The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has announced that applications are now being accepted for admission to Grade 12 of the Advanced Level Vocational Stream for the 2026/2027 academic year. 

Regardless of Ordinary Level results, the stream enables students to enrol in Grade 12 and to continue education up to Grade 13 while earning a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ 4) recognized both locally and internationally.

Any student who has faced the Ordinary Level examination in 2025 (2026) or within the last 3 years can apply for Grade 12 in a school which conducts Vocational Stream in their area.

Students enrolling in Grade 12 can follow modules aimed at developing soft skills and introducing vocational fields. In Grade 13, students will be referred by the school itself, to a government vocational training institute for an NVQ level 4 training in a vocation suitable for the students. Within this, students can receive training both at a vocational training institute and at a workplace.

Accordingly, students will receive opportunities for training in a number of fields such as tourism and hospitality, automotive/ vehicle technology, information technology, health and care services, gem and jewellery technology, beauty culture, arts and crafts, food production, apparel studies, electrical and electronic technology, metal processing, welding, machine operation, construction industry, interior decoration, landscaping, agriculture and plantation industry, aquatic resources technology, sports, lifesaving and diving, sales and logistics, etc.

Students who successfully complete this training and complete their school education can obtain the NVQ 4 certificate, from which, students can access jobs, higher education opportunities and entrepreneurship.

Information including the application form for admission to the Advanced Level Vocational Stream, the list of schools that can be applied for, and the fields vocational training can be obtained are published under Special Notices on the website of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.

This stream is being implemented by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education with the aim of guaranteeing thirteen years of education for students regardless of whether they pass or fail the Ordinary Level examination.

Accordingly, an application must be submitted on or before July 8th, 2026 to the principal of the school with the vocational stream. The application can be downloaded from the website www.moe.gov.lk.

Further information on this can be obtained by contacting the Education for All Branch of this Ministry or through the website and the Facebook page www.facebook.com/VocationalStream/.