What is a CertHE? Certificate of Higher Education, FdA and HND explained
A Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) is a Level 4 qualification worth 120 credits, the same as the first year of a bachelor’s degree. It takes one year full-time. A foundation degree (FdA or FdSc) and an HND sit one step higher at Level 5, take two years, and can usually be...
A Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) is a Level 4 qualification worth 120 credits - the same as the first year of a bachelor’s degree. It usually takes one year of full-time study. If you are weighing up a CertHE against a foundation degree, an HND or a full degree, the differences come down to three things: the level, how long it takes, and whether you can build on it later.
This guide explains each qualification in plain English, shows how they compare, and sets out how to turn a Level 4 or Level 5 qualification into a full honours degree.
What is a Certificate of Higher Education?
A CertHE is a higher education qualification awarded by a university or college. It sits at Level 4 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework, which is the same level as the first year of a degree, and it is worth 120 credits.
Two things make it useful. First, it is a qualification in its own right, if you stop there, you still hold something an employer recognises. Second, the credits usually count towards a degree, so you can continue into the second year of a related course rather than starting again.
It is also one of the shortest routes back into education for adults who left school without A-levels, because entry is often based on a mix of qualifications and experience rather than recent exam results.
CertHE, DipHE, foundation degree, HNC and HND compared
All of these sit between A-levels and a full honours degree. Here is how they line up:
Qualification | Level | Credits | Full-time length | Equivalent to |
CertHE | Level 4 | 120 | 1 year | Year 1 of a bachelor’s degree |
HNC (Higher National Certificate) | Level 4 | 120 | 1 year, often part-time | Year 1 of a bachelor’s degree |
DipHE (Diploma of Higher Education) | Level 5 | 240 | 2 years | Years 1 and 2 of a degree |
Foundation degree (FdA / FdSc) | Level 5 | 240 | 2 years | Years 1 and 2, with a vocational focus |
HND (Higher National Diploma) | Level 5 | 240 | 2 years | Years 1 and 2 of a degree |
Bachelor’s degree (BA / BSc Hons) | Level 6 | 360 | 3 years | A full honours degree |
Top-up degree | Level 6 | 120 | 1 year | The final year only |
The pattern is simple: Level 4 is one year of degree-level study, Level 5 is two, and Level 6 is the full honours degree. Every step counts towards the next one.
Foundation year or foundation degree? The difference that costs people a year
These two names cause more confusion than anything else in UK higher education, and getting them mixed up can cost you a year.
A foundation year is an extra year at the start of a degree- effectively Year 0. It is designed for applicants who do not yet meet the entry requirements for Year 1. You then continue straight through Years 1, 2 and 3, so the whole thing takes four years and you finish with a full honours degree.
A foundation degree is a standalone Level 5 qualification. It takes two years, it is a complete qualification on its own, and if you want the full honours degree you add a one-year top-up afterwards.
Put simply: a foundation year gets you in; a foundation degree gets you two thirds of the way through.
Which route suits you?
• A CertHE suits you if you want to test whether higher education fits around your job and your family before committing to three years, or if you need a Level 4 qualification for a role you already do.
• A foundation degree or HND suits you if you want a vocational qualification you can use after two years, with the option of returning for a third year later.
• A foundation year suits you if you want the full honours degree from the start and do not currently meet the entry requirements.
• A top-up suits you if you already hold an HND, foundation degree, DipHE or 240 credits and want the honours degree finished in one year.
What do these courses cost, and does student finance cover them?
Level 4 and Level 5 courses at designated providers are funded in the same way as a degree. You apply to Student Finance England for a tuition fee loan, which is paid directly to the university, and a maintenance loan for living costs, which is means-tested on household income and paid to you. You repay only once you are earning above the repayment threshold, and repayments are a percentage of what you earn above it rather than a fixed monthly bill.
Fee levels and loan rates are set each academic year, so check the current figures on gov.uk and the fee shown on the course page before you apply.
CertHE, foundation degree and HND courses you can apply for through UAPP
These are the Level 4 and Level 5 courses currently available through UAPP, all at universities and study centres in London:
Course | University | Length | Home fee per year | Location |
CertHE Computing Skills for the Workplace | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 1 year | £9,535 | Westferry Circus, London E14 |
CertHE Skills for the Workplace: Health and Social Care | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 1 year | £9,535 | Westferry Circus, London E14 |
CertHE Business Management | London Metropolitan University (QA) | 1 year | £9,790 | Holloway Road, London N7 |
FdA Business and Management | University of Sunderland in London | 2 years | £9,535 | Harbour Exchange Square, London E14 |
FdA Business and Management, Level 5 entry | University of Sunderland in London | 1 year | £9,535 | Harbour Exchange Square, London E14 |
FdSc Business Management | Solent University (QA) | 2 years | £9,535 | London |
FdA Business and Innovation | Arden University | 2 years | £9,525 | Study centres including Holborn |
Fees shown are the Home and EU rate at the time of writing. Check the course page for the current figure and for intake dates.
