Police Now: Routes

Police Now vs DHEP
vs PCDA

Three ways to become a constable in England and Wales if you are a graduate, or about to be: Police Now's two-year programme, a force's Degree Holder Entry Programme, or (less often for graduates) the three-year degree apprenticeship. This guide compares them point by point from Police Now's pages, read on 19 October 2026 and the College of Policing and Home Office sources behind our route guides, then works through common situations.

Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 19 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated

Short answer: which graduate route should you choose?

If you have a 2:2 or above, want a national cohort, an academy start and a coach and one of Police Now's forces in the next window suits you, Police Now is worth applying for. If you want a particular force, a start date outside Police Now's windows, or have a third-class degree, apply for that force's DHEP through the national process. The PCDA is designed for people without a degree. Pay is the same constable scale on all three and you can apply to Police Now and a force at the same time.

How we compared

The Police Now column is from Police Now's own pages, read on 19 October 2026. The DHEP and PCDA columns come from our checked guides (DHEP, PCDA, PCEP and all routes), which are written from College of Policing, Home Office and legislation sources. This page covers England and Wales. Forces add their own criteria, so check the force's own eligibility page as well.

Police Now vs DHEP vs PCDA: the big comparison

Police Now, DHEP and PCDA compared (Police Now pages read 19 October 2026; College of Policing and Home Office sources)
	Police Now	DHEP	PCDA
Who runs it	Police Now, a charity, with a partner force that appoints and pays you	Your force, with a university partner	Your force, with a university partner (an apprenticeship)
Who it is for	Final-year students, graduates and career changers	People who already hold a degree	People without a degree who want one
Qualification to join	Degree in any subject except professional policing, plus Level 3 (two A levels or equivalent)	Level 6 degree in any subject except the professional policing degree	Level 3 (such as two A levels) or experience the chief officer accepts as equivalent
Degree class	First, 2:1 or 2:2	None set in the national rules; a force can set one	Not applicable
Selection	Online application, immersive assessment, virtual assessment centre; Professionalism in Policing meeting after offer	National application form, national sift, online assessment process, in-person force interview	Same national process as DHEP
Framework assessed	Police Now's ten competencies and four values	College of Policing Competency and Values Framework (CVF)	CVF
Training model	Academy of 8 weeks (Neighbourhood) or 13 (detective routes), mostly residential, national cohort; then in force	Force and university; initial learning in the first 5 to 6 months; tutored patrol within 10 months	Force and university over three years, with the same early milestones
Qualification at the end	Level 6 or level 7 policing qualification, depending on programme	Graduate diploma in professional policing practice (120 credits, level 6)	Degree in professional policing practice
Length and probation	Two-year programme, ending when probation is complete	Two years; two-year probation	Three years; three-year probation
Pay	Force constable scale from day one; Police Now quotes £32,256 to £43,689	National scale: £32,255 at point 1 from 1 September 2026, plus any location allowance	Same as DHEP
Timing	National windows: March 2027 closed; March 2028 opens early 2027; some other intakes (July 2026)	Force by force, whenever a force opens the route	Force by force
Force choice	Only forces with roles in that window (five forces across the four specialisms for March 2027)	Any force that has the route open	Any force that has the route open
Detective options	Detective, Economic Crime and Counter Terrorism specialisms	Detective DHEP, which forces typically offer	Possible as a specialist pathway; a force decision
Support	Performance and Development Coach for two years; syndicate leads at the academy; alumni team after	Force tutor and university; any extra support is set by the force	Force tutor and university
Specials, PCSOs and staff	Can apply; only former attested officers are excluded	Can apply if they meet the degree rule	Their service can count instead of Level 3, at the chief officer's discretion

In one line each: Police Now is one organisation's selective national programme with its own assessment and academy; DHEP is the national graduate route that each force runs itself; the PCDA is the three-year route that gives non-graduates a degree.

Who runs each route

Police Now is a registered charity (number 1168427), founded in 2015, that describes itself as an independent social enterprise supported by the Home Office. It recruits and trains graduates for partner forces. You are appointed and paid by the force, not by Police Now and you stay with that force after the two years. Police Now says it has partnered with 37 of the 43 forces in England and Wales.

DHEP and the PCDA are two of the four constable entry routes the College of Policing sets for England and Wales. Since 1 April 2024 every new constable joins through one of them (Home Office Circular 002/2024). The force recruits you and a university partner delivers the academic learning with the force.

