Apprenticeships

Higher and degree apprenticeships

We work with national and local employers to give individuals pioneering opportunities to 'earn and learn.'

See our apprenticeships

Hero Carousel

Higher and degree apprenticeships

We work with national and local employers to give individuals pioneering opportunities to 'earn and learn.'

See our apprenticeships

Apprenticeships

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is a real job with training. Apprentices earn while they learn, building technical knowledge, practical experience, and the skills and behaviours needed for their role. Learning happens through formal off-the-job training and applying new skills in the workplace. You’ll spend time at university and time in the workplace, with training agreed by your employer.

Want to know more? Read our blog on how apprenticeships work.

Why choose an apprenticeship with UEL?

1:32

Tomorrow's experts - Ciara

Surveying used to be a male-dominated industry and Ciara wanted to change this. She decided to study an apprenticeship at University of East London because it gave her practical skills alongside academia.
Want to take the next step in your career or change an industry? Now's your time.
Join one of our apprenticeships and #BeTheChange

Why become an apprentice?

  • Earn a salary while studying for a higher or degree-level qualification.
  • Work in a real job and spend at least six hours a week on university study.
  • Start by finding an apprenticeship job with an employer in your chosen field.
  • Expect to work around 30–40 hours a week, with at least minimum wage and normal employee benefits.
  • Find vacancies on Indeed, Reed, employer websites, Not Going to Uni, and the National Apprenticeship Website. 

Apprentice enquiries:

Strong links with industry

Many national and international employers contribute to the development of our programmes.

Flexibility is key

Apprentices with accredited Level 4 or Level 5 qualifications may be able to gain advanced entry to their chosen programme.

Global recognition

Our programmes are accredited by professional bodies including the Tech Partnership, ICE, IStructE, CIHT, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), Health & Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and IHE.

Choose your route

  • For future apprentices: Find an apprenticeship job and study towards a higher or degree qualification with UEL.
  • For employers: Grow your talent by upskilling existing staff or recruiting new apprentices through UEL programmes.

Higher and degree apprenticeships - for apprentices

For apprentices:

  • An alternative route to higher education if you want to start employment first.
  • You do not apply directly to UEL. You find a job with an employer recruiting apprentices in your field.
  • Your employer and the government meet the training fees, so apprentices can be tuition-fee-free.
  • You can gain a Foundation Degree (Level 4), a Bachelor’s degree (Level 6) or a Master’s degree (Level 7) alongside work experience.
  • Study fits around job commitments and is agreed with your employer.
  • Apprentices aged 18+ living in a London borough could get subsidised travel from TFL in their first year.

How to apply - for apprentices

For future apprentices:

  • Find an apprenticeship job with an employer recruiting in your field.
  • Apply to the employer, not directly to UEL.
  • If you’re successful, you’ll enrol at UEL as part of your apprenticeship.
  • Study alongside work, with time agreed between you and your employer.

Higher and degree apprenticeships - for employers

For employers:

  • Grow talent by upskilling current employees or recruiting new apprentices.
  • Programmes co-designed with trailblazer companies to support lifelong employability. 

How to apply - for employers

For employers:

  • Check your levy status: if your wage bill is over £3m, you pay the levy; if not, you’re non-levy.
  • Set up funding: levy employers use a digital levy account (with £15k allowance + 10 per cent government top-up); non-levy employers pay 5 per cent, and the government pays 95 per cent.
  • Contact the UEL apprenticeships team: we guide you through the whole process.
  • Do a training needs analysis with us: we identify skills gaps and match you to the right apprenticeship.
  • Recruit or nominate an apprentice and enrol: hire a new apprentice or upskill an existing employee, and we support enrolment.

Learn more about the apprenticeship funding rules on the government website.

Apprentice employer enquiries:

Employers: why hire an apprentice with UEL?

Hiring an apprentice is a practical way to grow talent and build a motivated, skilled workforce. Employers can upskill current staff or recruit new apprentices. 

Apprentices can gain a: 

  • Foundation Degree (Level 4)
  • Bachelor’s Degree (Level 6)
  • Master’s Degree (Level 7) alongside several years of work experience. 

Our recent employer survey shows: 

  • 88 per cent rated UEL apprenticeships as excellent or good
  • 82 per cent said they were kept informed about progress
  • 94 per cent rated UEL staff professionalism/effectiveness as good or excellent
  • 94 per cent found recruiting and enrolling an apprentice at UEL excellent or good

Modular Learning is coming to UEL – empower your workforce

The University of East London is introducing modular learning units, designed to give employers and industry partners a flexible, future-ready approach to workforce development.

Why modular learning matters for employers:

  • Targeted skills development: Upskill or reskill your teams with short, focused modules aligned to industry needs.
  • Flexible delivery: Employees can learn at their own pace without disrupting business operations.
  • Stackable credentials: Modules can build towards full qualifications, supporting career progression and retention.
  • Industry-relevant content: Developed in collaboration with employers to meet emerging skills gaps, including green skills and digital transformation.

This is your opportunity to future-proof your workforce and stay ahead in a rapidly changing economy.

Register your interest today: degreeapprenticeships@uel.ac.uk

2:36

Benefits of an apprenticeship

Hear from employers and students as they discuss the benefits of our apprenticeship scheme.

1:42

Jake McMahon (former apprentice)

"I think degree apprenticeships are amazing. I think they're a great opportunity not only for apprentices, but they're also great for employers and the wider community because they enable us to fill the skills shortages."

Apprenticeship standards

UEL’s apprenticeship scheme focuses on sectors where there are skills shortages. We currently offer the following degree apprenticeships within our Academic Schools.

School of Childhood and Social Care

School of Childhood and Social Care 

Royal Docks School of Business and Law

Royal Docks School of Business and Law

School of Health, Sport and Bioscience

Health, Sport and Bioscience

School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering 

Apprenticeship standards in progress

  • Social worker (Integrated degree)
  • Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Integrated degree)
  • Aerospace Engineer Level 6
  • Dietician Level: 6 (Integrated degree)
  • Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Level 6

All apprenticeship standards have a qualification attached to them and apprentices study with us for 20% of their workday. All apprentices are employed in a full-time job associated with the apprenticeship. A formal assessment is carried out towards the end of the programme of study. This is known as the endpoint assessment.

Accreditation

Our underpinning educational programmes are accredited by leading professional bodies such as:

We work closely with a wide range of organisations including Health Education England (HEE).

Contact us

If you would like to find out more about our degree apprenticeship programmes, please contact the apprenticeship team at degreeapprenticeships@uel.ac.uk.