GCSE / Award / Certificate / Diploma

3

Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Foundation Stage)

6th

5th

4th

3rd

2nd

1st

Lower Secondary School (Key Stage 3)

9th8th7th

UK: England

Primary School (Key Stage 1 and 2)

11

21

14

Year 2

Master’s Degree (MSc, MA, MBA, etc.)

Higher Education (Master)

Year 1

Higher Education (PhD)

Doctoral Degree (PhD)

Year 1Year 2

Year 3

19

Upper Secondary (Key Stage 5)

13th12th

Upper Secondary School (Key Stage 4)

11th10th

Vocational Upper Secondary(Level 3)

13th12th

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Higher Education (Bachelor)

Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BSc, BEng etc.)

Year 1

Higher Education (Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates)

Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate

Year 1

Theoretical starting age

Higher/Vocational Education (Short courses, Level 4+)

Year 2

Year 1

Award / Certificate / Diploma /

Foundation degree / HNC / HND /

DipHE / CertHE/Apprenticeship

Award / Certificate / Diploma / Apprenticeship / Traineeship

18

0

2020

© EducationGPS

AS Level A Level

5

Reception Year

ISC

ED 1

ISC

ED 2

ISC

ED 0

20

ISC

ED 8

ISC

ED 5

ISC

ED 6

ISC

ED 7

ISC

ED 0

10

ISC

ED 3

Ad

ult

ed

uca

tio

n

Spe

cial

Ne

ed

s Ed

uca

tio

n

Ad

ult

ed

uca

tio

n

GCSE

3

Early Years Education and Care

7th

6th

5th

4th

3rd

2nd

Lower Secondary School (Key Stage 3)

10th9th8th

UK: Northern Ireland

Primary School (Foundation Stage)

11

21

14

Year 2

Master’s Degree (MSc, MA, MBA, etc.)

Higher Education (Master)

Year 1

Higher Education (PhD)

Doctoral Degree (PhD)

Year 1Year 2

Year 3

19

Upper Secondary (sixth form)

14th

13th

Upper Secondary School (Key Stage 4)

12th11th

Vocational Upper Secondary(Level 3)

14th13th

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Higher Education (Bachelor)

Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BSc, BEng etc.)

Year 1

Higher Education (Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates)

Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate

Year 1

Theoretical starting age

Award / Certificate / Diploma / Apprenticeship / Traineeship

16

0

2020

© EducationGPS

AS Level A Level

41st

Primary School (Key Stage 1 and 2)

Higher/Vocational Education (Short courses, Level 4+)

Year 2

Year 1

Spe

cial

Ne

ed

s Ed

uca

tio

n

ISC

ED 1

ISC

ED 2

ISC

ED

02

0IS

CED

8IS

CED

5IS

CED

6IS

CED

7IS

CED

01

0IS

CED

3

Award / Certificate / Diploma /

Foundation degree / HNC / HND /

DipHE / CertHE/Apprenticeship

Advanced Higher

Higher National

7th

5

3

Early Learning and Childcare

6th

5th

4th

3rd

2nd

1st

Theoretical starting age

UK: Scotland

Primary School

12

Year 2

Year 1

15

Year 2

Higher Education (Master)

Year 1

Year 3

Doctorate

Doctoral Degree (PhD)

Year 2Year 1

18

Secondary School

10th

9th

8th

National Progression Awards/ National Certificates/ SVQ/ Professional Development Awards

11th

12th/ 13th

Highers / Skills for Work Highers / Advanced Highers

13th

National Progression Awards/ National Certificates/ SVQ/

Professional Development Awards

13th12th

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Higher Education (Bachelor)

Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BSc, BEng etc.)

Year 1

Higher National Diploma (HND)

Post graduate Diploma and Certificates

Year 1

Post-graduate Diplomas and Certificates

16

National Progression Awards/ National Certificates/ SVQ/

Professional Development Awards

21

Master’s Degree(MSc, MA, MBA, etc.)

Higher

11th / 12th /13th

National 5/ Skills for Work National 5

National 1-4/ Skills for Work National 3-4

11th

0

2020

© EducationGPS

Higher National Certificate (HNC)

Ad

ult

Ed

uca

tio

n

Spe

cial

Ne

ed

s Ed

uca

tio

n

ISC

ED 1

ISC

ED 2

ISC

ED

02

0IS

CED

8IS

CED

5IS

CED

6IS

CED

7IS

CED

01

0IS

CED

3

3

Early Years

6th

5th

4th

3rd

2nd

1st

Lower Secondary School (Key Stage 3)

9th8th7th

UK: Wales

Primary School (Foundation Phase )

11

21

14

Year 2

Master’s Degree (MSc, MA, MBA, etc.)

Higher Education (Master)

Year 1

Higher Education (PhD)

Doctoral Degree (PhD)

Year 1Year 2

Year 3

19

Upper Secondary / Further Education (16-18)

13th

12th

Upper Secondary School (Key Stage 4)

11th10th

Vocational Upper Secondary/ Further Education (Level 3)

Year 4

Year 3

Year 2

Higher Education (Bachelor)

Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BSc, BEng etc.)

Year 1

Higher Education (Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates)

Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate

Year 1

Theoretical starting age

Welsh Baccalaureate ; A Level

16

0

2020

© EducationGPS

AS Level

5

Welsh Baccalaureate; GCSE

Early Years Education (Foundation Phase )

Primary School (Key Stage 2)

Higher/Vocational Education (Short courses, Level 4+)

Year 2

Year 1

Award / Certificate / Diploma / Apprenticeship / Traineeship

Spe

cial

Ne

ed

s Ed

uca

tio

n

Ad

ult

ed

uca

tio

n

ISC

ED 1

ISC

ED 2

ISC

ED

02

0IS

CED

8IS

CED

5IS

CED

6IS

CED

7IS

CED

01

0IS

CED

3

Award / Certificate / Diploma /

Foundation degree / HNC / HND /

DipHE / CertHE/Apprenticeship

Key

http://gpseducation.oecd.org/

Typical student flow

Recognized exit point of the education system

Transfer from a programme to another

May be provided within one school structure

Programme designed for part-time attendance

Vocational/Professional orientation(according to national definition at the tertiary level)

Single structure education (integrated ISCED levels)

Starting/ending age of compulsory education

Transfer at crossing lines is not possible

Diploma Name of diploma, degree or certificate

2020 Reference year (school year 2019/2020 in the northern hemisphere)

* Theoretical starting ages refer to the ages as established by law and regulation for the

entry to a programme, actual starting ages may vary depending on the programme.