A May 2024 government statistics release describes Police Now's two-year programmes as based on DHEP and records 1,591 recruits (3% of the total) joining through Police Now between November 2019 and March 2023.

Eligibility and degree class

Police Now: a First, 2:1 or 2:2 in any subject (or a non-UK equivalent), held or expected by the start date, plus Level 3 qualifications equivalent to at least two A levels. Professional policing degrees are not eligible. Three years' UK residence and indefinite leave to remain or settled status, with force variations. Anyone who has attested and served as a police officer cannot apply.
DHEP: Annex BA asks for a level 6 degree in any subject other than the policing degree, or an overseas degree UK ENIC considers equivalent. It sets no classification. Forces can add criteria such as a driving licence.
PCDA: Level 3 (such as two A levels), an overseas equivalent, or training or experience the chief officer accepts, which can include service as a special constable, PCSO or police staff. Many forces also ask for Level 2 English and maths.
Common to all: 17 to apply and 18 to be appointed, plus the fitness test, medical, eyesight standard, drugs test and vetting.

The degree class rule is the sharpest difference: a third-class degree rules out Police Now but not, under the national rules, DHEP. For every Police Now rule, see Police Now eligibility.

Selection process

How you are selected on each route
Stage	Police Now	DHEP and PCDA
Application	Police Now's online form, about 30 to 45 minutes, no CV or essay, screened blind	National application form, submitted to the force
Online test	Immersive assessment: untimed, about 45 minutes, scenario-based; Police Now says eligible applicants are invited to complete it within seven days	National sift: situational judgement test and behavioural styles questionnaire
Assessment	Virtual assessment centre, about half a day, with role plays, a written report, an interview and (Neighbourhood) a team exercise	Online assessment process: competency-based interview, written exercise and briefing exercise
Interview	Inside the assessment centre	In-person force interview to the national standard
After the offer	Vetting, medical, fitness, biometrics, substance misuse test, Professionalism in Policing meeting	Fitness, medical, eyesight, drugs test, vetting

Since 17 March 2026, regulation 10(1)(eb) of the Police Regulations 2003 requires constable candidates (other than transferees) to pass the national application form, sift, online assessment process and an in-person force interview. The regulation leaves it to the College of Policing to approve the sift test and set the online exercises and the national standard, so selection run by Police Now may well be approved for this purpose. Police Now's pages describe their own stages and do not mention the regulation and we could not confirm how the two fit together. For more on each Police Now stage, see the application process; for the force process, the assessment process by entry route.

What you are assessed on

Forces assess DHEP and PCDA candidates against the College of Policing's Competency and Values Framework (CVF). Police Now uses its own framework of ten competencies and four values (transparency, integrity, impartiality and public service). Six of its competency names overlap with the CVF; four do not: resilience, cultural awareness, motivational alignment and written communication.

If you apply to both, prepare examples that work for both frameworks, but practise Police Now's motivation questions separately: its interview asks about your link to its mission. See Police Now competencies and values and the CVF explained.

How preparation differs

What to practise for each selection process
Stage	Police Now	DHEP and PCDA
Online test	Read the job description and Police Now's mission, competencies and values; use the practice round; answer as yourself	Situational judgement practice against the CVF; answer the behavioural styles questionnaire honestly
Written work	An incident summary or investigative report inside the assessment centre	The written exercise in the online assessment process
Spoken work	Role-play interactions with reflection, a team meeting (Neighbourhood) and a debrief	A briefing exercise and a competency-based interview
Interview	Motivation, Police Now's mission, how you would handle situations, past experience	CVF-based questions online, then an in-person force interview
After the offer	A 15-minute Professionalism in Policing meeting on three ethical policing principles	No equivalent meeting in the national process

For Police Now: immersive assessment, assessment centre, interview questions and the practice test. For force routes: the national sift, the written exercise and the free mock interview.

Try one out loud. Answer a practice question free and get a scored result in about a minute. No account. Practise in the free police mock interview

Training model

Police Now: you start at the Police Now Academy: 8 weeks for Neighbourhood, 13 for the detective routes (on the specialism pages; the programme page says both seven and twelve weeks and eight to thirteen). It is mostly residential at a conference venue, weekends usually at home, taught by syndicate leads seconded from forces, with a national cohort. You then move into your force for force immersion, in-force training and the rest of the two years.
DHEP: force and university training on a local timetable. The College's 2026 guide sets the same milestones for every route: initial off-the-job learning within the first five to six months, tutored patrol within ten months and full operational competence around two years.
PCDA: the same early milestones, with university study spread over three years, a research project and an end-point assessment before the end of year three.

