進階教育提供任何年齡層廣泛的學習機會，讓每位學生參與一系列的學術學位或是專業技術課程。 這一系列的課程是為了培養學生的能力範圍所設計的，使學生提高在職場上的機會或是會在高等教育接觸到的。 任何私立或公立學院都有提供進階教育課程。 進階教育中心有很多不同的名稱例如： 進階教育學院、技術學院、工業技術學院、藝術與電腦學院、中等教育學院與專供學位的十六年教育包含國民小學。

英國的進階教育可提供廣泛的課程

英語課程
有提供給任何英語程度的學生、從標準英語課程到專業課程和課程給予國外英語老師。

GNVQ 基礎與中級課程
國家普通職業資格證書 (GNVQs) 提供另一項方式提供學生取得 A Level 資格，使學生可以直接進入大學或是進入職場。 無論如何這些將很快的被其他的方式取代。 進階的 GNVQ 確實已被進階職業教育認證 (AVCE) 所取代。 熱門課程包含範圍：藝術與設計、商業、社會與健康、休閒與觀光、製造、環境建築、餐飲管理、科學、電機工程、資訊科技。

GNVQs 提供廣泛範圍的兩種等級職業教育：

基礎課程 (相當於四個中等教育普通證書 [GCSEs] 分數為D~E或是國家職業 資格證書 [NVQ] 等級1)

中等課程 (相當於四個中等教育普通證書 [GCSEs] 分數為 A~C或是商業與技 術教育第一等或是國家職業資格證書 [NVQ] 等級12)

進階的 AVCE 證書也可稱為職業 A-Level，可被替代進階職業中等課程 GNVQ。 (相當於一個 GCE A-Level 或是 BTEC 或是 NVQ 第三階段。 雙重證書，也可提供相當於兩個 A-Level)。AVCE 與 GCE A-Level 不同，在於課業報告上會比較繁重也反射在實用性但並不強調在考試方面。

所有程度教育是為了在職場上或是在往後的學術作為準備。 進階等級可帶領到高等教育例如： 商業與技術教育 (BTEC)、國家高等教育證書 (HND) 可與 A-Level 或是 AS-Level (學術證書)一起就讀。

國家職業證書課程
國家職業證書 (NVQs) 是由英國專業協會頒發，與 GNVQs 相同的管道。 這課程並不如GNVQs 那麼的廣泛，但是注重於職業上。 每位學生將在工作表現上作評估。 NVQs 共有五階段，從第一階段的例行公事到第五階段的複雜的任務與一些實體的責任。絕大部分的學院有提供 NVQs 只要你的能力在學院裡所評估出來的模擬工作環境、例如：辦公相關課程、美容與理髮、餐飲與飯店營運、技術學與早期的管理與教育。 第三階段可帶領進入學士學位課程和第五階段可進入碩士學位課程。

商業與技術證書課程
職業教育課程認證共有兩階段經過一年以上的全職學術課程。BTEC 首先提供基本的學知並讓想工作或想進入第三階段的學生瞭解所需的課程。學生可就讀科系例如：藝術與設計、商業、建築、工程、健康與醫療、科技資訊與電腦、土學、休閒管理、體育旅遊與觀光、傳播、音樂與表演藝術、公共服務、零售與科學。

國家證書課程
BTEC 國家證書，是在職場上專業的職業認證與相等的高等教育，2年全職課程。 BTEC 國家證書鼓勵與激勵學生完成另一種創新的學習與評估的風格，專注在知識應用與某些領域的了解。 BTEC 國家認證共可修18個學分也提供某些專修職業領域，相當於三科 A-Level 課程。 BTEC 國家證書是準備學生可直接進入職場或是與學術高等教育。 這課程協助學生未來進入職場的準備或是前進高等教育課程。雖然並不一定每家職業學院會提供 BTEC 國家證書同樣的也提供BTEC 國家獎狀。

國家高等教育課程 (HND)
BTEC 國家高等教育課程需要兩年全日制班 (看科系而決定，通常以一週上2 ~ 4天)，或是半讀的學生需三年的期間。這課程在全英國是被認同的，也已有知名度與看待在這領域，因為這些傾向於職業技術教育比較少在於學術方面。 在英國與威爾斯有開放課程超過 400 所大學與學院。 不管任何科系，所有的 HND 課程都有參與實際的工作經驗與案子。 這也是說當你在學習時也學到雇主要求的是什麼也可以在公司的環境裡直接的進入狀況。 獲得的 HND認證可接學位文憑。某些同科系的可接大四，如不同科系會需要接大二。

