Many undergraduates with higher National Diploma or HND degrees question if they may study abroad with their qualifications. When some of them learn that they may upgrade their certificate to a university degree, they get even more delighted. Guide to HND Top-up Degrees.
What do you know about HND top-up degrees in the US, Canada, and the UK? In the United States, you are not required to renew your HND certificate. Guide to HND Top-up Degrees.
What is a top-up degree?
A top-up degree is for students who have finished an HND programme and desire to continue their education by enrolling in the last year of an honours degree programme. This applies in the United Kingdom. An HND certification is valuable, and completing a bachelor’s degree can help you improve your career even further. A top-up degree is defined as Level 6, or the final year of an undergraduate degree program, which allows students to upgrade their HND degree to a bachelor’s degree.
The degree bridges the gap between a Level 5 certificate and a Level 6, or a full bachelor’s degree. Undergraduate degrees are common in the United Kingdom, however top-up degrees allow you to complete the final year of your bachelor’s degree in a year or two to three years. This is dependent on the country where you intend to study.
You are not permitted to pursue a top-up degree in another field of study; however, you must continue with the course you completed during your HND programme.
Guide to HND Top-up Degrees
Canada
In Canada, you can use an HND top-up degree to earn a bachelor’s degree. However, you must complete various courses within two or three years before receiving your bachelor’s degree.
For example, if you obtain an HND in Mechanical Engineering, you can pursue a second or third-year Bachelor’s degree in an engineering program in Canada. Students should understand that the year they enter is determined by the number of transfer credits approved from their HND degree.
If you want to complete your HND quickly, you can study in the United Kingdom and finish in one academic year.
Masters in Canada with HND?
Canada does not accept HND graduates directly into its Master’s programme. However, you have two options to achieve this.
OPTION 1Â
In Canada, your HND must be converted into a BSc degree through a top-up degree. You apply to an undergraduate program to have your credits transferred to a bachelor’s degree. The university or college waives some of the courses you completed in your home country. You must pursue the same or a relevant discipline to what you studied in your HND. Canada expects you to obtain a minimum grade for each subject you choose to waive. The number of years it takes to complete your Bachelor’s degree is determined by the number of courses waived for you and the number of courses required.
OPTION 2
You can pursue a post-HND degree in Canada. Since you cannot apply directly with your HND degree to a Masters programme, you can go for any of the following:
- Post-Degree Certificate/Diploma,
- Post-Graduate Diploma (PGD),
- Advanced Certificate in Canada.
Most Canadian institutions offer PGD programmes to HND graduates, however others do not. You must conduct research before applying to any university in Canada that offers a PGD program.
Students with more HND credit and post-qualification experience are more likely to use this programme.
An HND is a continuation of the National Diploma (ND), which is similar to an Associate Degree in Canada. According to the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS), an HND is equivalent to finishing a three-year post-secondary diploma.
To apply for a Master’s degree in Canada, you must submit your transcripts to WES for review. You can make your WES payment via the Pay4Me app. WES reviews your HND and OND transcripts and makes a conclusion.
The United Kingdom
Students possessing an HND certificate can take a more direct route to the United Kingdom. Instead of spending two to three years in a top-up program, you can complete at least one academic year of a university degree.
This makes the United Kingdom the preferred destination for students seeking to convert their HND degrees to Bachelor’s degrees. Following your top-up programme, you can spend an additional year studying a Master’s degree at one of the UK’s leading universities.
Subjects suitable for one-year top-up in the United Kingdom include:
- Nursing, Physiotherapy, and Therapy
- Business, Economics, and Management
- Building Services Engineering
- Art and Design
- Information Technology
- Hospitality, Tourism, and Events Management
Before applying, you should check with the course to learn about the entry requirements. Not every institution in the UK provides top-up courses in all subjects.
Polytechnics are no longer present in the United Kingdom. Polytechnics have transformed into universities in both name and content. This means that HND graduates continue to face bias at UK universities.
The United States of America
The United States is a secure destination for HND graduates. The reason why more HND graduates travel to the United States than to the United Kingdom and Canada is straightforward. Here is a list of the reasons why the HND degree is ranked highly in the United States.
When it comes to polytechnic and university degrees, there is no distinction across the country. Polytechnic names are frequently connected with universities in the United States.
When you relocate to America with an HND, you will most likely be treated as if you had similar university degrees. HND graduates face no discrimination in this country due to the educational system.
Your qualification was awarded after four years of postsecondary education. This places HND graduates on an equal footing with others across the country.
However, India has a distinct system from the United States. International students with Indian degrees are not considered as equal to a bachelor’s degree in the United States. This is because they earned their degrees in three years, primarily in the social sciences and humanities. An Indian Master’s degree is deemed equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the United States, making students.
Admission to graduate programs at any university in the United States is a multifaceted procedure. To be considered for admission to a graduate program in the country, you must have an acceptable GRE score. When you combine a good GRE score with a good HND result, you have an advantage over someone who has a first-class degree from an institution with poor GRE scores.
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The United States accepts more HND graduates than the United States. The country has no understanding of the HND. Degrees conferred after two years of study are similar to an Ordinary National Diploma (OND), or maybe British and Nigerian “A” levels.
Popular Top-up Degrees
- International Finance
- International Business & Management
- Finance and Law
- Design Engineering
- Global Media Practice
- Computer Animation
- Food and Hotel Services Management
- Tourism Management.
Advantages and disadvantages of the top-up degree programme
Advantages
- It enables students to move to new nations abroad.
- Top-up degree programs have been internationally accredited.
- It allows students to choose where they want to live while pursuing their advanced degree.
Disadvantages
- A top-up degree cannot replace an honours degree.
- Many universities allow students to transfer credits.
- If a content-based course is not aligned with the top-up course, issues may develop.
Entry requirements for a top-up degree course
- You must have a foundation degree program from a recognised institute.
- A suitable BA Honours degree from an approved university.
- An HND degree from a recognized college or university.
- If your native tongue is not English, you must demonstrate language skills equivalent to IELTS 6.0.
Guide to HND Top-up Degrees
