| ABL | Annual Business Enquiry |
| ACL | Adult and Community Learning |
| APS | Annual Population Survey |
| APUC | Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges |
| BIS | Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (formerly known as DIUS |
| BME | Black and Minority Ethnic |
| CPD | Continuing professional development |
| CQFW | Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales |
| DCLG | Department for Communities and Local Government |
| DDA | Disability Discrimination Act 1995 |
| DCELLS | Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills in Wales |
| DELNI | Department for Employment and Learning for Northern Ireland |
| DIUS | Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills (now known as BIS) |
| DRC | Disability Rights Commission |
| DSA | Disabled Student Allowance |
| DWP | Department for Work and Pensions |
| EAR | Economic Activity Rate |
| ESOL | English for Speakers of Other Languages |
| ETLLD | Enterprise Transport and Lifelong Learning Department, Scotland |
| EU | European Union |
| FE | Further Education |
| FEI | Further Education Institution |
| FSW | Future Skills Wales |
| FTE | Full Time Equivalent |
| GCSE | General Certificate of Secondary Education |
| GDHI | Gross Disposable Household Income |
| GFU | General Fund for Universities |
| GVA | Gross Value Added |
| HE | Higher Education |
| HEFCW | Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
| HEIs | Higher Education institutions |
| HESA | Higher Education Statistics Agency |
| HFU | Horizon Fund for Universities |
| HRD | Human Resource Development |
| ILO | International Labour Organisation |
| JSA | Job Seekers Allowance |
| LFS | Labour Force Survey |
| LLWR | Lifelong Learning Wales Record |
| MEG | Minority Ethnic Group |
| NDPB | Non-departmental Public Body |
| NEETS | Not in education employment or training. |
| NIACE | National Institute for Adult Continuing Education |
| NQF | National Qualifications Framework |
| NUS | National Union of Students |
| NVQ | National Vocational Qualification |
| ONS | Office for National Statistics |
| OST | Office for Science and Technology |
| PI | Performance Indicator |
| PLASC | Pupil Level Annual School Census |
| PSA | Public Service Agreement |
| QA | Quality assurance |
| QAA | Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education |
| QCA | Qualifications and Curriculum Authority |
| QCF | Qualifications and Credit Framework |
| QIA | Quality Information Authority |
| RAE | Research Assessment Exercise |
| RDA | Regional Development Agency |
| SIC | Standard Industrial Classification |
| SKILL | National Bureau for Students with Disabilities |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement |
| SME | Small or medium sized enterprise |
| SOA | Super Output Area |
| SOC | Standard Occupational Classification |
| SRIF | Science Research Investment Fund |
| SRRF | Strategic Rationalisation and Restructuring Fund |
| SSA | Sector Skills Area |
| SSC | Sector Skills Council |
| SSF | School Sixth Forms |
| SUMs | A student unit of measurement |
| TRAC | Transparent Approach to Costing |
| UKCES | United Kingdom Commission for Employment and Skills |
| UKERNA | United Kingdom and Research Networking Association |
| UOA | Unit of assessment |
| VAT | Value-added tax |
| VCE | Vocational Certificate of Education |
| WAO | Wales Audit Office |
| WBL | Work-based Learning |
| WESB | Wales Education and Skills Board |
| WIMD | Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation |
