Degree Holder
Entry Programme (DHEP)
The graduate route into policing: who qualifies, what the two years involve, how detective DHEP and Police Now fit in, what it pays and which forces are recruiting. Written from the College of Policing and Home Office sources, with the gaps marked.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
DHEP, the Degree Holder Entry Programme, is the two-year route into policing for people who already have a degree in any subject (except the professional policing degree). You are a paid police constable from day one (£32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026), the force funds the learning, and you finish with a level 6 graduate diploma in professional policing practice. Each force decides when it recruits.
What the degree holder entry programme is
DHEP is one of the four constable entry routes the College of Policing sets for England and Wales, alongside the police constable degree apprenticeship (PCDA), the police constable entry programme (PCEP) and the professional policing degree holder route. Since 1 April 2024 every new constable joins through one of them (Home Office Circular 002/2024).
The College describes DHEP as a two-year programme for existing degree holders, designed to build on the critical thinking skills developed through previous study. You are recruited, attested and paid as a police constable from day one; the learning runs alongside operational work, with off-the-job learning and assessment provided by your force together with a university.
What DHEP is not: it is not a second degree, it is not the Police Now programme (though Police Now recruits graduates too), and it is not a fast track to rank. Everyone who completes it is a constable, on the same constable pay scale as every other route.
The eligibility reality check walks through the national criteria (age, residency, nationality, convictions and qualifications) before you spend time on an application.
Who qualifies for DHEP
The qualification rule comes from the Home Office list in Annex BA, made under regulation 10(1)(ea) of the Police Regulations 2003. For the degree holder entry route it lists a level 6 degree "other than a degree in policing qualification", or an overseas qualification that UK ENIC (the UK National Recognition Information Centre) considers equivalent to a UK level 6 degree.
| Your degree | Route the rules point you to | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A UK bachelor's degree (level 6) in any subject other than professional policing | Degree holder entry programme (DHEP) | Annex BA paragraph (h) |
| An overseas degree that UK ENIC considers equivalent to a UK level 6 degree | DHEP | Annex BA paragraph (i) |
| A licensed degree in professional policing (the pre-join degree) | Professional policing degree holder route, not DHEP | Annex BA paragraph (g); College entry routes page |
| A foundation degree, HND or diploma below level 6 | PCDA or PCEP (level 3 or equivalent), not DHEP | Annex BA paragraphs (a) to (f) |
| A degree you expect to finish before the start date | Ask the force: some accept applications before results; Police Now explicitly does | Force criteria; Police Now eligibility page |
The rest of the eligibility is the same as for any constable: aged 17 to apply and 18 to be appointed; indefinite leave to remain if you are not a UK or EEA national; the national application form, sift, online assessment and force interview; the fitness test, medical, eyesight standard, drugs test and vetting (regulation 10). Forces can add local criteria, such as a driving licence, so read the force's eligibility page in full.
What the two years involve
| Feature | What the College of Policing says |
|---|---|
| Length | Two years |
| Funding | Fully funded by the police force |
| Qualification | Graduate diploma in professional policing practice: 120 academic credits at level 6 |
| Academic level | Delivered and assessed at level 6 throughout |
| What is left out | Some elements of the national curriculum, such as research and study skills, because they are generic to degree-level study |
| Specialism | One of response, neighbourhoods, intelligence, investigations or roads policing, following the first-year assessment |
| Who delivers it | Off-the-job learning and assessment provided by the force with a higher education institution |
| Probation | Two years (Annex C) |
The College of Policing's 2026 guide to joining sets out 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 in. On DHEP that two-year point is also the end of the programme and of probation, so the pace is quicker than the three-year PCDA.
| Stage | Typical timing on DHEP | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Application to start date | Varies by force and how quickly vetting and medical checks clear; no national figure | Force recruitment pages |
| Initial off-the-job learning | Within the first 5 to 6 months | College of Policing guide to joining (April 2026) |
| Tutored patrol | Within 10 months | College guide (April 2026) |
| First-year assessment, then specialism | End of year 1; specialist experience in year 2 | College joining-as-a-new-PC page; College guide |
| Full operational competence | Around 2 years | College guide (April 2026) |
| End of probation and graduate diploma | 2 years, or longer if the chief officer extends probation | Annex C; joiningthepolice.co.uk DHEP page |
In the final year you gain specialist experience in one of response, neighbourhoods, intelligence, investigations or roads policing. Which specialisms a force offers, and how it allocates them, is a force decision.
