Academically equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor’s degree, HNDs have a vocational focus that makes them popular with employers. They take two years to complete if you’re studying full time, and four years if you opt for part-time study. If you already know which industry you want to work in, a Higher National Diploma could offer you a speedier route to your chosen career. Keen to find out more? Check out our HND courses and get started today!
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Online HND courses also available
What are the benefits of studying an HND?
- You’ll gain hands-on experience: Because they’re designed to teach specific practical skills, HNDs are ideal if you’re looking to enter a hands-on field of work such as engineering, agriculture or health and social care. Many courses also include work experience placements.
- They’re exam-free: Does the thought of sitting exams bring you out in a cold sweat? Then you’ll be relieved to know that HNDs are assessed via a mix of assignments, projects, practical tasks, presentations and portfolios. So if you learn best by doing, this could be the qualification for you.
- They’re flexible: You might decide that you want to move straight into employment once you’ve completed your second year. However, if you come to the conclusion that a full honours degree would broaden your career options, you can ‘top up’ your HND by doing a year of further study.
What is a ‘top-up’ degree?
Taking a top-up degree involves progressing on to the final year of an honours degree course. To apply, you’ll need to have graduated from your HND course with at least a merit. The content of both courses must also be similar.
Many HND holders take their top-up degree with their current institution or at the university that validates its qualifications. However, it’s perfectly possible to study with a different provider, as an increasing number of universities are accepting applications from HND graduates.
What kind of subjects can I study at HND level?
HND programmes are available in a wide range of subjects. Here are the most popular options.
- Agriculture
- Construction
- Business
- Business management
- Accountancy
- Finance
- Graphic design
- Computer science
- Electrical engineering
- Electronic engineering
- Civil engineering
- Performing arts
- Sport and exercise science
- Hospitality
- Mechanical engineering
- Photography
What are the entry requirements?
You’ll normally need a minimum of 100 UCAS points to access HND courses. These can be gained via a variety of equivalent qualifications including an A level, a BTEC or a Level 3 Diploma.
If you don’t have a level 3 qualification yet, don’t despair, as some providers also accept students who have a significant amount of work experience.
How do I finance my HND?
HNDs generally cost between £6-8,000 per year (£1,285 in Scotland). While they’re cheaper than most undergraduate degree programmes, you’ll still be entitled to access student finance loans to cover both tuition fees and your living expenses.
However, if you decide to top up your HND, you’ll need to check whether you’re eligible for further student loans, as you may only receive limited funding. This is because Student Finance England sometimes views top-up degrees as second higher education qualifications.