The Level 6 Police constable (integrated degree), and the 14 providers delivering it.
Upholding law and order through the detection, prevention and investigation of crime.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Police constables operating under this pathway earn a degree alongside their professional qualification, combining academic study with operational policing. Apprentices learn criminal law, evidence-based policing, investigative practice, and how to exercise warranted police powers lawfully and proportionately. They develop the emotional intelligence and behavioural interpretation skills needed to manage sensitive situations, including vulnerable victim cases, mental health incidents, and complex community matters. Accountability runs throughout: every decision must be justifiable through legal frameworks, including in court.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A police constable apprentice works alongside experienced officers responding to incidents, conducting investigations, gathering and recording evidence, and making legally accountable decisions in real time. This includes interviewing witnesses and suspects, managing scenes, preparing case files for prosecution, and engaging with communities across varied and sometimes challenging environments. Alongside operational duties, apprentices complete degree-level academic work, applying research and evidence-based policing principles directly to what they encounter on shift.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship leads to full police constable status with a degree qualification, giving officers a strong platform for specialist or supervisory roles. Common progression routes include detective constable, response team supervisor, and specialist units covering serious crime, public protection, or counter-terrorism. Some officers move into leadership pathways toward sergeant and beyond. Employers are UK police forces across England and Wales. The degree component can also support later movement into related roles in criminal justice, probation, or public sector leadership, for those who take their careers in that direction.
14 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
The University of Cumbria offers a growing portfolio of higher and degree apprenticeships that blend...
Teesside University is a higher and degree apprenticeship provider offering professional apprentices...
Sheffield Hallam University delivers a substantial portfolio of higher and degree apprenticeships de...
The Open University is the UK’s largest academic institution and delivers higher and degree‑level ap...
The University of Derby is a UK higher and further education institution that works closely with emp...
Northumbria University is a research-intensive university that also acts as a leading provider of hi...
York St John University is a long-established UK university, founded in 1841, with a stated mission ...
The University of Northampton delivers higher and degree apprenticeships that combine university-lev...
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is an innovative UK university offering a wide portfolio of learning ...
The University of South Wales offers a portfolio of apprenticeships designed to upskill staff and su...
The University of Chester offers a structured portfolio of Higher and Degree Apprenticeships designe...
The University of Salford, Manchester delivers a substantial portfolio of higher and degree apprenti...
Leeds Trinity University delivers higher and degree-level apprenticeships that combine paid employme...
Middlesex University offers a substantial portfolio of work-integrated learning and skills developme...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship qualifies you as a warranted Police Constable within a UK territorial police force. That warrant gives you full constabulary powers from day one, so new completers typically work as a Response Officer attending emergency calls, a Neighbourhood Policing Officer working within a defined local area, or an Investigator handling crimes at the initial inquiry stage. The integrated degree element means completers hold a Bachelor's degree alongside operational competence.
Progression paths
Most constables spend several years consolidating operational experience before specialising or seeking promotion. At the three to five year mark, common moves include Detective Constable, Roads Policing Officer, or a specialist unit role in areas such as safeguarding, cybercrime, or public protection. Officers who pursue the leadership track can apply for Sergeant and then Inspector, with Chief Inspector and Superintendent roles representing mid-career senior positions. Deep specialists may progress to roles such as Senior Investigating Officer or Force Intelligence Analyst without taking the management route.
Where these roles sit
All 43 territorial police forces in England and Wales, plus Police Scotland, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and national agencies such as the National Crime Agency recruit at this level. Forces range from large metropolitan services to smaller county forces. Some officers later move into roles with border control, revenue and customs enforcement, or regulatory investigation bodies, where the policing background and degree carry direct relevance.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Assessment is integrated throughout the programme rather than front-loaded or saved entirely for the end. Working as a warranted officer from the outset, the apprentice builds and demonstrates competence across the full range of police knowledge, skills and behaviours in real operational contexts. Before final assessment can take place, a readiness check, commonly called a gateway, confirms the apprentice is prepared. Final assessment then verifies that the officer can perform the role to the required standard, including at degree level. Assessment models across many standards are being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification before making any decisions.
