A guide to degree and standard apprenticeships at the UK’s major defence employers for the 2027 intake, comparing pay, length and application timing across BAE Systems, Babcock, Leonardo, MBDA, Rolls-Royce and Thales UK.
Defence apprenticeships typically pay £15,000 to £26,000 depending on employer, level and age, and most degree apprenticeships run three to four years with the degree fully funded. BAE Systems, Babcock, Leonardo, MBDA, Rolls-Royce and Thales UK between them run dozens of schemes, and most 2027 places open for applications between autumn and winter 2026.
How much do defence apprenticeships pay?
Pay depends more on age and level than almost anywhere else in defence recruitment, since standard apprenticeship wages are often set relative to National Minimum Wage age bands before rising each year of the scheme. A 16 to 17-year-old starting a standard apprenticeship can expect to earn from around £15,000, while a degree apprentice starting at 18 or older typically starts closer to £20,000 to £26,000, with pay rising through the programme.
Which employers run apprenticeships, and how do they compare?
Six employers account for most defence apprenticeship hiring in the UK, and between them they cover site-based engineering trades, degree apprenticeships and business routes.
| Employer | Starting pay | Typical length | Main UK locations | 2027 applications (as of Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAE Systems | £14,500–£26,000, varies by age and site | 3 to 4 years | Barrow-in-Furness, Preston, Samlesbury, Portsmouth and other sites | Next window opens in November |
| Babcock | £15,400–£30,000, varies by level, discipline and location | Typically 3 to 4 years | Plymouth, Rosyth, Bristol, Warrington and more | Not yet open; register interest for 2027 |
| Leonardo | From £21,525 for a degree apprenticeship | 2 to 5 years depending on scheme | Basildon, Bristol, Edinburgh, Luton, Yeovil and more | Not yet advertised; check Leonardo’s apprenticeships page |
| MBDA | £18,000–£18,750 + £3,000 joining bonus | 4 years (degree route) | Stevenage, Bristol, Bolton | Closed for 2026; register interest for 2027 |
| Rolls-Royce Submarines | £20,665–£22,990 | 4 years | Derby (Raynesway) | Applications have typically closed around March; check Rolls-Royce’s careers page |
| Thales UK | Around £20,000–£23,000 (third-party estimate) | Level 2 to postgraduate routes; length varies | 16 UK sites including Crawley, Glasgow and Belfast | Not yet advertised; check Thales’s apprenticeships page |
Pay figures are employer-published starting rates current to August 2026, except Thales’s, which is a Glassdoor-submitted estimate since the employer publishes routes rather than a headline figure. “Rolls-Royce” here refers specifically to Rolls-Royce Submarines in Derby, the defence and nuclear business, not Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, which runs a separate scheme. Confirm against the live advert before applying.
What’s the difference between a standard apprenticeship and a degree apprenticeship?
A standard apprenticeship (Levels 2 to 3) is typically open from age 16 with GCSEs, runs alongside a college-based qualification, and leads to a skilled trade or technician role, engineering fitter, electrical manufacturing and site technician roles are common examples at BAE Systems and Babcock. A degree apprenticeship (Level 6) is typically open from age 18 with A-levels or equivalent, combines full-time paid work with a part-time, employer-funded degree, and usually takes three to six years depending on the subject and employer. Both routes pay a salary throughout and carry no tuition debt; the choice mostly comes down to entry qualifications and whether you want a full degree at the end.
When do 2027 apprenticeship applications open?
Most defence apprenticeships open in the autumn or early winter for the following September’s intake, though the exact window varies more between employers than it does for graduate schemes. As of August 2026, BAE Systems’ next window opens in November, MBDA and Babcock have both closed their 2026 cohorts and are asking candidates to register interest for 2027, and Rolls-Royce Submarines has historically closed applications around March for a September start.
Popular schemes close early once places fill, so registering for alerts directly with each employer is more reliable than working from a fixed calendar.
What clearance and eligibility rules apply?
Most apprenticeships start at BPSS level, and some, particularly at MBDA and on programmes touching export-controlled or nuclear material, ask specifically for British citizenship or dual UK nationality rather than simply UK residency. You don’t need to hold clearance before you apply. As with graduate schemes, the employer sponsors you through vetting once you have an offer.
How do you choose between an apprenticeship and a graduate scheme?
If you’d rather earn from day one, avoid tuition debt and combine study with paid work, an apprenticeship, especially a degree apprenticeship, is usually the stronger fit. If you already have a degree, or would rather finish studying before you start full-time work, a graduate scheme is the more natural route. Both lead to comparable long-term roles and pay once you’re a few years in, and several employers let apprentices move into graduate-equivalent roles on completion. For the graduate route in detail, see our guide to defence graduate schemes.
Where to go next
To see what’s live right now, browse entry-level and apprenticeship roles or explore the companies directory.