Qualification-type funding approval criteria: technical and academic progression qualifications at level 2
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-06)

This qualifications type is not included in the current funding approval round. This page is available for reference only.

This qualifications type is not included in the current funding approval round. This page is available for reference only.

This section explains the additional funding approval criteria which will be used for technical progression qualifications and academic progression qualifications.

This does not include T Level foundation qualifications, which are covered in the next section.

Some qualifications will not need to meet qualification-type funding approval criteria:
- GCSEs
- functional skills qualifications
- essential digital skills qualifications
- higher project qualifications
- performing arts graded examinations
1. Qualification is within a specified sector subject area

For 2026 to 2027, we will consider technical and academic progression qualifications at level 2 in the subject areas listed below for funding.

These areas have been selected to support progression to the level 3 occupational entry qualifications and level 3 alternative academic qualifications (AAQs) available from September 2025.

We will not approve qualifications for funding if:
- they are not in the subject areas listed
- their content does not align to the route or subject area
If you think your qualification does not fit any of the subject areas listed, consider it for future submission cycles. There is more information about this in the guide to post-16 qualifications at level 3 and below in England (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-post-16-qualifications-at-level-3-in-england--2/post-16-qualifications-at-level-2-and-below-from-spring-2023).

Technical progression qualifications

Level 2 technical progression qualifications must be at route level, supporting progression to a range of level 3 qualifications within the designated route.

These qualifications must include broad, route-level content. They may also contain options. For example, you could include options at the pathway or occupational level to reflect the different level 3 occupational qualifications that students can progress to.

You must select the most appropriate sector subject area (SSA) for the qualification. These have been mapped to the occupational routes as follows.

Construction and the built environment
- building and construction
- urban, rural and regional planning
Digital
- ICT for users
- ICT practitioners
Education and early years
- child development and well being
- teaching and lecturing
- direct learning support
Engineering and manufacturing
- engineering
- manufacturing technologies
- transportation and maintenance
Health and science
- medicine and dentistry
- nursing and subjects and vocations allied to medicine
- science
- sports leisure and recreation
- health and social care
Academic progression qualifications

Level 2 academic progression qualifications submitted for approval in cycle 2 should be aligned to the same subject areas as alternative academic qualifications at level 3 that were approved in cycle 1.

You must select from the following SSAs:
- science
- engineering
- health and social care
- ICT for practitioners
- ICT for users
- medicine and dentistry
- nursing and subjects and vocations allied to medicine
We expect an academic progression qualification to support entry to both small and large AAQs, where both have been approved for funding.

We will not approve qualifications by the same awarding organisation where the majority of the content overlaps with another academic progression qualification in the same subject area.

We will consider academic progression qualifications in the following SSAs, by exception, where a small AAQ has also been approved as an exception:
- building and construction
- child development and well being
- teaching and lecturing
- direct learning and support
2. Qualification is an appropriate size

The size of a qualification must relate to its purpose and objectives.

The size characteristic relates to its value in terms of hours of guided learning. Ofqual has published guidance on activities that contribute to guided learning hours (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ofqual-handbook/section-e-design-and-development-of-qualifications#criteria-glh).

We expect progression qualifications to be around 120 to 240 guided learning hours.

We will only consider qualifications that are smaller or larger if the awarding organisation has clearly demonstrated why the qualification has been designed this way, taking account of the typical non-qualification content of a 16 to 19 study programme.

We will contact you if we have any questions about the guided learning hours value (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ofqual-handbook/section-e-design-and-development-of-qualifications#criteria-glh) assigned to a qualification.

3. Qualification must support progression to further study

Progression qualifications should:
- be broad
- add subject specific context and focus to a study programme
- support students’ progression to reformed level 3 qualifications in either an academic or technical pathway
We will only approve progression qualifications where they support progression to reformed level 3 qualifications.

You will need to demonstrate which pathways your qualification supports progression to, and how it achieves this. This includes a clear purpose statement, with an explicit explanation of how the qualification supports progression to level 3 study.

Qualifications referenced as potential destinations must be Ofqual regulated qualifications which have been approved for funding from 2025.

Technical progression qualifications

You will need to show how your qualification will support progression to the specific level 3 occupational entry qualifications.

Academic progression qualifications

You will need to show how your qualification will support progression to the specific AAQs.

What you need to do

As part of your submission, you will need to submit a purpose statement.

The purpose statement should set out the aims, objectives and intended purpose of each qualification, to help students make informed decisions about which qualifications to take.

It should refer to Ofqual’s qualification level conditions for progression qualifications.

For technical progression and academic progression qualifications, this should set out that the purpose is to support progression to further study at level 3. We will consider whether qualifications are delivering against their stated purpose as part of monitoring the balance of mix and provision (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualifications-funding-approval-manual-2025-to-2026/managing-and-monitoring-the-qualification-offers).

