This is a list of current further education colleges in Northern Ireland, most of which provide both further education and higher education qualifications. [1]
Further education colleges offer courses for people over the age of 14, involving school-level qualifications such as Higher Grade exams, as well as work-based learning and apprenticeships. [2] Some of these colleges also offer undergraduate qualifications and post-graduate qualifications. [1] [3]
Northern Irish colleges are funded the Department for the Economy (DfE). [4]
Each college offers a number of Higher Education programmes ranging from GCSEs and A levels to BTECs, HNCs, Foundation degrees, Apprenticeships, Degrees and other specific training programmes.
The FE colleges are the main providers of vocational and technical education and training in NI and play a central role in raising levels of literacy and numeracy and in up-skilling and re-skilling through a broad range of courses.
MSc study opportunities are available both part-time and full-time, through the College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise at Loughry Campus.
The EA and schools are funded by the Department of Education, but the Department for the Economy funds higher and further education.