Higher Education( HE) qualifications
Higher National Certificates( HNC)
SCQF Level 7 – the equivalent to year 1 at university.
HNCs are normally completed in one year full-time or in two years with part-time study. Upon successful completion of an HNC, you have options which may include progressing to an HND at Fife College, to a degree with one of our partner universities( often entering the degree course in year 2), or into employment.
Higher National Diplomas( HND)
SCQF Level 8 – the equivalent to year 2 at university.
An HND is two years of study if done as a full-time course. If you’ re progressing from HNC, you will go straight into the second and final year of the HND. It gives you the option of progressing through to a degree( often entering year 3 of the degree course) or into employment.
Glossary of other qualifications
SVQ – Scottish Vocational Qualification NVQ – National Vocational Qualification National 4s, National 5s and Highers
Degrees
SCQF Levels 9( Degree) and 10( Honours Degree).
As well as routes to a wide range of degree courses at other institutions, with the benefit of studying the first one or two years locally, by working alongside our partner universities, we offer a great range of degrees right on your doorstep at Fife College campuses, so that you can study your whole degree with us in Fife. These degrees are awarded by our university partners so are the same as those issued to their own students.
Note: An Honours degree in Scotland takes 4 years of fulltime study to complete, but in the English system an Honours degree takes 3 years.
22 | Prospectus 2026 / 27 Fife. ac. uk