Nowadays, there are so many different types of higher-level qualifications! University is not the only option anymore! However, the acronyms can become quite complicated, so it is not uncommon for students to get confused. A HND qualification is another type of higher-level qualification and is definitely a term that you may come across!
HND stands for Higher National Diploma. It is a Level 5 qualification and will take two years to complete full time. It is a qualification which is seen as very practical based, so can prepare students well for the workplace.
If you want to discover more about HND qualifications, including what they involve, what they are equivalent to and whether you should complete one, check out the rest of this article!
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What is a HND qualification equivalent to?
A HND is known as a Level 5 qualification. This level of higher education is equivalent to a foundation degree at university. If you want to discover what a foundation degree is, check out this article from Think Student.
A Bachelor’s degree is known as a Level 6 qualification. This means that if you complete a HND qualification, you can use this achievement as a route to get into university! If you are struggling to understand what the different levels of qualifications mean, check out this page from the government website. Furthermore, you could also check out this Think Student article.
How long does a HND qualification take to complete?
A HND qualification takes two years to complete full time. This is different to a Bachelor’s degree, which normally takes about three years to complete.
However, if you decide to complete your HND qualification part time, it would take three to four years to complete. If you want to discover more about HND time frames and more information about the qualification in general, check out this article from WhatUni.
What is involved in a HND qualification?
A HND qualification is a practical based qualification. This means that teaching will focus on helping students to develop hands on skills which would be useful in the workplace.
This means that throughout the course, you will be assessed in a range of different ways which in turn, will help you prepare for work. This includes assignments, practical tasks and a range of different projects. You can find out more about this and HNDs as a qualification in general if you check out this article from Prospects.
However, it is still a higher education based qualification. Check out this article from Think Student if you want to understand the meaning of higher education in more detail.
What are the entry requirements for HND qualifications?
Different types of HND courses will have a different set of entry requirements for students. However, there does seem to be a general set of requirements which applicants may need to have.
Most HND courses will require students to have earned some Level 3 qualifications, such as A-Levels and BTECs. However, you may only actually need to have one Level 3 qualification, such as one A-Level for example!
This means that HNDs are great alternative ways to get into higher education without a full set of A-Levels. Some HND courses may require you to attend an interview. You may even be required to complete some maths and literacy tests, depending on the qualifications you already have.
You can find out more about the entry requirements and some more general information about HNDs if you check out this article from the Middlesex University London website.
What are the different types of HND qualifications?
There are so many different types of HND qualifications, all tailored to specific careers. This means that HNDs can be completed by a range of different people with varying interests.
Some examples of HND qualifications include courses such as engineering and information technology. Agriculture is even an option! However, HNDs also tailor to more creative minds, such as photography or performing arts!
You can discover more about the different types of HND qualifications and much more if you check out this article from Mont Rose College. Alternatively, you can read through a long list of the most popular HND qualifications if you check out this page from WhatUni. The most popular HNDs include health and social care courses, business courses and social science courses!
How much does a HND cost to complete?
Sadly, like most things, HNDs are not free to complete! Instead, it costs an average of £6,000 a year to complete. However, these fees can range from £4,000 to £8,000 per year.
As a result, it would be useful for you to research the course that you want to do individually to discover the costs. You can discover more about how much HNDs cost and some more general information about them if you check out this article from University Compare.
Can you get student finance for an HND qualification?
Luckily, you can apply for loans from Student Finance England to help you out with the fees, just like university! If you want to find out how to apply for a student loan, check out this page from the government website.
If you want to find out more about when you can apply for student finance, check out this Think Student article.
What are the next steps after a HND qualification?
As already mentioned, HND qualifications take two years to complete and are equivalent to a Level 5 qualification. This means that they are just below the level of bachelor’s degree qualifications.
However, if you do want to complete a bachelor’s degree one day, you can use your HND qualification to get onto the course! The two years it takes to complete a HND qualification is equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor’s degree.
This means that you could join a university in the third year of your chosen course to get a full bachelor’s degree! Therefore, HNDs can be used as fantastic routes to university and getting a bachelor’s degree in an unconventional way.
However, HNDs don’t always have to be used for higher education. You can get a HND qualification and then go straight into employment! This is a completely valid decision, as HNDs will give students the useful skills they need for the workplace.
Consequently, HNDs are greatly valued by employers! If you want to find out more about what you can do with a Higher National Diploma, check out this article from the University Compare website.
What jobs can you get with a HND qualification?
As already outlined in this article, there are a range of different HND courses available. This opens doors to a wide range of different careers! Popular jobs students who completed HNDs include science and engineering technicians and engineering professionals.
You can discover more jobs that you can get with a HND qualification if you check out this article from Prospects. As you can see, most of the jobs students who have completed HNDs get involved in are practical based.
After all, they are practical based qualifications! As a result, regardless of the job you choose, you will be valued by employers if you have completed an HND. This is because after you have completed it, you would have created a portfolio of work which is directly related to what you learnt in the workplace!
You can find out more about this if you check out this page from the Target Jobs website.
Should you do a HND qualification?
There are many benefits to completing a HND degree! One of the main pros are that it is a practical based qualification. This means that employers often appreciate candidates with this qualification as it often indicates that they are ready for the workplace! Therefore, if you want to impress employers, completing a HND qualification is one way to do this.
This can also be great for those students who learn better when they are being practical instead of just writing all of the time. As already discussed, HND qualifications can also be expanded into full bachelor’s degrees.
Therefore, another great benefit is that they can be used as alternative routes to university, if you didn’t do very well in your A-Levels. If this sounds like you, then perhaps consider doing a HND qualification!
What is the difference between HNDs and HNCs?
HNCs and HNDs may sound similar, however, they are completely different qualifications! As you already know, the term HND stands for ‘Higher National Diploma’. In comparison, HNC stands for ‘Higher National Certificate’.
A HNC takes one year to complete full time, in comparison to a HND, which takes two years to complete full time. As a result, a HNC qualification is equivalent to the first year of a bachelor’s degree, whereas a HND is equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor’s degree!
Put simply, a HND is a higher level of qualification than a HNC. This is because a HND is a Level 5 qualification, whereas a HNC is a Level 4 qualification. You can discover the differences in more detail if you check out this article from What Uni.
You can also learn more about HNCs in more detail if you check out this article from Think Student.