Business and Technician Education Council

The Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) is a provider (existing as part of Pearson Education Ltd) of secondary school leaving qualifications and Further education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Whilst the T in BTEC it has been mistakenly understood to stand for Technician, according to the DFE (2016) it actually stands for Technology.

BTEC qualifications, especially Level 3, are accepted by many universities (excluding Cambridge and Oxford unless combined with more qualifications) when assessing the suitability of applicants for admission, and many such universities base their conditional admissions offers on a student's predicted BTEC grades.

Qualification Subjects

BTEC qualifications are in theory equivalent to other qualifications, such as the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) (levels 1 to 2), A Level (level 3) and university degrees (levels 6 to 7). BTECs are undertaken in vocational subjects ranging from business studies to engineering. Examples of qualifications include:

• Animal Management
• Applied Science
• Art & Design
• Business
• Computing
• Childrens Care & Learning
• Creative Digital Media Production
• Engineering
• Hospitality
• Health & Social Care
• Music / Music Technology
• Performing Arts
• Public Services
• Travel & Tourism

History

The BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) was formed by the merger of the Business Education Council (BEC) and the Technician Education Council (TEC). The University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (abbr. ULEAC) and BTEC merged to form Edexcel.

Awards and course system

School leaving qualification (Level 3)

The following Level 3 courses, known as BTEC Nationals, are intended for those with five or more GCSE grades A*-C including English, mathematics and science. The qualification names for Level 3 courses changed dependant on whether they were awarded though the forthcoming National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

NQF (2016)	QCF (2010)	A level size equivalence	Grading
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma	BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma	3 x A levels	PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Diploma	BTEC Level 3 Diploma	2 x A levels	PP to D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma	BTEC Level 3 90-Credit Diploma	1.5 x A levels	PP to D*D*
BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate	BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma	1 x A level	Pass to Distinction*
BTEC Level 3 Certificate	BTEC Level 3 Certificate	0.5 x A level	Pass to Distinction*

School leaving qualification (Level 2)

The following Level 2 courses, known as BTEC Firsts, are intended for students at GCSE level as a vocational equivalent. There are no BTEC courses for English, or mathematics. Students who do not achieve the minimum Level 2 Pass grade will receive a Level 1 Pass in the given qualification equivalent to GCSE grades D-E and therefore does not count to the A*-C measurement system. The qualification names for Level 2 courses changed dependant on whether they were awarded though the current National Qualification Framework (NQF) or the predecessor Qualification Credit Framework (QCF):

NQF (2012)	QCF (2010)	GCSE size equivalence	Grading
BTEC Level 2 Diploma	No equivalent	4 x GCSEs	PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate	BTEC Level 2 Diploma	3 x GCSEs	PPP to D*D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Certificate	BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate	2 x GCSEs	PP to D*D*
BTEC Level 2 Award	BTEC Level 2 Certificate	1 x GCSE	Pass to Distinction*

Further education (Adult courses) RQF or QCF

• BTEC Level 7 Diploma - A Master's Degree level course
• BTEC Level 6 Diploma - A Bachelors Degree level course
• BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma
• BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate

See also

• Council for National Academic Awards
• National Vocational Qualification
• Scottish Qualifications Authority, an equivalent Scottish body