FAQs for apprentices

Who is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip for?

The Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip in partnership with Grant Thornton is aimed at early-career professionals keen to improve themselves, enhance their skills, knowledge and abilities, and become more effective leaders. It is also suitable for individuals seeking a change into management and leadership positions.  

What are the entry requirements for the programme?

We welcome applications from talented candidates from all backgrounds. Candidates are normally high potential, early-career managers with one to five years’ post-qualification experience in any sector.

Candidates normally possess a first- or second-class UK honours degree (or an international equivalent). Alternatively, we will consider a professional qualification (such as CIMA, ACA, ACCA) together with a minimum of five years’ post-qualification work experience.

Other relevant qualifications, together with significant experience, may also be considered.

Professional experience and personal qualities are equally important to us and each application is considered on its individual merit.

English language: full details of how you can meet this requirement can be found under Entry Requirements on the programme webpage.

If I do not have the direct entry qualifications for entry onto the programme, what should I do?

If you can illustrate high levels of achievement, exceptional career progression or evidence of leadership potential in your application, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate these attributes during a virtual interview, either on an online video platform or via telephone.

Why should I choose Cranfield University for my Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip? 

Our unique Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme, delivered in partnership with Grant Thornton combines the best of academic insight and commercial application. We’ll use this to help you develop your leadership and management skills with a specific focus on your strategic leadership capability. 

This programme will allow you to join a community of skilled individuals developing the necessary know-how and confidence to stand out from the crowd. Grant Thornton in the UK is part of a global organisation, the world’s sixth largest accounting and advisory firm with more than 40,000 clients. 

We encourage you to come and experience a world-class university programme delivered by a university famous for innovation, career-enhancing services and world-renowned faculty and a company reputed for the quality of its service and advice.

How long is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme? 

The Cranfield Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip is a 20-month programme.

Is the programme available to those outside of the UK? 

Apprenticeship Levy funding is available to those who spend at least 50% of their working hours in England. If a candidate spends less than 50% of their working hours in England, they will not be eligible for funding.  However, you can access the Cranfield Management and Leadership MSc via a self-funded route.

How is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme being delivered?

The programme is delivered face-to-face at the School of Management at the Bedfordshire campus.

How many students undertake the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip in each intake? 

Each Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip cohort will typically be made up of 50 students from diverse backgrounds and industry sectors.

What’s the time commitment?

Two modules per quarter are delivered over one week, Monday to Friday.

Outside of teaching hours, the expectation is that students will carry out 8-10 hours of individual learning per week. This meets the off-the-job training requirements of an apprenticeship.

How are apprentices supported throughout the programme? 

Students will regularly engage with their Apprenticeship Tutor, who will guide them on implementing their new knowledge in the workplace. Students will have set sessions with them, but they will also assist with queries along the way.

Our dedicated apprenticeship tutors will support both the student and line manager through the apprenticeship programme. During the first 15 months there will be termly meetings between the employer, apprentice and Apprenticeship Tutor (Tripartite meetings) to review and support progress. The tutor will meet regularly with the student to provide guidance and support in the practical application and evidence of the apprenticeship Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours required to be met before the end-point assessment takes place.

The student will also receive additional support from their line manager. We will work with them to ensure they understand the details of the programme and format for learning and the requirements for off-the-job training and monitoring of progress.

Students are supported by:

  • Student and Academic Support Members (SAS)
  • Apprenticeship tutors 
  • Learning team 
  • Module Leader
  • Course Director 

Are there options to catch up on modules where they have been missed for illness or exceptional circumstances? 

If you cannot attend a module due to exceptional circumstances, it is possible to arrange a deferral of the module and take it at the next opportunity, usually with the next cohort. If you are in this situation, you can reach out to the SAS Team ahead of the teaching session, where you will be asked to complete a form and return it together with 3rd party supporting evidence so that a deferral can be arranged.

Can you pause part-way through a programme? 

It is possible to pause part-way through the programme and resume your studies with a later cohort, referred to as a Break in Learning or Suspension of Registration. There are specific requirements and limitations to this, which the Apprenticeships Team and SAS Team can advise you on should you find yourself in a position where you need to request this.

How can I progress onto Part II and complete the Management and Leadership MSc?

