From 25 December 2025, Wales will formally define which higher education courses count as “eligible” for Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER) funding. The Education (Specified Courses of Higher Education) (Wales) Regulations 2025 were made on 28 November and laid before the Senedd on 2 December, according to the legislation record on legislation.gov.uk. The move gives providers clarity on Higher Nationals and higher‑level professional routes.

Under section 89 of the Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Act 2022, CTER may provide financial resources towards the provision of an eligible course delivered wholly or mainly in Wales, or to people ordinarily resident in Wales. By specifying which courses qualify, Ministers have drawn a clear line around what CTER can support and where public money can be directed.

The Regulations cover two main groups. First, courses that prepare learners for professional examinations at a level higher than A‑Level or the BTEC National, and any course delivered at that higher level, as defined in Schedule 6 to the Education Reform Act 1988. In practice, that points to professional routes in areas such as accountancy, human resources or health and safety-where the exam standard sits above Level 3.

Second, Higher National Certificates and Diplomas under the BTEC banner are in scope where they are identified within a recognised Welsh apprenticeship framework. “Recognised Welsh framework” takes its meaning from section 12(4) of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009, with recognition given under section 19. The Explanatory Note flags that this cross‑reference is due to be repealed by the 2022 Act, signalling a managed transition to the new tertiary regime.

Signed by Vikki Howells, Minister for Further and Higher Education, acting under the authority of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, the instrument comes into force on 25 December 2025. That leaves a short window for colleges, universities and training providers to check programme lists, awarding‑body paperwork and learner communications ahead of January starts.

For North Wales providers and neighbours over the border-from Deeside and Wrexham to Chester and the Wirral-the wording matters. Because section 89 allows CTER to fund the provision of an eligible course to people ordinarily resident in Wales, cross‑border partnerships could benefit where Welsh learners are enrolled, subject to CTER contracting and value‑for‑money requirements. That’s a live consideration for HE‑in‑FE teams along the A55 corridor.

Day to day, the change means providers should confirm which Higher Nationals they run are captured by a recognised Welsh framework and ensure any professional pathways genuinely exceed A‑Level/BTEC National standard. This is about provider‑side resource: it does not in itself alter student finance entitlements, but it clarifies the scope for CTER support to institutions delivering these courses.

The Welsh Government says a Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared in line with Ministers’ Code of Practice. Copies are available from the Tertiary Education Directorate at Cathays Park, Cardiff, as noted on legislation.gov.uk. Finance committees and governing bodies will want that detail as they lock budgets for spring.

For employers, especially in advanced manufacturing, health and public services, the ability to backfill skills through HNC/HND cohorts and higher‑level professional awards is practical and near‑term. Setting out eligibility now allows providers to schedule intakes and invest in kit with more certainty rather than waiting on late‑term guidance.

Next up is the operational layer. CTER’s funding guidance will determine rates, audit and reporting-and how cross‑border delivery is handled in practice. The Regulations fix the legal base; the implementation detail will decide how far this shifts numbers on the ground across North Wales and the North West.