Which Police Entry Route Suits Me?
Answer up to 10 quick questions. You get the route that fits your qualifications and plans, up to two alternatives and the forces listed as open on each route. Free, no account, about a minute.
Short answer
In England and Wales there are four ways to join as a new constable. No degree: the PCDA (three years, degree at the end) or the PCEP (two years, no degree). A degree in any subject: DHEP. The licensed degree in professional policing: the policing degree holder route. Forces can run detective versions, graduates can apply to Police Now, former officers can rejoin and anyone can volunteer as a special constable. Scotland and Northern Ireland recruit under their own rules.
Take the quiz
We do not save your answers. They go into this page's web address so you can share your result.
Sift and recruitment alerts
Know when the sift or the application windows change
Forces open and close recruitment windows without much notice, and the national sift can change. Leave your email and we will tell you when forces open applications and when the sift or the entry rules change. Occasional emails, written by hand. Unsubscribe any time.
Sent by a person when there is news, not on a schedule. Unsubscribe any time. See our privacy policy.
The routes compared
Every route below leads to the same job and the same pay. You are a constable from your first day, paid on the national scale from £32,255 at pay point 1 (from 1 September 2026), plus any London or South East allowance. What changes is what you need to get in, how long the programme runs and what you finish with.
| Route | Who it is for | To get in | Length | You finish with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCDA | No degree; you would like one | Level 3 (such as two A levels) or experience the force accepts | 3 years; 3-year probation | Degree in professional policing practice |
| PCEP | No degree; you would rather learn on the job | Level 3 or experience the force accepts | 2 years; 2-year probation | No degree (a force can add a level 5 qualification) |
| DHEP | Graduates in any subject | A level 6 degree, other than the professional policing degree | 2 years; 2-year probation | Graduate diploma in professional policing practice |
| Policing degree holder | People who studied the licensed degree in professional policing | That degree, self-funded before joining | Force programme; 2-year probation | Constable; learning you already covered can be shortened |
| Detective entry | People who want to investigate from the start | A degree for detective DHEP; detective PCEP usually needs none | 2-year probation plus PIP 2 learning | Detective constable once signed off at PIP 2 |
| Police Now | Graduates with a 2:2 or above who want a leadership programme | Police Now's own online assessment and assessment centre | 2-year programme | Graduate diploma (DHEP-based) with Police Now's support |
| Special constable | People who want policing experience alongside another job | National Sift and an in-force interview; aged 18 | Ongoing, with a monthly hours minimum | Warranted volunteer service that a force can accept instead of level 3 |
| Rejoiner | Former officers who passed probation and left | Regulation 10B; the chief officer decides your rank | 6 or 12-month probation | Back in post without a new entry programme |
Full detail: every police entry route compared, PCDA, PCEP, DHEP and the pre-join policing degree.
Who is recruiting on each route
On 21 October 2026 the national joining the police site listed 18 forces open for the PCDA, 21 for the PCEP, 9 for DHEP, 12 for policing degree holders, 12 for detective entry and 17 for rejoiners. That is a dated reading: forces open and close routes every few weeks, so check the live list on our police jobs page before you apply.
How the quiz decides
The rules follow the qualifications in Home Office Annex BA and the College of Policing's route guidance, read again on 21 October 2026. In order:
- Where you want to serve. Scotland and Northern Ireland go straight to the Police Scotland or PSNI guide, because the England and Wales routes do not apply there.
- Previous police service. A serving officer transfers. A former officer who passed probation rejoins under regulation 10B.
- Your degree. The licensed policing degree points to the policing degree holder route. Any other degree points to DHEP, or detective DHEP if you want to investigate, or Police Now if you want its programme and have a 2:2 or better.
- No degree. With level 3, or service the force can accept instead, the PCDA if you want a degree or the PCEP if you would rather not study for one. Without level 3, special constable first, because a chief officer can accept that service in place of level 3.
- Age, licence and timing do not change the route, but they add checks to the result. You can apply at 17 and be appointed at 18. Licence rules are set by each force.
It cannot see your full history. Forces also add their own rules (some ask for Level 2 English and maths, some for a licence, some for a 2:2 on DHEP). Treat the result as a shortlist and read the force's own advert before you apply.
Who each route suits
PCDA
You want a degree and are happy to study alongside shifts for three years. The force funds the degree, mainly through the apprenticeship levy, so there are no tuition fees.
PCEP
You want to be out on the job and learn by doing, with no degree to finish. Two years and a two-year probation. Not every force runs it.
DHEP and detective DHEP
You already have a degree in any subject. Two years to a graduate diploma. The detective version puts you on an investigation track from the start.
