What is a Degree Apprenticeship?

What is a degree apprenticeship?

Degree apprenticeships are aimed at college or sixth-form leavers aged 18+ who are looking for an alternative to university.

You’ll work full-time for an established company as an employee, typically spending four days on the job and one day studying at a university.

In around three to six years, you’ll:

• Earn a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

• Gain invaluable work experience

• Avoid university tuition fees and the dreaded £50,000+ student debt.

And because degree apprenticeships are a full-time job, you’ll earn a salary too.

In this video, we break down everything you need to know about degree apprenticeships in the UK.

Are degree apprenticeships worth it?

There are so many benefits to degree apprenticeships. There are also loads of benefits to university. Both will land you jobs in the future.

However, degree apprenticeships are amazing because they’re real jobs. So by the time you graduate, you’ll have tons of industry skills and years of experience that employers would fight tooth and nail for.

Here are some benefits of degree apprenticeships:

• On-the-job training alongside your degree studies

• No tuition fees, as they’ll be fully covered, which means no debt

• Earn a salary (potentially £30K a year by age 21)

• Get ahead in your career

• Build professional connections early.

Some may say that you’ll miss out on the social benefits that going to university can offer you. In truth, many companies will hire multiple apprentices at a time. You’ll be onboarded together and will have plenty of opportunities to socialise and make new friends.

Degree apprenticeships are a great blend of getting ahead and experiencing the academic side of university.

You can read more about the conundrum of choosing between a degree apprenticeship and going to university below:

What kinds of degree apprenticeships are there?

There’s a huge variety of degree apprenticeships in many industries across the UK. So, no matter where your interests or skills lie, you can find a degree apprenticeship that suits you.

Degree apprenticeships can be split into two tiers:

Currently, the industries offering degree apprenticeships include:

• Accounting

• Business and Administration

• Construction

• IT & Digital

• Engineering and Manufacturing

• Finance

• Legal

• Marketing

• Surveying.

So who’s hiring right now? Click to view our open roles.

At Higherin, we have thousands of job reviews from previous apprentices. You can filter them by industry and company, letting you see exactly what the role entails.

Read what a degree apprentice working at L’Oréal thought about their experience:

Read more of our reviews, written by previous apprentices.

What qualifications do you need?

Every programme is different. However, most employers look for three A-Levels between A*-C for their degree apprenticeships. Most will also ask for a certain number of UCAS points.

You’ll also need GCSEs in maths and English. If you don’t, you’ll be able to earn a Level 2 or 3 Functional Skills in maths and English during your apprenticeship.

No A-Levels? That’s okay! Some employers accept candidates without A-Levels, especially if you’ve completed advanced or higher apprenticeships.

Explore university and employer sites for more information and full entry requirements. You might qualify for more programs than you think!

Do you get paid on a degree apprenticeship?

You absolutely do. You'll be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. Employers tend to pay a lot more than this. You could be paid a lot more depending on the role you’re in too.

According to our apprentice-written reviews, the average Degree apprenticeship salary is over £26,000 per year. Remember: you'll pay no tuition fees, so there's no student debt!

There’s real earning power once you reach the degree level. If you're looking for banking degree apprenticeships, you could be paid around £34,000 per year. And if it’s a career in education, you could be looking at around £31,500 per year. So it’s worth doing your research when looking for a degree apprenticeship.

Completing a degree apprenticeship also puts you ahead of your university graduate peers in terms of future earning potential. You’ll have 3-6 years of work experience on your CV already, meaning that you’re likely to rise up the salary and career ladder faster.

Can you do a degree apprenticeship if you already have a degree?

Yes! You can most definitely apply for an apprenticeship after university.

However, you can’t apply for an apprenticeship in a subject you already have a degree in. To be eligible for an apprenticeship, you must be gaining new skills.

For example, if you already have a degree in nuclear engineering, you won’t be able to do a degree apprenticeship in the same subject.

Read more about how to find an apprenticeship after university.

Case Study: Meet Georgia, a former degree apprentice

Georgia started her career journey as a Business Management Degree Apprentice at L'Oréal. She actually found her apprenticeship using our website, Higherin. Now she's making her mark here as a Senior Marketing Executive. Watch her story to find out what she got out of an apprenticeship and her top application tips.

How do you apply?

Degree apprenticeships can be highly competitive. So you’ll need to put together the application to end all applications.

Lots of students tend to apply at the same time as completing their UCAS university application - and many employers will advertise between January and March - but you can generally apply for degree apprenticeships all year round.

Remember, as long as you meet the entry requirements and put the time in to prepare, the odds are in your favour. Companies hire multiple candidates across many different areas of their business.

The application stage could look like:

Application form → CV and cover letter → Psychometric tests → Face-to-face interview or video interview → Assessment centre → APPRENTICESHIP STARTS

Browse our apprenticeship application guide for more information.