What are Higher and Degree Apprenticeships?

Degree and Higher Apprenticeships (DA/HA) are collaboratively developed by employers, universities, and professional bodies. These programmes blend practical work experience with part-time university study, allowing apprentices to earn a full Bachelor's or Master's degree as part of their apprenticeship.

Degree and Higher Apprenticeships (DA/HA) comprise two qualifications: an academic qualification, either undergraduate or postgraduate, and an apprenticeship as defined by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).

Throughout the DA/HA apprenticeship, apprentices will gain the technical knowledge, practical experience, and broader skills needed for their current job and future career. This is achieved through a combination of workplace learning, formal off-the-job training, and opportunities to practice new skills in a real work environment.

Northumbria University has once again been recognised as one of the top universities in the UK after being awarded the title of Modern University of the Year 2025 by The Times and The Sunday Times. It marks an impressive and sustained run of national recognition for Northumbria University in recent years. In 2022 Northumbria was crowned Times Higher Education’s University of the Year, the most prestigious accolade in the UK higher education sector.

Northumbria University’s Degree and Higher Apprenticeships are shaped by world-leading research, and created in consultation with students, employers and professional, statutory and regulatory bodies. Integrating theory and practice, Degree and Higher Apprenticeships build upon the University’s innovative approach to work-based learning.

Northumbria University collaborate with organisations to create a workforce development portfolio that aligns with their needs, objectives, and strategy. For larger cohorts, the University can offer closed programs, and tailor the content specifically to the organisation.

Degree and Higher Apprenticeships, funded through apprenticeship levy payments or government funding, are designed to enhance organisational effectiveness by equipping new and existing employees with relevant skills and qualifications.

Organisations invest in talent development and apprenticeships to:

• Address skill gaps within the workforce
• Upskill employees to deal with future challenges and drive productivity gains
• Increase staff motivation and loyalty
• Provide an attractive offer to recruit high calibre talent
• Ensure staff meet regulatory standards and are up to date with sector knowledge
• Enable internal workforce development ahead of costly external recruitment

To apply, apprentice candidates must:

• Be employed for at least 30 hours per week (or have a job offer meeting this requirement) in a role related to the Degree or Higher Apprenticeship they wish to pursue, enabling them to acquire the technical knowledge, practical experience, and broader skills and behaviours aligned with the apprenticeship standard. Employers must be willing to support their candidates for the full duration of the Apprenticeship, as stipulated by Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). You can find more details here.

• Have been UK residents for the past three years.
  
  
• Be existing members of staff or new recruits and there is no age limit. 

• Meet the standard entry requirements of their chosen programme, which vary depending on the course. Full details on Northumbria's entry requirements can be found within entry requirements section on the relevant course page. 

• Hold a minimum of a grade C or 4 at GCSE in English and Mathematics. If an apprenticeship candidate cannot provide evidence of these qualifications or does not hold them, the University will support their achievement through a specified provider.

• Must spend a minimum of 50% of their time working on projects based in England.

As part of the application process, all apprentice candidate applications will undergo an initial skills assessment to evaluate their existing knowledge, skills, and behaviours against those required for occupational competences in the apprenticeship standard and the academic award they are applying for. All learning for an apprenticeship should be new learning. As a result, the length of programme of study may change if eligible for recognition of prior learning or experience.

For those undertaking an apprenticeship at level 4 or above, it is a mandatory requirement to hold or achieve an approved level 2 qualification in both subjects, equivalent to grade C or 4 at GCSE, before you can successfully complete the apprenticeship.  If you cannot evidence or do not hold these qualifications, the University will support you, via a specified provider, to achieve these.

Apprenticeship Levy Payers

Employers based in England with an annual salary bill over £3 million pay 0.5% of the annual bill into an apprenticeship levy account the Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS).

Employers can then access their levy to cover 100% of apprenticeship training and assessment fees over a 24-month period. Organisations who chose not to access all or part of their levy pot on apprenticeships will not be entitled to claim the funds back from the DAS. Organisations who access their levy will also receive a 10% top-up to the levy funds from Government.

Non-Levy Payers

Employers in England with a salary bill of less than £3 million don’t pay a levy, however, are eligible for a least 95% funding towards the cost of apprenticeships.

Employers can also get an extra £1000, if their apprentice is:

Under 22 at the start of their programme.

A care leaver aged 18 -24.

Has a local authority Education, Health and Care Plan.

Employers whose apprentice falls into one of the above categories, and has fewer than 50 employees will receive 100% funding.

A range of sectors offer Degree and Higher Apprenticeships which are bound by a specific Apprenticeship Standard. The Standard sets out the occupation/job role, what the apprentice will do and the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours they will be required to demonstrate in order to complete the apprenticeship.

The Training Plan is a document signed by the University, the Employer, and the apprentice, and sets out how the apprentice will be supported to successfully achieve the intended outcomes of the apprenticeship.   

DfE Apprenticeship funding rules stipulate that the University must retain a signed training plan for every apprentice as it forms part of the apprentice evidence pack needed for the final award.  As it contains a GDPR statement, it is essential to have a copy before the University release any information to the employer about the apprentice’s progress or engagement with the programme.   

The Training Plan is intended to inform the regular progress review meetings which take place between the University Workplace Coach, employer mentor and apprentice. 

It is anticipated that the Training Plan is a ‘live’ document and will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary on agreement with all parties. 

The document has been cross-referenced to the DfE Apprenticeship funding Rules and will be retained within the evidence pack stored alongside the contract and apprenticeship agreement. 

All apprentices must be employed in an appropriate job and be supported by their employer to spend at least 20% of their normal working hours aligned to the apprenticeship (referred to as Off the Job Training). OTJ must deliver new knowledge, skills and behaviours that are directly related to the apprenticeship standard.

Apprenticeships are work-based programmes, and all OTJ must take place within contracted hours.

Apprentices may choose to spend additional time training out of hours, but this is not a requirement of apprenticeships.

To ensure you are making the appropriate progress, regular (every 12 weeks) meetings are held between the you, your work-based mentor, and your university workplace coach to ensure appropriate progress is made, and any required support is available and in place.

The Gateway process sits between the on-programme delivery of the standard and the end- point assessment (EPA). The Gateway is a major milestone and is there to satisfy the requirement that the apprentice, their employer and the University agree that candidates are ready for EPA. Gateway is there to satisfy the requirements of the standard, and each standard will have specific gateway requirements.

Apprentices have a final assessment referred to as an end-point assessment (EPA), which is either part of the University credit structure (integrated) or in addition to the university credits (non-integrated), as prescribed by IfATE.

The EPA allows apprentices to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and behaviours they have developed from their academic and professional learning against the competencies identified in the specific aligned standard. The EPA will be assessed by an independent assessor from the register of end-point assessment organisations. If candidates are successful in their EPA, they will be awarded the apprenticeship. Further details in relation to the EPA can be found here.

Since apprentices are in full-time employment, they do not have student status and are not eligible to apply for student finance.