Laboratory Sciences - Health and Science - T Level

A T Level is an exciting new technical qualification which will teach you both the knowledge and skills needed to progress into skilled employment or higher level technical training, such as higher education and higher apprenticeships. The T Level study programme is eligible for UCAS points. 

The content for this qualification was devised by T Level panels, which included employers and industry stakeholders. Employers and other stakeholders helped create the assessments and set the standards to ensure you achieve the level of competence needed to enter skilled employment.

The T Level is made up of different components:

1. a technical qualification in Science (the core component)
2. a technical component in Laboratory Sciences (the occupational specialism)
3. a substantial industry placement with an external employer (a minimum of 315 hours)

You’ll spend 80% of your time in the classroom and 20% on an industry placement with an employer (equivalent to 45 days) to give you the skills and knowledge companies look for. Your industry placement gives you the chance to learn what a real career is like while you continue your studies. When and how you complete it depends on the T Level, school or college, and employer.

To achieve the T Level, you will need to successfully demonstrate your achievement of each of the components.

The core component will cover topics including:

• Working within the health and science sector
• Health, safety and environmental regulations in the health and science sector
• Managing information and data within the health and science sector
• Ethics
• Good scientific and clinical practice
• Scientific methodology
• Experimental equipment and techniques
• Core science concepts

The occupational specialism will teach you how to:

• Perform a range of appropriate scientific techniques to collect experimental data in a laboratory setting, complying with regulations and requirements
• Plan, review, implement and suggest improvements to scientific tasks relevant to a laboratory setting
• Identify and resolve issues with scientific equipment or data errors

Entry requirements for this T Level programme are:

• A minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4 or above
• Including English Language, Maths and Science (Combined) at Grade 4 or above
• A Level 2 qualification in Science with a Merit profile may be accepted instead of a GCSE Science 

All applicants will be invited for an interview and assessment to confirm that the course is suitable for them.

The core component of the study programme is 100% externally assessed through two written examinations and an employer-set project.

The purpose of the employer-set project is to ensure that you have the opportunity to apply core knowledge and skills to develop a substantial piece of work in response to an employer-set brief. The brief and tasks are contextualised around an occupational area and chosen by you.

The combined results from these assessments will be aggregated to form the overall core component grade (A* to E and U).

The Laboratory Sciences occupational specialism is separately assessed through synoptic assignments, graded at distinction, merit or pass.

School Leavers

If you will be aged 16, 17 or 18 on 31 August in the year you begin your course, and have been resident in the UK/EU/EEA for the past 3 years, it will be free. Some courses will have other costs associated, such as for materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support when studying at college – please click here for more information.

T Levels are eligible for UCAS tariff points with equivalency to A Levels and most universities have confirmed they will be given equal merit. 

As well as higher education, this study programme will also enable you to gain employment in the science sector as a science technician (for example, food technologist, laboratory technician, metrology technician).