The future of post-16 level 3 vocational qualifications in England

The reforms will affect level 3 qualifications taken by 16–19-year-olds, and 19+ year-olds funded by the ESFA under the Adult Education Budget, the European Social Fund (ESF) or accessing Advanced Learner Loans.

The post-16 level 3 vocational qualifications landscape in England is undergoing major reform. In July 2021, the Government completed a Review that impacts Level 3 BTEC Nationals, Cambridge Technicals and other level 3 vocational qualifications in England.

In line with previous publications, the latest gu¬idance reiterates the policy of two clear pathways in the post-2025 level 3 qualifications landscape, with a broader choice for adults.

• Young people will choose either an ‘academic’ pathway or a ‘technical’ pathway.
  • A levels will form the core of the academic offer at level 3. BTECs will continue to be available in many subject areas to be taken alongside or as alternatives to A levels. These will be known as Alternative Academic qualifications (AAQs).
  • T Levels will form the core of the technical offer at level 3 and will cover most occupations that a learner might study at 16-19. However, a limited range of other qualifications will also be available to be taken alongside or as alternatives to T Levels.
• For adults, the same academic qualifications offer will be available as for 16–19-year-olds, but the DfE recognise that a greater choice of technical qualifications will be needed.
  

The reforms take place in phases:

• In 2024/25 and 2025/26 qualifications will no longer be eligible for funding if they overlap with T Levels.
• Alongside this, all level 3 qualifications will be redeveloped in two cycles in 1) 2025/26, and 2) 2026/27 & 2027/28. Qualifications that are not redeveloped in line with new DfE criteria will no longer be eligible for funding.
• New qualifications will be approved for funding for 3 years rather than the current 12 months.
• It is important to note that the DfE have prescribed the size of new qualifications, and the subjects and sectors in which they can be developed.

A levels will form the core of the academic offer at level 3. However, a limited range of BTEC qualifications will also be available. In addition to A levels, the DfE plan to approve reformed qualifications to be taken instead of or alongside A levels, known as Alternative Academic Qualifications (AAQs).

These will be ‘small’ or ‘large’, and the subjects or sectors in which they can be developed have been determined by the DfE.

Up to the size of an A level (between 150 and 420 glh). The DfE will only fund these qualifications in sectors that are:

• strategically important (such as STEM and those supporting the NHS)
• less well-served by A levels (including some subjects where there are A levels)

And in the following sectors:

From 2025

• Applied science / medical science
• Engineering and engineering principles or technology
• Health and social care
• Information technology / computing
• Subjects which support progression to degrees in healthcare professions allied to medicine, dentistry, and nursing
• By exception only: In sector subject areas (SSAs) where there is no A level, Building and construction, Child development and well-being, Direct learning support / Teaching and lecturing.

From 2026

• Art, craft and design / Sound engineering / Animation and visual arts
• British sign language studies
• Creative digital media production / Digital games, film and video production
• Performing, production, and creative arts / Music performance, production and technology / Qualifications for music practitioners or the creative music industry 
• Sport, exercise science, and physical activity / Sporting excellence and performance
• Uniformed protective services / policing
• By exception only: In sector subject areas (SSAs) where there is no A level.

The size of 2 or 3 A levels (between 720 and 1080 glh). The DfE will only fund qualifications in sectors where:

• there are no T Levels
• there is a need for a large qualification enabling entry to more specialist areas of higher education
• there is a clear and direct progression link into higher education.

And in the following sectors:

From 2026

• Art and design / Art, design and media or communication / Fine and applied art
• Performing arts / Production arts / Music / Music technology / Music performance and production
• Sport / Sport and exercise science / Sport and physical or outdoor activity
• The only exceptions will be where there is a new or emerging skills priority.

T Levels will form the core of the technical offer at level 3. However, a limited range of BTEC qualifications will also be available for 16-19s and adults, or adults only.

• Technical additional specialist: small qualifications that allow a student to develop additional knowledge and competencies and specialise within a sector. These qualifications will build on knowledge covered by a T Level or other occupational entry qualification, e.g., low-carbon construction design, building on the Design, Surveying and Planning for Construction T Level.
• Technical occupational entry and Technical occupational progression: large qualifications that aim to support a student to enter into, or to progress within a role. These qualifications will only be funded at 16-19 where they do not overlap with a T Level.
  
• Technical cross-cutting function: small qualifications that allow students to develop skills that are relevant across occupations.

A broader range of BTEC qualifications will also be available for adults only:

• Technical occupational-entry qualifications in T Level areas: these qualifications will support entry to occupations that are served by T Levels for example, construction (as well as occupations that are not served by T Levels).
• Technical employer proposed qualifications: occupational entry qualifications where no standard currently exists for the aligned occupation, but where it may not be appropriate for an occupational standard to be developed.
• Technical additional specialist qualifications more appropriate for adults: these would include qualifications which may only be suitable for adults (such as those that are essential to certain safety critical industries).
• T Levels for adults: In September 2022, DfE commenced a two-year pilot to explore whether T Levels should be made available to adults. The findings will inform ministers' decision whether to offer T Levels to adults from September 2025 and would be subject to HM Treasury agreement.

These will be considered in the following sectors:

From 2025, Technical additional specialist and Technical occupational entry qualifications in:

• Construction and the build environment*
• Digital*
• Education and Early Years*
• Engineering and manufacturing*
• Health and science*.

