Degree apprenticeship application help

The application form is the first filter, and at well-known employers it is where many applications end. Three of the most common mistakes are applying late, sending generic answers and ignoring what the job description asks for. This guide shows you how to avoid all three, from the form itself to your CV and cover letter.

Apply early, really early

Advertised closing dates are often not the real deadline. Many large employers close programmes early once they have received enough applications, so a role that says it closes in the new year can be gone well before then. Apply within 24 to 48 hours of a role opening wherever you can.

That only works if you prepare before the season. As a rough guide, finance and professional services programmes tend to open in September and engineering programmes from November. Have your master CV, your core examples and your research notes ready in advance, so each application is a matter of tailoring.

Use a dedicated email address for applications and check it daily. Test invitations can follow quickly, and the links often expire after a few days.

Read the job description like a mark scheme

The job description tells you what the employer is looking for, and the people screening applications are usually checking for evidence of those exact qualities. Before you write anything:

  1. Copy the job description into a document.
  2. Highlight every skill, quality and requirement it mentions.
  3. Next to each one, note a real example from your own experience that shows it.
  4. Use the employer’s own words where they fit naturally, so a reader looking for “problem solving” finds it.

Any requirement without an example is a gap to fill, either with something you have already done but had not thought to mention, or with something you can start now.

What the application form usually asks

Forms vary, but most degree apprenticeship applications include some of the following:

  • Personal details and eligibility, such as your right to work in the UK.
  • Your qualifications: GCSE results and predicted or achieved A level grades, or their equivalents.
  • Your CV, uploaded or typed into the form.
  • Motivation questions, such as why you want this programme and this employer.
  • Competency questions asking for examples of skills like teamwork or problem solving.
  • Sometimes a cover letter.

Check every grade and date carefully. Write long answers in a separate document first, check them against the word limit, then paste them in. Save a copy of everything you submit, because interviewers may ask about it later.

Answering motivation questions

“Why do you want to work for us?” and “Why this programme?” carry a lot of weight because they are hard to fake. The test is simple: if you could swap in a competitor’s name and the answer would still make sense, it is too generic.

A strong motivation answer usually covers three things:

  • Why this type of work: what you have done or explored that made you want it.
  • Why this employer: specific reasons, such as a business area, the way the programme is structured, a project they have worked on or a conversation with someone there.
  • Why you: the skills and experience you bring that match the job description.

Research is what makes this possible. Read the employer’s careers pages and programme details, follow recent news, and attend open days or webinars where you can. Sprout’s firm pages, such as Barclays degree apprenticeships and IBM degree apprenticeships, are a useful starting point for each employer’s typical routes.

Answering competency questions

Competency questions ask for a time you showed a skill. Structure your answer with STAR: the situation, the task, the actions you took and the result. Then add two things: relate what you learned to the role, and finish with a concluding sentence that names the skill.

Make the actions the longest part, with three to five distinct steps you took. Write “I”, not “we”, so the reader can see your own contribution. The same structure works in interviews, which our degree apprenticeship interview guide covers in more detail.

Building a CV that fits each application

Keep a master CV of up to three pages containing everything: qualifications, jobs, work experience, volunteering, projects, positions of responsibility, achievements and skills. For each application, cut it down to two pages, keeping what is most relevant to that job description and dropping the rest.

A clear structure works well:

  • Contact details: your name, phone number, applications email and general location. No photo is needed.
  • A short profile of two or three lines saying what you are aiming for and why.
  • Education, with grades.
  • Experience: jobs, work experience and volunteering, each with a few bullet points that start with a verb and show what you did.
  • Projects and achievements, such as things you have built, organised or won.
  • Skills, kept specific: software, languages, certificates.

Use real numbers where you have them, such as how many people you trained or how much you raised. Keep the formatting simple, because some application systems read your CV automatically.

Writing a cover letter

Not every employer asks for one. When they do, keep it to a single page:

  • Opening: the programme you are applying for and one line on why it appeals to you.
  • Why this employer, with specific reasons.
  • Why you, with one or two short examples linked to the job description.
  • A brief, confident close.

Write a new letter for each employer. Reusing one and forgetting to change the company name is an easy way to be rejected.

Before you press submit

  • Read every answer out loud to catch mistakes and clumsy sentences.
  • Check the employer name, programme name and location are right everywhere.
  • Ask someone you trust to read it through.
  • Check it against the job description one last time.

If you want an expert pair of eyes, a one-to-one coaching session can go through your CV and answers line by line before you submit. For the bigger picture of how applications fit into the whole process, read how to get a degree apprenticeship.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make my degree apprenticeship application stand out?

Apply early, tailor every answer to the job description and give specific reasons for choosing that employer. Back up every claim with a real example from school, work, volunteering or your own projects.

How long should a CV be for a degree apprenticeship?

Two pages is a sensible limit. Keep a longer master CV with everything on it, then cut it to the two pages most relevant to each application.

Do I need a cover letter for a degree apprenticeship?

Only if the employer asks for one. When they do, keep it to one page and write it for that employer specifically.

When should I submit my degree apprenticeship application?

As soon as you can, ideally within 24 to 48 hours of the role opening. Many employers close early once they have enough applications, so the advertised closing date is often not the real deadline.

Can I use the same answers for different employers?

You can reuse your examples, but rewrite your motivation answers for each employer. An answer that would work for any company tells the reader you have not done your research.

Want a coach for the whole season?

With Sprout’s one-to-one coaching, every CV, cover letter and application is reviewed line by line for the specific employer, across a shortlist of 10 to 15 companies. Our coaches are degree apprentices and offer holders at firms like JLR, Morgan Stanley and HSBC. Read about degree apprenticeship coaching, and book a screening call if it sounds useful.

Keep reading

All degree apprenticeship guides