Ireland
QQI Level 6 online courses in Ireland: what they are, who runs them, and the UK alternative
What a QQI Level 6 award is, who offers it online in Ireland and at what price, and how a UK Level 5 diploma at the same European level compares on cost, time and the route to a degree.
On this page
A QQI Level 6 course is Ireland’s Advanced Certificate or Higher Certificate level, one step above the Leaving Certificate and equal to EQF Level 5; you can take one online from Irish further-education providers for a few hundred euro per module, or take a UK Level 5 diploma online, which sits at the same European level, costs €3,960 for 120 credits over 10 to 15 months, and leads to a one-year top-up to a full degree.
This guide explains what Level 6 means on the National Framework of Qualifications, who offers it online and for how much, and when the UK diploma route is the better fit. Provider prices are the ones published on their course listings on 6 October 2026; the UK course facts are the ones on this site’s course pages.
What Level 6 means
The NFQ has ten levels. Level 5 is the Leaving Certificate and most PLC courses; Level 6 carries two award types, the Advanced Certificate from further education and the Higher Certificate from higher education; Levels 7 and 8 are the ordinary and honours bachelor’s degrees. On the European framework, NFQ Level 6 is EQF Level 5, the same level as a UK Level 5 diploma and a Higher National Diploma. The QQI Level 6 guide has the framework detail.
| Award | NFQ | EQF | UK equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaving Certificate, Level 5 Certificate (PLC) | 5 | 4 | RQF Level 3, A-levels |
| Advanced Certificate, Higher Certificate | 6 | 5 | RQF Level 4 to 5, HNC and HND |
| Ordinary and honours bachelor’s degree | 7 and 8 | 6 | RQF Level 6 |
Who offers QQI Level 6 online, and what it costs
Most online QQI Level 6 study in Ireland is by module: a single-subject course of a few weeks that carries a QQI component award, with a full Advanced Certificate built up from several. The prices below are as the providers list them.
| Provider | Course | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| The Open College | Advanced Business Management, QQI Level 6, online | €125 a month |
| The Open College | Advanced Major Award in Early Childhood Care and Education, QQI Level 6 | €115 a month |
| Limerick College of Further Education | Leadership, QQI Level 6, online | €280 |
| Limerick College of Further Education | Project Management, QQI Level 6, online | €280 |
| Private training providers (courses.ie listings) | Supervisory Management, QQI Level 6 | €475, certification included |
| Private training providers (courses.ie listings) | Training and Development, QQI Level 6 | €900, certification included |
A single module is cheap and quick, and that is its purpose: a specific skill with a recognised component award. A full Level 6 major award takes several modules and more than a year, and it is not the same thing as a 120-credit diploma that opens the final year of a degree.
The UK alternative at the same level
A UK Level 5 diploma, regulated by Ofqual and awarded by OTHM or Qualifi, sits at EQF Level 5, the same European level as NFQ Level 6. Studied online through Elephant & Cross it is a full 120-credit award in 10 to 15 months, assignments instead of exams, €220 a month over 18 months (€3,960), with a 60-credit version at €2,640 in 6 to 10 months. The point of the full award is what follows it: a one-year top-up to a bachelor’s degree, online, with Arden University.
| QQI Level 6 online module | UK Level 5 diploma, 120 credits, online | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | NFQ 6, EQF 5 | EQF 5, comparable to NFQ 6 |
| Size | One component award per module | A full diploma, 120 credits, two thirds of a degree |
| Time | Weeks per module | 10 to 15 months |
| Cost | €115 to €900 per module as listed | €3,960 in total, €220 a month |
| Leads to | Further modules, a major award over time | A one-year top-up to a bachelor’s degree |
| Assessment | Assignments and, on some, exams | Assignments only |
The subjects available online at this level through this site: business management, accounting and finance, human resource management, marketing, IT and computing, health and social care, hospitality and tourism management, logistics and leadership. The diplomas page for Ireland lists them with their prices.
Frequently asked questions
Is a UK Level 5 diploma recognised in Ireland?
It is an Ofqual-regulated award at EQF Level 5. QQI, through NARIC Ireland, compares foreign qualifications to the NFQ; a UK Level 5 diploma compares to NFQ Level 6. Ask us for the comparison before you enrol.
Which is cheaper?
A single QQI module, by a long way, if one module is what you need. For a full award that leads to a degree, the UK diploma is the one-off cost; QQI major awards are built module by module over a longer period.
Can I get funding?
Springboard+ funds part-time courses at NFQ Levels 6 to 9 for eligible people, free or 90% funded; those are the courses on springboardcourses.ie. There is no public funding for the UK diploma route in Ireland.
Do I need the Leaving Certificate?
For the UK diploma, entry is at 16 with the Level 4 foundation diploma for those without a qualification, and directly to Level 5 for those with A-levels or equivalent, or relevant work experience. QQI Level 6 courses usually ask for a Level 5 award or experience.
How long until a degree?
A 120-credit UK diploma in 10 to 15 months, then a one-year top-up: two to two and a half years in all, against three to four for a traditional degree.
Sources
- Provider listings on courses.ie, qualifax.ie and theopencollege.com, read 6 October 2026, for the prices in the table.
- Our comparison of the frameworks: NFQ Level 6 at EQF Level 5, the UK Level 5 diploma at the same level.
- The course pages on elephantcross.org, read 6 October 2026.
Last verified: 6 October 2026.