What is higher education and what options are available?

Higher education is the name given to any qualifications or courses which you can take after age 18. Higher education includes bachelor degrees, diplomas and post-graduate qualifications. Education at this level is non-compulsory and is usually taught in universities, colleges and specialist schools. High-performing schools and academies often push university as the singular path for higher education, but every student is different and university certainly isn’t the only option.

What is higher education?

Higher education takes place after age 18. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are nine levels of qualifications set out by the national qualifications framework. Higher education begins at level four.

Higher education qualifications include:

• Certificate of higher education
• Higher national certificates
• Diplomas
• Bachelor degrees
• Foundation degrees
• Post-graduate degrees

Higher education courses are typically taught in:

• Universities
• Colleges
• Specialist schools like art or agricultural colleges

For more information about higher education qualifications and to find the course which is right for you, check out the gov.uk website.

Do I need a degree from a university to be employable?

This question is impossible to answer universally as it depends on the field of study and on your ambitions and future career goals. The short answer is no. First of all, no two degrees are worth the same. The value of a degree depends on the course, the university and the grade achieved. There is a hierarchy among universities with those belonging to the Russell Group being perceived as more prestigious than others. Additionally, research has shown that graduates in medicine, business, computing and architecture earn more than the average graduate, while those graduating in creative arts earn less on average.

Secondly, the idea that you need a bachelor’s degree to get a job is something passed down from older generations when going to university wasn’t as commonplace as it is now. Now that the vast majority of 18 year olds are choosing to go to university, it no longer makes you stand out. While having a degree by nature shows a great deal of subject knowledge, self-motivation, academic prowess and discipline, you can also show these skills through other experiences and qualifications. So saying you don’t necessarily need a degree doesn’t mean that you can spend your early twenties sitting about doing nothing! When applying to roles you need to be able to show that you have been working hard and towards a goal.

Additionally, there are some professions for which university isn’t the most direct path to success. More practical roles such as electricians, engineers, technicians and chefs offer apprenticeships which allow you to learn and become accredited on the job while earning money. A study from 2015 by the Sutton Trust found that after taking student loan repayments into account, a higher apprenticeship (at level five in the national qualifications frameworks) delivered higher lifetime earnings on average than a degree from a non-Russell Group university.

Find out more about what apprenticeships are available in England here.

What post-graduate options are available?

Students who have completed a first, or undergraduate, degree can then apply for postgraduate courses should they wish to continue their studies.

Postgraduate education includes:

• Graduate certificates or diplomas (level six courses)
• Postgraduate certificates and diplomas (level seven courses)
• Master’s degrees
• Doctorates (PhD)

Bibliography:
Gov.uk: What qualification levels mean (30/03/2023).
Gov.uk: Higher education courses: find and apply (30/03/2023).
Dr Philip Kirby: Levels of Success (30/03/2023).
Jack Britton: How English domiciled graduate earnings vary with gender, institution attended, subject and socio-economic background (30/03/2023).