If you have been offered a place, or you are about to apply, and the one thing standing in your way is a Level 2 English qualification, this post is for you.
Functional Skills Level 2 English is accepted by many universities and training providers as an alternative to GCSE English. The important word there is many. Not all. So before you spend a penny, there are three things to check.
1. Check the entry requirement for your exact course
Look at the entry requirements for the specific course, not the university in general. Nursing, midwifery and teacher training courses often have their own wording, and it can differ from the rest of the university.
You are looking for a line that mentions GCSE English at grade 4 or C “or equivalent”. If you see “or equivalent”, Functional Skills Level 2 may well be accepted.
2. Ask admissions in writing
Send a short email to the admissions team. Something like: “I am applying for [course]. Will you accept Functional Skills Level 2 English in place of GCSE English Language?”
Get the answer in writing and keep it. If they say yes, you have your plan. If they say no, you have saved yourself time and money.
We explain how Functional Skills compares with an equivalency test in our equivalency test guide.
3. Work out your deadline
Most offers are conditional, with a date by which you need to show your certificate. Work backwards from that date.
Exams need to be booked and paid for at least three days ahead to guarantee a session, and results take time to come through after that. Leave yourself more room than you think you need.
The quickest sensible route
There is no single right answer. It depends on how confident you already feel.
If you think you are close, start with a mock test. Our Level 2 English mock test is £35 and comes with full marking and feedback, so you find out whether you are ready before you pay for the real exam.
If you need to sharpen up quickly, our 5-day English course is £19.99. It shows you what examiners are looking for in reading and writing, and you can work through it around your job.
If English has always been the subject that held you back, live classes will serve you better. Our English classes run online on Monday evenings at 7pm, Thursday lunchtimes at 1pm and Saturday mornings at 11am.
Our university pathway page brings all of this together if you are applying for a degree or a professional course.
It is more manageable than you think
A lot of adults in your position put this off because it feels like going back to school. It is not. Functional Skills is built around real reading and writing: emails, reports, articles. Most of the people we work with are surprised by how manageable it is once they see what the exam actually asks.
Discover more from Pass Your Functional Skills - Fast
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