I wouldn't say student visas are easier to get now, but if you meet the requirements you should be issued with a visa.
The two main requirements are a letter of sponsorship from the college and enough money for maintenance and course fees. I think that currently you'll need at least £7800 (PHP610000) - this excludes fees for the consultantancy firm and flights.
NVQ courses tend to involve paid working, where BTEC is purely in the classroom.
