Cambridge Advanced Nationals, our new Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualifications, have been approved for funding for first teach from September 2025
All our Level 3 150 GLH, 180 GLH (AS Level size) and 360 GLH (A Level size) Cambridge Advanced Nationals submitted in Cycle 1 are approved for funding and can be taken as a part of a post-16 programme of study
Who are Cambridge Advanced Nationals for?
Designed for students aged 16-19 years, our Level 3 Cambridge Advanced Nationals will complement existing A Level and post-16 study programmes.
Our qualifications provide students with the practical and essential skills and knowledge they need to better prepare themselves for entry into higher education and university.
How Cambridge Advanced Nationals fit into a Level 3 programme of study?
Possible combinations of Level 3 qualifications:
- 1 x 360 GLH Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) + 2 x A Levels
- 1 x 720 GLH Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ)* + 1 x A Level
- 1 x 1080 GLH Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ)*
Check out examples of possible A Level and Cambridge Advanced Nationals combinations on our dedicated webpage
Continue teaching Cambridge Technicals with confidence
You can continue to teach our Cambridge Technicals (2016) Level 3 qualifications in the 2024-25 academic year. We will continue to keep you up to date on any policy changes as they happen.
Check out all the current last first teach dates for Level 3 Cambridge Technicals with our Level 3 Cambridge Technicals funding guide.
Cambridge Advanced Nationals will be developed in two cycles:
- Cycle 1 - for first teaching September 2025 (includes subjects that align with waves 1 and 2 of T Level roll-out)
- Cycle 2 - for first teaching September 2026 (includes everything not covered in Cycle 1).
*Sport and media only
Every mark matters
Our Cambridge Advanced National (AAQ) assessments follow a 'full compensation' model, where students are rewarded for every mark they achieve.
Watch our video below to discover more
Students don't need to meet all the criteria at each level to progress to the next - every mark contributes to their grade for the unit and their final grade.
Interested in teaching Cambridge Advanced Nationals?
Get in touch with us:
partnerships@cambridge.org
Why choose Cambridge Advanced Nationals?
- Full compensation grading: Students are always rewarded for their demonstrated abilities - every single mark your students earn will directly contribute to their final grade. No mark will go to waste.
- Every mark matters: Gone are the days of hurdle elements in units. If a student meets all but one Pass criterion and some Merit criteria, they won't face failure. Our approach compensates for performance at both the unit and qualification levels, ensuring fairness and encouragement for every student.
- Features teachers love and more: Cambridge Advanced Nationals incorporate the popular features from our Cambridge Technicals, including visiting moderation, a blend of examination and coursework units, and we're keeping the well-recognised Pass, Merit, Distinction grade scale. Plus, you'll continue to benefit from our range of comprehensive support and resources.
- Pathways to university: Designed in collaboration with teachers and universities, Cambridge Advanced Nationals equip students with a well-rounded skill set for today's undergraduate studies as part of a Level 3 programme of study.
- Complementary practical application: Designed to be taken alongside A Levels, Cambridge Advanced Nationals seamlessly complement a mixed study programme while maintaining a strong focus on the practical application of skills and knowledge - a valuable supplement to A Levels, enabling clear progression to university.
Cambridge Advanced Nationals (AAQs) - specifications and SAMs
Download our specifications, sample assessment materials (SAMs), mapping guides and switching guides to see the topic areas and our approach to assessment.
Cycle 1 - First teach September 2025
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Let us know what you think!
We'd really appreciate your feedback on these draft materials. Let us know your thoughts in our short survey. It should take no more than 5 minutes to complete and all data collected will remain confidential within OCR and will not be shared with third parties. Take survey
Cycle 2 - First teach September 2026
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For cycle 2 we'll be redeveloping further qualifications in the following subjects (subject to DfE approval):
- Creative Media Production
- Cyber Security and Digital Networking
- Enterprise and Innovation
- Marketing
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Policing and Criminal Justice*
- Sport
- Sustainability
*The Department for Education (DfE) have announced in an updated ‘Guide to Post-16 qualifications’ that it would NOT consider funding a small AAQ as a Criminology subject. We are reviewing options for submitting such a qualification in subject categories where funding will be considered and will communicate our decision soon.
Everything you need to start teaching
Embarking on the journey of teaching a new qualification may seem overwhelming at first, but rest assured, we're here to support you every step of the way. Whether it's getting started with teaching, planning your course, providing guidance for exams or offering post-results services, we have a wealth of resources, textbooks and training to assist you at every stage.
Starting from September 2025, you'll have access to everything you need to teach Cambridge Advanced Nationals, ensuring a smooth and successful experience, including:
- Mapping and overview documents that compare the new Cambridge Advanced National specifications with existing Applied Generals to help you understand what’s new and different about the new qualifications.
- Free teaching and assessment resources, including overview curriculum planners and detailed schemes of work for every unit, teaching activities, Sample Assessment Materials and our test-building platform ExamBuilder, to help you get going, plan your teaching and support you through delivery.
- An extensive professional development programme to help you get the most from our qualifications, from making the choice to deliver Cambridge Advanced Nationals to preparing your students for assessment.
- Textbooks - We’re working with leading publishers to provide you with textbooks and other resources before first teach in September 2025.
- Exceptional post-results services, including results analysis through Active Results and free on-demand Access to Scripts.
All our support will be instantly and easily accessible via Teach Cambridge, our online hub for teachers.
Don't forget to sign up for email updates and stay informed about the availability of support materials and courses.
A complete post-16 programme of study
Cambridge Advanced Nationals complement existing A Level study programmes, so students who want to progress onto further or higher education, but don't want to study only A Levels (or a T Level programme), can choose a mixed study programme.
We already offer over 30 A Level qualifications in a wide range of subject areas and many students already take one or more A Levels alongside vocational qualifications, such as our existing Cambridge Technicals. Students also choose to supplement their study programmes with our Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or Core Maths.
This mixed study programme provides students with the practical and essential skills and knowledge they need to better prepare themselves for entry into higher education and university.