International Education Qualification Framework Level Stage Education Level Language Level Credit Hours 0 Early Childhood Education Pre-KG to UKG (Kindergarten) N/A N/A 1 Primary Education (Lower Primary) Classes 1 to 5 A1 (Beginner) 1,500 – 2,000 hrs 2 Primary Education (Upper Primary) Classes 6 to 8 A2 (Elementary) 1,800 – 2,500 hrs 3 Secondary Education & Foundational Skills Classes 9 and 10 or Skill Certificate B1 (Intermediate) 2,000 – 2,800 hrs 4 Higher Secondary Education Classes 11 and 12 or 2-Year Vocational Training B2 (Upper Intermediate) 2,400 – 3,000 hrs 5 Senior Secondary Education & Vocational Training Advanced vocational training or specialized skill certification C1 (Advanced) 2,800 – 3,200 hrs 6 Diploma & Advanced Skills Training 3-Year Diploma (after Class 10) or 1-Year Diploma (after Class 12) C2 (Proficient) 3,600 – 4,500 hrs 7 Undergraduate Education 3-Year Degree, 4-Year Honors Degree, 5-Year Dual Degree, or Postgraduate Diploma NA 4,500 – 6,000 hrs 8 Postgraduate Education 2-Year Master’s Degree or 1-Year Executive Master’s (with 2+ years of work experience) NA 1,800 – 2,400 hrs 9 Advanced Research & Professional Qualifications M.Phil., Specialized Certifications, or other professional qualifications N/A 1,500 – 2,500 hrs 10 Doctoral & Post-Doctoral Research Ph.D. (Doctorate) or Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Highest Research Degree) N/A 3,000 – 5,000 hrs Notes: Language Levels (A1 to C2) are linked to the corresponding education levels where they are typically expected to be achieved. C2 Level: Represents full professional proficiency and is linked to Diploma (Level 6). Levels 7 to 10: Involves specialized or research-based language usage, suitable for academic or professional environments. This framework combines academic, research and language progressions, making it comprehensive for both education and linguistic development.