From 2026, Technical additional specialist and Technical occupational entry qualifications in:

• Agriculture, environmental and animal care*
• Business and administration*
• Care services*
• Catering and hospitality*
• Creative and design*
• Hair and beauty*
• Legal finance and accounting*
• Protective services
• Sales marketing and procurement*
• Transport and logistics.

Those marked (*) are routes where some of the standards are covered by T Levels. The DfE will not consider occupational entry qualifications for these for 16-19-year-olds.

From 2026, Employer proposed and Technical occupational progression qualifications in:

• Construction and the built environment
• Digital
• Education and early years
• Engineering and manufacturing
• Health and science.

From 2026, Cross cutting qualifications.

From 2027, Employer proposed and Technical occupational progression qualifications in:

• Agriculture, environmental and animal care
• Business and administration
• Care services
• Catering and hospitality
• Creative and design
• Hair and beauty
• Legal finance and accounting
• Protective services
• Sales marketing and procurement
• Transport and logistics.

The reforms will be implemented in phases, from 2024/25 through to 2027/28.

• Qualifications will be removed for funding where they overlap with T Levels in 2024/25 and 2025/26.
• New qualifications will be developed in two Cycles: in 1) 2025/26 and in 2) 2026/7 and 2027/28.
• Funding eligibility will be removed for existing qualifications where they have not been redeveloped in line with new criteria.

Please be reassured that you can continue to teach your BTECs with confidence in 2023/24. Very few qualifications will be affected in 2024/25.

We will update you as we know more about the removal of funding for qualifications, and new qualifications in development.

Please also see the Guide to the reform of post-16 level 3 vocational qualifications in England which provides an illustration of the landscape and a timeline of the reforms, and the BTEC Level 3 Funding Checklists which offer a comprehensive picture of funding in academic years 2023/24, 2024/25 and, what we know so far about 2025/26. We will update these to include 2026/27 funding as soon as possible.

Please see link below for the list of qualifications that will be removed for funding in 2025/26 because they overlap with T Levels in Wave 3.

Funding will be removed for 16-19 stand-alone learners only. Funding will not be removed for adult learners, or for 16-19 and adult learners taking these qualifications as part of an apprenticeship.

The list covers qualifications in the following subjects:

• Business and administration
• Engineering and manufacturing
• Finance and accounting.

The BTEC Nationals in Business, and in Enterprise are not affected, and you can continue to teach these qualifications in 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26. See below for further details.

Download the list of qualifications that will be removed for funding in 2025/26 for new starts  

The DfE have not published the provisional list of qualifications overlapping with T Levels in wave 4 as expected. This list is now due to be published in autumn 2023. The list will cover the following sectors:

• Agriculture, environmental and animal care
• Catering and hospitality
• Creative and design
• Hair and beauty
• Legal
• Marketing.

Final list to be published July 2024

• Construction and the build environment
• Digital including information technology / computing
• Education and Early Years including CPLD
• Engineering and manufacturing
• Health and science including Health and social care / Applied human biology/ Applied psychology/ Applied science (including forensics).

Also see the BTEC Level 3 Funding Checklists which offer a comprehensive picture of funding in academic years 2023/24, 2024/25 and, what we know so far about 2025/26. We will update these to include 2026/27 funding as soon as possible.

Final list to be published July 2025.

• Business
• Creatives
• Enterprise
• Esports
• Law
• Protective services
• Sport
• Sports and exercise science
• Travel and tourism.

We will be submitting new BTEC qualifications for funding approval for first teach in 2025/26. These will be submitted on 31 July 2023 and we should know if these are approved by July 2024. We will update this webpage as soon as we know more.

We are planning to submit new small BTEC qualifications to be funded under the new ‘academic’ pathway. If successful these will be available for first teach in 2025/26, in line with the DfE timeline for reforms.

• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Applied Human Biology (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Applied Science (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Applied Science (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Children's Play, Learning and Development (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Construction (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Computing (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Engineering (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Engineering (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Health and Social Care (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Health and Social Care (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Information Technology (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Information Technology (AAQ)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Sustainability (AAQ)

We are planning to submit new BTEC qualifications to be funded under the new ‘technical’ pathway. If successful these will be available for first teach in 2025/26, in line with the DfE timeline for reforms.

All of the following, except for the qualification for Fitness and Personal Trainer, are for adults only.

• Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Cyber Security Technicians (Diploma)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Data Technicians (Diploma)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Early Years Educators (Diploma)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Fitness and Personal Trainer (Diploma)
• Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Software Development Technicians (Diploma)
• TBC: Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Teaching Assistants (Diploma)

• These pages will be updated with further details as soon as we have them. Do bookmark this page to keep up to date with developments.
• View or download your quick guide to the future of post-16 level 3 vocational qualifications in England which provides an illustration of the landscape and a timeline of the reforms.
  
• Also see the BTEC Level 3 Funding Checklists which offer a comprehensive picture of funding in academic years 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26. We will update these to include 2026/27 funding as soon as possible.

Further training events in 2023, and in 2024, to be confirmed. All the events are also listed on Training from Pearson, under BTEC Level 1-3 and search for BTEC Nationals.

The reforms do not affect Wales and Northern Ireland. However, any changes we make to BTECs in England may affect the qualifications you offer in Wales and Northern Ireland. See our 'Funding Checklists' for BTEC Level 3 qualifications in Wales and Northern Ireland which offer a comprehensive picture of funding in the academic years 2023/24 and 2024/25, and, what we know so far about 2025/26. 

We will update these to include 2025/26 funding as soon as possible.