(Program Format Matcher)
Find the learning format that fits your job and life
Seven quick questions match you with the way of learning that suits your work, your schedule and where you live.
The five formats
Online, self-paced
Flexible start dates and modules you complete at your own speed. A great match for changing schedules and frequent travel.
Best for busy, changing weeks
Start when you like and move at your own speed, ideal around shifts, travel and family life.
Online cohort
A set term calendar with live seminars and a group of classmates, ideal if you thrive on discussion and steady structure.
Best for steady momentum
A set calendar and a group to learn with keep you on track, with live sessions you can plan around.
Work-based learning
Modules built around real projects in your job, so your workplace becomes the classroom. Especially well established in the UK.
Best for learning on the job
Your real projects become your coursework, so your degree and your job grow together.
Competency-based
You progress by demonstrating mastery and move quickly through what you already know. Most common in the United States.
Best for experienced professionals
Show what you already know and move quickly to what is new, so your experience saves you time.
Degree apprenticeship
A full degree earned while employed, with tuition funded through your employer and government apprenticeship funding. Available in England, with graduate apprenticeships in Scotland.
Best if your employer is on board
Earn a full degree while you work, with tuition funded through your employer in England or Scotland.
Good to know
Can one program combine formats?
Often, yes. Many programs blend online modules with live sessions, or combine work-based projects with taught modules. Your Pathway Specialist looks at the exact structure of each program on your shortlist.
Who can join a degree apprenticeship?
Degree apprenticeships suit people employed in England in a role that matches the apprenticeship, with their employer’s support. Scotland offers graduate apprenticeships, and each scheme publishes its own eligibility rules.
Does the format change the degree I receive?
Your degree is awarded by the university, whichever format you choose. The format shapes how you learn and how quickly you progress, so the best one is the one that fits your life.
More free tools
All tools- 01Career Upgrade ExplorerPick your current role and see the next-level roles a degree can open, with official US pay data.
- 02Skills RadarRate yourself against a target role and see your strengths, and where a degree would round you out.
- 03Career Timeline BuilderTurn your roles and dates into a clean, printable career map for your experience portfolio.
- 04Credit System ConverterConvert US credits, UK credits, ECTS and Australian credit points in seconds.
- 05Grade ConverterCompare UK classifications, US GPA and Australian grades side by side.
- 06Career Change QuizSeven quick questions on your readiness and direction, with pathways matched to what energizes you.
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