Apprenticeships in Scotland

If you live in Scotland, apprenticeships work a bit differently from what you’ll read on most UK websites, which usually assume you’re in England. Scotland has its own three types of apprenticeship, its own level system and its own official website, Apprenticeships.scot, run by Skills Development Scotland.

The three types

	Foundation Apprenticeship	Modern Apprenticeship	Graduate Apprenticeship
What it is	A subject you take at school	A paid job with training	A paid job plus a university degree
When	S5 or S6 (some pilots earlier)	Once you’re over school-leaving age	Once you’ve left school
Level	SCQF 6 (some at 4/5)	SCQF 4/5 up to 11	SCQF 9 to 11
How long	1 or 2 school years	Usually 1 to 4 years	2 to 5 years
Paid?	No, it’s part of school	Yes	Yes
Number of types	15	Over 100	15

Foundation Apprenticeships

These are a school subject, not a job. You spend part of your week learning about an industry and getting real experience with an employer, and you come out with a qualification. Twelve of the 15 are at SCQF Level 6, the same as a Higher, and you choose them in S5 or S6. Three pilot ones at SCQF Level 4/5 (automotive, construction and hospitality) run in some schools.

Level 6 subjects include business skills, engineering, creative and digital media, food and drink technologies, and software development. To find out what your school offers, ask your guidance teacher or careers adviser.

Modern Apprenticeships

This is what most people mean by an apprenticeship in Scotland: you’re employed, you get paid and you work towards a qualification employers recognise. There are over 100 types, from SCQF Level 4/5 up to Level 11, and every one includes Core Skills. Most take one to four years, depending on the type, the level and what experience you already have.

Modern Apprenticeships are by far the biggest programme. Skills Development Scotland recorded 24,849 starts in the 2025/26 financial year.

Graduate Apprenticeships

Graduate Apprenticeships are Scotland’s version of a degree apprenticeship. You work for an employer and study part-time at university, and you finish with the same degree you’d get on a normal university course, from an Ordinary degree (SCQF 9) up to a Master’s (SCQF 11). There are 15 types, including accounting, construction and the built environment, and data science.

You can apply while you’re still at school, but you must have left before you start, and there’s no upper age limit. The full eligibility rules are on the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) website.

SCQF levels, and why they confuse people

Scotland uses the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). England, Wales and Northern Ireland use a different scale, so the same number doesn’t mean the same thing:

SCQF level	Roughly the same as
4 / 5	National 4 / National 5
6	Higher
9	Ordinary degree
11	Master’s degree

So an “SCQF Level 6” Foundation Apprenticeship is Higher level, while a “Level 6” apprenticeship in England is degree level. Our guide to apprenticeship levels covers the English system if you need to compare.

Pay

Modern and Graduate Apprentices must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices. The rates are set for the whole UK. From 1 April 2026 the apprentice rate is £8.00 an hour if you’re under 19 or in your first year. Your employer should also give you the same facilities and benefits as other staff. Our apprentice pay guide explains when you move onto the full minimum wage.

Employers we’ve researched with Scottish routes

• Balfour Beatty says it runs graduate apprenticeships in Scotland, alongside degree apprenticeships in England.
• KPMG and Deloitte both offer routes to the CA qualification from ICAS, the Scottish accountancy body. KPMG accepts National 5s and Highers in its entry requirements.
• Network Rail lists a separate engineering apprenticeship for Scotland at SCQF Level 7.
• BAE Systems lists advanced apprenticeships such as pipefitter and electrician in Glasgow.
• Rolls-Royce calls its Level 3 route “Advanced / Modern Apprenticeships” and accepts National 5s.

How to find one

Apprenticeships.scot has an official search for Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships, and each one explains how to apply. Big employers often recruit through their own careers websites as well, so check those too. Before you apply, our guides to researching an employer and how to apply will help you put together a strong application.