Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
Our Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) means you can learn as you earn, gaining a (BSc) Hons degree in professional policing practice. The Met covers all qualification fees so there's no cost to you, it's all fully funded.
It’s a three-year programme, which combines learning with policing London's streets. The three years count as your probation. On successful completion, you graduate from both the degree and probation.
The starting salary is £38,269. On successful completion you’ll earn £42,052. All salaries including allowances.
Eligibility criteria
You must meet the eligibility criteria to be a police constable set out in 'Who we are looking for'. You will need a Level 2 qualification in English language at a GCSE grade C or above, or grades 4 to 9, and one of the following:
- Two A Levels at grade E or above in any subject or be working towards these
- Level 3 qualification or be working towards one, including an International Baccalaureate Diploma or NVQ. We will also consider the equivalent overseas qualification
- Training or work experience that’s equal to a Level 3 qualification
- To have served as a Police Community Support Officer, a Special Constable or Designated Detention Officer for 12 months
- To have been a member of the Met’s Volunteer Police Cadets for 24 months
- Service in the Armed Forces. You must have successfully completed the minimum term of service and have an exemplary reference. Service must have been a minimum of two years within the last five years
We will also consider an English Language equivalent overseas qualification in place of the Level 2 qualification.
Training and assessment
Your first week is a three day introduction to the Met with the remainder spent at your university. Our partner universities are:
- Brunel University
- University of West London
- Anglia Ruskin University
You then complete 16 weeks initial learning at your university, covering:
- policing, the law and police powers
- protection, vulnerability and public protection
- policing communities, response policing and investigating crime
- police leadership, coaching and mentoring
- officer safety training
- emergency life support
- safeguarding
- crime investigation and operational policing skills
The next eight weeks you will spend working in a police team, based on a London borough. This will be alongside a dedicated experienced police officer acting as your ‘tutor constable’. This is called Street Duties, and is where you can put into practice what you have been taught.
The remainder of your three years will be spent building on what you have learnt so far. You'll enhance your skills, experience and knowledge through a number of different policing roles, including working on teams that respond to emergency calls from the public, and as officers policing London’s neighbourhoods working with communities.
You’ll return to your university in year two, twice for up to three weeks of learning. In year three you’ll undertake in-depth learning in a core area of policing. You will complete an end point assessment, which includes a 10,000-word dissertation based on research into a policing topic and discussion on your operational competence, including evidence you have collated throughout your training.
Throughout your training you will need to complete operational and academic assessments. Academic assessments include exams, essays and presentations.
Upon successfully completing your three year programme you’ll be a fully qualified police constable and will graduate from your degree.
Application and recruitment process
The following information will help you have the best chance of success with your application. It will tell you what you can expect from our recruitment process at each stage.
It can take around six months for people to complete our recruitment process. At each stage you will be contacted by and receive more information from our recruitment team who are there for you throughout.
If you have any questions or concerns you can:
- call our recruitment team on 01633 632500
- live chat with recruitment team, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Complete and submit an online registration form and your application form. This will cover our academic and personal eligibility criteria. You can access these forms on the 'Apply now' page in this section.
When we get your application we will conduct a basic security check, which takes around seven days.
You will be asked to complete a short, online assessment, called ‘Apollo’. This is a behavioural skills questionnaire that will check if you have the key behaviours and values to join us as a police constable.
We will share more information with you about the online assessment before you sit it. It is made up of three exercises:
- Competency based interview: use examples from your work and personal life to answer a series of questions.
- Written assessment: assuming the role of a police constable, you need to complete an urgent written task.
- Briefing exercise: assuming the role of a police constable, you need to read material and answer questions on what you have read.
Before you complete your online assessment we will let you know what technology you need. You will be invited to talk to us if you need a reasonable adjustment or can’t access the right technology.
You’ll be invited to our Met recruitment centre in south London to take part in an interview, which will include roleplaying as a police constable.
You will also need to complete a medical and our fitness test.
We will share all the information you need to prepare for your 'day two', including advice on how to get ready for our fitness test.
Start preparing now by watching our YouTube video for tips and download the Met's six week training programme.
After you’ve passed your 'day two' we will carry out pre-employment and vetting checks. These checks are to make sure we are recruiting police officers who meet our standards of behaviour and share our values.
We will share all the information you need about when to submit your information, and explain what vetting is and what it means.
We will be in touch to offer you a final and formal offer of employment and talk to you about the best date for you to join your training intake. If you are offered a place you would need to start your training within three months.
We start PCDA intakes every month.