What learners need to prepare
Because this route leads to both occupational competence and a degree, learners face a dual demand: operational performance on the street and academic work at degree level. Building a record of workplace evidence throughout the programme, rather than scrambling to compile it near the end, makes the gateway and final assessment far more manageable. Close, regular contact with both the employer (the police force) and the training provider is essential, since the academic and operational strands need to progress in step. Keeping detailed, honest records of decisions made and actions taken in real incidents provides the strongest foundation.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Providers delivering this standard should sit within, or work in close partnership with, a police force, because without direct operational access there is no realistic pathway to warranted officer status. On FATP profiles, look for achievement rates above 65% (ideally above 75%), given the demanding 36-month programme. Employer satisfaction scores matter here more than in most sectors: the force is both employer and operational partner, so weak satisfaction signals a fractured relationship. Check that tutors hold current or recent policing experience, not just academic credentials, and that the degree element is awarded by an accredited higher education institution.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers who deliver this standard speculatively, without a named force partnership clearly stated. A high volume of registered learners paired with a declining achievement rate deserves scrutiny, because candidate attrition in policing often reflects poor suitability screening at entry. Vague answers about how evidence-based policing is integrated into teaching, or about how legal accountability and use-of-force scenarios are assessed, suggest the academic and occupational elements are not genuinely joined up. Any provider unable to confirm that off-the-job learning aligns with force operational calendars is a practical problem for workforce planning.
Questions to ask before you commit
- Which police force or forces do you currently hold an active delivery partnership with?
- How is the evidence-based policing element assessed, and can you show us examples of that assessment?
- How do tutors and coaches stay current with changes in policing powers, legal frameworks, and the College of Policing's authorised professional practice?
- What is your achievement rate for this standard over the last two completed cohorts?
- How is off-the-job learning structured around shift patterns and operational demand?
- How do you assess candidates' suitability before enrolment, given the warranted officer responsibilities involved?
- Can we speak to a force that has put learners through your programme?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the police constable integrated degree apprenticeship?
Individual forces set their own recruitment criteria, but applicants must meet national eligibility requirements: they must be at least 18 years old, pass vetting, fitness, and medical assessments, and hold the right to work in the UK. Academic entry requirements vary by force and training provider. Some forces ask for existing qualifications at Level 3 or above, but others accept candidates without prior degree-level study, as the apprenticeship leads to a degree on completion.
How much time does the apprenticeship take, and does the apprentice keep working throughout?
Yes, apprentices are employed as warranted police constables from day one and carry out operational duties throughout. The typical duration is 36 months. Apprentices split their time between on-the-job policing and off-the-job learning linked to the degree and occupational standard. The exact split and minimum duration requirements are subject to current government reforms, so check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page at gov.uk before planning.
How is the apprenticeship assessed, and what does the end-point assessment involve?
Before end-point assessment, apprentices must pass through gateway, where the employer, training provider, and apprentice confirm that all occupational competencies and degree-level learning have been achieved. Assessment models for many Level 6 standards are being reviewed as part of Skills England reforms, so the precise assessment components may change. Check the current version of the standard on gov.uk for the up-to-date assessment plan. The apprentice must demonstrate competence across all knowledge, skills, and behaviour requirements before being signed off.
How does an employer fund this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £27,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from apprenticeship funding. Levy-paying employers, typically those with a payroll above £3 million, pay entirely through their Digital Apprenticeship Service account. Smaller forces or organisations co-invest with the government, currently paying 5% of training costs while the government contributes the rest. Employers taking on apprentices aged 16 to 18 may pay nothing, depending on their size. Contact your training provider or visit gov.uk for current co-investment rates.
What does a police constable apprentice actually do day to day?
From the start, apprentices work as warranted constables, meaning they hold full police powers. Day-to-day duties include responding to incidents, managing crime scenes, conducting interviews with victims, witnesses, and suspects, and making autonomous decisions including, where lawful, depriving someone of their liberty. They handle vulnerability and safeguarding cases, support investigations, and engage with communities across complex and diverse settings. All of this runs alongside structured academic study, with apprentices expected to apply evidence-based thinking to their operational practice.
What can a police constable apprentice do after completing the programme?
Graduates hold both a Level 6 degree and full constable status, which provides a foundation for promotion through the rank structure, from sergeant to inspector and beyond. Some officers pursue specialist roles in areas such as criminal investigation, public protection, or serious organised crime. The degree qualification also opens routes to postgraduate study. Forces differ in how they structure progression, so it is worth asking your prospective employer about internal development pathways and promotion timelines during the recruitment process.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 256.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.