Use the table and the filters below to gain an overview of NQF developments in Europe. It is possible to compare countries based on reporting year, stage of development and whether the NQF has been linked to EQF.

Country Reporting year Scope of the framework Number of levels Level descriptors Legal basis/stage of development NQF linked to EQF NQF/EQF website Qualifications register/database
Albania 2022 Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and lifelong learning qualifications for adults and people undertaking specialised courses for professional development. Eight knowledge, skills, competences 2021 Website The National Catalogue of VET qualifications
Austria 2022

The NQF is open to all types of qualifications from the formal and non-formal sectors. General education qualifications are not yet included in the framework.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competence

2012

Website Qualifications register
Belgium-DE 2022

Comprehensive NQF for lifelong learning including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training.

Eight

occupational competence (knowledge and skills), personal competence (social competence and autonomy)

Belgium-FL 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualifications from formal education and training (educational qualifications) and professional qualifications that can be awarded awarded both inside and outside formal education.

Eight

knowledge / skills, context / autonomy / responsibility

2011, 2014 update, 2023 update

Website Qualifications database
Belgium-FR 2022

The framework includes educational and professional qualifications awarded by the public sector and skills certificates awarded through the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Eight

knowledge / skills, context / autonomy / responsibility

2013

Website Qualifications register
Bosnia & Herzegovina 2022

Designed as a comprehensive NQF for lifelong learning including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. Open to those awarded outside formal education and training.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competence

Website
Bulgaria 2022 The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. Eight plus a preparatory level, covering pre-school education knowledge, skills, competences (personal and professional) 2013
Croatia 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training.

Thirteen

knowledge, skills, autonomy and responsibility

2012

Website Qualifications register
Cyprus 2022 The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and qualifications from the system of vocational qualifications; the latter are awarded through non-formal and informal learning. Eight, with sublevels at levels 5 and 7 knowledge, skills, competence 2017 Website
Czechia 2022

Τhe national register of qualifications (NSK) functions as a framework for qualifications obtained through further education and through validation of non-formal and informal learning. The framework for higher education (RKVV) covers qualifications at EQF levels 6–8

Eight in NSK

NSK: competences (including knowledge and skills)

2011

Website National register of qualifications - NSK ((VNFIL system)National register of higher education institutions and accredited study program…
Denmark 2022 The NQF includes all levels and types of formal qualifications, along with qualifications awarded outside the formal system. Eight knowledge, skills, competence 2011 Website Register of qualifications and programmes in the NQF
Estonia 2022

The framework includes all national qualifications, awarded within or outside formal education and training by nationally accredited institutions. There are two main types of levelled qualifications: formal education qualifications and professional qualifications.

Eight

knowledge, skills, responsibility and autonomy

2011, 2016 update

Website 1Website 2 Professional qualifications registerEstonian education infosystem (EHIS
Finland 2022

The framework covers state-recognised qualifications, i.e. formal qualifications awarded by the education and other ministries, and competence modules, which may be shorter than a qualification and can be awarded outside formal education and training.

Eight

integrated level descriptors include knowledge, skills and key competences

2017

Website Studyinfo database
France 2022

The NQF covers all levels and types of formal qualifications apart from initial education qualifications (nursery school, primary school and first cycle/lower secondary level). It is open to qualifications awarded outside the regulated qualification system, including private-sector and international qualifications, and industry or sectoral qualifications (CQPs)

Eight

complexity of knowledge, level of expertise, degree of responsibility and autonomy

2010

Website National register of vocational and professional qualifications (RNCP)
Germany 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualifications from formal education and training (general education, initial VET, regulated further training and higher education).

Eight

professional competence (knowledge and skills), personal competence (social competence and autonomy)

2012

Website DQR qualifications database
Greece 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competence

2015

Website Greek qualifications register
Hungary 2022

The NQF includes state-recognised qualifications acquired in general and higher education, vocational qualifications included in the national register of vocational qualifications and certain state-recognised adult education and training qualifications. Adult training qualifications can also be awarded outside formal education and training.

Eight

knowledge, skills, attitudes, autonomy and responsibility

2015

Website HuQF qualifications database
Iceland 2022 The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, including certified adult learning. No qualification linked to EQF level 1. Seven, with sublevels at NQF levels 5 and 6 integrated level descriptors include knowledge, skills and competence 2013 Website
Ireland 2022

The NQF includes all types and levels of qualification from formal education and training. It also seeks to accommodate qualifications obtained through non-formal learning, offered by international, private and professional bodies.

10, with five classes of award type: major, minor, special-purpose, professional and supplemental

knowledge, skills, competence

2009, 2020 update

Website The NFQ register of qualifications
Italy 2022

The NQF covers formal qualifications from general, technical and vocational education, higher education, adult education, VET qualifications administered at regional level and qualifications of regulated professions.

