Offer-specific criteria for adult offers

Funding approval criteria that qualifications need to meet for the adult offers alongside the common approval and qualification-type criteria.

This section describes the funding approval criteria that will determine if technical and non-technical qualifications will be approved for funding, for adults.

Non-technical qualifications are qualifications which are not based on the occupational standards. These include:

  • alternative academic qualifications
  • technical progression qualifications, which support progression to a level 3 technical qualification
  • academic progression qualifications, which support progression to a level 3 academic qualification
  • T Level foundation qualifications

To offer a qualification to adults, you need to indicate that it is suitable for adults in:

  • the submission form
  • Ofqual’s register of regulated qualifications

We will apply the adult offer specific funding approval criteria to decide which offer the qualification will be included in.

Level 2 qualifications

We will consider level 2 technical and non-technical qualifications as part of the:

  • level 2 legal entitlement
  • local flexibilities offer

Both offers are funded through the skills fund.

The local flexibilities offer includes qualifications up to and including level 2.

We will include qualifications in these offers if the qualification:

  • is at level 2
  • gives the student subject-specific or occupational skills which help them progress into employment or further study

We will automatically include GCSEs as part of these level 2 offers.

We will not include as part of these offers:

  • performing arts graded examinations
  • international English for speakers of other languages

Level 3 qualifications

We will consider level 3 technical and non-technical qualifications against 3 offers:

  • level 3 legal entitlement
  • free courses for jobs
  • advanced learner loans

We will include level 3 technical and non-technical qualifications as part of the level 3 legal entitlement if the qualification:

  • is at level 3
  • gives the student subject-specific or occupational skills which help them progress into employment or further study

We will automatically include as part of the level 3 legal entitlement offer:

  • GCE A levels and AS levels
  • access to higher education diplomas
  • core maths

The level 3 legal entitlement is funded through the skills fund.

Free courses for jobs

We will include qualifications from the level 3 legal entitlement offer in the free courses for jobs offer if they meet all the following criteria:

  • the qualification is at level 3
  • the qualification’s main purpose is to support a learner to enter a specific job role or go directly into employment – this includes qualifications that support upskilling or specialisation
  • it is in one of the following sector subject areas:
    • accounting and finance
    • agriculture
    • building and construction
    • business management
    • child development and well being
    • engineering
    • environmental conservation
    • health and social care
    • horticulture and forestry
    • hospitality and catering
    • ICT for users
    • ICT practitioners
    • manufacturing technologies
    • mathematics and statistics
    • medicine and dentistry
    • nursing and subjects and vocations allied to medicine
    • public services
    • science
    • teaching and lecturing
    • transportation operations and maintenance
    • warehousing and distribution

We also include A level qualifications as part of free courses for jobs where they are both:

  • relevant to the primary purpose of supporting employment or upskilling
  • in the sector subject areas listed above

We will not include as part of free courses for jobs qualifications that:

  • mainly serve as an introduction to further training or study, such as access to higher education
  • are part of a programme such as technical T Level qualifications

Advanced learner loans

We will include level 3 technical and non-technical qualifications in the level 3 advanced learner loans offer if the qualification:

  • is at level 3
  • is at least 150 guided learning hours in size
  • supports a student progression into employment, higher education and training

We will automatically include as part of the advanced learner loans offer:

  • GCE A levels and AS levels
  • access to higher education diplomas
  • core maths