Apprenticeships · 5 min read
What is a degree apprenticeship and how do I get one?
Degree apprenticeships explained: a full bachelor's or master's with no tuition fee, paid work for three to five years, typical entry grades and how to apply.
The short answer
A degree apprenticeship is a Level 6 or 7 apprenticeship where you work for an employer, earn a salary and study for a full bachelor's or master's degree, with the fees paid by the employer and government. They take three to five years and are common in engineering, digital, finance, management, nursing and policing. Entry usually asks for A levels or equivalent, often BBB or above, and competition is strong. There were 60,350 starts at Levels 6 and 7 in England in 2024/25.
Key takeaways
- Same degree as the university route, awarded by a university, with no tuition fee and a salary while you study.
- Typically three to five years; you're at work most of the week and at university one day a week or in blocks.
- Entry is usually A levels or equivalent, often BBB or higher, plus tests and an assessment centre.
- Level 6 and 7 starts rose 20% to 60,350 in 2024/25; from January 2026 Level 7 funding is limited to under-22s.
On this pageHow a degree apprenticeship is built
How a degree apprenticeship is built
Three parties are involved: an employer who hires and pays you, a university that teaches and awards the degree, and the apprenticeship standard that sets what you must be able to do by the end. You're employed from day one. Study is usually one day a week at the university or in blocks of a few weeks, and the degree is spread over three to five years instead of three.
| Field | Example standards | Typical start |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering and manufacturing | Civil, mechanical, aerospace, manufacturing engineer | £20,000 to £28,000 |
| Digital | Digital and technology solutions, software engineer, data scientist | £20,000 to £30,000 |
| Finance and professional services | Accountancy, actuarial, chartered manager, solicitor (Level 7) | £20,000 to £30,000 |
| Health and public service | Registered nurse, paramedic, police constable, social worker | £22,000 to £27,000 (Agenda for Change or force scales) |
| Construction and property | Quantity surveyor, building services engineer, architect (Level 7) | £20,000 to £26,000 |
What's changing in 2026
Degree-level starts grew fast: 60,350 at Levels 6 and 7 in 2024/25, 17% of all apprenticeships and up 20% on the year, with Level 7 up 41%. From January 2026 the government only funds Level 7 (master's level) apprenticeships for people aged 16 to 21 at the start, or care leavers and those with an education, health and care plan under 25. Level 6 is unaffected, so most bachelor's-level routes continue as before.
How to get one
- Start in September of Year 13 (or the year before you'd start): the biggest employers open between September and December and close early.
- Search Find an apprenticeship at Level 6 and 7, plus UCAS's apprenticeship listings and employers' early-careers pages.
- Expect online tests, a video or phone interview and an assessment centre; practise the tests free beforehand.
- Apply to university as well. Most degree apprentices held a university offer as a backup, and the deadlines overlap.
Is it right for the degree you want?
Degree apprenticeships exist where employers need a specific professional: engineers, developers, accountants, nurses, surveyors. If you want to study history, biology or English for its own sake, there isn't one, and that's fine; a different route gets you there. Check the standard's list of duties against how you'd like to spend a Tuesday before you chase the salary.
Illustrative example: two offers in March
A Year 13 student holds a university offer for computer science and, after tests and an assessment day, a degree apprenticeship offer from a software firm at £24,000. She spends an afternoon with the firm's current apprentices and asks what a bad week looks like. She takes the apprenticeship, keeps the university offer until results day, and graduates four years later with the same BSc and no fees.
Questions people ask
- Do degree apprentices get a real degree?
- Yes. The degree is awarded by a university partner and carries the same title as the campus version, such as BEng Civil Engineering or BSc Digital and Technology Solutions. Some standards also include professional registration. The difference is how you got it: in work, paid, and without a tuition fee loan.
- What grades do I need for a degree apprenticeship?
- Most ask for A levels or equivalent at around BBB to ABB, sometimes with a specific subject like maths for engineering, plus grade 4 or above in GCSE English and maths. Some accept T levels or BTECs. Because places are few, employers often filter on grades first, then tests, then an assessment centre.
- How much do degree apprentices get paid?
- Starting salaries between £20,000 and £30,000 are common at large employers, rising each year of the programme. Public sector and health employers pay less, finance and engineering more. The advert gives the figure. Over four years that can be £100,000 in pay, with a degree and no fee debt at the end.
- Is a degree apprenticeship harder than university?
- Different rather than harder. You work a full week and study on top, with less of the long holidays and freedom of campus life. Deadlines come from both an employer and a university. People who've done both say the first year is the hardest while you find a rhythm, and that the experience makes the academic work make sense.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Apprenticeships, academic year 2024/25 · Department for Education, Explore education statistics
- Become an apprentice · GOV.UK
- Student Recruitment Survey 2025 · Institute of Student Employers
- UCAS Tariff points · UCAS
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.