On every route you are a warranted constable, paid by your force, from day one.

The two years side by side

How the early years run on each route (Police Now programme page; College of Policing guide to joining, April 2026)
	Police Now (Neighbourhood)	Police Now (detective routes)	DHEP and PCDA
Start	Police Now Academy, 8 weeks	Police Now Academy, 13 weeks	Initial off-the-job learning within the first 5 to 6 months
Into force	Force immersion, then in-force training	Force integration; response immersion; independent patrol expected within 10 weeks of joining the force	Tutored patrol within 10 months
Exam	None named	National Investigators' Exam at the end of the academy	NIE only on a detective pathway, timed by the force
Main work	Community impact stage: leading problem-solving in a neighbourhood	Casework and development, mainly in CID	General duties, then a specialism
Later	Leadership development; optional four-week secondment or attachment in year two	Specialist training; PIP2; confirmation as a detective expected by the end	Full operational competence around two years; DHEP ends at two years, PCDA at three

The Police Now columns follow the stage lists on its programme page; the detective details come from its partner page. The DHEP and PCDA column uses the College's milestones for every route.

Specialism and what you do in year two

Police Now: you choose your specialism before you apply. Neighbourhood officers focus on one community, with a community impact stage, leadership development and, in year two, the chance to apply for a four-week external secondment or internal attachment. Detective route officers specialise in investigation from the start.
DHEP: after the first-year assessment you gain specialist experience in one of response, neighbourhoods, intelligence, investigations or roads policing. Which are offered and how they are allocated, is a force decision.
PCDA: the specialism comes in year three, from the same list.

So Police Now fixes your direction at application, while the force routes let you see policing for a year before specialising. Which suits you depends on how sure you are about neighbourhood work or investigation.

Qualification

Police Now: a fully funded level 6 or level 7 policing qualification, depending on the programme, according to the programme page. Police Now's March 2024 release said that detective cohort would receive a Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice from Liverpool John Moores University. The current pages do not name the awarding body.
DHEP: a graduate diploma in professional policing practice, 120 credits at level 6. It is not a second degree.
PCDA: a degree in professional policing practice, through a level 6 apprenticeship of 36 months.

Length and probation

DHEP and the PCEP run for two years with a two-year probation; the PCDA runs for three with a three-year probation (Annex C). Police Now's programme is two years and, on its forces page, ends when you have completed your probation in force. In practice, a graduate on either Police Now or DHEP is looking at two years to the end of probation, unless the chief officer extends it.

Pay: the same scale on every route

Every route pays you as a constable from day one, on your force's scale. A degree does not move you up it. The national starting point is £32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026, rising by annual increments to £52,015 at point 7. Some forces start new constables at point 2.

Location is what changes pay. London forces add London Weighting and London Allowance and the Met starts recruits on pay point 2 (it says more than £43,000), which takes a new Met constable to about £43,688. Some South East forces pay a South East Allowance. Police Now's own range, £32,256 to £43,689, reflects the same location differences. Its March 2027 job descriptions gave £32,256 in North Wales and Northamptonshire and £34,326 in Hampshire and Isle of Wight (2026/27 rates) and £42,210 for Counter Terrorism in the Met (the 2025/26 rate, now about £43,688).

For Police Now figures by force, see Police Now salary; for any force's take-home pay, the police salary calculator.

Timing and intakes

Police Now: national windows. The March 2027 entry has closed. Police Now says applications for the March 2028 start open early next year and you can register interest by region. It has also run intakes outside March, such as the July 2026 cohort for the Met and West Midlands. Police Now says a conditional offer can come in as little as two to three weeks from applying and checks typically take two to four months.
DHEP and PCDA: each force opens and closes its routes separately, often several times a year. How long it takes from applying to starting depends on the force and how quickly vetting clears; there is no national figure.

If you want to start soon and Police Now's next intake is more than a year away, a force route may be quicker. Lay out your dates with the recruitment timeline planner.

