Eligibility criteria

You must hold a full manual driving licence at the point of application.

Minimum education requirements vary with the entry routes available and are flexible for the right candidates with relevant work experience.

If you are successful in the selection process, you will receive a conditional offer, and we will start progressing your pre-appointment checks, which include: vetting, references, medical checks, drugs test and a fitness test.

You must be in good health with a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30. Your eyesight must be good and will be tested by distance, near sight and colour vision. You can apply if you wear spectacles or contact lenses.

You must have good fitness levels: you will need to achieve 5.4 on a bleep test.

For more information on pre-appointment checks, please see the applicant help section.

As a police officer, you're working in a position of trust. That's why every potential police officer recruit goes through a thorough vetting stage as part of their application process. This includes disclosing the behaviour of your family and friends to ensure that you aren't vulnerable to extortion or blackmail. The vetting process also measures you against the College of Policing's Code of Ethics, which considers a number of other factors. If you're in doubt about whether you need to disclose something or not, it's best to include it.

Vetting helps identify people who are unsuitable to work in the police service. This includes those who are unsuitable through criminal activity or association, those who have a clear lack of honesty and those who are financially vulnerable.

Where an individual has failed to declare a conviction, caution or outstanding charges the application will be rejected on integrity grounds.

The Chief Constable reserves the right to reject any application.

You'll need to meet our minimum entry requirements and demonstrate a passion and commitment to providing a first-class policing service to our communities.

Applicants should have passes in English (Language or Literature) and Mathematics GCSE (A*-C/9-4) or equivalent Level 2 qualifications (for example O-Levels or CSEs Grade 1). However, good candidates will be considered even if they do not have GCSE mathematics and English.

OR

Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)-recognised functional skills

Some of our entry routes require higher qualifications, such as a degree.

Either Two A Levels (or equivalent) equivalent to 32 or more UCAS points. Further information on UCAS points can be found here.

OR

One year's relevant work experience (see list below)

You will be invited to complete an aptitude test followed by a suitability discussion where an assessment will be made on their ability to meet the academic demands of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. Applicants who pass the suitability discussion criteria will have met the university entry requirements.

You must also meet the eligibility for becoming a police officer and pass the Police SEARCH® Recruit Assessment Centre. See the College of Policing website for more information.

You will be asked to provide evidence of your academic qualifications. If you do not have copies of your GCSE, O Level, CSE or A Level certificates, you can request a certified statement of results.

Apprenticeship applicants need approved Level 2 qualifications in GCSE Maths and English (grade 4 or C or above). Level 3 qualifications points can be accrued through various qualification types which include A Levels, NVQ Level 3 and BTECs. What different qualifications levels mean.

If you don't have A Levels or equivalent at required grades but have relevant experience (as listed below) we will ask you to complete an online assessment and have a further discussion with you.

Relevant experience (one year unless otherwise stated):

• Armed Forces - 4+ years' experience required
• Nursing/care sector
• Social work
• Youth work
• Charity work
• Teaching
• Experience in the justice and law enforcement sectors
• Police staff - particularly custody, public contact/demand hub/enquiry office roles, investigative roles
• PCSO or Special Constable
• Criminal justice sector/CPS/courts
• Border Force
• Prison Service
• Relevant local authority experience which has involved close and sustained working with police
• Experience of emergency services - ambulance, fire
• Experience of cyber/digital and financial fraud/crimes
• Roles which have focused on promotion of equality of opportunity and inclusion

You can find details of police staff roles on our website under 'current vacancies' or please consider joining as a Special Constable (volunteer police officer) where you volunteer a minimum of 16 hours per month.