HM Revenue & Customs

Full-time non-advanced education and approved training

Full-time' means an average of more than 12 hours supervised study a week during normal term time, not counting breaks for meals and homework.

'Non-advanced' education includes:

• GCSEs
• A levels
• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 1, 2 or 3
• GNVQ Foundation, intermediate or advanced course
• BTEC National Diploma, National Certificate and 1st Diploma
• National Diploma
• Standard Grade (Scotland)
• SVQ level 1,2 or 3
• Scottish Group Awards
This not a complete list.

Non-advanced education does not include advanced courses, such as:
• a degree
• any course in preparation for a degree
• NVQ level 4 or above
• BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) or Higher National Certificate (HNC)
• teacher training

This is not a complete list.

Approved training courses are as follows:

In England
• Foundation Learning Programmes (previously known as 'Entry to Employment'), or Access to Apprenticeships
• Programme Led Apprenticeships

In Scotland
• Get Ready for Work
• Skillseekers

In Wales
• Skill Build
• Skill Build +
• Foundation Apprenticeships, Traineeships + Skillbuild/Skillbuild + (if started before 1 August 2011)

In Northern Ireland
• Programme Led Apprenticeships (Apprenticeships NI)
• Jobskills
• Training for Success: Professional and Technical Training

Training courses provided by an employer as part of a job contract don’t count as approved. For example, Modern Apprenticeships in Scotland are always provided as part of a job contract, so don't count as approved.