Levels Explained

Entry Requirements: Entry Level is for people who don’t have any previous qualifications. *

What are Entry Level qualifications?

• Entry level award, certificate or diploma

• Entry level English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

• Entry level Essential Skills or entry level Functional Skills

• Skills for Life

Entry Requirements: At Newcastle College, you can typically study a Level 1 subject if you hold 1 GCSE at grade 3 or above, along with 2 GCSEs at grade 2 or above in English and maths. *

What are Level 1 qualifications?

• First certificate

• GCSE – grades 3,2,1 or grades D, E, F, G

• Level 1 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 1 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

• Level 1 Essential Skills or Level 1 Functional Skills

• Level 1 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

Entry Requirements: At Newcastle College, you can typically study a Level 2 subject if you hold 4 GCSEs at grade 3 or above including English and maths, or a Level 1 qualification in a relevant subject. *

What are Level 2 qualifications?

• GCSE grades 9,8,7,6,5,4 or grades A*, A, B, C

• Intermediate Apprenticeship

• CSE – grade -1

• Level 2 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 2 Extended Certificate

• Level 2 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

• Level 2 Essential Skills or Level 2 Functional Skills

• Level 2 National Certificate or Level 2 National Diploma

• Level 2 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

• GCE O-Levels – grade A, B or C

Entry Requirements: At Newcastle College, you can typically study a Level 3 subject if you hold 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including a level 3 and a level 4 in English and maths (in either order). The requirements may vary slightly depending on which subject you would like to study. You may also study with a relevant Level 2 qualification. *

What are Level 3 qualifications?

• AS Level

• GCE A-Level

• Access to Higher Education

• Advanced Apprenticeship

• International baccalaureate diploma

• Level 3 award, certificate, diploma

• Level 3 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

• Level 3 National Certificate or Level 3 National Diploma

• Level 3 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

At Newcastle College University Centre, we offer Foundation Degrees where you can achieve both a Level 4 and Level 5 qualification over two years.

Entry Requirements:

You can typically study a Foundation Degree if you hold Level 3 qualifications.  At Newcastle College we prefer 48 – 64 UCAS tariff points. UCAS tariff points are calculated by your final grades at Level 3. Use the calculator here to work your points out.

What are Level 4 qualifications?

• CertHE – Certificate of Higher Education

• Higher Apprenticeship

• HNC – Higher National Certificate

• Level 4 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 4 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

What are Level 5 qualifications?

• DipHE – Diploma of Higher Education

• Foundation Degree

• Level 5 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 5 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

Entry Requirements: At Newcastle College, you can typically study a Level 6 subject if you hold a Foundation Degree or equivalent Level 5 certification.

You can also study at Level 6 if you enrol onto a 3-year Honours Degree, which you’ll need to hold Level 3 qualifications to do. At Newcastle College we prefer 48 – 64 UCAS tariff points. UCAS tariff points are calculated by your final grades at Level 3. Use the calculator here to work your points out.

What are Level 6 qualifications?

• Degree Apprenticeship

• Honours Degree – for example Bachelor of the Arts BA (Hons), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)

• Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma

• Level 6 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 6 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

• Ordinary Bachelor’s Degree without honours

• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

Entry Requirements: At Newcastle College, you can typically study a Level 6 subject if you hold a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent Level 6 certification.

What are Level 7 qualifications?

• Masters Degree, example (MA), (MSc) or (MEng)

• Level 7 award, certificate or diploma

• Level 7 National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

• Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma.

We don’t currently offer Level 8 qualifications but you can progress to a Level 8 after completing a Level 7.

What are Level 8 qualifications?

• Doctorate, for example Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil)

• Level 8 award, certificate or diploma