The Student Room Group

What Age Can You Do A BTEC @?

How old do you need to be to do a BTEC or do some colleges differ?

Someone mentioned under 19 but i wasn't sure. Im 23, might not be able to go to Uni due to convictions, so id need to do 2 years at college until they are spent (they are 3.5 years old).

I may get into uni but im looking forward. If it come to it i would like to do a BTEC in IT Practitioners (Software Development)

Id need to do something to fill the gap. I want to do Software Engineering, im doing an Access to I.C.T at the moment.

Cheers All
Don't believe there's an age limit.
Reply 2
under 19 you dont have to pay the exam fees or something like that, but you can actually do them at any time
Reply 3
the age limit is 19 if you don't want to pay, but above that age in your case, you'll have to pay about £150 or something like that. Theres a 22 year old in the year below me and he's having no troubles, apart from being gutted that he has to pay lol.
Reply 4
no age limit. i had a guy who was 30 something on my btec national. he didnt have to pay though. he was just doing it to get back in to the studying thing before doing a higher level course
Reply 5
There was someone on my IT practitioners course who was 23 when i did it. He just had to pay for the course, although that didnt seem to make him want to attend i swear he used to turn up to one lesson every 2 weeks.
Reply 6
I started my National Diploma course when I was 22 and I had to pay course fees for the year. I'm now in my second year and this year I don't have to pay the fees. Apparently the system has changed so if you are under 25 you do not have to pay them. I don't think there is an age limit as there is a 37 year old and a 28 year old studying my course...

Jen x
Reply 7
In response to the first post, you can opt for a BTEC First Diploma while choosing your GCSE options at around the age of 14/15. The First Diploma is worth around the equivalent to 5 GCSES.

The BTEC National Diploma is a level 3 course and is aimed at people ages 16+, this is worth the equivalent of 3 A-levels. However there maybe a cost if you are above 19 (depends on what specific Diploma you choose, they all vary)
Reply 8
It actually depends if the goverment will fund you. I have someone in my GCSE class that is 19 years old and plans on taking A-lvls after without paying any fees.
My son is 18 ( 19 in November)
Didn't get the grades for uni so wants to do a btec. Would like to know before he commits does he have to pay for the course
Original post by LoopyLou560
My son is 18 ( 19 in November)
Didn't get the grades for uni so wants to do a btec. Would like to know before he commits does he have to pay for the course


As long as he starts the course before he turns 19 he won't have to pay. He would only have to pay if he started his course after he turns 19. :smile:
What about when he turns 19 and 20 would he have to pay ? Cuz I'm 18 and doing the same would like to do a two year course then go of to uni
Original post by Jared12344
What about when he turns 19 and 20 would he have to pay ? Cuz I'm 18 and doing the same would like to do a two year course then go of to uni


If you start your course BEFORE you turn 19 then you dont have to pay anything.
i am 50+ And just in rolled in betc business level 3 exsended . i appiled through 24+ and got my course paid for me. I have to start paying it back when i earning.