Earn while you learn: is a degree apprenticeship the right choice for you? | Employability

University can be an expensive business, but there is a way to get a degree and earn money. Since 2015, degree apprenticeships have offered an alternative route into both higher education and the world of work. Companies partner with universities and give you the chance to earn a salary while you study.

Degree apprentices spend about 80% of their time doing practical work, usually about 35 hours a week, and about 20% on their studies. These arrangements tend to last from approximately three to six years, with legal/solicitor apprenticeships being the longest courses.

There are more than 170 diverse programmes available across sectors including law, finance, the civil service, engineering and business.

Degree apprenticeship courses have rapidly grown in popularity in the years since they were launched. In 2015, just under 1,000 students were enrolled, compared to about 46,800 in 2022. A&O Shearman, a City law firm, saw a 39% increase in the number of applications for its solicitor apprenticeship between 2023 and 2024.

How do they compare with traditional degrees?

The main difference with standard courses is the “earn while you learn” element. Salaries vary between industries, but typically start at £18,500 a year.

Because degree apprentices are supported by the apprenticeship levy and government subsidies, you don’t pay any course fees – a saving of up to £9,250, unless you are a Scottish student studying in Scotland. This should leave you without debt when you graduate – a crucial difference from the conventional university route, which leaves the average student owing more than £40,000. This makes the courses particularly appealing to those from low-income households or those who might not wish to borrow so much money.

Yakeen Jimoh, a digital and technology solutions apprentice at JP Morgan and Exeter University who is just starting his second year, is happy to have avoided going into debt.

“Student loans weren’t really an option because of the high fees and interest I’d have to pay back,” he says, adding that the benefit of a degree apprenticeship for him is: “I wouldn’t have any debt.”

Job prospects

According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), nearly 80% of employers believe that fresh graduates do not arrive prepared for the workplace, with many lacking the hands-on skills required to be “work-ready”.

A degree apprenticeship should give you these practical skills, and it can teach you other useful things too. Consultancy firm Ernst & Young runs various degree apprenticeship programmes. A spokesperson says: “The additional time spent in a work environment can really help enhance softer skills such as team working, leadership and business acumen.”

One study found that 77% of degree apprentices remained with the employer after their course.

As these courses are comparatively recent, it’s difficult to know what their long-term impact on job prospects is. A report for the the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) found that almost half of those on degree apprenticeships worried that the courses were not held in the same esteem as traditional degrees.

Balancing work and studies

The same report found that only 19% of apprentices felt fully integrated within their universities, suggesting that they might be losing out on aspects of the student experience.

How much help is on offer from universities will vary. Queen Mary University of London offers degree apprenticeships in applied finance and digital and technology solutions, leading to jobs in software engineering or as a data analyst. It says it has a programme in place to help students on these courses.

“We provide extensive preparation and programme support, including mentoring, study skills, assignment support, and regular check-ins to help our apprentices achieve their full potential,” says Eileen O’Gara, the university’s head of degree apprenticeships.

Solicitor apprentice Faiza Zakaria, who since 2023 has been working for law firm Ashurst while balancing her studies at the University of Law, has so far found the experience both challenging and rewarding. “It’s not easy at first to establish an efficient system – you learn to organise, prioritise, and manage yourself as you go along,” she says.

“I set reminders and to-do lists for work and dedicate my study day to my studies only, putting away work devices and communicating to the [work] team.” She adds: “The key is to communicate with your teams and remember that both work and studies are equally important.”

How to apply

You apply directly to your employer(s) of choice, usually with a CV and a covering letter – this is unlike the conventional process of getting on a degree course where you apply through Ucas with your expected grades and a personal statement.

There are similar entry requirements to get accepted, though. For instance, A&O Shearman requires a minimum of two As and a B (AAB) at A-level as well as seven GCSEs at grade 6 and above.

In some cases, applicants are also required to complete a psychometric test and/or an interview then an assessment centre before they get a final offer. Applications generally open in September but it is possible to find courses advertised at any time of year. Most, but not all, start at the same time as the academic year begins. Because they are cost-free, they can be even more competitive than a conventional degree. For instance, JP Morgan’s degree apprenticeship programme reportedly accepts fewer than 1% of applicants.

The QAA report found just 5% of apprentices received support for their application from their school or college, so you may have to do your own homework.

Five degree apprenticeship courses

Teacher
Learn as you teach with a teacher degree apprenticeship. These were only launched this year, with the first applicants due to start in autumn 2025. The four-year course gives you a degree and qualified teacher status. You will typically spend two days a week studying and the rest working in a school.

Police constable
Combine studying with days on the beat. Police forces around the UK offer these courses, with the studying done at local universities. In London, recruits to the Met’s course can study at Brunel, Anglia Ruskin or the University of West London. They start on £36,775 a year, rising to £37,975 in week 30 if they meet the required standard. Two A-levels, or similar, are needed to apply.

Sweetmaker
Start your journey to being the next Willy Wonka with Nestlé’s confectionery product degree apprenticeship. The course, which ran again from this September, takes four years to complete and pays a salary of £23,250. The university study takes place at Nottingham Trent, while work is at the York factory – home of KitKats and Yorkies, or in Halifax, where the company makes Quality Street and After Eights.

Nuclear engineer
Rolls-Royce’s range of degree apprenticeships includes one designed to set you up for its team working on the technology for nuclear submarines. The four-year course earns you a BEng degree with the University of Derby and £20,735 a year, making the nuclear option look quite attractive.

Doctor
The medical doctor apprenticeship degree is being piloted from this September, with NHS England collaborating with several universities, including those of Central Lancashire and Plymouth, and Queen Mary University of London. Salaries depend on the role you are employed in during the course.