The short answer
Yes, you can start an apprenticeship at 16 in every UK nation, once you're old enough to leave school. In England you must stay in education or training until 18, and an apprenticeship counts. You'll be paid at least £8.00 an hour, but some employers, like the BBC and Amazon, only take people aged 18 or over.
Key figures
- Minimum age to start an apprenticeship in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- 16
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Apprentice minimum wage per hour from April 2026 if you're under 19
- £8.00
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Age until which you must stay in education or training in England (an apprenticeship counts)
- 18
- Source: GOV.UK (opens in a new tab)
- Share of apprenticeship starts in England in 2024/25 by people under 19
- 21.2%
- Source: Department for Education (opens in a new tab)
You don’t have to wait until you’re 18, or go to college or sixth form first. You can start an apprenticeship as soon as you’re old enough to leave school. Here’s what you need to know.
When you can start
| Nation | When you can leave school | Starting an apprenticeship |
|---|---|---|
| England | The last Friday in June, if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays | From 16. You must stay in education or training until 18, and an apprenticeship counts |
| Scotland | 31 May if you turn 16 between 1 March and 30 September; the start of the Christmas holidays if you turn 16 between 1 October and the end of February | Once you’re over school-leaving age (Modern Apprenticeships) |
| Wales | The last Friday in June, if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays | From 16 |
| Northern Ireland | After 30 June if you turn 16 during the school year; if you turn 16 between 2 July and 31 August, after 30 June the following year | From 16, once you have a job or an employer willing to take you on |
Our guides to apprenticeships in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland cover each nation in more detail.
What you’ll be paid
As an apprentice under 19, you’re entitled to at least the apprentice minimum wage, which is £8.00 an hour from April 2026. Lots of employers pay more, and once you’re 19 and past your first year you’re entitled to the full minimum wage for your age. Your training time is paid too. Our apprentice pay guide explains it all.
Not every employer takes 16-year-olds
Some big employers set a higher minimum age. Among the employers we’ve researched:
| Takes school leavers at 16 | Wants you to be 18 or over |
|---|---|
| JLR: you can apply before you’re 16 if you’ll be 16 by the start date | BBC: 18 or over |
| Rolls-Royce: its Level 3 route is for people who’ve finished, or are finishing, their GCSEs | Amazon: 18 or over by the start date |
| Sky: customer sales, once you’re above school-leaving age | Sky journalism: 18 or over |
So if you’re 16, look at Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeships first, and check each programme’s age rules before you put time into an application.
English and maths
In England, if you’re 16 to 18 when you start and don’t already have English and maths, you’ll work towards them as part of your apprenticeship. You don’t need to have passed them first. See apprenticeships without GCSEs for more.
When to apply
Start looking in Year 11 (or S4 in Scotland, or Year 12 in Northern Ireland). Big employers often recruit months before a September start, and every employer sets its own dates, so check their official pages and don’t leave it until after your exams.
You’re not alone if you start at 16. In England in 2024/25, 21.2% of apprenticeship starts (74,990 people) were by people under 19.
Getting ready
- Work out what you’re interested in. Browse industries to see what kinds of apprenticeships there are.
- Write a CV. It’s fine if it’s mostly school, hobbies and part-time work. Our CV guide shows you how.
- Practise for interviews. Our interviews guide covers the questions you’ll probably get.
Sources and review
Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.
- Become an apprentice (opens in a new tab)
- Know when you can leave school (opens in a new tab)
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (opens in a new tab)
- Modern Apprenticeships (opens in a new tab)
- Become an apprentice (opens in a new tab)
- Apprenticeships (opens in a new tab)
- Apprenticeships, academic year 2024/25 (opens in a new tab)
- Apprenticeship funding rules August 2024 to July 2025 (version 2) (opens in a new tab)