Force choice

This is often the deciding factor. Police Now has partnered with many forces since 2015, but each window has roles in a few. For the March 2027 entry the job descriptions listed Neighbourhood in Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Northamptonshire and North Wales; Detective in North Wales; Economic Crime in Dorset; and Counter Terrorism in the Met. You can register interest for a preferred area or anywhere and Police Now says many graduates relocate with its support.

With DHEP or the PCDA you choose the force, provided it has the route open. Compare forces with the force finder.

Detective options

Police Now: three detective specialisms (Detective, Economic Crime, Counter Terrorism). A 13-week academy, the National Investigators' Exam at its end, independent patrol within about 10 weeks in force, then PIP1 and PIP2 with confirmation as a detective expected by the end of two years. Counter Terrorism adds stricter nationality and residency rules and Developed Vetting.
DHEP: the College says forces typically offer a detective DHEP. You must pass the NIE before PIP2 sign-off and when you sit it varies by force, from year one to year two.
PCDA: detective versions are possible as a specialist pathway, but it is a force decision; ask.

On every route the title substantive detective comes only with PIP2 sign-off. See the Police Now detective programme and the NIE on direct entry detective routes.

Support

Police Now gives every participant a dedicated Performance and Development Coach for the two years, alongside a tutor and colleagues in force; syndicate leads (sergeants and inspectors seconded from forces, one per ten recruits) teach at the academy; and an alumni team offers promotion coaching and Fast Track support afterwards. Police Now presents these as the benefits that set its route apart.

On DHEP and the PCDA you have a force tutor during tutored patrol and university support for the academic work. Anything beyond that, such as NIE study support on a detective pathway, is a force decision, so ask the force what it provides.

Costs and commitments

Tuition: none on any route. Police Now's qualification is fully funded; DHEP is funded by the force; the PCDA is funded mainly through the apprenticeship levy via the force.
Living away: Police Now's academy is mostly residential at a conference venue, with accommodation and meals covered and weekends usually at home. Force routes train locally, though study days may be at a university.
Moving: Police Now may place you in a force away from home; it says many graduates relocate with its support. On a force route you choose where to apply.
Leaving early: we found no national rule requiring repayment on DHEP or the PCDA and Police Now's pages say nothing on it. Check your offer and the force's policies.
Shifts: on every route policing is 24/7, with evenings and weekends likely.

Who joins each route

National figures by route are thin. A May 2024 GOV.UK release recorded 1,591 recruits joining through Police Now between November 2019 and March 2023, 3% of all recruits in that period. The Home Office does not publish a national count of DHEP or PCDA joiners that we could find.

Police Now publishes profiles of its own cohorts. For the July 2026 cohort of 124 recruits it said they came from 56 universities, 58% joined from previous careers, 68% identify as female and 25% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. These are Police Now's own figures for one cohort.

Strengths and drawbacks of each route

Drawn from the facts above rather than from anyone's opinion of the routes:

Police Now

For: national cohort; academy start with seconded trainers; a coach for two years; alumni support; fast first stage (as little as two to three weeks to a conditional offer); detective routes with the NIE in the academy.

Against: 2:2 minimum; fixed windows; a few forces per window; specialism fixed at application; mostly residential academy.

DHEP

For: any force that has it open; no national degree class; recruitment through the year; a year in force before specialising; detective DHEP, which forces typically offer.

Against: national sift, online assessment and force interview to pass; no national cohort or dedicated coach; support varies by force.

PCDA

For: a degree in professional policing practice at no cost; open without a degree; special or PCSO service can count.

Against: three years and a three-year probation; designed for non-graduates, so a graduate gains little academically.

Where PCEP, the pre-join degree, Direct Entry Detective and Fast Track fit

PCEP: the two-year route for people without a degree who do not want one. Not designed for graduates. See PCEP explained.
Professional policing degree holder route: for people with the licensed pre-join degree. Neither Police Now nor DHEP accepts that degree. See the pre-join degree explained.
Direct Entry Detective: a common name for a force's detective pathway, usually detective DHEP (or detective PCEP in some forces). It is the force alternative to Police Now's detective routes. See direct entry detective.
Fast Track: the College's Fast Track Constable to Inspector programme is for serving constables, not an entry route. Windows now open every second year, with Cohort 13 expected in May 2028. Police Now's alumni team offers Fast Track coaching. See Fast Track explained.
Direct entry inspector and superintendent: separate programmes in the Police Regulations for senior entry, not graduate constable routes.