Policing degree holder
You studied the licensed degree in professional policing. Apply on the route made for it. Check how long after graduating the force will accept you.
Police Now
A graduate who wants a structured leadership programme with a cohort. It recruits once a year. Police Now vs DHEP vs PCDA.
Special constable first
You want to try policing without leaving your job, or you need experience in place of level 3. How to become a special.
Myths about entry routes
- "You need a degree to join." No. The PCDA and PCEP are for people without one.
- "Degree routes pay less while you study." No. Every route pays the constable scale from day one.
- "Graduates must do DHEP." The College directs graduates to DHEP, but Annex BA does not bar them from the PCDA or PCEP. The force decides.
- "Rejoiners must have left within five years." That limit went in February 2019.
- "Police Now uses the National Sift." It does not. It runs its own online assessment and assessment centre.
- "There is an upper age limit." Not in England and Wales. Regulation 10 sets a minimum age of 18 for appointment and no maximum.
Next steps
- Still deciding whether to join at all? Run your own numbers in the Police vs my job calculator.
- See who is recruiting now on police jobs in England and Wales.
- Plan your dates with the recruitment timeline planner.
- In Scotland: how to join Police Scotland. In Northern Ireland: how to join the PSNI.
Frequently asked questions
Which police entry route is best?
The one that fits your qualifications and how you want to learn. Without a degree, the PCDA gives you a degree over three years and the PCEP takes two years with no degree. With a degree, DHEP is the graduate route; with the licensed policing degree, use the policing degree holder route. Every route pays you as a constable from day one.
Can I join the police without a degree?
Yes. The PCDA and PCEP are for people without a degree. They ask for a level 3 qualification such as two A levels, or training or experience the chief officer accepts instead, which can include service as a special constable, PCSO or police staff (Home Office Annex BA).
Do all entry routes pay the same?
Yes. On every route you are a constable on the national scale, £32,255 at pay point 1 from 1 September 2026, plus any London or South East allowance your force pays. Some forces, including the Met, start recruits on pay point 2.
Can a graduate apply for the PCDA or PCEP?
Annex BA does not stop a graduate applying for the PCDA or PCEP, but the College of Policing directs degree holders to DHEP and forces may do the same. If the force you want is not running DHEP, ask it directly.
What if I have a degree in professional policing?
Use the professional policing degree holder route. It is a separate route from DHEP. Forces can shorten the training you already covered. Some forces set a limit on how long after graduating you can apply, so check the force's rule.
Can I become a detective straight away?
Yes, on a detective pathway. Forces typically offer a detective DHEP for graduates. Some also run a detective PCEP that usually needs no degree. You are a constable first and must pass the National Investigators' Exam on the way to PIP 2 accreditation.
Is Police Now an entry route?
It is a graduate programme run by a charity with partner forces, leading to the same constable role. It needs a 2:2 or above and three years' UK residence. It runs its own selection instead of the National Sift. 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.
Does being a special constable help?
It can. A chief officer can accept special constable service, for a period they set, in place of the level 3 qualification for the PCDA and PCEP. Specials sit the National Sift and an in-force interview, so it is also real practice for the regular process.
I used to be a police officer. Which route is mine?
If you completed constable probation and resigned or retired, the rejoiner route under regulation 10B. There has been no five-year limit since February 2019. If you are still serving in another force, you transfer instead.
Do these routes apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. Police Scotland recruits probationary constables through its own process, with an entrance test (the PSET) and an assessment day. It takes applications from 18. The PSNI recruits student officers in campaigns, with its own online test and assessment centre. The quiz sends you to the right guide.
How old do I have to be?
In England and Wales you can apply at 17 and must be 18 to be appointed. Regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 sets no upper age limit.
Sources
Read or re-checked on 21 October 2026 unless stated.
- College of Policing: police constable entry routes: the four constable routes, their length and qualifications; forces choose which routes they run
- College of Policing: Becoming a police constable, guide to joining (April 2026, PDF): detective DHEP and detective PCEP pathways; PCEP level 5 option
- Home Office Circular 002/2024, Annex BA: qualifications for each route; equivalent experience including special, PCSO and police staff service
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10: apply at 17, appointed at 18; national selection stages from 17 March 2026 (SI 2026/154)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10B: rejoiners
- joiningthepolice.co.uk: which forces are recruiting (read 21 October 2026): the forces listed as open on each route in the quiz result
- Police Now: eligibility and FAQs: 2:2 degree, residency, previous service rule and the March 2028 window
PolicePay is independent and does not recruit or assess applicants. Each force sets its own intakes and some of its own entry rules: check the force's advert before relying on any result here.