A Licence for Amateur Radio is achieved through a structured suite of three examinations.  Each is designed to extend facilities available to the licensee on the many amateur radio frequencies, modes and power levels as a result of a proven progress in learning and proficiency.  The following is a summary, please check your licence for precise details.

All prospective amateur radio operators must demonstrate a suitable level of competence and proficiency as a prerequisite to holding a UK amateur radio licence.

The Foundation Licence is the entry level examination, designed to get you going, with most of the training of a practical nature.  There is a small amount of radio and electronics theory - just enough to appreciate basic concepts such as safety, using the correct fuses in your equipment, simple operating procedures and how to build an antenna to get the most out of your radio station.  The courses are run in an informal atmosphere by experienced radio amateurs, and usually takes about 10-12 hours of study / practical work.  Once complete, it is an accepted qualification to progress to the Intermediate Licence course.

The course for the Intermediate Licence is longer than the Foundation one, and aims to teach many of the fundamentals of radio by undertaking practical tasks such as soldering, building a small project and a variety of other exercises .. building on the experience gained as a Foundation licence holder.  After completing the course, candidates sit the Intermediate examination which is a multiple choice exam based on what was learned on the course. The Intermediate licence in turn is an accepted qualification to progress to the Advanced Licence course, also sometimes referred to as the 'Full' amateur radio licence with associated benefits for the licensee.

The Advanced Radio Communication Examination is more advanced than the Intermediate, and replaces the old City & Guilds RAE.  It, again, covers radio theory and licence conditions but because holding a full licence enables you to use 400 Watts power output to your transmitter, such subjects as Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC), antenna design and safety issues are covered in greater depth. This licence allows access to all the amateur allocations including those above 30MHz with full power.

British Licensing over the years

This excellent link explains the Current Amateur Radio Callsigns operating in the United Kingdom, the various callsigns by Region and Classes of Licence, and finally a compete history of callsigns issued in the UK since the 1890's.