Further and higher education qualifications

You have many options to continue learning and get qualifications in Ireland. Even if you didn’t finish secondary school, you can get qualifications through a further education course.

The term ‘further education and training’ includes all education and training after secondary school, but does not include third level. Further education and training courses are provided by many organisations across the country.

Third level education, or ‘higher education’ is provided in universities, colleges, and institutes of technology.

In general, when you complete a further or higher education course, you are awarded a qualification from levels 1 to 10 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state agency that ensures the qualifications awarded to students are trusted both nationally and internationally. QQI achieves this through its National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)

The NFQ sets out the different levels of qualifications awarded in Ireland. It has 10 levels, from certificates to doctoral degrees, and describes what you need to know about qualifications as a learner.

It helps you:

• Choose a course
• Compare qualifications
• Know that your qualification is recognised in Ireland and abroad

You can find all NFQ qualifications, and the courses that lead to them, in the Irish Register of Qualifications.

Transfer and progression

All education and training providers must explain the transfer and progression routes available for the courses they offer. This means they must give details about how you can move from one course to another, or progress to a higher level, based on what you have already achieved.

They should also explain what results or grades you need for each course. This is to make your options clear and help you get the qualification you want.

Recognition of prior learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a way to have your skills and knowledge from work, life experience, or voluntary activities recognised in education.

RPL can help you to:

• Access programmes
• Gain exemptions
• Achieve full or partial qualifications

RPL is still being developed nationally and is not available at all education providers. You can find out your RPL options by contacting:

• Your local Adult Guidance Service, for students of further education and training
• Your preferred university or institute of technology, for students of higher education.

If you have a FETAC or HETAC qualification, it is still recognised by QQI on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

Verifying your qualification

Sometimes employers, or educational institutions abroad, may ask you to ‘verify’ your qualification. This may be to prove that your qualification is genuine.

You can apply to QQI to verify your qualifications for the following:

• QQI
• HETAC
• FETAC
• NCEA (replaced by HETAC)
• NCVA (replaced by FETAC)

QQI will process the verification of your qualification, and will send it to World Education Services (WES).

QQI charge a €20 fee for this service.

If you earned your qualification abroad, you can use QQI’s foreign qualifications recognition service (NARIC) to check if it compares to an Irish qualification.

The online database includes many international qualifications and you can download a free comparability statement if yours is listed. Employers and education providers can use this statement to understand your qualification.

My qualification isn’t listed

If your qualification is not listed on the NARIC website, you can apply for advice by completing the online form on QQI’s website. You should attach any relevant certificates, transcripts or documents.

You can also read more about the recognition of professional qualifications.

QQI only validates education programmes that provide protections for learners.

If your programme stops for any reason, your provider must make sure that you:

• Can continue your studies with another provider, or
• Get a refund

Before 1 September 2024, these protections only applied to courses over 3 months that led to QQI qualifications. But under the new rules, more courses and providers are now covered, including some English language courses and other education programmes.

Any programme providers that had learner protections in place on 1 September 2024 can continue with their existing arrangements until 1 September 2027.