Final-year students and overseas degrees

Final-year students. Police Now accepts applications from people who expect a 2:2 or above by the programme start date; its March 2027 job descriptions said all education, including part-time or distance learning, had to be finished by the start. Some forces accept DHEP applications before results, but you must hold the degree before you are appointed and the force may ask for your certificate or transcript. The PCDA does not depend on a degree at all.

Overseas degrees. Police Now accepts a non-UK equivalent of a First, 2:1 or 2:2. For DHEP, Annex BA accepts an overseas qualification that UK ENIC considers equivalent to a UK level 6 degree, so a force may ask for a UK ENIC statement. Residency and status rules apply on every route; see nationality and residency requirements.

Professional policing degrees. Neither Police Now nor DHEP accepts the licensed professional policing degree. Graduates of it use the professional policing degree holder route, where forces can shorten learning the degree already covered.

Which route fits your situation

Common situations and how each route treats them
Your situation	Police Now	DHEP	PCDA
I have a third-class degree	Not eligible (2:2 minimum)	Nationally eligible: Annex BA asks for a level 6 degree and sets no class, but check the force's own criteria	Not barred by Annex BA, but the College directs graduates to DHEP; ask the force
I want a specific force	Only if that force has a role in the window; register interest for that area	Yes, if the force runs DHEP and it is open	Yes, if the force runs the PCDA and it is open
I want to investigate from the start	Detective, Economic Crime or Counter Terrorism specialism: NIE within about three months	Detective DHEP: NIE in year one or two depending on the force	Detective pathway only if the force offers one
I am changing career	Accepted with a 2:2 or above; pay is the constable scale	Accepted with any level 6 degree	Only if you have no degree, or the force agrees
I am a special constable	Can apply; no stated credit for special service	Can apply on your degree	Special service can count instead of Level 3
I have a professional policing degree	Not eligible	Not eligible: use the professional policing degree holder route	Not the route designed for you
I want to work in London	Only if the Met has roles in the window (it had Counter Terrorism roles for March 2027)	Yes, when the Met or City of London Police has the route open	Yes, when the force has it open
I do not drive	The Met needs no licence; other forces need one by a set stage, with a test booked when you apply	Force rule; a force can add a licence requirement	Force rule
I am a final-year student	Yes, if you expect a 2:2 or above by the start date	Some forces accept you before results; ask	Yes, with Level 3, though DHEP is designed for graduates

"I have a 3rd." Police Now is closed to you, because it asks for a 2:2 or above. A force DHEP is the route to look at: the national rules set no class, so check each force's eligibility page for any local rule.

"I want a specific force." Check whether that force has Police Now roles in the next window; if it does not, a Police Now application cannot get you there. Apply to that force's DHEP when it opens and register interest with Police Now for the area in case it joins a later window.

"I want to be a detective from day one." No route makes you a detective on day one, but Police Now's detective routes and detective DHEP both put you on an investigative pathway from the start. Police Now's NIE comes within about three months, after a taught academy; detective DHEP timing depends on the force.

"I'm a career changer." Police Now explicitly welcomes career changers with a 2:2 or above and says 58% of its July 2026 cohort joined from previous careers (its own figure). DHEP is open to any graduate. On all routes you start on constable pay, so check the take-home figure against your outgoings.

"I'm a special." You can apply to Police Now and to a force. Police Now does not say special service gives any credit in its selection. On the PCDA and PCEP, special service can count instead of Level 3 if the chief officer accepts it, which matters only if you do not hold Level 3 or a degree.

"I want to work in London." Police Now's London roles depend on the window: the Met had Counter Terrorism roles for March 2027 and took Neighbourhood and Counter Terrorism recruits in July 2026. If it is the Met or nothing, also watch the Met's own routes. London pay is the same on every route, about £43,688 for a new Met constable with allowances.

"I don't drive." Police Now's FAQ says the Met needs no licence, while other forces want a full licence at application, conditional offer or final offer and some accept automatic licences; if you need one, the test must be booked when you apply. Force routes set their own licence rules. See do you need a driving licence?

"I want to police in Wales." Police Now had Neighbourhood and Detective roles with North Wales Police for March 2027. Its FAQ says North Wales asks for Welsh Level 2 by final offer and Dyfed-Powys for Level 1 within six months of appointment. Welsh forces run their own routes too.

