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Eligibility requirements

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Both new and existing employees can be apprentices. There are academic and eligibility requirements.

Apprentice qualities

An apprenticeship is different to working or studying – it’s a combination of both. This means the apprentice needs to be well-organised, enthusiastic and able to manage their time effectively. A willingness to learn is important as this is a key part of the apprenticeship, not only academic learning but the ability to learn at work too.

Academic requirements

Typically our degree apprenticeships require a minimum of 3 A-levels or other level 3 qualifications as a standard (such as BTEC Diplomas). Other qualifications and experience can be taken into account, applications will be taken on a case by case basis. Each Standard has specific entry requirements – please see the Apprenticeship Standard you’re interested in for specific entry requirements.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for an apprenticeship, the apprentice must satisfy the requirements of the ESFA funding rules. These require that the apprentice must:

  • Be aged 16 or older at the start of the apprenticeship.
  • Not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start your new apprenticeship.
  • Be employed in a full time job (minimum of 30 hours per week) or have a signed contract to start a full time job role, which is relevant to the apprenticeship you’re applying for. Note, most employers wait to issue the signed contract until after the apprentice has applied and been accepted by LSBU.
  • Meet the qualification entry requirements of the apprenticeship standard and be able to provide original qualification certificates at enrolment.
  • Only apply for an apprenticeship unrelated to any qualifications they hold at the same or higher level than the apprenticeship they wish to apply for. The apprenticeship being applied for must be unrelated in subject and content from the qualification already held.
  • Not expect funding for a repeated qualification – the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will not fund apprentices who are repeating the same qualification.
  • Not be asked to contribute financially to the direct cost of your apprenticeship fees or use a student loan to finance any apprenticeship.
  • Over the duration of your apprenticeship, the apprentice must:
  • Have the right to work and study in England and be one of the following:
    • A citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or have the right to abode in the UK and have been resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years on the first day of your apprenticeship.
    • A non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.
  • Spend at least 50% of their working time in England.
  • Follow the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules.

In some cases, employers can sponsor people on apprenticeships who do not meet the ESFA funding criteria – but they will not be able to use the levy funding. If this applies to your situation, our Apprenticeship Team will be able to discuss your options with you.

Apprenticeship application process

We understand the steps to applying for an apprenticeship can be hard to understand, so we have provided a step-by-step guide.

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