The short answer
With A levels you can apply for advanced, higher or degree apprenticeships. Degree apprenticeships let you earn a degree with no tuition fees. Many employers ask for around 96 to 112 UCAS points plus GCSE English and maths at grade 4. You're paid at least £8.00 an hour in your first year from April 2026.
Key figures
- Minimum for PwC's consulting programme and Lidl GB's IT degree apprenticeship, among others
- 112 UCAS points
- Source: PwC UK (opens in a new tab)
- Minimum for Kier's civil engineering degree apprenticeship, from 3 A levels including maths or physics
- 96 UCAS points
- Source: Kier (opens in a new tab)
- Minimum hourly pay in your first year if you're 19 or over, from April 2026
- £8.00
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Day-one salary on PwC's Business Management degree apprenticeship in Belfast
- £28,900
- Source: PwC UK (opens in a new tab)
University isn’t the only thing you can do with A levels. Your grades also open up some of the best-paid and most competitive apprenticeships, including ones where you earn a degree without paying tuition fees.
What you can apply for
| Level | Name | Roughly the same as |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Advanced | A levels |
| 4–5 | Higher | A foundation degree or HND |
| 6–7 | Degree | A bachelor’s or master’s degree |
With A levels, most people look at higher and degree apprenticeships, but a Level 3 apprenticeship can still make sense if you’re switching into a new area.
What employers ask for
Some of the employers we’ve researched ask for:
| Employer | Programme | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| PwC | Tax | 96 UCAS points; GCSE English and maths at 4 |
| Lidl GB | IT degree apprenticeship | 112 UCAS points in STEM; GCSE English and maths at 4 |
Our Grade Matcher checks your predicted A level, BTEC or T Level grades against every published requirement on this site.
Read the small print. PwC, for example, says your exams for its Belfast degree apprenticeship must be taken in the same sitting.
Pay at 18 and 19
The legal minimum is the apprentice rate, £8.00 an hour from April 2026, if you’re under 19 or in your first year. If you’re 19 or over and have finished your first year, you’re entitled to the normal minimum wage for your age. In practice, degree apprenticeships at big employers usually pay much more: PwC’s Belfast degree apprenticeship starts at £28,900.
Applying alongside UCAS
Apprenticeships are jobs, so you apply to each employer, not through UCAS (PwC’s Flying Start Accounting degrees are an exception, because they’re university courses rather than apprenticeships). You can apply for both and decide once you have offers. Our guides to how to apply and assessment centres will help.
If your grades weren’t what you hoped
Many employers don’t ask for UCAS points at all, especially for Level 3. See our guide on what to do if you didn’t get the grades.
Sources and review
Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.