Graduate Apprenticeships information for applicants

Benefits of a Graduate Apprenticeship

• Earn a full-time wage without any student debt
• Develop your knowledge, skills, and experience to honours degree level
• Put your learning into practice immediately in your workplace
• Solve problems on real projects in the business you are working in
• Gain a degree from a highly respected University
• Receive all the benefits of being a full-time student, including access to award winning staff, resources and facilities
• Graduate with four years of valuable industry experience ahead of graduates who are studying full-time, hopefully leaving you in pole position when applying for a promotion

Course length

All our honours degree Graduate Apprenticeship courses take four years to complete.

Second year entry is available to qualifying applicants, reducing the course length to three years. Please see our entry requirements below for more information.

Entry requirements

Across our courses, we generally require you to have BBBC at Higher (with certain subjects preferred for certain courses).

We do treat every applicant on a case-by-case basis and will take other qualifications (such as HNC, HND, apprenticeships, professional qualifications) into consideration along with any work experience you may have.

Second year entry can also be offered to qualifying applicants, typically who have a HND with BB in the graded units plus certain qualifications.

Tuition fees

Our Graduate Apprenticeship Programme is fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council through SAAS. 

This means that there is no cost to you, and no additional cost to your employer.

Your salary will still be paid by your employer for the duration of your course.  

Any other costs, such as books (optional), equipment (we encourage you to bring a laptop), materials, and travel, will be between you and your employer.

You must be both a resident and working in Scotland at the start of your programme to qualify for funding (please visit the SAAS website for funding requirements).

Please note that your SAAS funding for our Graduate Apprenticeship Programme will not be impacted by any previous non-Graduate Apprenticeship SAAS funding you may have been awarded in the past.  

Student loan

As you will be a paid employee for the duration of your course, you would not be eligible for a student loan.

Employment ends before completing your Graduate Apprenticeship

If your employment ends with your employer (for any reason) before you can complete your Graduate Apprenticeship, you have a couple of options. 

You can complete the year you are undertaking whilst trying to secure a new employer (support will be available to assist you). 

If you secure a new employer, your apprenticeship will then continue with them.

If you are unable to secure a new employer before the start of the next academic year, you have the option to temporarily withdraw from your course, or transfer to a related full-time course within the University. 

Applying for a Graduate Apprenticeship

Current employee

If you are a current employee and would like to apply for one of our Graduate Apprenticeship courses, you will need to seek approval from your employer.

Once you have approval, please contact our Engagement Manager Wayne Paul, who will be delighted to help you. 

If you have any questions or would like to find out if you would be offered a place before speaking to your employer, please feel free to contact Wayne, who will be happy to help.

Wayne can be contacted via email at [email protected]

Seeking employer

If you are interested in applying for a Graduate Apprenticeship, but do not have an employer, please contact our Engagement Manager Wayne Paul.

Wayne will be able to assess if we can offer you a place on our Programme and then assist you in trying to find suitable employment. 

Wayne can be contacted via email at [email protected]