Study and career guides, in plain words.
Where to start, what you will study, what it costs and where it leads. Written by Aspire College, Colombo 07, and checked against our own programme pages.
Choosing a programme and paying for it
- Entry routes
No A/Levels? The routes into a Pearson BTEC HND
Many people assume a Higher National Diploma needs A/Levels. At Aspire, A/Levels are one of four routes. Here are all four, in plain words.
- Fees
Programme fees at a glance, with the payment plan for each
Every Aspire programme with its duration, total fee, registration payment and payment plan side by side, and how to read the table.
- Accreditation
Who awards your qualification? Pearson, IATA or Aspire
Aspire's programmes are awarded by three different bodies. Here is which is which, why it matters, and what the college's approvals are.
- Applying
How to apply to Aspire College, step by step
Applying takes three short online steps. Here is what to have ready, what happens after you submit, and how to ask a question first.
- Studying
Can I study at Aspire while working? How blended learning works
Most Aspire programmes use blended learning. Here is how each programme is taught, what the website does not say, and what to ask before you decide.
- Pathway
How far can I go? From diploma to master's level
The ladder from a diploma to the Pearson BTEC HND, a Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma and master's-level study, and where each step can lead.
- Careers
Will I get a job? What a qualification can and cannot promise
No college can promise you a job. Here is what Aspire's programmes are designed for, the practical experience built in, and how to judge any college's claims.
- Explained
What do Level 3, Level 5 and Level 7 mean?
Course pages show levels such as Level 3, RQF 4–5 and RQF 7. Here is what the numbers mean and where each Aspire programme sits.
Aviation management
- Getting started
Finished your O/Levels? Where to start in aviation management
Aviation management study runs in four levels. Which one you start at depends on the results and experience you have today. Here is how to tell.
- Inside a programme
What you actually study in the Diploma in Aviation Management
A semester-by-semester look at the twelve-month Diploma in Aviation Management: what each unit covers, and where the programme leads.
- Fees
HND in Aviation Management: the fees and payment plan, explained
What the Pearson BTEC HND in Aviation Management costs, how it is paid over the programme, and the one fee that is paid separately to Pearson in the UK.
- Explained
What is a Pearson BTEC HND? A plain-English guide
HND stands for Higher National Diploma. What the qualification is, how the two years are structured, who can join, and where it leads.
- Careers
Roles an aviation management graduate can aim for
The six roles the HND in Aviation Management is designed to prepare you for, what each involves, and an honest note on what a qualification can and cannot promise.
Business
- Choosing a level
Diploma in Business or HND in Business: where should you start?
Aspire teaches business at two levels before the postgraduate diploma. They differ in level, length and who can join. Here is how to choose between them.
- Inside a programme
HND in Business: choosing between Management, Marketing and Procurement & Supply
In year two of the Pearson BTEC HND in Business you pick a specialisation. Here is what each one adds, and how to tell which suits you.
- Postgraduate
Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Management & Leadership: what it is and who it suits
The Level 7 Pearson BTEC Postgraduate Diploma for graduates and experienced professionals: what you study, who can join, what it costs and where it leads.
Digital marketing
Travel & tourism
- Explained
HND in International Travel & Tourism: what it is and where it leads
The Pearson BTEC HND in International Travel & Tourism: what you study across two years, who can join, the fees, and the routes onward to a degree.
- IATA
What is an IATA diploma, and which of the three suits you?
IATA is the airline industry's global trade association. Aspire teaches three IATA travel and tourism diplomas. Here is how they differ and how the fees work.