The SCQF - Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework -  is the  qualification reference framework used within Scotland. This page  provides information on  the SCQF and  shows how its levels compare  with the Qualification and Credit Framework used within England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the European Qualifications Framework used in mainland Europe.

What is a Qualification Framework?

Qualification frameworks are designed to help you make informed decisions about the qualifications you need. Each framework has a set of levels from which you can identify clear progression routes.

The SCQF framework is regulated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to ensure that all qualifications within the frameworks are of high quality and meet the needs of students, employers and higher education.

What are levels?

The SCQF has 12 levels, and the level of a qualification shows how difficult the learning is. Qualifications that share the same level:

• are broadly similar in terms of the demand
• can be very different in terms of content and duration.

How do SCQF levels compare with other qualification frameworks?

The table below shows a rough comparison of the levels on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) and the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).