Universal Credit and education course levels
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-16)

Current education level can affect your Universal Credit if you’re a student, or if your child is aged 16 to 19 and in education.

This guide gives examples of what types of courses are counted as ‘non-advanced’ and ‘advanced’ education for Universal Credit.

How course level affects Universal Credit

The level of education being studied affects:

extra Universal Credit payments for children aged 16 to 19

your eligibility for Universal Credit as a student

If you’re a parent or guardian of a child aged 16 to 19

If your child is aged 16 to 19 you may be eligible for the extra amount of Universal Credit if they are in full-time non-advanced education. You’ll continue to get payments for a child in your household aged 16 to 19 if they remain in non-advanced education.

Find out more about when you can get the extra Universal Credit payment for children aged 16 to 19 (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-if-you-have-children#young-people-aged-16-to-19).

If you or your partner is a student

You may be eligible for Universal Credit if:
- you or your partner is in full-time non-advanced education
- you meet specific criteria, for example you’re entitled to a qualifying disability benefit (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students#studying-full-time) or responsible for a child
Most students in advanced education are not eligible, but there are exceptions. Find out more about Universal Credit and students (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students).

What counts as non-advanced education

Non-advanced education includes qualifications below higher education level, and typically offered in schools or further education colleges. Non-advanced education does not include apprenticeships.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland non-advanced education

Non-advanced education is between levels 1 and 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) (https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels).

Examples include:
- GCSE, AS level, A level and T level
- NVQ, award, certificate or diploma, up to level 3
- BTEC and BTEC Extended Diploma, up to level 3
- national certificate and national diploma up to level 3
- essential and functional skills courses up to level 3
- CACHE, City and Guilds, EDEXCEL, ESOL, up to level 3
- Skills for Life
- NQual, up to level 3
- Gateway Qualification up to level 3
- Pathways up to level 3
- access to higher education diploma
- international Baccalaureate diploma
- any course not classed as advanced education
Scotland non-advanced education

Non-advanced education is between levels 1 and 6 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) (https://scqf.org.uk/the-framework/interactive-framework/).

Examples include:
- National Qualification up to level 6
- Scottish Higher and Advanced Higher
- National Certificate (NC) and National Progression Award (NPA) up to level 6
- Skills for Work
- SQA Award up to Level 6
- SCQF up to level 6
- Professional Development Award (PDA) up to level 6
- Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) up to level 3
- introductory or access courses that do not lead directly to a degree
- BTEC and BTEC Extended Diploma, up to level 3
- international Baccalaureate diploma
- Ordinary National Diploma and Standard Grade
- any course not classed as advanced education
What counts as advanced education

Advanced education includes higher education qualifications above A level or equivalent. It typically leads to university-level study.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland advanced education

Examples include:
- university degree
- postgraduate level qualification
- NVQ level 4 or above
- degree apprenticeship
- diploma of higher education (DipHE)
- certificate of higher education (CertHE)
- higher national diploma (HND)
- higher national certificate (HNC)
- foundation degree
- teaching qualification
- graduate diploma
Scotland advanced education

Examples include:
- university degree
- postgraduate level qualification
- Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) higher national certificate (HNC)
- SQA higher national diploma (HND)
- diploma of higher education
- SVQ level 7 and above
- teaching qualification