Probation is two years for a full-time DHEP constable under Annex C, pro rata for part-time officers, and the chief officer can extend it. During probation regulation 13 lets the force dispense with a constable who is not likely to become an efficient or well-conducted officer, so both the academic and the operational standard count.
Detective DHEP: joining straight into investigation
The College of Policing says all entry routes can be adapted to specialist pathways, and that forces typically offer two detective pathways: a detective degree holder entry programme for graduates, and a detective police constable entry programme that usually needs no degree. Both involve a two-year probation and further learning after the programme.
On a detective pathway you are still a warranted constable. To become a qualified detective you work towards PIP 2, the College's accreditation for serious and complex investigations. Under the College's PIP policy:
- you must pass the National Investigators' Exam (NIE) before completing the PIP 2 programme;
- an NIE pass is valid for three years;
- you complete a workplace assessment portfolio as a trainee investigator;
- only those signed off at PIP 2 can use the title "substantive detective" or the police staff equivalent.
The NIE is the big hurdle on this route. See our guide to the NIE on direct entry detective routes, the National Investigators' Exam hub, and the free NIE mini mock.
The College publishes NIE dates each year; the remaining 2026 sitting is on 17 November 2026. See our PIP1 vs PIP2 guide and detective entry guide for more.
Police Now and DHEP: how they relate
Police Now is an independent charity that recruits graduates for some forces through its own two-year national graduate programme, with neighbourhood and detective specialisms. Its site describes an eight to thirteen week training academy, partly residential, before you join your force, and a performance and development coach throughout.
Its eligibility page asks for a first, 2:1 or 2:2 degree (or expected by the start date), level 3 qualifications equivalent to at least two A levels, and three years' continuous UK residence, and says degrees in professional policing are not eligible. When we read it on 1 October 2026 it said Police Now was accepting applications in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service only, and invited people to register interest for a later intake. That changes, so check Police Now directly.
The difference that matters: DHEP is a national route that forces run themselves, and the Home Office list does not set a degree class for it. Police Now is one organisation's programme with its own criteria and selection.
DHEP pay
DHEP constables are paid on the national constable scale from day one: £32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026, rising by annual increments to £52,015 at point 7. A degree does not put you higher on the scale. Some forces start new constables at pay point 2, and London and some South East forces pay allowances on top, which take a new Met constable to £42,334.
On the national scale a new constable takes home roughly £1,952 a month after tax, National Insurance and the 12.88% police pension contribution. Your figure depends on your tax code and whether you repay a student loan, which most graduates do.
The free police salary calculator shows monthly take-home by force and pay point. If you are weighing up forces, the force finder compares pay, allowances and region.
DHEP vs PCDA vs PCEP
| DHEP | PCDA | PCEP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualification to join | Level 6 degree in any subject except professional policing | Level 3 or equivalent experience | Level 3 or equivalent experience |
| Length | 2 years | 3 years | 2 years |
| Probation | 2 years | 3 years | 2 years |
| What you finish with | Graduate diploma in professional policing practice | Degree in professional policing practice | No degree; optional level 5 qualification if the force adds one |
| Paid as a constable from day one | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Detective version | Detective DHEP (common) | Possible as a specialist pathway | Detective PCEP in some forces |
If your degree is the licensed professional policing degree, your route is the professional policing degree holder route, covered in our pre-join degree guide. On 1 October 2026 the national site listed 10 forces recruiting through it. For the non-degree routes see the PCDA guide and the PCEP guide, or every route compared.
Which forces are recruiting through DHEP?
