Undergraduate

Essentially, a degree. Sometimes called BAs (Bachelor of Arts) or BSc (Bachelor of Science), these are level 6 qualifications that will go into a great deal of depth on a subject, lasting on average 3 years. They are academic in nature.

Foundation Degree

Still higher education but a step down from an undergraduate degree, a foundation degree will give you grounding in a subject but not go into as much depth. A level 5 qualification that usually lasts a year, these often have a practical element but are largely academic.

Postgraduate

The next step up from an undergraduate degree, postgraduate degrees enable you to become more specialised through either taught or research methods of learning. There are several types of postgraduate degree including masters, PhDs, PG Certificates, PG Diplomas, and PGCEs. These qualifications are very detailed and last between 1-4 years.

Access & foundation

Access and foundation courses are for students wishing to study a particular subject at university but require relevant or specific qualifications in order to do so. Access and foundation course are a level 3 qualification which introduces the subject, teaches the essentials and enables students to enter higher education. They usually last around one year.

HND/HNC

A HND (aka Higher National Diploma) is a level 5 qualification that is usually run at a college, not a university, and aims at getting you ready for the workplace. They take 2 years to complete and are the equivalent to the first 2 years of an academic degree. HNCs (aka Higher National Certificates) are only a year long and are level 4 qualifications. They also aim at getting you ready for work.