The purpose statement for each qualification must be published on your website, alongside or as part of the qualification specification. The statement must be:
- meaningful and relevant to students and parents or carers
- written in plain English
You can use our guidance for writing a purpose statement (MS Word, 69KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66190820c1d297c6ad1dfe19/Guidance_for_writing_a_purpose_statement_-_progression_qualifications.docx). It is not mandatory to use this, but we recommend using it to ensure that you address all the minimum requirements.

4. Qualification is necessary

You must demonstrate the value the qualification adds to a level 2 study programme so it can be considered for funding approval. This is in addition to showing demand from providers under the common funding approval criteria.

For technical progression, the qualification must support progression to a level 3 technical occupational entry qualification.

For academic progression, the qualification must support progression to either a small AAQ or a large AAQ.

What you need to do

Your submission should include letters of support from at least 6 education and training institutions.

These institutions must be approved to receive ESFA funding and must be preparing to deliver either an AAQ or level 3 technical occupational entry qualification that your qualification will support progression to.

The statements of support must demonstrate how the qualification adds value to a study programme for students. This includes how it supports progression to further level 3 study.

The statements must also include confirmation that institutions would be prepared to deliver the submitted qualification as part of a study programme to support their level 2 cohort.

You can use our questions to address in letters of support for level 2 progression qualifications (PDF, 98KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/661569b6eb8a1bd3bd05e316/Questions_to_address_in_letters_of_support_for_level_2_progression_qualifications.pdf). Providers should address these questions as a minimum.

Responses can be in a standalone letter, on headed paper and signed by an appropriate member of staff. The member of staff could be a:
- course leader
- head of department
- curriculum lead
- principal or vice-principal
Alternatively, you can include responses to these questions as part of the letter evidencing provider demand (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualifications-funding-approval-manual-2025-to-2026/common-funding-approval-criteria#evidence-of-demand).

5. Qualification must not overlap with another progression qualification by the same awarding organisation

We will not approve a progression qualification by the same awarding organisation where the majority of the content overlaps with another progression qualification in the same route or subject area.

Technical progression qualifications

We expect technical progression qualifications to support progression to all types of level 3 occupational entry qualification. This includes occupational entry qualifications for adults only that overlap with T Levels.

Technical progression qualifications should be at route level and will need to include route-level introductory content.

There may be some overlap in the content between technical progression qualifications and T Level foundation qualifications when they are in the same occupational route.

Technical progression qualifications should also include more content that clearly differentiates them from a T Level foundation qualification. For example, you could include options at the pathway or occupational level to reflect the different level 3 qualifications that students can progress onto.

If you are planning to submit both a T Level foundation qualification and a technical progression qualification in the same route, you should explain:
- how the technical progression qualification differs from the T Level foundation qualification
- why it is needed
Academic progression qualifications

We expect an academic progression qualification to support entry to both small and large AAQs, where both have been approved for funding in the same SSA.

Where we identify similar qualifications submitted by the same awarding organisation you must explain:
- why the qualifications are necessary
- how their purposes are different
6. Personal development and transferable personal skills

If your progression qualification focuses on personal development or transferable personal skills, we will not approve it for funding.

Providers should teach transferable personal skills as part of a student’s broader study programme.

7. Qualification must meet Ofqual’s regulatory requirements

Progression qualifications must meet Ofqual’s:
- general conditions of recognition (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ofqual-handbook)
- qualification-level conditions for progression qualifications (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/qualification-level-conditions-for-progression-qualifications)
- requirements and guidance for level 2 progression qualifications (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/regulating-level-2-and-below-progression-qualifications/regulating-level-2-and-below-progression-qualifications)
As part of the funding approval process for progression qualifications, Ofqual will review qualification materials you submit and will feed the outcome of their review back to DfE.

We will consider Ofqual’s feedback when deciding whether a qualification should be approved for funding.

What you need to do

Provide an assessment strategy that:
- complies with Ofqual’s assessment strategy requirements
- has regard to Ofqual’s assessment guidance for academic and technical progression qualifications
Provide sample assessment materials that cover all the assessments that students are required to complete to obtain the qualification, including for all the options that can be taken in the qualification. These need to include mark schemes and a specification content coverage record, where applicable, for each assessment in the qualification.

8. Qualification must have an appropriate title

We require you to make clear in the title of your qualification that its primary purpose is to support progression to level 3 study.

It must be clear which:
- type of qualification it is
- subject area or route it supports
Qualifications which do not follow these titling requirements will not be approved for funding.

Technical progression qualifications

You should do this by including the words ‘Technical Progression Qualification’ in the title.

You may add the abbreviation TPQ in brackets after the title, but do not do this instead of using the full wording.

For example, you could say:

Level 2 Technical Progression Qualification in Health and Science (TPQ).

Academic progression qualifications

You should do this by including the words ‘Academic Progression Qualification’ in the title.

You may add the abbreviation APQ in brackets after the title, but do not do this instead of using the full wording.

For example, you could say:

Level 2 Academic Progression Qualification in Science (APQ).