On 1 October 2026 the national joining the police website listed 9 forces as recruiting through the degree holder route: Gloucestershire Constabulary, Hampshire Constabulary, Kent Police, Metropolitan Police, Norfolk Constabulary, Northumbria Police, South Wales Police, Suffolk Constabulary, West Midlands Police.
It listed 10 forces as recruiting through detective entry: Cumbria Constabulary, Essex Police, Greater Manchester Police, Hampshire Constabulary, Kent Police, Leicestershire Police, Metropolitan Police, Northumbria Police, Suffolk Constabulary, West Midlands Police.
These are dated readings; forces open and close routes often. Check the live degree holder list, the live detective entry list and the force's own site. Our DHEP jobs page shows starting pay by force.
How to apply for DHEP
- Pick a force that has DHEP (or detective DHEP) open. You apply to the force.
- Check your degree fits Annex BA and have your certificate or, for an overseas degree, a UK ENIC statement ready if the force asks.
- National application form, answered honestly and completely; vetting checks what you declare.
- National sift: a situational judgement test and a behavioural styles questionnaire. See the national sift guide.
- Online assessment process: competency-based interview, written exercise and briefing exercise. Try the free OAC readiness check, and see the assessment process by entry route.
- Force interview. Practise with the free mock interview and our DHEP interview guide.
- Fitness, medical, drugs test and vetting. The fitness pass predictor and vetting stage checker are free.
Final-year students often apply months before graduating. The free recruitment timeline planner lays out each stage so you can see whether a start date fits around your results.
What to ask the force before you apply
| Ask | Who | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Is DHEP (or detective DHEP) open, and when is the next intake? | Force recruitment team | Routes open at different times |
| Do you set a minimum degree class or subject? | Force recruitment team | The national list does not; a force or programme can |
| Can I apply before my results, and what proof will you need? | Force recruitment team | Final-year applicants need to know the cut-off |
| For an overseas degree, do you need a UK ENIC statement? | Force recruitment team | Annex BA relies on UK ENIC equivalence |
| Which university delivers the diploma, and where are study days? | Force recruitment team | Delivery partners vary by force |
| Which specialisms are available in year 2, and how are they allocated? | Force training team | Specialism choice is a force decision |
| Will I start on pay point 1 or 2, and which allowances apply? | Force HR | Some forces start new constables at point 2 |
| On detective DHEP, when will I sit the NIE and what support is given? | Force detective training team | The NIE pass is valid for three years and study support is a force decision |
Keep the answers. If you are offered a place, your offer letter and joining instructions should confirm the route, start date, pay point and any conditions, such as producing your degree certificate before appointment.
What people get wrong about DHEP
- "You need a criminology or policing degree." No. Any level 6 subject qualifies, and a professional policing degree actually puts you on a different route.
- "DHEP gives you a second degree." It gives a graduate diploma: 120 credits at level 6.
- "Graduates start on higher pay." No. Everyone starts on the constable scale; a degree does not move you up it.
- "DHEP and Police Now are the same thing." Police Now is a separate programme with its own criteria, including a 2:2 minimum.
- "On detective DHEP you are a detective from day one." You are a trainee on a detective pathway. The title substantive detective comes with PIP 2 sign-off, after passing the NIE.
- "You need a 2:1." The Home Office list sets no class for DHEP. A force or programme may set one, so check.
What we could not verify
- How many officers join through DHEP. The Home Office does not split joiner figures by entry route, and we found no official national count.
- Whether any force sets a minimum degree class for its own DHEP. We checked the national rules and Police Now, not all 43 forces.
- Police Now's qualification and pay detail. We read Police Now's programme and eligibility pages but not its terms for each partner force.
- Exact assignments and study days. These are set by each force's university partner.
- Live recruitment status. The force lists are dated readings of the national site, not a live feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DHEP in the police?
DHEP is the Degree Holder Entry Programme, the two-year route to becoming a police constable for people who already have a degree in any subject. You are paid as a constable from day one, the force funds the learning, and you finish with a graduate diploma in professional policing practice (120 credits at level 6).
Does my degree have to be in policing or criminology for DHEP?
