Use the NFQ to find out more about courses that you are interested in and to help you to make informed decisions when choosing a course.

The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) is intended to put you, the learner, at the centre of the education and training system in Ireland.

The NFQ is used to classify and compare qualifications. This means that you can use the NFQ to find out more about courses that you are interested in and to help you to make informed decisions when choosing a course.

The NFQ also makes it easier for you to explain to others what qualifications you hold, or are studying for. This becomes very important when you are considering further learning or when you are applying for a job - at home or abroad.

The NFQ, illustrated by the “fan diagram”, is a system of ten levels.

Each level tells you about the range of knowledge, skill and competence required to achieve a particular qualification.

The NFQ includes School qualifications awarded by the State Examinations Commission, further education and training qualifications awarded by FETAC, and higher education and training qualifications awarded by HETAC, Dublin Institute of Technology, other Institutes of Technology and the Universities are all included in the Framework.

Qualifications in the NFQ are quality assured. This means that you, the learner, can have confidence that your course, and the institution at which you are studying, are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Quality assurance is intended to ensure that all learners have a high quality learning experience regardless of where you are studying. For more details, see www.nfq.ie

To get the most from your choices about education and training choices, it is worth asking the following questions:

• What qualification does a particular course lead to?
• Who is the awarding body?
• Does a course lead to a qualification that is included on the National Framework of Qualifications?
• What level is the qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications?
• What type of qualification (e.g., major, minor) is it?
• What are the options to progress further after completing it?

www.nqai.ie