Your options at 16

You have to stay in education or training until you’re 18, but you can choose how you do it. You can:

• study full time
• combine study with work or volunteering
• do an apprenticeship

You’ll want to choose the option that best suits the career you’re interested in, so it’s worth doing some research. For university courses and some careers, you need specific qualifications or grades.

Find out more about your options (National Careers Service)

Find a course in Royal Greenwich

Subject-based qualifications

If you’re interested in particular subjects or thinking about going to university, you could study at a local sixth form centre for:

• A levels
• International Baccalaureate

Find a local sixth form centre

Find out how to apply for a course at a sixth form centre

Vocational qualifications

If you’re interested in a particular career or industry, you could do a vocational technical qualification that combines work and study, such as:

• BTEC diplomas
• Cambridge Nationals
• Cambridge Technicals
• T levels

You can study for vocational qualifications at a local skills centre. You'll need to contact the skills centre direct to find out more about their courses and application process.

Find a local skills centre for over-16s

Combine study with work or volunteering

You may want to study part-time, including online courses such as The Skills Toolkit. This means you could also work or volunteer part-time.

Find out more about volunteering

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are real jobs that combine work with training and study. You'll earn a wage, gain skills and have the opportunity to put what you learn into practice.

Find out more about apprenticeships

Study options based on your qualifications

Your options depend on the qualifications you've achieved.

Find out what qualification levels mean (GOV.UK)

Qualifications	First stage options	Next stage options
No qualifications	Entry level course Level 1 course	Level 2 course Pre-apprenticeship Work
GCSE grades 1 to 3 or BTEC level 2	Level 1 course Level 2 course Level 2 apprenticeship Work	Level 3 course Intermediate apprenticeship Work
4 or more GCSEs grades 4 to 9 or An equivalent vocational qualification	Level 2 BTEC diploma or certificate BTEC level 1, 2 or 3 Other vocational course	Level 3 course Apprenticeship Work
5 or more GCSEs grades 5 to 9 including English and maths or An equivalent vocational qualification	Level 3 BTEC Apprenticeship Other vocational courses	University Higher apprenticeship Work
5 or more GCSEs grades 5 to 9 including English and maths at grade 5 or higher	A levels BTEC Combination of A levels and a BTEC	University Higher apprenticeship Work
5 or more GCSEs grades 5 to 9 including: English and maths at grade 5 or higher your chosen A level subject at grade 6 or higher	International Baccalaureate A levels Extended diploma Advanced apprenticeship	Higher education Work Advanced or higher level apprenticeship

GCSE Engliah and Maths

If you do not have grade 4 or above in GCSE English or maths, you’ll need to carry on studying them. You do not need to resit the exam, but you can if you want.