No. Annex BA accepts a level 6 degree in any subject. The one exception is the licensed professional policing degree: graduates of that degree use the professional policing degree holder route instead, because their degree already covers much of the curriculum.
What degree classification do I need for DHEP?
The Home Office qualification list (Annex BA) asks for a level 6 degree and does not set a classification. Individual programmes can: Police Now's graduate programme, for example, asks for a 2:2 or above. Check the force or programme you are applying to.
How long is DHEP?
Two years, with a two-year probation (Annex C to the Police Regulations 2003). The College of Policing's 2026 guide describes it as a condensed programme covering all training content in two years, with specialist experience in the final year.
How much do you get paid on DHEP?
The same as any new constable: £32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026, rising each year to £52,015 at point 7. London forces add allowances, which take a new Met constable to £42,334, and some South East forces add a South East Allowance.
Is DHEP a degree?
No. You already hold a degree; DHEP leads to a graduate diploma in professional policing practice, 120 credits at level 6. The PCDA is the route that awards a degree.
Can graduates join through the PCEP or PCDA instead of DHEP?
The College of Policing directs degree holders to DHEP. Annex BA does not bar a graduate from the PCEP or PCDA, since a graduate also holds level 3 qualifications, so whether a force would place a graduate on those routes is the force's decision. Ask the force before applying.
What is detective DHEP?
A detective version of the degree holder entry programme, which the College of Policing says forces typically offer to degree holders. You join as a constable on a detective pathway, must pass the National Investigators' Exam, and can use the title substantive detective only once signed off as a PIP 2 investigator.
Is Police Now the same as DHEP?
No. Police Now is a charity that runs a two-year national graduate programme in partnership with some forces, with a residential academy and its own selection. DHEP is the national entry route that forces run themselves. Police Now's eligibility page asks for a 2:2 degree or above; DHEP itself does not set a class.
Which forces are recruiting for DHEP?
On 1 October 2026 the national joining the police website listed 9 forces recruiting through the degree holder route: Gloucestershire Constabulary, Hampshire Constabulary, Kent Police, Metropolitan Police, Norfolk Constabulary, Northumbria Police, South Wales Police, Suffolk Constabulary, West Midlands Police. Detective entry was listed at 10 forces. Check each force's site for dates.
Can I apply for DHEP before I graduate?
Some forces and programmes accept applications from final-year students who will hold the degree by the start date; Police Now says so explicitly. You must hold the degree before you are appointed. Check the force's criteria and whether it needs your certificate or transcript.
Does DHEP include a dissertation?
The College of Policing says DHEP leaves out some curriculum elements, such as research and study skills, because they are generic to degree-level study. Assessment is at level 6 throughout. The exact assignments are set by the force's university partner, so ask what assessments to expect.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 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.
- College of Policing: police constable entry routes (updated 5 November 2024) — two years, force-funded, graduate diploma of 120 credits at level 6, elements removed, two-year probation (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: joining the police as a new police constable — specialism after first-year assessment; delivered with a higher education institution (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Becoming a police constable, guide to joining (April 2026, PDF) — condensed two-year programme; detective DHEP and detective PCEP; entry requirements by route (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 002/2024: Annex BA (amendments) — level 6 degree other than a policing degree; UK ENIC equivalence for overseas degrees (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 009/2024: Annex C (probation) — two-year probation for constables other than PCDA (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10 (latest version) — age, national selection stages, vetting and other appointment conditions (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: PIP programme policy 2023 (PDF) — NIE as a prerequisite for PIP 2; title of substantive detective only after PIP 2 sign-off (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: national investigators' exam — 2026 exam dates (accessed 1 October 2026)
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: degree holder entry programme — two-year work-based programme; specialist area; level 6 graduate diploma after probation (accessed 1 October 2026)
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: forces recruiting via degree holder and detective entry (read 1 October 2026) — which forces listed DHEP and detective entry as open (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Now: national graduate programme and eligibility — 2:2 or above; final-year students; programme structure; which forces it was recruiting for (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.