By September 2023, school leavers will be able to take T levels in 25 subjects.

The new technical qualifications were first announced by Philip Hammond, then chancellor, in the 2017 Spring Budget as part of a wider series of reforms stemming from the government’s Post-16 Skills Plan. They are expected to replace around 13,000 technical qualifications at level 3, and the first three subjects will be introduced into around 50 FE providers and schools from September 2020.

T levels: what are they?

T levels: when will they be introduced?

T levels: where can I study them?

T levels will be equivalent to three A levels and will be awarded Ucas points. However, it is not yet clear how many Ucas points will be awarded for each T level. The move is part of a bid by the government to create parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications. 

T-level routes

The future of applied general qualifications, which include BTECs and Cambridge Technicals, which are taken by more than 200,000 students a year, is still unknown, as they are subject to a review of level 3 qualifications. However, Damian Hinds, before his tenure education secretary came to an end last month, hinted they might stay.

The T levels are split into 15 different industry technical routes.

What courses can you take a T level in?

From September 2020:

• Education and childcare (Education and Childcare route)
• Design, surveying and planning (Construction route)
• Digital production, design and development (Digital route)

From September 2021:

• Health (Health and Science route)
• Healthcare science (Health and Science route)
• Science (Health and Science route)
• On-site construction (Construction route)
• Building services engineering (Construction route)
• Digital support and services (Digital route)
• Digital business services (Digital route)

T levels: how are they funded?

T levels:  how will they be graded?

T levels: what grades will you need to study them?

From September 2022:

• Design, development and control (Engineering and Manufacturing route)
• Maintenance, installation and repair (Engineering and Manufacturing route)
• Manufacturing and process (Engineering and Manufacturing route)
• Legal (Legal, Finance and Accounting route)
• Financial (Legal, Finance and Accounting route)
• Accountancy (Legal, Finance and Accounting route)
• Management and administration (Business and Administration route)
• Human resources (Business and Administration route)

From September 2023:

• Animal care and management (Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care route)
• Agriculture, land management and production (Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care route)
• Hair, beauty and aesthetics (Hair and Beauty route)
• Craft and design (Creative and Design route)
• Music, broadcast and production (Creative and Design route)
• Cultural heritage and visitor attractions (Creative and Design route)
• Catering (Catering and Hospitality route)
   

Apprenticeship-only subjects

T levels will not be available in some subjects, which instead will follow an apprenticeship-only route. These are as follows:

• Community exercise, fitness and health (Health and Science route)
• Hospitality (Catering and Hospitality route)
• Protective services (Protective Services route)
• Customer services (Sales, Marketing and Procurement route)
• Marketing (Sales, Marketing and Procurement route)
• Procurement (Sales, Marketing and Procurement route)
• Retail (Sales, Marketing and Procurement route)
• Care Services (Care Services route)
• Transport (Transport and Logistics route)
• Logistics (Transport and Logistics route)