Class · NACE Rev. 2.1

85.40 Tertiary education

active

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
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

Per the official Eurostat correspondence table (NACE Rev. 2 → NACE Rev. 2.1):

NACE Rev. 2 origin	Heading (Rev. 2)	Mapping	Type
85.42	Tertiary education	NACE Rev. 2 class 85.42 is mapped to NACE Rev. 2.1 class 85.40	1:1

Code	85.40
Level	Class
Parent	85.4
Classification	NACE Rev. 2.1
Legal basis	Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/137
Source	Eurostat (ShowVoc dissemination platform)
Data checked	2026-07-20