April 2025 Engineering Update
This is the April 2025 Subject Advisor Update for BTEC Engineering qualifications.
- BTEC Firsts and Nationals updates
- Key dates
- Exam timetables
- Standards verification
- BTEC Nationals AAQ Engineering updates (first teach September 2025)
- Supplementary information - Guidance document
- Pearson Set Assignment Briefs - Versions 1-6 now available
- Sample resources for AAQ Engineering
- Training
- Provisional Exam timetables - 2026
BTEC Firsts and Nationals updates
Key Dates
Entry deadline for Summer 2025 series for BTEC Firsts and Nationals is 21 March 2025. After this date, late fees will apply.
Key date |
Activity |
Information |
|---|---|---|
15 May |
First sampling deadline for Standards Verification |
|
31 May |
First sample report to have been submitted by the SV |
|
15 June |
Second sample to the SV (if required) |
|
30 June |
Second sample report to have been submitted by the SV |
|
5 July |
Claiming deadline: all internally assessed unit grades to be submitted and full award claims to be made by 5 July. |
Please make sure all grades are submitted, and full award claimed by this date for a smooth summer certification. |
14 August |
Level 3 results day |
|
21 August |
Level 2 results day |
Exam timetables
BTEC Firsts:
| Qualification | Unit Code | Unit name | am/pm | Duration | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTEC First | 21174E | Unit 9: Interpreting and Using Engineering Information | Afternoon | 1 hour | 14/05/2025 |
| BTEC First | 21925G | Unit 9: Interpreting and Using Engineering Information (Welsh) | Afternoon | 1 hour | 14/05/2025 |
BTEC Nationals:
| Qualification | Unit code | Unit | Part | Time | Duration | Release date | Window start | Window end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQF BTEC National | 31706H | Unit 1: Engineering Principles | Morning | 2 hours | 22/05/2025 | |||
| RQF BTEC National | 31725H | Unit 6: Microcontroller Systems for Engineers | Window | 12 hours | 30/04/2025 | 30/04/2025 | 14/05/2025 | |
| RQF BTEC National | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part A | Window | 3 hours | 06/05/2025 | 06/05/2025 | 12/05/2025 |
| RQF BTEC National | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part B | Window | 8 hours | 13/05/2025 | 13/05/2025 | 03/06/2025 |
BTEC Firsts:
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Unit | Time | Duration | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NQF BTEC First | 21174E | Interpreting and Using Engineering Information | Unit 9 | Afternoon | 1 hour | 08/01/2026 |
| NQF BTEC First | 21925G | Interpreting and Using Engineering Information (Welsh) | Unit 9 | Afternoon | 1 hour | 08/01/2026 |
BTEC Nationals:
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Part | Time | Duration | Release Date | Window start | Window end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31706H | Unit 1: Engineering Principles | Morning | 2 hours | 12/01/2026 | |||
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part A | Window | 3 hours | 08/12/2025 | 08/12/2025 | 05/01/2026 |
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part B | Window | 8 hours | 06/01/2026 | 06/01/2026 | 19/01/2026 |
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31725H | Unit 6: Microcontroller Systems for Engineers | Window | 12 hours | 07/01/2026 | 07/01/2026 | 21/01/2026 |
BTEC Firsts:
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Time | Duration | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NQF BTEC First | 21174E | Unit 9: Interpreting and Using Engineering Information | Afternoon | 1 hour | 13/05/2026 |
| NQF BTEC First | 21925G | Unit 9: Interpreting and Using Engineering Information (Welsh) | Afternoon | 1 hour | 13/05/2026 |
BTEC Nationals:
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Part | Time | Duration | Release Date | Window start | Window end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31706H | Unit 1: Engineering Principles | Morning | 2 hours | 21/05/2026 | |||
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31725H | Unit 6: Microcontroller Systems for Engineers | Window | 12 hours | 29/04/2026 | 29/04/2026 | 13/05/2026 | |
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part A | Window | 3 hours | 05/05/2026 | 05/05/2026 | 11/05/2026 |
| RQF BTEC Nationals | 31708H | Unit 3: Engineering Product Design and Manufacture | Part B | Window | 8 hours | 12/05/2026 | 12/05/2026 | 02/06/2026 |
BTEC Nationals (AAQ):
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Unit | Time | Duration | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQF BTEC Nationals (AAQ) | 60301T | Engineering Principles | Unit 1 | Morning | 2 hours 15 minutes | 21/05/2026 |
| RQF BTEC Nationals (AAQ) | 60302T | Engineering Applications | Unit 2 | Morning | 2 hours | 13/05/2026 |
Access the exam timetables and provisional timetables below:
Standards verification
As per the key dates above, the first sampling deadline for Standards Verification is 15 May 2025. By this date, you will need to send the requested sample to your Standards Verifier with all the paper work required. This is done on Learner Work Transfer.
You can access more information and further guidance on the process, including information on what to include in the sample, from the guidance document below.
BTEC Nationals AAQ Engineering updates (first teach September 2025)
Supplementary information - Guidance document
In administering internal and external assessment, the centre needs to be aware of
the specific procedures and policies that apply, for example to registration, entries
and results. We have therefore published this supplementary information, which must be read alongside the specification document for the course.
You can access the Supplementary Information and the Specification below:
Pearson Set Assignment Briefs - Versions 1-6 now available
We have now published all 6 versions of the Pearson Set Assignment Briefs (PSABs) for Engineering AAQ.
The bank of assignments for unit 3 and unit 4 comprise of six Pearson Set Assignment Briefs (versions 1 – 6).
- Centres must ensure that the Pearson Set Assignment Brief versions are allocated at cohort level, with all students in a given academic year being allocated the same option.
- Centres must ensure that these versions are changed each year, moving through all of the options available before any are repeated.
- Centre are permitted to choose the order that the versions are administered.
Access the six versions of the Pearson Set Assignment Briefs below:
Sample resources for BTEC Nationals in Engineering (AAQ)
Our published resources to support the new BTEC Nationals 2025 are being carefully developed to help you deliver engaging teaching, and to prepare your students for assessment.
We’re designing the resources as fully integrated packages, with all resources complementing and building on the others. You will be able use them in various ways, to suit your teaching style, and when used together they’ll provide the biggest time saving and teaching support benefits.
The main teaching resources will be published in April and May 2025, in good time for first teaching in September 2025.
Training events for the new Engineering AAQ
The BTEC Nationals in Engineering (AAQ) is scheduled for first delivery in September 2025.
To support you to embark on the new BTEC Nationals in Engineering AAQ, we have scheduled some training events. See below table and link to access the events.
| Date and Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 6 May at 16:00-17:00 GMT | Getting Started: Ways to Plan and Teach BTEC National (AAQ) in Engineering (2025) |
| 12 May at 15:30 - 17:00 GMT | Getting Ready for Internal Assessment: BTEC National (AAQ) in Engineering (2025) |
Provisional Exam timetables - Summer 2026
BTEC Nationals (AAQ):
| Qual | Examination code | Title | Unit | Time | Duration | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RQF BTEC Nationals (AAQ) | 60301T | Engineering Principles | Unit 1 | Morning | 2 hours 15 minutes | 21/05/2026 |
| RQF BTEC Nationals (AAQ) | 60302T | Engineering Applications | Unit 2 | Morning | 2 hours | 13/05/2026 |
If you require support on these qualifications or have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Details below:
Subject advisor
Evren Alibaba
Engineering
