Degree Apprenticeship Open Days: How They Work and Where to Find Them

Degree apprenticeships are one of the fastest-growing routes into higher education in the UK, and they work fundamentally differently from a traditional university application. The open day equivalent — usually called an employer open day or insight day — works differently too.

If you’re considering a degree apprenticeship alongside or instead of a UCAS application, here’s what to expect, what to ask, and how to find the events that matter.

How a degree apprenticeship is structured

Quick recap of what you’re actually applying for:

• Paid employment from day one with a UK employer — salaries typically £18,000 to £30,000 starting, often higher in finance and tech.
• Around 80% of your time working, 20% studying — usually one day a week at university, or in block release.
• A full degree at the end — the same qualification as a traditional undergraduate, accredited by the partner university.
• No tuition fees for you — the employer and the government cover the cost via the Apprenticeship Levy.
• Three to six years depending on the level and subject.

You’re applying to the employer, not the university. The university is fixed once you have the job. So an open day is run by the employer — at their offices, not on a campus.

Why employer open days are different

A university open day exists to convince you to apply to that university. An employer open day exists to convince good candidates to apply for a small number of competitive roles, and to filter out candidates who aren’t a fit.

Practical differences:

• Smaller scale. Major university open days have thousands of attendees. An employer event typically has 20 to 100, sometimes fewer.
• More selective. Some employers require pre-registration with eligibility checks (predicted grades, geographic eligibility) before letting you book.
• More businesslike. You’re visiting an office or a working site, not a campus. Dress code is usually smart or smart-casual.
• Often interview-adjacent. Some events include informal assessments, networking with current apprentices, or even mini-interviews — usually clearly flagged.
• Year-round. Unlike UCAS open days clustered in June and July, employer events run throughout the year, often aligned to specific recruitment cycles.

When degree apprenticeship recruitment happens

Most large employers run their degree apprenticeship recruitment in autumn of Year 13 — earlier than UCAS, in many cases. A typical timeline:

• September to November (Year 13): Applications open. Most major employers — the Big Four, finance, engineering firms, tech — open applications in this window.
• October to January: First round assessments — online tests, video interviews, situational judgement tests.
• November to March: Assessment centres — typically a full day at the employer’s offices, including group exercises, individual interviews, presentations.
• December to April: Offers made.
• September following year: You start.

This means decisions about degree apprenticeships often need to be made before UCAS offers come in. Many students apply to both routes in parallel — UCAS as a back-up, apprenticeships as the preferred route — and then decide based on what they’re offered.

Types of degree apprenticeship event

A few different formats you’ll come across:

Employer open days / insight days
The closest equivalent to a university open day. Half-day or full-day events at the employer’s offices. Includes presentations from current apprentices, tours of the workplace, Q&A with HR and line managers, and often an introduction to the university partner.

Virtual webinars
Run by most large employers, often monthly during the recruitment cycle. Useful for early research and for understanding the application process. Always recorded — check the employer’s careers page for the back catalogue.

Apprenticeship fairs
Larger events bringing together multiple employers. Often run by careers organisations like Amazing Apprenticeships, UCAS, or specific subject bodies (engineering, accounting, law). Useful for comparing multiple employers in one visit.

University partner open days
Some universities running degree apprenticeship programmes hold their own open events — to introduce prospective applicants to the academic side. These are useful for understanding the study experience, but you still apply through the employer.

School-based insight sessions
Many employers send representatives into schools and colleges for talks aimed at Year 12 and Year 13. Ask your careers team.

What to ask at a degree apprenticeship event

Some questions overlap with university open days; others are specific to the employer route.

About the role

• What does a typical week look like in year one — split between work and study?
• What kind of work do first-year apprentices actually do? Real responsibility, or shadowing?
• What’s the line manager structure for apprentices?
• How is performance reviewed?
• What happens if I’m struggling with the work or the study side?

