How to Become a Police Officer 2026: The Entry Routes Explained
By State6 Prep · Verified against the College of Policing and force guidance.
There is more than one way into policing, and choosing your route is the first thing you do. The good news is simple: you do not need a degree to become a police officer, and on almost every route you are a paid officer from day one.
Every route leads to the same job, with the same pay and powers. What differs is whether you already have a degree, whether you want to earn one, whether you want to be a detective, and which routes your chosen force is running. This guide lays them all out.
Find Your Route Fast
- No degree, and you do not want to study for one? The PCEP is your route.
- No degree, but you would like to earn one as you serve? The PCDA gives you a degree at no tuition cost.
- Already have a degree in any subject? The DHEP or a Police Now programme suit you.
- Want to be a detective from the start? Look at the detective routes below.
The Constable Routes at a Glance
| Route | Degree needed | Length | You qualify with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Police Constable Entry Programme | No degree needed | 2 years | No qualification, work-based training |
| Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship | No degree needed | 3 years | A degree in Professional Policing Practice |
| Degree Holder Entry Programme | Existing degree required (any subject) | 2 years | A graduate diploma in Professional Policing Practice |
| Professional Policing Degree | You study for this degree first | 3 years at university, or a 2-year accelerated version, then a shorter conversion | A degree in Professional Policing, before you apply |
Constable routes
Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP)
Expanding- Degree
- No degree needed
- Length
- 2 years
- You qualify with
- No qualification, work-based training
Best if: You want to become an officer without studying for a degree. This is the main non-degree route and is expanding across forces.
Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA)
Check your force- Degree
- No degree needed
- Length
- 3 years
- You qualify with
- A degree in Professional Policing Practice
Best if: You want to earn a degree while you serve, at no tuition cost, funded through the apprenticeship levy. Redesigned in 2025 to be more practical. Some forces have moved away from it, so check yours.
Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP)
Available now- Degree
- Existing degree required (any subject)
- Length
- 2 years
- You qualify with
- A graduate diploma in Professional Policing Practice
Best if: You already have a degree in any subject and want a shorter, work-based route that recognises it.
Professional Policing Degree (pre-join)
Available now- Degree
- You study for this degree first
- Length
- 3 years at university, or a 2-year accelerated version, then a shorter conversion
- You qualify with
- A degree in Professional Policing, before you apply
Best if: You want to study policing at university first, at your own cost, then apply. You are a student during the degree, not yet a paid officer.
Detective routes
You can train as a detective from the start, without serving as a uniformed officer first.
Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme (Detective DHEP)
Available now- Degree
- Existing degree required (any subject)
- Length
- 2 years
- You qualify with
- A graduate diploma, investigation-focused
Best if: You have a degree and want to train as a detective constable from the start rather than as a uniformed officer.
Police Constable Entry Programme: Detective (PCEP-D)
Check your force- Degree
- No degree needed
- Length
- 3 years
- You qualify with
- No qualification, detective training
Best if: You want to become a detective without a degree, earning a full salary while you train. Some forces call this DCEP or PCEP DC, so check the name your force uses.
Graduate programmes: Police Now
Police Now runs a two-year National Graduate Programme for graduates, with a leadership focus and a dedicated coach, deploying officers into high-need communities. You choose a specialism when you apply. Neighbourhood policing and detective work are the main two, with counter terrorism and economic crime also offered.
Police Now National Graduate Programme (neighbourhood specialism)
Available now- Degree
- 2:2 degree or above
- Length
- 2 years
- You qualify with
- A policing qualification plus leadership development
Best if: You are a graduate who wants a leadership-focused programme with dedicated coaching, deployed to high-need communities.
Police Now National Graduate Programme (detective specialism)
Available now- Degree
- 2:2 degree or above
- Length
- 2 years
- You qualify with
- Detective training via a detective academy
Best if: You are a graduate who wants to fast-track into detective work through Police Now rather than a force programme.
Other Routes, and What Has Changed
Direct Entry Inspector and Superintendent
Currently pausedSchemes for experienced professionals from outside policing to enter at a leadership rank. The College of Policing has paused these national programmes and expects to look at reopening them within about two to three years, subject to force demand. You may still find old force pages mentioning them, but they are not currently open.
Special Constable and rejoiner routes
Available nowVolunteer Special Constables and former officers can convert or rejoin. Volunteering as a Special is also a way to build experience before applying as a regular officer.
IPLDP (the old non-degree route)
ClosedThe Initial Police Learning and Development Programme closed on 1 April 2024 and was replaced by the PCEP. You may still see it mentioned on older websites, but you cannot join through it.
Route chosen? The next step is the same for everyone.
Whichever route you pick, you sit the same College of Policing online assessment and, at most forces, an in-force interview. Our police online assessment guide walks through the whole process, and State6 lets you practise the interview out loud before you sit it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a degree to become a police officer?
No. You can join without a degree through the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP) or the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA), where you earn a degree as you serve at no tuition cost. A degree opens up the shorter Degree Holder Entry Programme and the Police Now routes, but it is not required.
Which entry route is best?
There is no single best route. They all lead to the same job, with the same pay and powers. The right one depends on whether you already have a degree, whether you want to earn one, whether you want to be a detective, and which routes your chosen force is running.
Do all forces offer all routes?
No. Availability varies by force and by recruitment window. Most forces offer more than one route, but which ones, and when they open, differs. Always check the careers pages of the force you want to join.
Is the PCDA being scrapped?
No, but it has changed. The PCDA was redesigned in 2025 to focus more on practical, work-based learning, and some forces have chosen to move away from it in favour of the non-degree PCEP. It is still offered by many forces, so check whether your target force runs it.
Can I join straight as a detective?
Yes. You do not have to serve as a uniformed officer first. The Detective Degree Holder Entry Programme (for graduates), the PCEP-D (no degree needed) and the Police Now National Detective Programme all train you as a detective constable from the start.
Do you get paid during training?
On every route except the pre-join Professional Policing Degree, you are a paid, salaried officer from day one and earn a full constable salary while you train. Only the pre-join degree has you studying first, at your own cost, before you apply.
Based on the College of Policing police constable entry routes, the official Join the Police guidance and Police Now, verified July 2026. Route names, lengths and availability change and vary by force. Always check the careers pages of the force you want to join before you apply. State6 is an independent preparation platform and is not affiliated with the College of Policing or any force.