Degree apprenticeships

For students that want to earn a salary while studying – without paying tuition fees – a degree apprenticeship might be the perfect option for them.

They'll combine academic study with on-the-job experience, developing your employment skills ready for a successful career. However, there are also a few things for students to consider when applying for this competitive option. 

How do degree apprenticeships work?

Employers, in partnership with universities and the government, offer degree apprenticeships to students to train them up to fulfil a specific role. These are aimed at 18-19 year olds, and are usually offered in subjects like engineering, IT, construction, business, architecture and healthcare.

Although, at Portsmouth, we're also developing degree apprenticeships for students to work in policing and teaching.

No tuition fees

Students doing degree apprenticeships won't pay tuition fees. These are paid by the employer and the government, meaning that their degree is completely free. They'll also get paid a salary as they work and study. And will have access to all the perks of being an employee at a company – such as paid holiday, health support, a pension scheme and the option to join a worker’s union.

Breakdown of study and work

Degree Apprentices work approximately 80% of their time and study 20%. This often means 4 days working and 1 day studying in a typical week, but can also mean a few weeks working and a week studying. They're likely to have assignments alongside their work, as well as having to attend lectures and complete any reading set.

It’s worth noting that this makes degree apprenticeships much more demanding than a full-time degree course, so it’s really important that students choosing this option are organised and can manage their time well.

The benefits of degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships can be great for students who're worried about being in student debt after university. Because they're not paying tuition fees and are being paid a salary, they won't have any loans to pay back. As well as getting paid while they study, students on degree apprenticeships will get years of relevant experience before they graduate.

This'll improve their employability and give them a better chance at finding work than graduates who studied full time. Although working, degree apprentices will still have access to all the perks of being a student. Think student discounts, living in university halls, and joining societies.

Things for your students to consider

Highly competitive

Degree apprenticeships are very competitive. The appeal of no student debt and better job prospects draws lots of students to apply for degree apprenticeships. Because they're so popular, the number of applications received far outweighs the number of available spaces. So it's good to encourage your students to apply for a full-time degree as a backup option in case they don't get onto a degree apprenticeship.

Longer than full-time undergrad degrees

Your students should also bear in mind that degree apprenticeships are often longer than full-time degrees since they're only studying 20% of the time. And as they're getting paid a salary, they're not eligible to take out a student loan to support their living costs.

A different student experience

Although degree apprentices get access to the same benefits as full-time students, they're likely to have a very different student experience. Because they're working full time alongside their studies, they'll have less free time and fewer holidays than full-time students.

This can make it hard to join societies – most of which hold their activities on Wednesday afternoons – and means they might have less opportunity to join in with nightlife, especially during the week.

Limited options

They may also have less choice over where they get to work and study since there are significantly fewer degree apprenticeships offered than full-time degrees. If your students are really excited about the freedom to manage their own time that being a university student gives, degree apprenticeships may not be for them.

Finding degree apprenticeships

If your students don't mind where they're located but have a field of work in mind, the Government's degree apprenticeships webpage is the best place to start. If students know they want to live in a certain area, they can look at university websites to see what degree apprenticeships they offer.

However, it's useful to remember that since degree apprenticeships are employer-led, what apprenticeships one university has on offer may change year-on-year.

If your students are passionate about digital and technology solutions, they can search for degree apprenticeships on TechSkills website. Students can also find degree apprenticeships advertised by employers as they're looking for apprentices for a particular job role. Some larger employers may also have specific web pages dedicated to Apprenticeships, so encourage students to go searching.