Eligibility requirements

At the time of application, candidates must:

• achieved, or are due to graduate in the year you are applying, with a Bachelor's Degree or higher
• be a British citizen or a citizen of a country that is a member of the European Economic Area, or Switzerland. Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals who are resident in the UK and free from restrictions are also eligible to apply. After 30 June 2021, nationals of the EEA or Switzerland will also need to provide evidence that their stay is free from restrictions
• have resided in the UK for three consecutive years immediately prior to application
• possess a full UK manual driving licence
• not have applied to become a police constable and been unsuccessful at any stage of the Police National Assessment process in the last three months with any force
• be physically fit, meet the police recruitment medical standards and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 18-30, although if your BMI falls outside of this range, this may not preclude you
• meet the police eyesight standards
• not have tattoos on your face or the front of your neck, or any which could cause offence to members of the public or colleagues. Other visible tattoos such as on the back of the neck, forearms and hands, will be permissible as long as they are deemed to be appropriate and inoffensive, maintaining a professional image. These will be assessed on a case by case basis
• ideally not have a criminal record. Any previous criminal convictions or cautions (including those spent), fixed penalty notices, traffic offences or any involvement with the police must be declared

You will need to attach copies of all relevant certificates to your application.

If you have a non-policing related degree, you can apply via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship route and complete the three year programme instead, although you will still need to have the required Level 2 qualifications.