A simple decision flow

Do you hold, or expect, a degree? No: look at the PCDA (if you want a degree) or the PCEP. Yes: go on.
Is it the professional policing degree? Yes: the professional policing degree holder route. No: go on.
Is it a 2:2 or above? No: a force DHEP. Yes: both Police Now and DHEP are open to you; go on.
Must you join a particular force? If that force is not in Police Now's next window: DHEP with that force. If it is, or you are flexible: go on.
When do you want to start? If Police Now's next intake is too far away: a force DHEP that is open now. If it suits: go on.
Remember the order matters. Once you have attested and served as an officer through a force route, you can no longer apply to Police Now.
Do you want a national cohort, an academy start and a dedicated coach? Yes: apply to Police Now (and, if you like, a force at the same time). No: a force DHEP.
Want to investigate from the start? Choose Police Now's Detective, Economic Crime or Counter Terrorism specialism, or a force's detective DHEP.

Check Police Now's rules with the eligibility checker and read is Police Now worth it? for the trade-offs.

Choose this route if

Police Now, if you:

have, or expect, a 2:2 or above in a subject other than professional policing;
are flexible about force, or your force is in the window;
want an academy start with a national cohort and a coach;
know whether you want neighbourhood work or investigation;
can wait for the next intake (March 2028).

DHEP, if you:

hold any level 6 degree, whatever the class (subject to force rules);
want a particular force;
want to start when a force opens, not on a national timetable;
would rather see a year of policing before specialising;
want to investigate through a force's detective DHEP.

PCDA, if you:

do not have a degree and want one;
hold Level 3, or service the chief officer will accept instead;
are happy with three years and a three-year probation.

DHEP next steps: the National Sift explained and DHEP interview questions.

Applying to more than one route

Police Now's FAQ says you can apply to it while applying directly to a force and that if you get offers from both you must choose one. That means two different processes: Police Now's immersive assessment and assessment centre and the national sift, online assessment process and force interview. They test overlapping qualities but use different frameworks, so prepare for each.

The force process has its own rules on reapplying (usually three months after a rejection, under College guidance; see when you can reapply). Police Now publishes no waiting period that we could find.

Myths about the graduate routes

"Police Now pays more." Pay is the force's constable scale on every route.
"Police Now is a fast track to inspector." It is a constable programme. Its alumni team supports promotion and Fast Track applications, but promotion follows the national processes.
"DHEP needs a 2:1." The national rules set no class; a force can, so check.
"Graduates must do the PCDA." The College directs graduates to DHEP.
"Police Now and DHEP use the same tests." Police Now uses its own assessments and framework.
"Police Now lets you pick any force." Only forces with roles in that window.
"DHEP gives you a second degree." It gives a graduate diploma of 120 credits at level 6.
"A detective route makes you a detective straight away." The title comes with PIP2 sign-off.
"You can try a force route and switch to Police Now later." Not after you have attested and served as an officer.

Questions to ask before you choose

Ask Police Now:

Which forces and specialisms have roles in the next window and how many?
Which qualification will I get, at what level and from which institution?
What starting salary will my force pay, including any location allowance?

Ask the force:

When is DHEP (or detective DHEP) next open and do you set a minimum degree class?
Which university delivers the diploma and where are the study days?
On detective DHEP, when would I sit the NIE and what study support is given?
Will I start on pay point 1 or 2?

What you can do this month

For Police Now: register interest for your preferred area so you hear when the March 2028 window opens; check every rule with the eligibility checker; start training for the bleep test (level 5.4).
For a force DHEP: check which forces have the degree holder route open on the national joining the police site and each force's own pages; read the force's eligibility criteria in full.
For both: gather five years of address history and family details for vetting and practise speaking about why you want to police, out loud.

What we could not verify

Whether Police Now is formally a DHEP. Only the 2024 government release describes it as based on DHEP.
How Police Now's selection fits regulation 10(1)(eb) since 17 March 2026.
Police Now's current qualification and awarding body for each specialism.
Which forces Police Now will recruit for in the March 2028 window.
Any force's own minimum degree class for DHEP; we checked the national rules, not all 43 forces.
Comparable outcome data. Police Now publishes its own retention and exam figures; there are no published national equivalents by route that we could find, so the routes cannot be compared on outcomes.
Live force recruitment status, which changes often.