Further education provides a range of opportunities for students of all ages to participate in a range of educational (academic) or vocational (professional) courses. Courses are designed to enable the students to develop a range of skills to enhance their opportunities in the "job market" or can be used to access Higher Education programmes. Further Education courses are available in the college sector, which may be either state sector or independent sector. Centres of Further Education can be known by a number of different titles. There are colleges of further education, colleges of technology, technical colleges, colleges of arts and technology, tertiary colleges, and, for immediate post 16 education, sixth form colleges.

There are a wide variety of courses available at Further Education Institutions in the UK

Courses in English
A vailable to students at all levels, from general English courses through to specialised professional programmes and courses for overseas teachers of English.

GNVQ Foundation and Intermediate programmes
General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) provide an alternative to academic (A-level) qualifications for students, who can then go to a university, or go directly into a specific job area. These, however are to be phased out as soon as suitable replacements have been found. Indeed the Advanced GNVQ has already been replaced by the Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education (AVCE). Popular areas include: Art and Design, Business, Health and Social Care, Leisure and Tourism, Manufacturing, Built Environment, Hospitality and Catering, Science, Engineering, Information Technology

GNVQs offer a broad-based vocational education at two levels:

Foundation (equivalent to four GCSEs grades D-E or NVQ level 1)
Intermediate (equivalent to four GCSEs grades A-C or BTEC First or NVQ level 2)
The AVCE award, also known as a vocational A-level, is the replacement for the Advanced GNVQ. (equivalent to one GCE A-level or BTEC National or NVQ level 3. A double award, equivalent to two A-levels, is also available.) The AVCE differs from the GCE A-level in that there is more coursework assessment and less emphasis on exams to reflect the practical nature of the course.

All levels prepare you for a range of jobs and further study. Advanced level can lead to Higher Education such as the BTEC HND and can be studied alongside A-levels and AS-levels (academic qualifications).

NVQ Programmes at all levels
NVQs are awarded by UK professional bodies in the same way as GNVQs. They are not as broad-based as GNVQs, but are specifically work-related. Students are assessed by their performance in the work place. NVQs are available at five levels, from level 1 - for routine jobs - to level 5 - for jobs with complex tasks and substantial responsibility. Most colleges offer NVQs if competence can be assessed in a simulated work environment on site in the college, such as for office-related subjects, hairdressing and beauty therapy, catering and hotel operations, engineering and early years care and Education. Level three can lead onto bachelor degree entry and level five can lead onto postgraduate study.

BTEC First Diploma programmes
These are Level 2 vocational qualifications taught fulltime over one year. The BTEC First provides the initial knowledge and understanding for students wishing to work or to take further study at level 3. Students can study subjects such as Art & Design, business, construction, engineering, health and care, IT & computing, land-based, Leisure, sport travel & tourism, Media, music & performing arts, public services, retail and science.

National Diploma Programmes
The BTEC National Diploma, a two year fulltime programme is a specialist vocational qualification valued by the industry/sector and higher education alike. The BTEC National Diploma encourages and stimulates student achievement through innovative learning and assessment styles, by focusing on the applied knowledge and understanding of the specific sectors. The BTEC National Diploma consists of 18 units of study and provides greater specialism in students' chosen vocational areas. Equivalent to three A-levels, it will often be studied on a full-time basis. The BTEC National Diploma prepares students for direct entry into employment or for progression to Higher Education. As well as the BTEC National Diploma there is also the BTEC National Certificate Award available, although not necessarily available in all vocational areas.

Higher National Diploma Programmes (HND)
BTEC Higher National Diploma courses last for two years when studied full time (which usually means 2-4 days per week, depending on the subject), or three years when studied part time. They are nationally recognised qualifications, well known and well regarded in industry, as they tend to have a more vocational focus than degrees. They are available at over 400 universities and colleges throughout England and Wales. Whatever subject area you study, all HND courses involve real work experience and work-based projects. This means the skills you are learning are the ones employers want, and can immediately be put to effective use in the workplace. You can gain an HND and then go on to degree level. In some subjects you can go direct from an HND into the final year of a degree; in other subjects you may have to go into the second year.