RQF levels explained: Levels 1–8 in simple terms
Are you considering furthering your education? You might be returning to school after a few years away: courses like our Level 3 Health & Social Care qualification, for example, are great for those looking to start a rewarding career in residential care.
Some students want to become more qualified in their field: programmes like our Level 3 Social Media Marketing and even our Level 2 in Cake Making can make a big difference to employers.
But Level 3, 6, and 8: what do these qualifications actually mean? The Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) is the official scale that lines up everything from entry-level awards through to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.
Today, Distance Learning Centre is here to help you make sense of what each RQF Level 1–8 means in plain English.
How the RFQ works
The RFQ has two main parts: level and size.
The level (Entry to 1, Level 3, Level 7, etc.) describes how advanced the learning is, and the size tells you roughly how long it takes. Size is expressed as Total Qualification Time (TQT): the hours needed to complete the qualification, and it includes:
- Guided learning hours (the times a learner spends with direct supervision from an educator)
- Non-guided learning (which includes elements like independent study and research, completing assignments, and unsupervised assessment preparation).
Some awarding bodies also show size using credits, where 1 credit typically represents about 10 hours of learning.
In context, this means that an Award is a small qualification (up to 120 TQT hours), a Certificate is medium-sized (121–369 TQT hours), and a Diploma is larger (370+ TQT hours).
As level and size are two separate considerations, you can have a short, high-level Award or a longer, introductory Diploma. The system works this way so that learners can quickly gauge the difficulty and time commitment of any given qualification.
Entry Level (Entry 1–3)
Entry Level sits below Level 1 on the RQF and is split into Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3, with Entry 3 being the most demanding. They’re designed for students returning to study, those new to English, or anyone who needs practical skills for daily life.
The end goal will differ from course to course. Generally, learners should finish the course able to speak, listen, read, and write with clarity in familiar contexts, use straightforward numeracy, and develop essential digital habits for employment.
Entry 3 prepares you to step up to Level 1.
Levels 1–2 (foundation and GCSE-equivalent)
Levels 1 and 2 mark the step from foundation skills to full GCSE standard.
Level 1 covers basic knowledge and skills you can apply with guidance, such as functional skills courses or national vocational qualifications (NVQs). Level 2 recognises a solid working grasp of a subject at GCSE pass standard.
It includes GCSEs at grades 4–9, as well as qualifications such as our Maths & English Functional Skills Level 2 Course Bundle. There are also qualifications like a Level 2 in Cake making!
Where Level 1 shows confidence, Level 2 shows you can meet GCSE-level demands.
Level 3 (A level/BTEC level and UCAS Tariff)
Level 3 is the step where most pre-university study sits. It includes A-levels and AS levels, many BTEC Nationals (e.g., Extended Certificate/Diploma), T Levels, Access to HE Diplomas, Level 3 Certificates/Diplomas, and Advanced Apprenticeships.
Level 3 shows you can handle more complex ideas. Throughout these qualifications, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your problem-solving ability and study with more independence. It’s also the point at which UCAS Tariff points apply.
Levels 4–5 (higher national level)
Levels 4 and 5 mark the start of higher education.
At Level 4, you’ll typically find Higher National Certificates (HNCs), Certificates of Higher Education and some higher apprenticeships. Level 5 qualifications include Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), foundation degrees (FdA/FdSc) and Diplomas of Higher Education.
Two things change at this stage: depth and autonomy. With a Level 4 qualification (like our Practical Artificial Intelligence Course or our Understanding Early Years course), you’ll be expected to build clear arguments and interpret evidence.
Level 5 qualifications are where students will evaluate different approaches and communicate reasoning to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
Level 6 (bachelor’s degree level)
At Level 6, you’re expected to work with advanced ideas in your subject. Students will need to weigh up complex information and use established theories and methods with a good degree of independence.
Typical qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree with honours (e.g., BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)) and a Graduate Certificate/Graduate Diploma (at the same level, but smaller).
You’ll be expected to manage your own learning and make judgments in complex, sometimes unpredictable situations. Other qualifications include Level 6 NVQs, awards and an ordinary degree without honours.
Level 7 (master’s level and postgraduate certificates/diplomas)
During a Postgraduate qualification, you’ll be pushed to the forefront of a field of study.
Learners should be able to demonstrate originality in knowledge and research methods: you might even need to address complex issues systematically and creatively, even with incomplete data.
At this level, you can act with self-direction and deliver work autonomously at a professional level. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of Level 7 qualifications:
- Master’s degrees (MA, MSc, MRes, MPhil*)
- Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) and Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) – smaller master’s-level awards
- Some integrated masters (e.g., MEng) combine undergraduate and master’s study but meet the Level 7 descriptor at the end.
Level 8 (doctoral level)
Level 8 (the highest RFQ level) is about creating new knowledge through original research that stands up to peer-review. During a PhD/DPhil, certificate and diploma, you’ll have to design projects and make informed judgments on complex issues.
Ready to take charge of your learning? Find online courses with Distance Learning Centre today!
Now that we’ve explained RFQ levels in an accessible way, we hope it’s easier for learners to choose the course they want with confidence. With that clarity, the only question now is where you want to go next.
Luckily, Distance Learning Centre offers plenty of flexible, online options.
From Diplomas (like our Psychology of Criminal Profiling - Level 3 Diploma Course) to GCSEs, A-Levels, to personal interest courses. Whatever your interests, you can study around work and life, all while building towards your target RQF level.