Quick answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Police Now better than DHEP?

Neither is better in general. Police Now offers a national cohort, an academy start and a dedicated coach, but needs a 2:2, has fixed windows and offers roles in a limited set of forces each round. DHEP is run by forces themselves, sets no national degree class and lets you choose any force that has the route open, with the national selection process.

Is Police Now a DHEP?

Police Now describes its own National Graduate Programme rather than calling itself DHEP. A May 2024 government statistics release describes Police Now's two-year programmes as based on the Degree Holder Entry Programme. Police Now has its own selection, academy and qualification arrangements, so treat them as different routes when applying.

Do Police Now officers earn more than DHEP or PCDA officers?

No. On every route you are a constable paid from day one on your force's scale. The national starting point is £32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026, rising to £52,015 at point 7. London forces pay allowances on top and the Met starts recruits on pay point 2, which takes a new Met constable to about £43,688. Police Now's own range is £32,256 to £43,689 depending on location.

Can I do Police Now with a 2:2?

Yes. Police Now accepts a First, 2:1 or 2:2 in any subject other than professional policing, held or expected by the programme start date. A third-class degree does not meet its rule.

Can I join the police with a third-class degree?

Yes, through a force. The Home Office qualification list (Annex BA) asks DHEP applicants for a level 6 degree and sets no classification and a third-class honours degree is a level 6 qualification. A force can add its own criteria, so check its eligibility page. Police Now is not an option, because it needs a 2:2 or above.

Should a graduate apply for the PCDA instead of DHEP?

Usually not. The College of Policing directs degree holders to DHEP, which is two years rather than three. Annex BA does not stop a graduate applying for the PCDA, since a graduate also holds Level 3 qualifications, so it is the force's decision. The PCDA ends with a degree in professional policing practice, which a graduate may not need.

Which route is quickest to start?

It depends on timing. Police Now says a conditional offer can come in as little as two to three weeks and checks typically take two to four months, but starts are tied to intakes (the next published one is March 2028). Force routes open whenever each force recruits and their timing depends on the force and on vetting.

Which route is best if I want to be a detective?

Police Now's Detective, Economic Crime and Counter Terrorism specialisms and a force's detective DHEP all lead to PIP2 through the National Investigators' Exam. Police Now puts the exam at the end of a 13-week academy; detective DHEP schedules it anywhere from year one to year two depending on the force. Neither makes you a substantive detective on day one.

Can I apply to Police Now and a force at the same time?

Yes. Police Now's FAQ says you can apply to it while applying directly to a force, but if you get offers from both you must choose one. The selection processes are different, so you would prepare for both.

Can special constables apply to Police Now?

Yes. Police Now excludes only people who have attested and served as police officers. Current or former specials, PCSOs, cadets and police staff can apply. On the PCDA and PCEP, special constable service can count instead of a Level 3 qualification if the chief officer accepts it.

Can I join Police Now after starting DHEP or the PCDA?

Not once you have attested and served as a police officer: Police Now's eligibility page says anyone who has attested and served as an officer cannot apply. If you are weighing both, decide before you accept a force offer. Being a special constable, PCSO, cadet or member of police staff does not bar you.

Does Police Now use the CVF?

No. Police Now assesses against its own ten competencies and four values. Six of its competency names overlap with the College's Competency and Values Framework, which forces use for DHEP and PCDA selection, but resilience, cultural awareness, motivational alignment and written communication are Police Now's own.

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 19 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.

