What are V Levels? Your complete guide to the new Vocational Qualifications

V Levels are a new type of Level 3 vocational qualification being introduced as part of the reformed post-16 education system in England. Designed to sit alongside A Levels and T Levels, V Levels will give learners greater choice and flexibility in how they build their post-16 programme of study.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about V Levels, including when and where they will become available, the new Level 2 and Level 3 vocational qualifications being introduced alongside them, and how V Levels compare with A Levels and T Levels.

Whether you’re a student considering your next steps, a parent helping with post-16 choices, or a teacher or centre planning for the changes ahead, this guide will give you a clear overview of V Levels and help you understand where they fit into the future of post-16 education.

What are V Levels?

As we touched on above, V Levels are a new type of Level 3 vocational qualification for students who want to explore different sectors before deciding where they want to specialise.

They are being introduced as part of changes to post-16 qualifications in England and are designed to give learners more choice and flexibility when planning their studies.

Rather than preparing learners for one specific occupation, they are designed to give students knowledge and skills across a broader vocational area. This means they can be a good option for learners who have an interest in a particular sector but may not yet know exactly which career or occupation they want to pursue.

Each V Level will be the same size as one A Level, with 360 guided learning hours (GLH). This means learners may be able to combine a V Level with other Level 3 qualifications, including A Levels, where this creates a suitable programme of study.

When and where will V levels become available?

V Levels will be introduced in phases, rather than all at once, and the first V Levels will become available from September 2027 in England.

Eduqas is developing two V Levels for first teaching in September 2027:

• Digital Systems and Data

• Education

Further V Levels are planned to become available between 2027 and 2030, as the new qualifications are introduced across different subject areas.

How is a V level different from an A level and a T level?

V Levels, A Levels and T Levels are all Level 3 qualifications, but they are designed for different types of learning and progression.

The table below highlights the key differences:

Can learners study a V Level alongside an A Level?

The simple answer is – yes. The Government’s post-16 pathways implementation plan confirms that students will be able to take V Levels alongside A Levels, as well as other V Levels and, where needed, Level 2 English and maths.

This means a learner could, for example, choose a V Level alongside one or more A Levels to create a mixed programme.

Combining the two could be useful for a learner who wants to develop academic knowledge in one subject while gaining applied, vocational knowledge in another.

What can learners do after a V Level?

After completing a V Level, learners could progress to higher education, higher technical study, an apprenticeship or employment, depending on their qualifications and future plans.

• Progress to higher education - A V Level can provide a pathway towards higher education, depending on the learner’s programme, qualifications and progression requirements. V Levels are designed to combine applied and vocational learning with opportunities for academic progression.
  

• Continue to higher technical study - Learners may also choose to continue into higher technical study. This can allow students to build on the knowledge and skills developed through their V Level while progressing to a higher level of study within a particular sector.
  

• Progress to an apprenticeship - V Levels can also support progression into an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships combine employment with further learning and can provide an opportunity to develop practical skills and experience within a chosen sector.
  
  The Government's post-16 reforms are designed to create clearer progression routes between Level 3 qualifications and further training, including apprenticeships.
  

• Begin employment - For learners who are ready to enter the workplace, a V Level can support progression into employment after further training. It’s important to note, however, that a V Level is designed as a broad vocational qualification rather than training for one specific occupation.

Why offer V Levels at your centre?

Real-world skills

The content of V Levels will be linked to occupational standards. This ensures learning remains relevant, practical and connected to the needs of modern industries.

Learners will also develop crucial transferrable skills while building their subject knowledge, supporting progression to higher education, higher technical study, apprenticeships and employment. 

Flexibility for learners

V Levels are equivalent in size to A Levels, allowing them to build a flexible, personalised programme of study that can include both academic and vocational qualifications.

This flexibility will enable learners to pursue pathways that reflect their interests, strengths and future ambitions, while allowing the freedom to change direction. 

Prepare for the Post-16 reforms

The post-16 education landscape is changing, with V Levels forming part of the reformed Level 3 offer from September 2027. Offering V Levels can help centres prepare for these changes and consider how they could fit alongside existing A Level and T Level provision.

Planning ahead also gives centres the opportunity to consider future curriculum needs, staffing and resources as the reforms are introduced in phases through to 2030.

What are the new post-16 vocational qualifications at Level 2?

As well as Level 3 V Levels, two new sets of Level 2 qualifications will be introduced from September 2027: Foundation Certificates with Eduqas and Occupational Certificates with Eduqas.

These two new sets of qualifications are designed to support 16-18-year-olds to progress into employment, apprenticeships or further study. Broadly equivalent to GCSEs in level, they will help students take the next step towards their future goals.

Foundation Certificates: This will include new Foundation Certificates, designed for students who want to progress to Level 3 study (such as A Levels, V Levels or T Levels).

They provide broad vocational learning designed to prepare students for Level 3 study, with English and maths studied alongside where needed. This pathway will bridge the gap to higher-level study, helping students prepare for their next step in education. 

Occupational Certificates: This will include new Occupational Certificates, designed to support progression into skilled employment at Level 2. This 2-year, employment-focused pathway will give students training designed around real jobs and industries, helping them become work-ready and confident about starting in work.

Foundation and Occupational Certificates are being introduced in phases between 2027 and 2030, giving centres time to understand the new qualifications and consider how they could fit into their curriculum plans.

There we have it! We hope this blog has given you a helpful overview of V Levels and how they could fit into your centre’s future post-16 offer.