About the study

• Which university is the partner, and how was that university selected?
• How does the study schedule work — one day a week, block release, online?
• Is study time fully protected, or do I have to fit study around work?
• What support is available if I’m struggling academically?
• Do I get the same degree as full-time students at the university?

About progression

• What proportion of apprentices stay with the employer after completion?
• What roles do apprentices typically move into after the programme?
• Is there a structured career path after the apprenticeship ends?
• What’s the typical salary trajectory in years 1, 2, 3, and 4?

About the experience

• Where are the apprentices based — single office, multiple sites, rotational?
• What’s the social side like — are apprentices integrated with other employees?
• How much travel is expected?
• What’s the holiday allowance, and how does it work alongside study?
• Can I see where I’d actually be working?

About the competition

• How many applications do you typically receive for each apprenticeship place?
• What does a strong applicant look like — grades, experience, personal qualities?
• What’s the most common reason candidates are rejected at assessment centre?

About the practicalities

• Where would I live if I’m offered a place? Are there relocation packages?
• What are the typical hours? Standard working hours, or shift patterns?
• Is the role hybrid, in-office, or fully on-site?
• Are there opportunities for international placements or rotations?

Where to find degree apprenticeship open days

A few of the main sources:

• Government Find an Apprenticeship service (gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship) — the official listing.
• UCAS apprenticeships search — increasingly used by major employers.
• Individual employer careers pages — most large employers run their own pipelines.
• Amazing Apprenticeships — an aggregator that runs major events and lists vacancies.
• GetMyFirstJob — another aggregator with strong employer relationships.
• Sector-specific bodies — for example, the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) runs events for accounting apprenticeships; UCAS+ for technology.

We list degree apprenticeship open days from major employers on FindOpenDays alongside university events — so you can compare both routes in one calendar.

Which sectors have the most degree apprenticeship places?

Currently the strongest sectors for degree apprenticeships are:

• Finance and accounting — the Big Four (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) plus most major banks
• Engineering — defence (BAE, Rolls-Royce, Babcock), automotive (JLR, Ford), aerospace (Airbus)
• Technology — major tech firms (Google, Microsoft, IBM, Capgemini, Accenture)
• Public sector — the Civil Service Fast Track, the NHS, local government
• Law — a smaller but growing area, including solicitor apprenticeships at major City firms
• Construction and surveying — major firms like Mace, Arcadis, Skanska
• Marketing and digital — increasingly available at large agencies and brands

Less established but growing: healthcare (beyond nursing), media and journalism, policing.

Should you apply for a degree apprenticeship instead of UCAS?

A few things to think about:

Apprenticeships make sense if:

• You’re clear about the sector you want to work in
• You’d rather earn while studying than build up student debt
• You prefer applied learning to academic study
• You’re confident about a structured career path early
• You want to skip the traditional university experience

Traditional university makes sense if:

• You’re undecided about your career direction
• You want the full university experience — moving away, halls, broad social life
• You’re considering a profession requiring postgraduate study (medicine, academia, law via the traditional route)
• You want the flexibility to change direction during your degree
• You want a broader academic experience than a single employer can provide

There’s no universal right answer — and applying to both routes is a sensible hedge. The UCAS deadline is 15 January; most apprenticeship deadlines fall between October and March. You can be active on both tracks in parallel.

What about higher and advanced apprenticeships?

A quick distinction:

• Intermediate apprenticeship (Level 2) — equivalent to GCSEs
• Advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) — equivalent to A-Levels, BTECs, T-Levels
• Higher apprenticeship (Level 4–5) — equivalent to a foundation degree or HND
• Degree apprenticeship (Level 6–7) — equivalent to a full bachelor’s or master’s degree

Open days for Level 2, 3, 4, and 5 apprenticeships exist and are valuable — they’re typically run by FE colleges or training providers in partnership with employers. The general advice in this article applies, though the events are usually less formal than for degree apprenticeships at major employers.

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