T-levels are vocational qualifications aimed at 16 to 19-year-olds, which focus more on practical subjects than academic ones. Each course lasts two years and is roughly equivalent to three A-levels.

They include a mixture of both classroom learning and on-the-job experience, with a work placement of at least 315 hours - or just about nine weeks - which is roughly 20% of the course. T-levels are designed to cater for students who want an alternative to A-levels but do not wish to take an apprenticeship, which usually requires as much as 80% of a student's time to be spent with an employer.

Final grades are based on a combination of exams, coursework and completion of the industry placement. In 2023, the overall pass rate for the 3,448 students taking the qualification was 90.5% (3,119):

  • 2% (2,387) achieved a merit or above
  • 7% of learners achieved an 'E' or above in their core component
  • 9% of learners achieved a pass or above in the occupational specialism

In August 2022, the 1,029 first T-level students in England had a pass rate of 92%. New T-level courses have been introduced each academic year since 2020, with a total of eight exam papers sat by students in 2023. Subjects include accountancy, digital business, finance, healthcare and manufacturing.

A further six courses were due to roll out in September 2023, but three have been delayed until 2024:

  • hairdressing, barbering and beauty therapy
  • craft and design
  • media, broadcast and production.

A fourth, in catering, is being pushed back until at least 2025. Instead, just two new T-levels will be introduced as planned - legal services, and agriculture, land management and production.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “New courses will only be approved for delivery where we are sure they are good enough and can be delivered to a high standard". In 2020 there were more than 12,000 vocational qualifications at all levels, offered by more than 150 awarding bodies, according to Ofqual, which oversees qualifications.

The Department for Education says T-levels were introduced to streamline post-16 education and make things less confusing for students and employers. As T-levels continue to develop, funding will eventually be withdrawn for some other vocational qualifications.

But a report in April urged the government to pause this plan until T-levels were more established. When the recent delays were announced, Gillian Keegan said there would be "at least one year" between the introduction of a T-level and the removal of funding for similar qualifications.

Under previous plans there would have been a two-year overlap. Vocational courses available in the UK aside from T-levels include:

  • BTecs (available across the UK)
  • NVQs (available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
  • Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).

T-level qualifications are equivalent to three A-levels.

Students get one of four grades, ranging from a distinction* to a pass. Their certificate shows their overall grade and lists their experiences on the course. A distinction* is worth 168 Ucas points - the same as three A*s at A-level - and a merit is equivalent to three Bs at A-level.

For those wanting to go on to higher education, qualifications are accepted by 134 universities and colleges.