Discover the routes into a rewarding social work career, from undergraduate and postgraduate degrees to apprenticeships and fast track programmes
Social work degrees
Social work is a graduate profession. In order to practice as a social worker in the UK you need to be educated to at least undergraduate level and registered with one of the four regulating bodies. These are:
- Social Care Wales
- Social Work England
- Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)
- Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Undergraduate social work degrees take three years to study full time. You'll learn about mental health, disabilities, the theory of social work, partnership working, ethics and values, and the legislation relevant to the profession. Many programmes focus on practical learning, so you'll undertake at least two work placements in a social work setting.
Entry requirements differ between institutions, so check before applying. For example, to study BA Social Work at either the University of Sheffield or Edge Hill University you'll need 120 UCAS points (typically BBB at A-level), while at Anglia Ruskin University they accept 112 UCAS points (BBC at A-level).
In Scotland you'll usually need four Highers of at least BBBB, if not higher, to gain a place on an undergraduate social work course. In Northern Ireland you'll need three B grades at A-level or higher.
The majority of full-time undergraduate social work degrees take three years to complete and are comprised of a range of modules.
At Edge Hill University, for instance, you'll study modules such as:
- Social work and society
- Social work law, policy and practice
- Specialist practice with adults
- Theory, research and critical practice with children, young people and families.
At Anglia Ruskin, you'll study modules in:
- Standards and skills in social work
- Contemporary issues in social work
- Applied social work theories
- Social work with adults
- Sustainable social work.
To gain a place on many programmes you'll need previous work experience in a care setting. Experience can be paid or voluntary and may include helping out at a local youth club or care home for the elderly, getting involved with a victim support organisation or advice service, or caring for a relative or friend. You'll also need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check prior to enrolment.
Full-time tuition fees for UK undergraduate students currently stand at £9,790 per academic year (2026/27).
Find out what you can do with a degree in social work.
Online social work degrees
As social work is practice based there aren't many online or distance learning programmes available.
However, online social work courses do exist and they can be studied part time. They're often taken up by people who need to juggle their studies around other commitments such as work or family life.
The Open University runs a range of social work qualifications, from certificates and diplomas to undergraduate degrees. Their BA in Social Work is worth 360 credits and can be studied both full or part time. Full-time courses require 32 to 36 hours of study per week and take three years to complete, while the part-time option takes six years with 16 to 18 hours of study per week.
Robert Gordon University also offer a distance learning BA in Social Work. Designed for those already working in a related social care role, the part-time degree has a blended mode of attendance. This means it's delivered through a combination of on-campus learning, practice experience and tutor-led learning with the support of online resources. If you start the course in January it takes three years and eight months to complete. For those starting the course in May it takes two years and four months.
Masters in Social Work (MSW)
If your undergraduate course is in an unrelated subject, you'll need to take an MSW. Many social work undergraduates also pursue a Masters in social work to further their knowledge and specialise in a particular area.
Entry requirements vary, but all postgraduate social work qualifications specify the need for substantial work experience. During the application process you'll need to demonstrate a solid understanding of what social work entails and knowledge of current happenings in the industry.
For entry onto the Master of Social Work at the University of Strathclyde you'll need a 2:1 ideally in a social sciences discipline, as well as work experience in a social care or health-related role. Kingston University expects a 2:1 in a social science subject for entry onto its MSW, as well as demonstrable experience of the social care sector.
In exceptional circumstances, candidates without an undergraduate degree may be considered if they have extensive professional experience. The best way to gain this experience is through volunteering.
An MSW generally takes two years full time, with a considerable amount of time (usually 170 to 200 days) spent on placement.
At the University of Strathclyde you'll study units including:
- Law of social work in Scotland
- Theory and practice
- Methods of professional enquiry
- Individuals, families and structures in society.
The 2026/27 tuition fees for UK students cost £8,350.
