Qualifications explained

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is a qualification guide which has been designed to help learners, employers, parents and those involved in providing education, understand how Scottish qualifications relate to each other.

When you browse our courses, you’ll see that many have a qualification in the course title, e.g. Higher National Certificate (HNC), followed by a SCQF level.

To help understand the level of learning you've achieved so far and what your next level of study could be, please view the SCQF interactive Framework.

At New College Lanarkshire (NCL), we offer a diverse range of qualifications, ranging from National Qualifications (NQ) to Degrees as well as professional certifications. We ensure that there's a path for everyone to pursue their educational and career goals.

A National Certificate (NC) is sometimes suitable for students with no formal qualifications. They offer practical help in developing skills for work and can, in some instances, provide access to higher level programmes such as a HNC or HND.

NC, NA or NQ programmes are a combination of academic theory and practical work based skills.

From here, you can progress onto employment or Higher Education.

A Higher National Certificate (HNC) takes one year to complete. Successful completion of a HNC allow applicants to apply to a HND programme (in the same subject).

It may also be possible to progress to first or second year of a university degree programme with suitable grades from a HNC.

From here, you can progress onto employment, HND or university.

A Higher National Diploma (HND) takes one year to complete and is only undertaken after successful completion of the relevant HNC. It is a valuable higher level qualification which can lead to employment.

Alternatively, graduates on some courses can transfer to the second or third year of a university degree course.

From here, you can progress onto employment or university.

A degree is an academic award that is achieved by completing a course that lasts three or more years. A Bachelor’s Degree (BA) often takes four years, but students who complete an HND can often be transferred onto the second or third year of a degree course.

Earning a degree, in addition to a certificate or diploma, can open up more opportunities for a student as many employers require an applicant to have eared at least a BA, with several requiring higher than this.

From here, you can progress onto employment or further study at university.