This field describes the level of qualification that will be attained as a result of successful completion of studies.

All records

To distinguish between higher education and non-higher education qualifications and also between different undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research qualifications.

The coding frame is based on that used for Course.COURSEAIM in the HESA individualised student record. Within this coding frame the first letter indicates level; further detail is provided through a two-digit suffix. For this return coding by first letter is sufficient. There is no requirement for the two-digit suffix to provide a further detailed breakdown.

Overall framework and alignment with existing frameworks.

The most relevant are the UK frameworks. For England, Wales and NI the HE qualifications framework identifies five levels (C, I, H, M, D) and these are aligned with the NVQ levels 4 to 8. The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), which is not HE-specific, is aligned with this except that the lower boundary of Scottish Level 7 is apparently slightly lower than the lower boundary of Level C / NVQ 4 (this is the lower cutoff for what may be regarded as HE in England and Wales, but, significantly, Scottish Advanced Highers fall into Level 7), and Level I /NVQ 5 is split into two levels in Scotland, Level 8 and 9.

The ISCED framework is used for international reporting, and four levels within it are relevant, Levels 4, 5B, 5A and 6. The Bologna framework for European HE harmonisation is still in process of development, but the current state may be summarised as recognising four levels: short-cycle, first-cycle, second-cycle, and third cycle.

The HESA coding frame is designed to support the alignment of course qualifications with the frameworks, with the first letter indicating the level.