How to Get Into the Police in the UK: 6 Entry Routes

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-09-12 · Updated 2026-09-12

9 min read

You get into the police by applying to one force, on one of six routes, and you are a paid constable from day one on four of them. Your existing qualification level decides the route, nothing else. The College of Policing states that "To join the police, you need to apply to a local force, who decide which entry routes they offer", and on 12 September 2026 the Home Office site recorded that "28 police forces in England and Wales are currently recruiting." Every requirement below is quoted from the College of Policing, a force's own recruitment page or the National Careers Service, with the CV section that suits that route. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

The six routes, and the qualification each one assumes

Route 1: the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, three years

The College of Policing route page says: "You'll get a fully funded degree in professional policing practice when you complete your three-year initial training programme." It adds that "You will specialise in your final year in either response, neighbourhoods, investigation, intelligence or roads policing."

This is the route for a school leaver with Level 3 qualifications and no money for university.

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Route 2: the Police Constable Entry Programme, two years and no degree study

The baseline qualification for England and Wales is published on the Home Office's own ways in to policing page: "The minimum education requirement for joining the police is a Level 3 Qualification. This is defined as two A-Levels, but there are other qualifications that are equivalent". The same site adds: "We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures and experiences and you don’t need a degree to join."

This is the shortest route for someone without one. The College of Policing states: "The PCEP is a two-year programme. It can be entirely force delivered, with or without leading to a professional policing qualification." It is honest about the trade: "By design, this route does not cover all the advanced specialist experience and development included in the other routes."

Route 3: the Degree Holder Entry Programme, for graduates in any subject

If you hold a degree, this route runs two years and pays for a further qualification: "You will be awarded a Level 6 Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice on completion." The programme is "designed to take advantage of the critical thinking skills you have already developed through previous study".

Your subject does not matter. Evidence of judgement under pressure does, and most graduates have it from work rather than study.

Route 4: the Degree in Professional Policing, studied before you apply

The one route where you pay. The College of Policing explains: "If you'd like to study at university before joining the police, you can take a degree in professional policing. You can apply through the UCAS process and study is self-funded." It also warns what it does not buy: "After completing a two- or three-year course, you'll need to apply to join the police."

Route 5: the special constable, and then the paid seat

The cheapest way to find out whether you want this job. The Home Office site sets the commitment: "You can volunteer as a Special Constable, where you'll undertake the same training as a regular paid Police Constable, while committing to a minimum of four hours a week." It notes the reward later: "Some forces have dedicated entry programmes for people who already volunteer." Nothing on a police application beats duties already performed under the same powers.

Route 6: Police Scotland, where no formal qualifications are required

Scotland runs its own system, and its entry bar is the lowest in the UK. Police Scotland's own recruitment page states: "To apply to become a police officer, you don't need any formal qualifications. What matters most is the relevant skills you might already have." The eligibility list is specific: you must be 18 or over, physically fit, "have lived in the UK for at least three years", hold "a manual driving license" and meet the national eyesight standard.

The pay and the training length are both published: "We offer a competitive starting salary of £34,001. You will receive yearly pay increments over 11 years up to £54,597", and "The overall initial training period has been extended to 18 weeks."

What to put on the CV when you have none

• Use the eligibility list as a checklist. Age, residency, eyesight, driving licence, fitness. Police Scotland publishes all five, and a CV that answers them all removes the recruiter's first reason to stop reading.
• Write incidents, not adjectives. The Home Office page on whether policing suits you asks whether you "Can handle traumatic situations and be able to communicate information sensitively". Name one such situation and what you did.
• Count the written work. Statements drafted, records kept, court appearances. The same page asks whether you "Can give clear and accurate evidence in court".
• Declare shift availability. Every force expects it: "Yes, there will likely be times when you're needed for shifts working evenings and/or weekends."
• Prepare for the national assessment, not the CV alone. The College of Policing lists the exercises as "a competency-based interview (CBI)", a written exercise and a briefing exercise. Rehearse all three.

Write the document with how to make a CV, then build the competency answers using the STAR method with examples and competency based questions. If you are moving across from care or retail, the career change CV handles the translation.

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Frequently asked questions

How to get into?

Apply to one force, on one route, and expect three stages: the national sift, the online assessment process and the force's own fitness, medical and vetting checks. The National Careers Service records police officer pay as £30,000 starter to £48,000 experienced, on 37 to 40 hours a week including shifts.

How do i get into?

Match your qualification level to the route. No degree and Level 3 qualifications means PCDA or PCEP. A degree in any subject means DHEP. No qualifications at all means Police Scotland, which requires none. Then check which of the 28 recruiting forces in England and Wales covers where you can live.

What qualifications do I need to become a police officer?

For England and Wales the minimum is a Level 3 qualification, defined on the Home Office site as two A-Levels or an accepted equivalent. Some forces add their own requirements, so check the force page. Police Scotland requires no formal qualifications at all, only the eligibility criteria.

Do I need a degree to join the police?

No. The Home Office recruitment site states that you do not need a degree to join, and two of the four England and Wales routes assume you have none. The apprenticeship gives you a funded degree while you work, and the PCEP leads to no degree requirement at all.

Do I need a driving licence?

It depends on the force. The Home Office site says whether a licence is "essential or desirable will vary by force", so check before applying. Police Scotland is explicit and requires a manual licence plus DVLA group 2 medical driving standards, because you must drive police vehicles.

Does a criminal record stop me applying?

Not automatically. The Home Office guidance says there is no blanket answer, because the severity and the age of a conviction both matter, and advises speaking to the force before you apply. Police Scotland publishes a separate list of offences that mean an application will be rejected.

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