Police Now: National Graduate Programme : two-year programme; specialisms; academy 8 to 13 weeks; level 6 or 7 qualification; salary ranges; March 2028 start; register interest by area (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: Eligibility : 2:2 or above in any subject except professional policing; Level 3; final-year students; previous service rule (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: How to apply : Police Now's own selection stages and timings (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: Candidate help hub (FAQs) : applying to a force at the same time; career changers; Performance and Development Coach; alumni support; 37 of 43 forces partnered; relocation (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: Forces : programme ends on completing probation in force (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: What we look for : ten competencies and four values (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: Partner with us : syndicate leads; detective milestones; support from coach, tutor and force colleagues (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now: Neighbourhood, Detective and Counter Terrorism job descriptions (March 2027) : forces with roles for March 2027; force salaries (see also the Detective, Counter Terrorism and Economic Crime job descriptions) (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now news: recruits take oath as new Met and West Midlands officers (July 2026) : intake outside March; Police Now's cohort figures: 56 universities, 58% from previous careers, 68% female, 25% Black, Asian and minority ethnic (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Now news: almost 230 trainee detectives attested (March 2024) : LJMU graduate diploma in professional policing practice for that cohort (accessed 19 October 2026)
GOV.UK: Police Uplift Programme, entry routes of officer recruits (16 May 2024) : Police Now programmes based on DHEP; 1,591 recruits (3%) via Police Now, November 2019 to March 2023 (accessed 19 October 2026)
College of Policing: police constable entry routes : DHEP two years, force funded, graduate diploma of 120 credits at level 6; PCDA three years, levy funded (accessed 19 October 2026)
College of Policing: Becoming a police constable, guide to joining (April 2026, PDF) : milestones for every route (initial learning, tutored patrol, full operational competence); detective DHEP and detective PCEP (accessed 19 October 2026)
Home Office Circular 002/2024: Annex BA (qualifications and experience) : level 6 degree other than a policing degree for DHEP; Level 3 or accepted experience for PCDA and PCEP (accessed 19 October 2026)
Home Office Circular 009/2024: Annex C (probation) : two-year probation (DHEP, PCEP); three-year probation (PCDA) (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10 : age and appointment conditions (accessed 19 October 2026)
Police (Amendment) (Recruitment Standards) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/154) : regulation 10(1)(eb): national application form, sift, online assessment process and in-person interview from 17 March 2026; transferee exception only (accessed 19 October 2026)
Skills England: police constable (integrated degree) ST0304 : PCDA apprenticeship standard: level 6, 36 months (accessed 19 October 2026)
College of Policing: PIP programme policy 2023 (PDF) : NIE before PIP2; substantive detective title after PIP2 sign-off (accessed 19 October 2026)
Joining the Police: Ways into policing : national list of entry routes, including Police Now under older names (accessed 19 October 2026)

Related Guides

On this topic elsewhere

Every Entry Route Compared → All four constable routes, rejoining, transfers and specials. DHEP Explained → The degree holder route in full. PCDA Explained → The three-year degree apprenticeship. Police Now Eligibility Checker → See which Police Now rules you meet. Is Police Now Worth It? → An honest look at the trade-offs. Assessment Process by Route → How the national process applies to each route.

Police Now

More in this guide series

Hub Police Now guide Every stage of Police Now, from eligibility to the academy, the two years and what comes after. Pay Police Now salary Starting pay by force, take-home after tax and pension and pay over seven years. Eligibility Police Now eligibility Every eligibility rule, the ones that catch people out and where Police Now's pages disagree. Applying Application process Each stage from the online form to the academy, with realistic timings. Assessment Immersive assessment What the untimed online assessment measures and how to approach it. Assessment Assessment centre Every exercise in the virtual assessment centre, with a two-week plan and original practice. Interview Interview questions Original practice questions on motivation, the mission and situations, with answer plans. Assessment Competencies and values The ten competencies and four values, with what good evidence looks like. Detectives Detective programme The detective routes, the NIE, PIP2 and the extra rules for counter terrorism. Decision Is it worth it? Benefits, drawbacks, what the evidence says and who it suits. Tool Salary calculator Your force, your specialism, your student loan: take-home pay over the programme. Tool Eligibility checker Answer a few questions and see which rules you meet and what to check. Tool Practice test Original scenario questions mapped to Police Now's competencies, with explanations. Applying When applications open Where the window stands, past intakes we can verify and what to do while it is closed. Detectives Counter Terrorism UK nationality, up to ten years' residence, Developed Vetting, SO15 and Met pay. Detectives Economic Crime The fraud and financial crime detective route, from the City of London pilot to Dorset.

Also on PolicePay

More for graduate applicants

Routes DHEP explained The graduate route forces run themselves. Detectives NIE for direct entry detectives When trainee detectives sit the National Investigators' Exam on each route. Tool Mock interview Answer a practice question out loud and get a scored result. Practice Written exercise practice Original written tasks with planning outlines.

Disclaimer

PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Police Now, the College of Policing or any police force. It does not recruit or assess applicants. Police Now sets its own eligibility, selection and programme content and changes them between cohorts: check Police Now's own pages and your invitation before relying on anything here. Practice material on this page is original PolicePay material, not Police Now's. Details are as checked on 19 October 2026.