On successful completion of all the taught modules and Apprenticeship End Point Assessment (EPA), you can progress onto Part II, the Management and Leadership MSc.

What are the facilities like on campus? 

Cranfield School of Management is located on the Cranfield campus.  All campus amenities – including bars, shops, a post office and sports hall – are within walking distance.  Excellent leisure and shopping facilities can be found in Milton Keynes and the historic town of Bedford, just a short drive away.

Whatever your recreational, social or sporting interests, the wide range of opportunities in and around Cranfield University are sure to offer something for everyone.

Cranfield campus is set in extensive grounds and features: 

  • Private airport.
  • Two hotels with full accommodation, and conference and banqueting facilities.
  • Sports and recreation facilities.

Some teaching and industry events are run from the Grant Thornton Finsbury Square office, located in central London between the City and Shoreditch. Students will be given advanced warning of these weeks to make appropriate travel and accommodation arrangements.

What do I need to know for travel and accommodation? 

Close to Milton Keynes and Bedford, the Cranfield campus is about 10 minutes from the M1 J13 or J14. There is rail and road access to most major airports as well as coach and train stations. Cranfield campus also has its own airport for private executive business travel. 

We are pleased to offer en suite accommodation situated on campus within easy walking distance of lecture rooms and other facilities. The Cranfield Management Development Centre (CMDC) has 186 en suite rooms, with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview TV, complimentary wireless internet facilities, iPod docking station, ironing station and hairdryer.

Application and Dates 

When is the application deadline? 

The application deadline can be found on the programme webpage.

When is the next Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip start date?  

The start date and details of application deadlines can be found on the programme webpage. 

What is the application process for an employee who wants to be sponsored through the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip by their employer?

To begin the application process, your employer sponsor within your organisation will need to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. The full application process is detailed in our Application Process Guide on the programme webpage.  If you would like a member of our Apprenticeships Team to talk through the process with your employer before completing the EOI form please email apprenticeships@cranfield.ac.uk and request a call.

Is there an application fee? 

No, Cranfield School of Management does not require an application fee for the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip.

Will applications be considered if they do not have a degree? 

Applicants who do not have a degree are welcome, provided they can illustrate high levels of achievement, exceptional career progression or evidence of leadership potential. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate these attributes during a virtual interview, either on an online video platform or via telephone.

When do I need to submit certifications and transcripts? 

When completing your application form, we will require you to submit your relevant certification and transcripts to progress your application to the Admissions Board.

What involvement do employers have in the application process? 

The apprenticeship programme is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The Agency ensures that the Apprenticeship Levy funding is only used to pay for training for eligible individuals who require significant amounts of new Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) to be occupationally competent in their current or future role.

Your employer will be required to undertake the following before the start of the apprenticeship programme:

  • An employer assessment providing details about the company, key contacts, and levy funding status;  
  • Identify a Reviewer / Mentor for each successful apprentice who will support them through the apprenticeship programme (usually the line manager).  
  • Contribute to the candidate's initial assessment process, confirming that each candidate meets the eligibility requirements and assists in assessing their levels of prior knowledge and experience.
  • Attend an on-boarding webinar that will outline on-programme employer support, key progression milestones and activities.
  • Sign relevant contracts as laid down by the ESFA;  
  • Connect to Cranfield University through the Apprenticeship Service portal.  

Will I be required to travel to Cranfield for an interview? 

All interviews for a place on the programme will be conducted virtually via an online video platform or via telephone.

When will I hear if my application has been successful?

The application process requires regular communication with us so you will be kept up-to-date on progress throughout. We estimate most applications will take 4 - 8 weeks depending on how quickly your documentation and approval can be turned around.

Fees and Funding

What is the cost of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme?

Our Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip is a 20-month programme for which the tuition fees are fully  funded by the UK Apprenticeship Levy (£14,000). Students choosing to progress into Part II, the Management and Leadership MSc, will be required to pay an additional fee of £5000. This is invoiced to the employer and payable by the employer or employee.

Fee notes

  • All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period.
  • Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged.
  • Eligibility for Home fee status is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle UK or Irish nationals who are ordinarily resident in either the UK or Republic of Ireland pay Home tuition fees. All other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.

When does the additional fee for progression onto the Management and Leadership MSc have to be paid?