Eight

knowledge, skills, autonomy and responsibility

2013, 2022 update

SkillON website The portal of the education ministry (La scuola in chiaro)The web portal of the Ministry of University and Research UniversItalyNational repository of education, training and vocational qualifications
Kosovo 2022

Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and non-formal and informal learning.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competences

2016

Website
Latvia 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, including professional qualifications .

Eight

knowledge, skills, competences

2011, 2019 updated

Website Latvian qualifications database
Liechtenstein 2022

NQF for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF-VPQ) and NQF for higher education.

Eight

Level descriptors of the NQF-VPQ:, knowledge, skills, competences (professional and personal)

2016

Website Supplements (with NQF/EQF levels)
Lithuania 2022

The NQF includes all officially recognised qualifications in general (primary and secondary) education, vocational education and training (VET), and higher education.

Eight

characteristics of activities (complexity, autonomy, variability), types of competences (functional, cognitive and general),

2011

Website Qualifications database
Luxembourg 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training.

Eight

knowledge, aptitudes, attitudes

2012

Website Information on secondary education programmesRegister of higher education diplomas
Malta 2022

The NQF includes qualifications and awards at all levels acquired through formal, non-formal and informal learning.

Eight plus two introductory levels A and B

knowledge, skills, competences

2009, 2010, 2012, 2016 and 2023 update

Website Malta qualifications database
Montenegro 2022

Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the system of national vocational qualifications (NVQs).

Eight, with sublevels at levels 1, 4 and 7

knowledge, skills, competence

2014

Website National register of qualifications
Netherlands 2022

The NQF includes two main groups: regulated qualifications awarded in the formal education and training system (except primary education), and non-regulated – mainly private – qualifications awarded on the labour market (non-formal qualifications).

Eight, including a sublevel at level 4 (4+), and an entry level

context, knowledge, skills, responsibility and independence

2011, 2019 update

Website NLQF databaseNLQF register
North Macedonia 2022

Comprehensive NQF including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, and vocational qualifications.

Eight, with sublevels at levels 5, 6, 7

knowledge and understanding, skills, competence

2016

Website
Norway 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training. No descriptor or qualification linked to EQF level 1.

Seven, with sublevels at levels 5 and 6

knowledge, skills, general competence

2014

Website Databases of qualificationsDatabase of study programmes
Poland 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, along with state- and non-regulated (market) qualifications awarded outside formal education and training.

Eight

knowledge, skills, social competence

2013

Website Integrated qualifications register
Portugal 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the national system for the recognition, validation and certification of competences.

Eight

knowledge, skills, attitudes

2011

Website National qualifications catalogueDatabase of higher education courses and institutionsPortal displaying learning opportunities
Romania 2022

The NQF includes the whole spectrum of nationally recognised qualifications regardless of learning context, including those acquired through validation of non-formal learning.

Eight

knowledge, skills, responsibility and autonomy

2018

Website National register of professional qualificationsNational register of qualifications for higher educationNational register of postgraduate programmes (NRPP)
Serbia 2022

Designed as a comprehensive and integrated NQF, including all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, and non-formal and informal learning.

Eight, with sublevels at levels 6 and 7

knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes

2020

Website National qualifications register
Slovakia 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualifications from formal education and training, and a sub-framework of occupational qualifications awarded outside the formal education system.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competences

2017

Website National qualifications register
Slovenia 2022 The NQF includes educational qualifications (awarded through general, vocational/technical and higher education), vocational qualifications and supplementary qualifications awarded outside the regulated qualifications system. Ten knowledge, skills, competences 2013 Website SQF qualifications registerNVQ database
Spain 2022

The NQF includes formal qualifications from general education, initial VET and higher education, along with professional certificates; the latter can be obtained through adult learning / continuing training and through the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

Eight

knowledge, skills and abilities, competence

Website Register of Universities, Centres and Degrees (RUCT)The National repertoire of professional certificates
Sweden 2022

The NQF includes all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training, along with qualifications awarded outside the formal education and training system

Eight

knowledge, skills, autonomy and responsibility

2016

Website Database of qualifications
Switzerland 2022

NQF for vocational and professional qualifications (NQF-VPQ) and NQF for higher education (nqf.ch-HS).

Eight

Level descriptors of the NQF-VPQ:, knowledge, skills, competences (professional and personal)

2015

Website The List of assigned vocational and professional qualifications (July 2020)A database of all state-recognised occupations and professions
Turkey 2022

Designed as a comprehensive NQF; it will include all levels and types of qualification from formal education and training and from the national vocational qualification system.

Eight

knowledge, skills, competence

2017

Website TQF qualifications database

Ukraine

2022

The NQF includes qualifications awarded in the formal education system and in the labour market. There are two categories of qualifications: educational and professional, which can be full and partial.

Eight

knowledge, skills, communication, responsibility and autonomy

not yet but comparison in 2023

WebsiteWebsiteWebsite Professional qualificationsGeneral education standardsVET standards