Quick answer: there are two very different "Level 3 health and social care" qualifications you can study online in England. The Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) is the work-based qualification employers and CQC registered services mean when they ask for a "Level 3" or "NVQ 3": you build a portfolio from your real job and there are no exams. The Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care (awarded by NCFE CACHE) is a knowledge-based, college-style qualification that carries UCAS points and suits people heading towards university. If you already work or volunteer in care and want to progress, you can study the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care online with Lift College.
Why are there two Level 3 health and social care qualifications?
Health and social care sits on two tracks in England. One track trains people who are already doing the job: these are competence qualifications, assessed in the workplace, and they are the ones listed in Skills for Care's qualification guidance and expected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for senior roles. The other track is academic: school-leaver and access style qualifications that teach the theory of health and social care and are graded so they can be converted into UCAS points.
Both tracks have a "Level 3" because both sit at Level 3 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (the same level as A levels). That is where the similarity ends.
Level 3 Certificate vs Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care: the comparison
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| Factor | Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) | Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care (NCFE CACHE) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Competence (work-based) | Knowledge (academic) |
| Who it is for | Care workers, support workers and senior carers already in a care setting | School leavers and career changers, often heading to university |
| Do you need to be working in care? | Yes, in paid or voluntary work in an adult care setting in England | A relevant work placement is required by the awarding body |
| Assessment | Portfolio of evidence, observed practice, professional discussion; no exams | Internally assessed and graded assignments |
| UCAS points | No | Yes, based on the grade achieved |
| What employers call it | "NVQ 3", "Level 3 in care", the qualification for senior care worker roles | A Level 3 academic qualification; not the senior care worker standard |
| Progression | Level 4 Lead Practitioner, then the Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service | Access to HE or degree routes such as nursing, social work and allied health |
| Lift College option | Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), TQUK, Ofqual qualification number 610/6988/7, 59 credits, 496 guided learning hours, 7-day free trial | Not offered; see the Access to HE routes below |
Which one do employers want?
If a job advert for a senior care worker, team leader or lead practitioner role says "Level 3 Health and Social Care" or "NVQ 3 required", it means the Diploma in Adult Care. This is the qualification that replaced the NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care and the QCF Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults). Skills for Care names the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care as the qualification for experienced care workers taking on more responsibility, and CQC Regulation 18 requires care services to deploy suitably qualified, competent and skilled staff. For the full naming history see our guide to what NVQ Level 3 Health and Social Care is called now.
A Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care does not prove workplace competence. It will not, on its own, meet an employer's "Level 3 in care" requirement for a senior role.
Which one do universities want?
Here the position flips. The Diploma in Adult Care has no UCAS tariff; it is designed to evidence competence at work, not to feed into a university application. The NCFE CACHE Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care does carry UCAS points according to the grade achieved, which is why colleges run it for 16 to 19 year olds planning on nursing, midwifery, social work or allied health degrees.
For an adult returning to study, a Certificate is usually not the fastest route to university. An Access to Higher Education Diploma is a Level 3 qualification built specifically for adults without the standard entry requirements, and it is what most universities expect from a mature applicant. Lift College offers the Access to HE Diploma (Social Work) and the Access to HE Diploma (Paramedic Science), both studied fully online.
Can you study a Level 3 health and social care course online?
Yes, both types can be studied online, but "online" means something different for each.
- Diploma in Adult Care online: your learning, assignments and tutor support are online, while the evidence comes from your actual shifts. An assessor observes your practice (in person or by agreed remote methods) and you build a portfolio across the mandatory units. You do not need to attend a college.
- Certificate online: the taught content and assignments are delivered online, but the awarding body still requires a relevant work placement, so you need to arrange one yourself if you are not already in a care setting.
In other words, neither qualification is a "no contact with real care" course. The Diploma assumes you already have that contact through your job; the Certificate expects you to find it.
Which course is right for you?
Choose the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care if you:
- already work, or volunteer, in an adult care setting in England (care home, domiciliary care, supported living, day service);
- have been told you need a "Level 3" or "NVQ 3" for a senior care worker, team leader or lead practitioner role;
- want to progress later to the Level 5 Diploma in Leading and Managing an Adult Care Service and a registered manager post;
- prefer portfolio assessment with no exams.
You can start the Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) with a 7-day free trial. All fees are included, and it typically takes 12 to 18 months alongside work.
Choose a Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care if you:
- are 16 to 19 and following a college programme that leads to university;
- need UCAS points rather than a workplace competence qualification.
Choose an Access to HE Diploma if you:
- are an adult who wants to apply to a nursing, social work, paramedic or other health degree and need a recognised Level 3 route. Start with our Access to HE Diploma (Social Work) or the Access to HE Diploma (Paramedic Science), or browse all health and social care courses.
Not sure which level you are at? Read NVQ Level 2 Health and Social Care: do you need it before Level 3? and the adult care levels explained guide.
Sources
- Skills for Care, qualifications and apprenticeships for adult social care (skillsforcare.org.uk)
- Care Quality Commission, Regulation 18: Staffing and Regulation 7: Requirements relating to registered managers (cqc.org.uk)
- Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications: TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF), 610/6988/7; NCFE CACHE Level 3 Certificate in Health and Social Care, 601/6109/7 (register.ofqual.gov.uk)
- UCAS tariff tables (ucas.com)