The payment of the top up fee for students choosing to progress onto the Management and Leadership MSc will be required as you progress to Part II in the 16th month.

Does Cranfield School of Management offer scholarships for the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme? 

No.

FAQs for employers

Who is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip for?

The Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip in partnership with Grant Thornton is for employers who want to accelerate the development of their early-career professionals, build the organisation’s management and leadership pipeline and strategic leadership capability. The entry requirements are as follows:

  • Minimum of one-year post-qualification work experience.
  • A good degree and/or professional qualification or demonstration of high levels of achievement, exceptional career progression or evidence of leadership potential.
  • English language: full details of how you can meet this requirement can be found under Entry Requirements on the programme webpage..

How long is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme?

The Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip is a 20-month programme.

Is the programme available to those outside of the UK?

Apprenticeship Levy funding is available to those who spend at least 50% of their working hours in England. If a candidate spends less than 50% of their working hours in England, they will not be eligible for funding.

How is the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme being delivered?

The programme is delivered face-to-face at the School of Management at the Cranfield campus.

How many students undertake the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip in each intake?

Each Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip cohort will typically contain 50 students, allowing for diverse networking opportunities with candidates from a range of backgrounds and employment sectors.

What’s the time commitment?

Two modules per quarter are delivered over one week, Monday to Friday.

Outside of teaching hours, the expectation is that students will carry out 8-10 hours of individual learning per week. This meets the off-the-job training requirements of an apprenticeship.

Is there a maximum number of employees that one company can enrol?

If you are likely to nominate more than five people for the programme you should discuss this direct with the Course Director.

Application and Dates

When is the next Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip start date?

The start date and details of application deadlines can be found on the programme webpage. 

When is the application deadline?

The application deadline can be found on the programme webpage.

What is the application process for an employer who wants to sponsor an employee through the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip?

The application process is detailed in our Application Process Guide on the programme webpage.

If you would like a member of our Apprenticeships Team to talk through the process with you before completing the EOI form please email apprenticeships@cranfield.ac.uk and request a call.

Is there an application fee?

No, Cranfield School of Management does not require an application fee for the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip.

Will applications be considered if they do not have a degree?

Applicants who do not have a degree are welcome, provided they can illustrate high levels of achievement, exceptional career progression or evidence of leadership potential. They will have the opportunity to demonstrate these attributes during a virtual interview, either on an online video platform or via telephone.

When do I need to submit certifications and transcripts?

When completing your application form, we will require your employer to submit the relevant certification and transcripts to progress their application to the Admissions Board.

What involvement do employers have in the application process?

The apprenticeship programme is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). The Agency ensures that the Apprenticeship Levy funding is only used to pay for training for eligible individuals who require significant amounts of new Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) to be occupationally competent in their current or future role.

As the employer, you will be required to undertake the following before the start of the apprenticeship programme:

  • An employer assessment providing details about the company, key contacts, and levy funding status;
  • Identify a Reviewer / Mentor for each successful apprentice who will support them through the apprenticeship programme (usually the line manager).
  • Contribute to the candidate's initial assessment process, confirming that each candidate meets the eligibility requirements and assists in assessing their levels of prior knowledge and experience.
  • Attend an on-boarding webinar that will outline on-programme employer support, key progression milestones and activities.
  • Sign relevant contracts as laid down by the ESFA;
  • Connect to Cranfield University through the Apprenticeship Service portal.

Fees and Financing

What is the cost of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip programme?

Our Senior Leader Apprenticeship: Management and Leadership PgDip is a 20-month programme for which the tuition fees are fully funded by the UK Apprenticeship Levy (£14,000). Students choosing to progress onto Part II, the Management and Leadership MSc, will be required to pay an additional fee of £5000. This is invoiced to the employer and payable by the employer or employee.

Fee notes

  • All students pay the tuition fee set by the University for the full duration of their registration period.
  • Additional fees for extensions to the agreed registration period may be charged.
  • Eligibility for Home fee status is determined with reference to UK Government regulations. As a guiding principle UK or Irish nationals who are ordinarily resident in either the UK or Republic of Ireland pay Home tuition fees. All other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.

When does the additional fee for progression onto the Management and Leadership MSc have to be paid?

The payment of the top up fee for students choosing to progress onto the Management and Leadership MSc will be required as they progress to Part II in the 16th month.