At Kingston University, MSW 2026/27 tuition fees are £9,250 (full time) and £4,625 (part time). Course modules include:
- Readiness for direct practice
- Assessment and intervention
- Legal, ethical and policy frameworks for social work practice
- Human development and social environment.
Search for postgraduate courses in social work and learn more about Masters degrees.
Social Work Bursaries
Financial help is available to students on both undergraduate and postgraduate social work courses, in the form of Social Work Bursaries, supplied by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
Social Work Bursaries are non-repayable and can be used to help with study and living costs. Only a limited number are available, so there's no guarantee you'll receive support. If you're eligible and manage to secure a bursary, it'll be paid directly into your bank account. You'll keep receiving the bursary for the duration of your studies, unless you withdraw.
Undergraduates can apply for a Social Work Bursary from their second year. The basic bursary rate for 2025/26 is £5,262.50 if you attend university in London, and £4,862.50 if you attend a university outside the capital.
Postgraduates can apply from their first year of study. If you’re eligible for a Social Work Bursary it will be paid directly to your university. In 2025/26 the NHSBSA provide:
- £3,762.50 non-means tested bursary if your university is in London
- £3,362.50 non-means tested bursary if your university is outside London
- up to £4,201 for the means tested bursary if your university is in London
- up to £2,721 for the means tested bursary if your university is outside London.
If your university charges a higher amount than the contribution covers you are responsible for meeting the difference.
Year by year this is subject to change, so check with the institution you're applying to before committing to a course.
Discover more about funding postgraduate study.
Social work apprenticeships
If university study isn't for you and you'd like to qualify without the burden of student debt then you should consider a social work apprenticeship. Taking approximately three years to complete, apprentices gain an honours degree in social work, enabling them to register with Social Work England, the regulator for social workers.
For more information, see social care apprenticeships.
Frontline Approach to Social Work
If you're a career changer or a graduate from an unrelated discipline, a number of organisations provide fast-track training options to help you enter the field of social work.
Frontline Approach to Social Work is a three-year graduate programme that provides a way into children's social work. With a focus on leadership development, the scheme gives you the opportunity to qualify as a social worker through on-the-job training and academic study.
The programme starts with a five-week Summer Institute where you'll learn about good social work practice from leading academics. During the first year you'll start your social work placement in a local authority social work team, supporting children and families and gradually increasing your level of responsibility. On completion of your first year you'll be able to register with Social Work England as a qualified social worker.
In year two you'll work as a newly qualified social worker, responsible for your own caseload, in your local authority's Children's Services department.
In your third and final year you'll carry out a research project and complete your Masters degree in social work.
To be eligible for the programme you'll need:
- a 2:2 or higher in your first degree
- GCSE maths and English at grade 4 (C) or above (or equivalent)
- the right to work and study in the UK
- to be resident in England at the time the programme starts
- not to be a qualified social worker.
During your first year on the Approach to Social Work programme you'll receive a bursary to contribute to your living and travel costs. Those based outside of London will receive £18,000 and those in the capital £20,000.
In years two and three you'll earn a newly qualified social worker salary, which (depending on your location) will typically range from £25,000 to £34,000.
The organisation also runs the Pathways programme - a national leadership development programme for social workers consisting of multiple pathways for four different levels of leadership.
Step Up to Social Work
Another option is the government's Step Up to Social Work initiative - an intensive, full-time training programme covering everything that trainee social workers need to know in just 14 months.
The course covers social work ethics and practice, child development, assessment of risk and the legal framework surrounding social work. Trainees receive a £21,995 bursary for the duration of the course.
Entry requirements are subject to change, so check the website for the latest information. You'll typically need:
- a minimum 2:2 qualification in any discipline except social work
- six months' full-time direct experience (either paid or voluntary) of working with vulnerable children, young people, families or vulnerable adults
- GCSEs in English and maths at grade 4 (C) or above
- to have completed your degree before applying.
Find out more
- Learn more about Frontline.
- Take a look at how to become a social worker.
- See what else the social care sector has to offer.
- Learn how to answer social work interview questions.