Published 4 May 2020
Last updated 5 September 2025 — See all updates
Qualifications accepted as meeting the minimum English and maths
requirements for apprenticeships.
English and maths requirements
in apprenticeships guidance
English qualifications for
apprenticeships
Maths qualifications for
apprenticeships
Details
Apprentices aged 16 to 18 at the start of their training are
required to achieve English and maths qualifications to complete
their apprenticeship, if they do not already hold suitable
equivalent qualifications. Apprentices who do not already hold a
suitable equivalent qualification in either English or maths or
both subjects are funded to achieve up to an approved level 2
qualification in these subjects.
Apprentices aged 19+ at the start of their training can also be
funded to study up to an approved level 2 qualification in
English or maths or both, if they do not already hold suitable
equivalent qualifications and their employer agrees that this
should be part of their training plan.
Further information is set out in the apprenticeship funding
rules.
This guidance sets out which qualifications or evidence are
accepted as a suitable equivalent qualification. The requirements
for English and maths are set out in the apprenticeship funding
rules. Apprentices who already hold suitable equivalent
qualifications are not eligible for this funding under the
apprenticeship funding rules.
