Apprenticeships are labelled by level, and the level tells you roughly how demanding the qualification is. DfE groups them into three bands, and also publishes the detailed level.
| Band | Levels | Broadly equivalent to |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | Level 2 | 5 GCSE passes at grades 9–4 |
| Advanced | Level 3 | 2 A level passes, or a Level 3 diploma |
| Higher | Levels 4 and 5 | Foundation degree, HNC or HND |
| Higher (also called degree level) | Levels 6 and 7 | Bachelor's or master's degree |
“Higher apprenticeship” is the official term for everything from Level 4 to Level 7. It is not a synonym for degree apprenticeship – see what is a degree apprenticeship?
How many starts are at each level?
Apprenticeship starts by detailed level
England · 2025/26, provisional, August–April
Levels are ordered, so they use a single-hue scale rather than separate colours.
Source: DfE, Apprenticeships, academic year 2025/26, subjects by detailed level, degree flag, STEM, sector subject area and occupational route, dataset 57a21bd2.
Which levels do young people start?
Level is closely tied to age. In the current period, 45% of Level 2 starts were by someone under 19. At Level 5, that figure was 0.6%.
In practice, a 16- or 18-year-old looking for an apprenticeship is looking mostly at Level 2 and Level 3. Higher-level apprenticeships exist and some do recruit young people, but they overwhelmingly recruit adults who are already in work.
One important change at Level 7
From 1 January 2026, government funding for Level 7 apprenticeships was narrowed. It is now generally available only for apprentices aged 16 to 21, plus care leavers aged under 25 at the start of the apprenticeship and apprentices with an Education, Health and Care plan aged under 25 at the start. Anyone who started a Level 7 apprenticeship before 1 January 2026 continues to be funded through to completion. Employers can still fund Level 7 apprenticeships outside the government system.
This matters for reading the data: the change lands part-way through the current August-to-April reporting period, so any movement in Level 7 starts from here on reflects a funding change as well as employer and learner choices. See what changed to Level 7 apprenticeship funding in 2026?
What each level means
Level 2 is broadly GCSE educational level, covering traditional intermediate apprenticeships and the newer foundation apprenticeships. Level 3 is the advanced apprenticeship, at the same broad educational level as A levels, T Levels and other Level 3 qualifications – which does not make it the same as taking A levels, because a Level 3 apprentice is employed and develops competence in a specific occupation while training.
Levels 4 and 5 are higher-education level: GOV.UK gives Level 4 as broadly HNC level and Level 5 as broadly HND or foundation-degree level. Level 6 is degree level and Level 7 is master's level.
At Levels 6 and 7 one distinction matters more than any other: a degree apprenticeship has a degree mandated by the standard; an apprenticeship at the same level does not necessarily contain one. Check the particular standard. See what is a degree apprenticeship? and what is a higher apprenticeship?
The equivalent post-GCSE meanings of Level 2 and Level 3 more generally are covered on our existing guide to Level 2 and Level 3.
Does a higher number always mean a better apprenticeship?
No. The appropriate level depends on the occupation and on where the learner is starting from. A Level 2 apprenticeship that leads directly into the occupation someone wants is far more useful to that person than applying for an unsuitable Level 6 programme because the number is higher.
What higher levels do usually involve is greater complexity, more advanced knowledge, greater occupational responsibility and higher entry expectations.
Do you have to start at Level 2?
No. Learners enter at a level appropriate to the occupation and to their prior knowledge, qualifications and experience. A sixth-form student with suitable Level 3 qualifications might apply directly to a Level 4 or Level 6 apprenticeship; another might begin at Level 2 or Level 3 and progress later. There is no requirement to complete every level in sequence.
How has the level mix changed?
This is one of the biggest changes in English apprenticeships. In 2017/18, starts were split roughly 43% intermediate, 44% advanced and 13% higher.
By 2024/25, Level 2 intermediate starts were 18.6%, Level 3 remained around 41.6%, and Level 4-plus higher apprenticeships had grown to 39.8% of starts. The modern apprenticeship system contains a far larger higher-level component than it did a decade ago.
See the full picture in the data →Two things people get wrong
- A higher level is not automatically better. The right level depends on the occupation and on prior qualifications. A Level 3 apprenticeship in a skilled trade may lead to higher earnings than a Level 4 in another field.
- The level describes the qualification, not the length. Duration is set by the individual standard, and some Level 3 standards run longer than some Level 5 ones.