QQI Awards standards

The awards standards we determine apply to our own QQI Awards and those made by providers to whom we have delegated authority.

As an awarding body, QQI makes awards to learners who have demonstrated through assessment that they have reached or exceeded the standard for an award. This makes standards an essential part of the awarding system.

The lifecycle of an award standard consists of four stages:

Development
Consultation
Review
Deactivation

Award types

Essential reading

Generic Major Awards Standards (NFQ Levels 6-10)

Generic Standards - Special Purpose, Supplemental and Minor Awards

Professional Award Type Descriptors (NFQ Levels 5-9)

Core competences are broad award standards (NFQ Levels 1-4) aligned with the EU Key Competences for Lifelong Learning

Citizenship

Cultural Awareness and Expression

Digital

Entrepreneurship

Learning for Sustainability

Literacy

Mathematical and Numerical

Multilingual

Personal, Social and Learning to Learn

Science and Technology

Award standards for:

Administration and Office Work at NFQ Levels 3-4

Agriculture at NFQ Levels 3-4

Aquaculture at NFQ Levels 3-4

Community Support Services at NFQ Levels 3-4

Construction and Engineering at NFQ Levels 3-4

Fine Arts, Crafts and Design at NFQ Levels 3-4

Horticulture at NFQ Levels 3-4

ICT at NFQ Levels 3-4

Tourism and Hospitality Services at NFQ Levels 3-4

Retail at NFQ Levels 3-4

Youth Work at NFQ Level 5

The Common Awards System (CAS) is an evolving system of awards at NFQ Levels 1 to 6 that aims to support learner mobility and ease the recognition of prior learning.

Explore our listing of CAS Awards here