Tertiary education

NACE Rev. 2.1Class

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What this code covers

Use this class for tertiary education when the main activity includes Short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes and First-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification. Check exclusions and nearby codes before applying it to a mixed activity.

Official NACE Rev. 2.1 labels and explanatory notes are imported from the source dataset. Plain-language explanations are shown separately so readers can compare interpretation with the source text.

Official explanatory notes

Imported source text for this NACE Rev. 2.1 record.

This class includes the furnishing of tertiary academic, professional and vocational courses and the granting of degrees at short-cycle, bachelor’s or equivalent level, master’s or equivalent level, and doctoral level. This class includes education in public and private universities provided at the level of: - short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes - first-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification - second-cycle studies open to applicants holding at least a first-cycle qualification and leading to a second-cycle qualification - comprehensive master’s degree courses open to applicants holding a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a second-cycle qualification - postgraduate studies open to applicants who have completed at least first-cycle studies and leading to a postgraduate qualification - third-cycle studies (training for doctoral students) open to applicants holding at least second-cycle studies and leading to a third-cycle qualification Education may be conducted as full-time or part-time studies.

Hierarchy context

Where this code sits in the NACE Rev. 2.1 hierarchy.

Parent code

85.4Tertiary educationGroup

Child codes

0 children

No child codes; this is a class-level code.

When this code fits

Use this when the main activity matches these signals.

This class includes the furnishing of tertiary academic, professional and vocational courses and the granting of degrees at short-cycle, bachelor’s or equivalent level, master’s or equivalent level, and doctoral level.
This class includes education in public and private universities provided at the level of:
short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes
first-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification

When to compare another code

Compare another code when these signals dominate.

non-formal education and training, see 85.5

Check before relying on this code

Situations where source text, close alternatives, or local rules may matter.

Compare with 85.5, 85.4 when the main activity overlaps another code.
Review the Rev. 2 to Rev. 2.1 mapping type before migrating old records.
Check national equivalent caveats before using this code for local registration or filing workflows.
If the main revenue activity appears in an exclusion, compare the alternative code before deciding.

Use this guide as classification support, not legal, tax, filing, or regulatory advice.

Inclusions

Signals that usually point toward this code.

- This class includes the furnishing of tertiary academic, professional and vocational courses and the granting of degrees at short-cycle, bachelor’s or equivalent level, master’s or equivalent level, and doctoral level.
- This class includes education in public and private universities provided at the level of:
- short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes
- first-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification
- second-cycle studies open to applicants holding at least a first-cycle qualification and leading to a second-cycle qualification
- comprehensive master’s degree courses open to applicants holding a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a second-cycle qualification
- postgraduate studies open to applicants who have completed at least first-cycle studies and leading to a postgraduate qualification
- third-cycle studies (training for doctoral students) open to applicants holding at least second-cycle studies and leading to a third-cycle qualification
- Education may be conducted as full-time or part-time studies.
- short-cycle vocational education and training programmes at ISCED-P 2011 Level 5
- higher vocational and professional education and training programmes at ISCED-P 2011 Level 6 and ISCED-P 2011 Level 7 (for example, those leading to master craftsmen qualifications)
- education activities of performing arts schools providing tertiary education
- adult or continuing education programmes equivalent in complexity of content to the education given in education activities already classified at this level

Exclusions

Activities that should trigger comparison with another code.

- non-formal education and training, see 85.5

Examples

- Short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes
- First-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification
- Second-cycle studies open to applicants holding at least a first-cycle qualification and leading to a second-cycle qualification
- Comprehensive master’s degree courses open to applicants holding a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a second-cycle qualification

Common mistakes

- Non-formal education and training

Search terms and quick answers

Plain-language discovery help for common business descriptions. These notes are separate from official source text.

Common search terms

Tertiary education85.40 Tertiary educationShort-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmesFirst-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualificationSecond-cycle studies open to applicants holding at least a first-cycle qualification and leading to a second-cycle qualification

What is NACE 85.40 used for?

Use NACE 85.40 for tertiary education when the main activity matches this scope: Use this class for tertiary education when the main activity includes Short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes and First-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification. Check exclusions and nearby codes before applying it to a mixed activity.

Based on: title and summary

What are typical examples for 85.40?

Typical examples include Short-cycle studies, usually based on practical learning appropriate to the performance of a given profession and preparing students for entry into the labour market or other higher education programmes, First-cycle studies open to applicants with a secondary school leaving certificate and leading to a first-degree qualification, and Second-cycle studies open to applicants holding at least a first-cycle qualification and leading to a second-cycle qualification.

Based on: examples

When might 85.40 not be the right code?

Review another code when the activity is closer to non-formal education and training, see 85.5.

Based on: exclusions and nonExamples

Which codes should I compare before choosing 85.40?

Compare 85.40 with 85.5 Other education and 85.4 Tertiary education when the activity description is ambiguous.

Based on: relatedCodes and nearby codes

Often Confused With

Use these comparisons when the activity description is ambiguous.

85.5

Other education

Use this group for other education when the main activity includes Sports and recreation education and Cultural education. Check exclusions and nearby codes before applying it to a mixed activity.

85.4

Tertiary education

Use this group for the broader activity area of tertiary education, including Tertiary education. Open the child codes when a more specific code is needed.

Compare these codes

Version changes

Plain-language Rev. 2 to Rev. 2.1 correspondence for this code.

Previous code

85.42

Rev. 2 code 85.42 maps to 85.40 Tertiary education, but the relationship is scope-aligned rather than a simple unchanged code.

scope aligned

Official close match imported from NACE Rev. 2.1.

Potential impact

Datasets, CRM segments, KYC rules, reporting logic, and historical joins may need review because the activity scope is not a simple unchanged carry-over.

What to check next

Review the official explanatory notes for each target code and confirm whether the business activity still fits the suggested Rev. 2.1 class.

Open change record Convert this old code

What this code covers

Official NACE Rev. 2.1 labels and explanatory notes are imported from the source dataset. Plain-language explanations are shown separately so readers can compare interpretation with the source text.