 GCSEs or A Levels, at Grade A*-C. OCR Nationals were discontinued in 2012.

Currently, qualification titles such as 'certificate' and 'diploma' are not indicators of the level of a qualification.

History

The NQF was introduced to help employers compare the many hundreds of qualifications available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Originally, the framework only went up to Level 5, but in 2004 the old Level 4 was subdivided into Levels 4, 5 and 6 and the old Level 5 was subdivided into Level 7 and Level 8. This allowed the NQF to better align with its university equivalent, the FHEQ.

The NQF was replaced with the QCF, Qualifications and Credit Framework, which indicates the size of qualifications (measured in learning hours), as well as their level.

See also

• ESOL
• Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• Leitch Review of Skills

External links

• QCA: The National Qualifications Framework
• Ofqual: Explaining the National Qualifications Framework

Ireland

The National Framework of Qualifications is the framework used in the Republic of Ireland.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Qualifications Framework, administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, covers qualifications in secondary education and tertiary education in New Zealand.

Scotland

Although part of the United Kingdom, Scotland has its own education system and its own twelve level system, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.