Third wave of £40 million degree apprenticeships funding competition announced by the Office for Students

The Office for Students (OfS) has today confirmed a third wave of investment of £14 million to increase the number of Level 6 degree apprenticeships in England. 

This is the third wave of the OfS’s £40 million degree apprenticeship development fund. The first wave was announced in January 2024 and the second wave in March 2024. This wave of funding will provide support for 146 Level 6 degree apprenticeship programmes at 33 universities and colleges. 

The funding will be used to: 

• Expand provision at those providers already offering Level 6 degree apprenticeships 
• Enable some providers to offer Level 6 degree apprenticeships for the first time 
• Increase the number of students on Level 6 degree apprenticeships 
• Increase equality of opportunity for students into and during Level 6 degree apprenticeships. 

Projects that will receive funding include: 

• A collaborative bid from Middlesex University, Birmingham City University, Oxford Brookes University, University of Hertfordshire, Kingston University, University of Brighton and University of Greenwich has been awarded £3,381,000 to form the Healthcare Education Consortium. This will coordinate and expand healthcare degree apprenticeships to meet the goals in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The funding will increase apprentice starts, reduce duplication, and pool resources to create a coordinated strategy for local, regional, and national apprenticeship provision, working in partnership with NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Boards to meet their needs. The funding will also enable the Consortium to promote the apprenticeships at university open days, in partnership with local NHS organisations, and launch a marketing and outreach campaign to attract a diverse pool of candidates and raise awareness about degree apprenticeships opportunities in the NHS.
• Bournemouth University has been awarded £465,501 to support the development and introduction of five new degree apprenticeship programmes for delivery in September 2025: Accounting Finance Manager, Biomedical Scientist, Digital Marketer, Midwife and Social Worker. The funding will also contribute to delivering academic skills workshops to help learners meet requirements for successful apprenticeship applications, holding afterschool and dinnertime sessions to help young people find and apply for relevant roles. It will provide resources to schools, and offer webinars to parents on the process and how they can support and conduct mock interviews tailored for apprenticeship applicants.
• Nottingham College has been awarded £157,697 to launch two new degree apprenticeship programmes: Product Design and Development Engineer, and Manufacturing Engineer. The funding proposal builds on current provision to create clear progression pathways and a comprehensive skills ladder in engineering. It will also contribute to developing an outreach programme targeting disadvantaged areas of Nottingham, with a focus on engaging young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnic minorities, and women.
• Liverpool Hope University has been awarded £635,418 to support it in becoming a new Department for Education-approved Apprenticeship Training Provider, offering degree apprenticeships across four identified sectors (Teacher; Physiotherapy; Youth and Social Work), targeted to underrepresented groups to increase social mobility across the Liverpool city region and beyond. The funding will allow an Apprenticeships Hub structure to be developed, and an apprenticeships strategy embedded within the university and across the region.

John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the OfS, said: 

‘Since we launched this degree apprenticeships fund last year, I have been continually impressed with the range, scope and ambition of the bids we have received – and this round of bids has been no different. I have been particularly pleased to see how universities and colleges have prioritised recruiting and supporting students from all backgrounds, and the successful bids have all demonstrated real commitment to addressing and removing barriers for students to succeed.

‘Degree apprenticeships are an essential way into higher education for students who may not have followed a traditional route and are also of huge benefit to local and regional communities and economies. By increasing the range and availability of these courses, we hope universities and colleges will inspire and engage people who may not otherwise have gone into higher education.’

Skills Minister, Jacqui Smith said:

‘This government’s mission is to break down barriers to opportunity, which is why we are funding the expansion of Level 6 degree apprenticeships so people who might not otherwise get a university degree have a route into rewarding careers.

‘We will work closely with Skills England and the OfS to ensure these Level 6 apprenticeships provide good value for money and drive economic growth.’

Notes 

1. The OfS received 83 bids from universities and colleges for this funding. The OfS will provide a total of £14 million to fund projects at 33 universities and colleges. Read the full list of higher education providers that will receive wave three funding.
2. Read more about the competitive funding exercise for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
3. Ipsos, working in partnership with the Education Policy Institute (EPI), has been appointed by the Office for Students to deliver a process, impact and value for money evaluation of the funding competition. Interim evaluation reports will be published on our website over the next two years with a final report due to be published in autumn 2026.