If you’re leaving school soon, you’re probably starting to think about your next steps in education. Luckily, there are more options than ever before when it comes to finding a course that works for you, with the introduction of the T Level qualification in 2020.
If you’re leaving school soon, you’re probably starting to think about your next steps in education. Luckily, there are more options than ever before when it comes to finding a course that works for you, with the introduction of the T Level qualification in 2020.
Here’s everything you need to know about our T Level courses, including what they are, why it might be the right course for you, and how they work with university applications.
What is a T Level?
T Levels are a two-year qualification equivalent to three A Levels and are a relatively new option for students continuing their studies after GCSEs. You’ll spend 80% of your course studying in the classroom and the remaining 20% in a work placement learning industry specific skills. Think of it as the middle ground between A levels and an apprenticeship. T Level courses are great for those looking for flexibility after their studies. No matter whether you decide to start your career or head to university after you’ve completed a T Level course, you’ll have the skills, experience and qualifications to do it.
At Nottingham College, we currently offer 12 T Level courses in a variety of subject areas, including design, engineering, health, education, and many more.
How are T Levels graded?
Upon completing a T Level course, you will be awarded a nationally recognised qualification, which is equivalent to three A Levels. There are four grades that you can achieve, which are Pass, Merit, Distinction or Distinction*. Here’s a helpful chart taken from UCAS showing each grade and its nearest A Level equivalent.
| UCAS tariff points | T Level overall grade | A Level |
|---|---|---|
| 168 | Distinction* (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism) | AAA* |
| 144 | Distinction | AAA |
| 120 | Merit | BBB |
| 96 | Pass (C or above on the core) | CCC |
| 72 | Pass (D or E on the core) | DDD |
Can I get into university with a T Level qualification?
In short, yes! As a nationally recognised qualification, T Levels are appointed UCAS tariff points in the same way A Levels are, and many universities and course pathways accept them in their entry requirements. For example, if you were to achieve a Distinction* grade on your course, it would be worth 168 UCAS points. To help put that into perspective, the average minimum entry requirements for most university courses is 112 UCAS points. This can vary depending on which course you’re applying for and the university you’d like to attend, but with a maximum 168 points available through your course, you will have plenty of great options.
How do I apply?
Applying for our T Level courses has never been so easy. To get started, simply head to our course guide page and start browsing. Once you’ve found a course that you’re interested in, hit apply, fill in the details, and a member of our team will reach out to you with the next steps.
If you’d like to chat to our team about the courses we offer, our facilities, funding questions, or anything else you’d like to know, visit our contact page to get started.
Other options for further education
If you’ve explored all our T Level courses and decided it’s not quite the right fit, we have many A Level, BTEC, vocational course pathways and apprenticeships that might be right for you. No matter what you’re passionate about, we’ll work with you to find a course and career pathway that’s right for you.
View our T Level coursesBrowse all our coursesApply online