Guidance

Awarding organisations: submitting qualifications for approval

Single access point for awarding organisations to submit level 3 alternative academic qualifications or level 2 and 3 technical qualifications for approval.

From:
Department for Education
Published
20 April 2023
Last updated
10 January 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Documents

Overview

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Submit a level 2 technical or level 2 non-technical occupational qualification for approval

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Submit a level 3 alternative academic qualification (AAQ) or technical occupational qualification for approval

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Diagram showing high-level outline of the approvals process for academic and technical qualifications

PDF, 473 KB, 1 page

Details

Guidance for awarding organisations seeking approval of L2 and L3 qualifications starting in the 2025 and 2026 academic years.

The ‘Overview’ explains the upcoming changes.

‘Submit a level 2 technical occupational qualification for approval’ provides guidance for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

‘Submit a level 3 small alternative academic qualification (AAQ) or technical occupational qualification for approval’ provides guidance for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

‘Diagram showing high-level outline of the approvals process for academic and technical qualifications’ provides a flow chart for the academic and technical qualifications funding approval process.

Read how we approve funding in ‘Qualifications funding approval manual: from August 2025’.

Updates to this page

Published 20 April 2023
Last updated 10 January 2024 + show all updates

  1. Updated the 'Submit a level 3 alternative academic qualification (AAQ) for approval' guidance, adding a link to the 'Post-16 Registration of Intent Form Level 3 Cycle 2' and updating dates.

  2. Updated the 'Submit a level 2 technical or level 2 non-technical occupational qualification for approval' guidance, adding the details for non-technical qualifications.

  3. Updated 'Submit a level 3 small alternative academic qualification (AAQ) or technical occupational qualification approval' for qualifications that will be taught in the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

  4. 'Submit a level 3 small alternative academic qualification (AAQ) or technical occupational qualification for approval' has been updated to inform applicants that the submission window for proposals to deliver qualifications for cycle 1 has now closed.

  5. Updated the information about the submission windows for level 2 technical occupational qualifications and level 3 small alternative academic qualifications.

  6. 'Submit a level 2 technical occupational qualification for approval': added a link to the form to submit a proposal if your additional specialism is not on IfATE’s pre-defined list.

  7. A link has been added in the 'Submit a level 2 technical occupational qualification for approval' guidance to information on the conditions and requirements for level 2 technical occupation qualifications.

  8. Added information about a webinar for awarding organisations on approving level 2 technical qualifications in ‘Submit a level 2 technical occupational qualification for approval’. The webinar is on 26 April at 1pm.

  9. First published.

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