If you have tried to boost your points for Canada Express Entry, you may have heard about BCS Higher Education Qualifications. What many people don’t know, however, is that the BCS International Higher Education Qualifications are a robust set of qualifications that provide an academic pathway on the same level as a UK Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology.
In this write-up, I will attempt to provide comprehensive information about the qualifications and help you decide if they are meant for you.
What (or who) is BCS?
BCS, The Chartered Institute of IT is the trading name of the British Computer Society. The British Computer Society has over 60,000 members in 150 countries and operates under a royal charter granted in 1984. In the UK, royal charters are granted to establish significant organizations and learned societies. With the British Computer Society’s royal charter, it is an independent professional body with the power to award Chartered status within the IT industry (just like there is a body that awards Chartered status to accountants).
What Are the Higher Education Qualifications (HEQs)?
The BCS HEQs is a suite of qualifications in IT that are mapped to the British qualification system at Levels 4, 5, and 6. In the British qualifications framework, A levels are level 3 qualifications. The first year of a Bachelor’s degree, a Higher National Certificate (HNC), or a qualification like the BCS Level 4 Certificate in IT are all examples of Level 4 qualifications. The second year of a Bachelor’s degree, a Higher National Diploma (HND), or similar qualifications like the BCS Level 5 Diploma in IT are examples of level 5 qualifications. The third (final) year of a Bachelor’s degree (UK Bachelor’s degrees are 3 years since the entry point is A-Levels or similar level 3 qualifications) or a qualification like the BCS Professional Graduate Diploma in IT are examples of level 6 qualifications. In other words, if you study with BCS all the way from levels 4 – 6, you will end up with a qualification evaluated at the level of a UK Bachelor’s degree.
Who Regulates These Qualifications?
The UK has a number of bodies such as Qualifications Wales, the Scottish Qualifications Agency and the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). Of these 3, the most widely known is Ofqual. Ofqual is described on Wikipedia as a “non-ministerial government department that regulates qualifications, exams and tests in England and, until May 2016, vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland. Colloquially and publicly, Ofqual is often referred to as the exam “watchdog”.
In other words, for any qualification to be accepted as a valid British qualification, it must be approved by Ofqual or one of the other agencies. You can confirm the list of valid UK qualifications by visiting the Ofqual Register of Qualifications.
Can I use BCS qualifications in place of a Bachelor’s degree?
Since BCS qualifications are regulated by Ofqual, many universities all over the world, and most especially in Europe and Asia, accept them for entry into Master’s programs in IT. Also, they are evaluated correspondingly by bodies such as WES. This implies that many universities in the US and Canada will also accept them as such.
Besides, the British Computer Society is a very strong brand. Understandably, their qualifications carry a lot of weight in the world.
Can I use BCS Qualifications for Express Entry to Canada?
A good number of the Nigerians who sit the exams write them for this purpose. As explained earlier, BCS qualifications are valid British credentials and are typically evaluated as such by bodies such as WES because they are Ofqual-regulated. There are 2 main scenarios most people would explore:
- Write BCS exams from levels 4 – 6 and then get them evaluated by WES as equivalent to a Canadian Bachelor’s degree in IT.
- People who already have Bachelor’s degree would write the level 4 exams, and get them evaluated as a UK diploma equal to the first year of a Canadian Bachelor’s degree. Based on this, they would then apply for Express Entry using the “2 or more diplomas or degrees” option. This helps increase their points as against applying with only their Bachelor’s degree.
When are BCS exams written and how can I write them in Nigeria?
Exams are written twice every year, typically in April and October. Yes, you can write them in Nigeria!
Twim Institute is an accredited training provider for BCS in Nigeria. You can enroll with us to prepare for the next exams! At the moment, we are accepting candidates, who wish to prepare for the exams taking place in April 2023. If you wish to enroll, or if you have questions, please contact us right away!
Why Should You Enrol with Twim Institute for your BCS HEQ training?
- Twim Institute is an accredited centre of BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT. You can confirm this from the BCS website.
- Twim Institute is registered with the Oyo State Ministry of Education through the Board for Technical and Vocational Education. It boasts standard facilities, an extensive campus located within Onireke GRA (a very serene, conducive and safe part of Ibadan), and departments including ICT, Fashion, Media Arts, Culinary Arts and Design.
- Twim Institute prioritizes hands-on learning. In other words, we don’t just want you to pass an exam and gain a qualification. We want you to also gain a skill that can open doors for you!
- Twim Institute runs its physical programs as a school. This implies that classes are intensive, practical and structured. There are options for weekday, weekend or online classes. Hostels are also available. If you wish to build a career in ICT, Twim Institute is the place for you to learn!
Pay us a visit and find out for yourself or contact us! You can also check out our Tech School website for more information about our IT courses which include Business Analysis, Agile, Agile Scrum, Artificial Intelligence, UX Design and Product Management besides the Higher Education Qualifications.
