Four DigComp bands: Foundation to Highly Specialised

The DigComp framework groups its eight proficiency levels into four broader bands: Foundation (levels 1 and 2), Intermediate (levels 3 and 4), Advanced (levels 5 and 6), and Highly Specialised (levels 7 and 8). Each band covers two consecutive levels, so Foundation is not the same as level 1 alone; it includes both basic recall and simple task completion. The key contrast is that bands describe a general capability range, while levels pinpoint specific steps within that range.

To avoid mixing them up, remember that bands are like school grades (Foundation = primary, Intermediate = secondary, Advanced = A-levels, Highly Specialised = postgraduate), whereas levels are the individual year numbers. A common exam trick is to ask which band contains level 5; the answer is Advanced, not Intermediate. Another hint: the band names never appear in the numbered level descriptions, so if a question lists 'level 3' and 'Intermediate', they belong together.

Test yourself by reciting the bands in order and then naming the two levels inside each. For a quick memory aid, think of the acronym FIAS: Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced, Specialised. If you can match each band to its correct level pair (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8) without hesitation, you have mastered this card.