What are T Levels?
T Levels or Technical Level Qualifications were first introduced in September 2020 as an alternative to A Levels and other 16-19 qualifications, including apprenticeships. Available T Levels are wide-ranging but cover industries including Health, Construction, Finance, Design, Marketing, with Access Creative College offering T Levels in Software Development and Content Creation.
Who are T Levels for?
T Levels are for 16-18-year-olds who are continuing their education after GCSEs. It’s as simple as choosing a subject that is of interest, finding out what they need and want to know about the course and campus (through open days and other events), and applying. Just like any other college or sixth form course.
It might be a good idea to research the different types of post-school qualifications available to ensure that T Levels are the right choice.
Are T Levels good?
We’re obviously a little biased here, but there’s a reason we chose to offer a T Level at ACC. We believe in the qualification and what it brings to our students. All education is vital and valuable. BTECs have their place, as do A Levels and apprenticeships, and T Levels are another type of string to the bow that students need to cement their future.
But T Levels offer two unique elements that make them as viable as other qualifications, by offering a different perspective on learning.
Firstly, the course curriculums are built in partnership with industry employers. This means that what students are studying is the latest in industry practices and methods, and teaches them the required skills to hit the ground running in their desired industry.
Secondly, T Levels get students outside the classroom, gaining experience in the real world. A built-in component of this unique qualification is an 80/20 split between classroom and industry placement. That means they spend 45 days of the course on work experience with a relevant industry employer. This is a win-win for employers and students. Students get valuable, hands-on experience and a chance to test out their newly learned skills in a professional setting, and employers get an early look at new talent coming into the sector.
You can get an insight into this experience with our video case study featuring Morrow, an app developer who has taken on one of our Software Development students for work experience, below:
As we’ve mentioned above, the key here is research. We’re lucky that we live in an educational landscape where there are so many different options. When making a qualification choice, you need to look at each type available, assess it based on what subjects are offered, how they fit, how you want to study, what each option will bring to your career, and then make an informed decision. It’s a big, often overwhelming thing to make a choice like this, but there’s plenty of help available by registering for one of our open days.
Are T Levels replacing BTECs?
Eventually, T Levels will replace BTECs. The previous target time for BTECs to be replaced was 2024; however, the overall curriculum will start to be removed in 2026, and Business and Engineering will follow in 2027. Allowing T Levels to become the key vocational route to higher education or employment.
The UK Government commissioned an independent review of the further education (16-18) system in 2011 and 2016, and found that the qualification options available were confusing for both students and employers, with a lot of overlap between different BTEC courses being offered.
T Levels are intended to simplify the system with clearer course offers that provide students with a defined toolkit to take into industry.
This doesn’t mean that BTECs aren’t worth doing. As we mentioned, BTECs have their place and have been one of the dominant qualifications for a long time. The change is solely to ensure that taking that next step in education is easier and clearer for students, and that employers looking at the qualifications of applicants have a simpler breakdown of the knowledge learned.
How is a T Level different from an apprenticeship?
Both paths are based on the same employer-designed standards, offering you expert-led learning with a hands-on approach, but will ultimately suit different learning styles.
As we have already mentioned, T Levels offer classroom-based learning from working professionals in that subject area, whilst experiencing a 45-day work placement with its 80/20 style across two years. On the other hand, apprenticeships are a paid opportunity with work-based training and less classroom learning, spanning across 15 months.
T levels and apprenticeships do offer the opportunity to advance to a higher education level or to go straight into a skilled working role. It’s just the journey to the qualification that is different when comparing the two.
Essentially, T levels are 80% classroom with 20% work experience, and unpaid. Apprenticeships are 20% classroom with 80% work experience, and paid.
If you believe you would benefit better from learning from the skilled, specific paid role with coursework/exams to get to the qualification, then apprenticeships will be for you. If you learn better in a classroom setting from industry experts whilst also getting unpaid work experience, then T Levels could be a better choice.
For a deeper understanding, we have compared both our T level with our apprenticeship route for Content Creation.
If you are interested in an apprenticeship instead, we also offer apprenticeships in Content Creation and Software Development with our sister company Access Industry.
Are T Levels harder than A Levels?
First off, let’s dig into how T Levels compare to A Levels. T Levels are the equivalent of three A Levels. The main difference is that with A Levels you would tend to study multiple subjects at once, while T Levels has you focused solely on one. T Levels are also more vocational (practical), whereas A Levels are more theory based. Both take the same level of commitment and focus, and both are at the same level of intensity in terms of learning.
As previously mentioned, T Levels are also designed with employers, meaning the course is more targeted towards one industry, whereas A Levels give you a wider range of routes post-course.
In terms of which is harder, there is no straightforward answer. Each qualification has the same demand of students, and they both require academic ability. Over the two years of the course, both will push students hard to achieve great grades at the end, and there’s no real distinction in difficulty between them.
The question to focus on here, rather than which is harder, is which suits you, your style of learning, and your future career goals better. If a more focused, hands-on approach with work experience in industry sounds like it will get you into the role of your dreams, then go for T Levels. If you’re not sure which industry you want to be in yet, and you’d like to have more options to dig into, then choose A Levels. The choice is totally up to you.
| T Levels | A Levels | Apprenticeships | |
| Type of Qualifications | Technical qualifications and classroom learning with industry placements | Academic and theoretical learning in specific subjects | Work-based training to develop specific occupational skills |
| Work Experience | 45-day placement | Optional, but not a part of the course curriculum | Studying whilst working |
| Progression | Uni, higher study, or skilled work | Primarily uni or other higher education | Employment in that specific role, or higher education, depending on the level |
| Learning | 80% classroom-based and 20% on-the-job training | Primarily classroom-based learning | Primarily focused on practical skills and experience in the workplace |
| Salaried | X | X | ✓ |
Will T Levels have UCAS points?
Yes, T Levels have UCAS points. As we’ve said, they are the equivalent of 3 A Levels, and that also means UCAS points. The points totals for T Levels are:
Distinction (DDD) * equivalent to A*A*A* at A Level and 168 UCAS points
Distinction (DDD) equivalent to AAA at A Level and 144 UCAS points
Merit (MMM) equivalent to BBB at A Level and 120 UCAS points
Pass (PPP) equivalent to CCC at A Level and 96 UCAS points
Just like BTECs, completing your course will still give you the chance to go on to university. The most important thing in any course, just like GCSEs, is your final grade. So get your head down, get focused, and study hard.
Which Universities accept T Levels?
A number of Universities across the UK, including Russell Group Universities, accept T Levels into at least one of their courses.
Even though it is not an official list of all the universities, you can find them on this list on the UK government website. But don’t be disheartened if you don’t find the University that you are eager to join on the list; you should be able to contact the University to see if T Levels will be accepted.
Learn more about T Levels at ACC
So there you have it. Hopefully, that answers your questions about T Levels. They truly are a qualification built for a modern age, and set to become a huge part of education moving forward. Not only are they a rigorous and serious qualification, but also your introduction to the working world.
As always, if you’d like to know more about our T Levels in Software Development and Content Creation, there are plenty of opportunities. Have a look at the course page, contact our friendly and knowledgeable admissions team on 0161 768 9932 or by email at admissions@accesscreative.ac.uk, or get yourself down to an open day and explore your local ACC centre at the same time.
We also have a huge range of BTECs, so if Software Development or Content Creation isn’t your thing, check out what else we can offer you this September over on our course list page.
