Applying to join the apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR)

The apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR) is a record of organisations that:

• are eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices
• can undertake end-point assessments

Once your organisation is on the APAR it will be eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices.

Being on the APAR does not mean your organisation is recommended by the Department for Education (DfE) so it cannot use its branding.

By applying to join the APAR, your organisation is agreeing to:

• provide a quality apprenticeship as described by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE)
• the conditions of acceptance for the APAR

Join the APAR as an apprenticeship training provider

You can join the APAR as a training provider if you can show you are either:

• an employer that pays the levy and wants to train your own workforce or apprentices (an employer-provider)
• a provider nominated by an employer that has shown evidence of a gap in the apprenticeship provision offer
• a provider in an area we want to grow or where we identify a capacity issue (you’ll apply directly or request an invitation to apply to join, depending on your level of regulation)

Your organisation will not join the APAR until it has completed all post application tasks.

Employers looking for training for apprentices

If you are an employer, you can search for training for your apprentices using the find apprenticeship training service.

If you cannot find a training provider that meets your needs, you can either:

• nominate a provider to join the register (application route 1: gaps in provision)
• apply to join yourself if you are a levy-paying employer (application route 2: join the register as an employer-provider)

Application route 1: gaps in provision

This route is for employers to nominate a main or supporting provider. You can use this route if you have searched using the find apprenticeship training service and:

• there is no training available for the skill you need
• the provider is unable to deliver the training (for example, it may not be available in the location or delivery mode you need)

You need to register your interest using the find apprenticeship training service to advertise your training needs and alert registered providers. You should only do this once you are sure there is a gap in provision.

You need to keep this alert live for one calendar month to allow training providers time to respond.

If you have not been able to find a training provider after a month, you will need to provide DfE with evidence of:

• any communication with training providers who have declared interest
• all contact you have made with training providers currently advertising for the specific apprenticeship standard
• reasons why all interested and listed training providers are not suitable

Once you have completed these steps you can nominate a preferred training provider. You should complete the Employer-provider business case form (MS Word Document, 67.6 KB) and send your completed form to APAR.mailbox@education.gov.uk.

If your application is successful, we will contact your preferred training provider with details of how to apply to join the register.

Training providers have 30 calendar days to apply from the date they receive our invitation.

We expect the business case to contain true and accurate information. Additionally, when the training provider has gained access to the APAR, we expect that both parties adhere to the arrangements set out within the business case, that is, the delivery of training in the specific gap standard to the nominating employer.

Growing capacity

You don’t need to show a gap in provision if:

• DfE knows about the gap
• DfE wants to grow capacity to support specific sectors, employers, or the wider economy (including Office for Students (OfS) registered providers and initial teacher training providers)

If you are an eligible training provider you can use the Request an invitation to apply to the APAR form (MS Word Document, 37.6 KB) without showing a gap in provision. This is because you cover areas where we want to expand apprenticeship provision.

If you are an OfS registered provider with degree awarding powers you can use the Request to join the APAR directly form (MS Word Document, 39.3 KB). You should submit the form via email to APAR.mailbox@education.gov.uk.

Application route 2: join the register as an employer- provider

You can apply to join the register as an employer-provider if you are:

• an employer that pays the levy
• considering training your own workforce or apprentices

You can apply to join the register as either:

• an employer-provider
• a main provider
• a supporting provider

As you plan, you should to think about:

• the skills your apprentices need in the long-term
• whether you can financially sustain the apprenticeship training

To apply to join the APAR as an employer-provider you should complete the Levy paying employer-provider form (MS Word Document, 50.6417 KB).

Submitting the form does not guarantee you will be accepted on to the register. Success at this stage gives you the opportunity to submit a formal application.

Choosing an application route

Employer-providers can choose between any of the 3 routes.

Main provider route

Your organisation will provide training to apprentices for other organisations. While doing this, you can also:

• train your own employees
• train employees of connected companies or charities
• act as a subcontractor for other main and employer-providers

Employer-provider route

Your organisation will provide training to your own employees. While doing this, you can also train:

• employees of connected companies or charities
• act as a subcontractor for other employers or main providers

To be an employer-provider, your organisation must be a levy-paying employer.

Supporting provider route

Applicants to the supporting provider route must have been actively trading for at least 3 months.

Your organisation will act as a subcontractor for main and employer-providers to train apprentices up to a maximum of £500,000 per year.

If your organisation is new on the register, it will be limited to £100,000 in its first year.

If you intend to claim less than £100,000 in each academic year as a subcontractor for main and employer-providers you may not need to be listed on APAR, please refer to the Apprenticeship Funding Rules for more details.

Apply to the APAR after being invited

You should read the APAR application guidance (PDF, 450 KB, 56 pages) before applying to the APAR.

You can then apply using the APAR application service if you have been invited to:

• apply to the APAR
• re-apply to the APAR due to a change in your organisation’s circumstances

An organisation can only apply once in a 12-month period.

Guide for apprenticeship training providers

The provider guide to delivering high-quality apprenticeships gives advice on how to deliver high quality apprenticeships. All apprenticeship training providers should follow it.

Contact

If you have any questions, contact helpdesk@manage-apprenticeships.service.gov.uk.