How to turn a CertHE, HND or foundation degree into a full degree
A top-up degree is the final year of an honours degree, taken on its own. If you hold 240 credits at Level 5 in a related subject - an HND, a foundation degree or a DipHE - you can usually join a top-up course and finish with a full BA or BSc (Hons) in one more year.
If you hold a CertHE at Level 4, you are one year further back: you would normally enter Year 2 of a related degree rather than going straight to a top-up. Credit transfer is decided case by case, and depends on how closely your subject matches.
UAPP lists around fifteen one-year top-up routes, mostly in business, accounting, computing, and health and care management.
How to apply
You do not need to go through UCAS. Most Level 4 and Level 5 courses accept direct applications, which means you can apply to one university at a time, closer to the start date, and often with a faster decision.
UAPP helps you check which courses you are eligible for, prepares the application with you, and deals with the university on your behalf. The service is free to students.
A CertHE is a Level 4 qualification worth 120 credits, which is the same as the first year of a bachelor’s degree. Unlike a foundation year, it is a qualification in its own right - if you stop after it, you still hold something. Most students who continue carry those credits into Year 2 of a related degree.
No. It sits below degree level, at Level 4 on the same framework that places a bachelor’s degree at Level 6. It is still a recognised higher education qualification, and it is funded in the same way as a degree.
Both are Level 5, both are worth 240 credits and both take two years full-time. The practical difference is who awards them: HNDs are Pearson qualifications delivered by colleges and universities, while a foundation degree is awarded by the university itself. Employers generally treat them as equivalent, and both can be topped up to a full honours degree in one further year.
A foundation year is an extra year at the start of a degree - Year 0 - for applicants who do not yet meet the entry requirements. You continue straight into Years 1 to 3 and finish with a full honours degree after four years. A foundation degree is a standalone two-year Level 5 qualification that you can use on its own or top up with a third year.
Yes. Designated Level 4 and Level 5 courses at designated providers are funded on the same basis as a degree: a tuition fee loan paid to the provider and a means-tested maintenance loan paid to you
Often, yes. Several of the Level 4 and Level 5 courses in the UAPP catalogue are designed for people already in work, and Arden University delivers through study centres and online rather than requiring daily campus attendance. Attendance patterns differ by course, so check the course page or ask an adviser before committing.
One year of full-time study on a top-up course, if you hold 240 credits in a related subject. UAPP lists fifteen one-year top-up routes, mostly in business, accounting, computing and health and care management.
Usually yes, into Year 2 of a related degree, but credit transfer is decided case by case and depends on the subject match as well as the credit total. [DATA] Collect the credit-transfer position from each partner university before answering this with specifics.
Which route suits each?
CertHE - you want to test whether higher education works around your job and your family before committing to three years, or you need a Level 4 qualification for a role you already do.
Foundation degree or HND - you want a vocational qualification you can work with after two years, and the option of a third year later.
Foundation year - you want the full honours degree, and you do not currently meet the entry requirements.
Top-up - you already hold an HND, FdA, DipHE or 240 credits and want the honours degree finished in one year.
What does it cost, and does student finance cover it?
Student Finance England funds all four routes the same way it funds any other higher education course, provided the course and provider are designated for funding. You apply for a tuition fee loan paid directly to the provider, and a maintenance loan paid to you.
The CertHE, FdA and HND courses you can apply to through UAPP
Course | University | Length | Home fee | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
CertHE Computing Skills for the Workplace | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 1 year | £9,535 | Westferry Circus, London E14 |
CertHE Skills for the Workplace: Health & Social Care | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | 1 year | £9,535 | Westferry Circus, London E14 |
CertHE in Business Management | London Metropolitan University (QA) | 1 year | £9,790 | Holloway Road, London N7 |
FdA Business and Management | University of Sunderland in London | 2 years | £9,535 | Harbour Exchange Square, E14 |
FdA Business and Management Level 5 (Year 2) | University of Sunderland in London | 1 year | £9,535 | Harbour Exchange Square, E14 |
FdSc Business Management | Solent University (QA) | 2 years | £9,535 | London |
FdA Business and Innovation | Arden University | 2 years | £9,525 | Eight study centres incl. Holborn |
Turning a Level 5 qualification into a full degree
Short section, three sentences, then a link out to the top-up hub. Name three real routes: Arden’s BSc (Hons) Computing (Top-Up), the University of Sunderland in London BA (Hons) Accounting and Financial Management Top-Up, and Bloomsbury Institute’s BSc (Hons) Accounting and Finance: Top-Up.
How to apply
Four sentences: check eligibility, pick the level that fits your time and money, apply directly through UAPP without a UCAS form, and get help free of charge. End on the consultation CTA.
