DLA Piper UK: does its solicitor apprenticeship, level 7 sponsor a UK visa?

NoSolicitor Apprenticeship, Level 7 (LLB in Legal Practice and Skills plus SQE, with the University of Law)

No. DLA Piper UK does not sponsor its solicitor apprenticeship, level 7 for international students who need a visa. DLA Piper's FAQ says the firm itself sets no academic requirements, but its tuition provider requires at least three A levels grade C or above and five GCSEs grade C/4 or above including Maths and English. Because the programme is funded through the Level 7 Apprenticeship Levy, candidates must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the last three years, or have other eligible residency status, and have the right to permanently live and work in the UK for the full six-year duration. The most recent cycle's applications closed at 17:00 on 20 February 2026; no 2027 dates were published as of 22 September 2026. Solicitor apprentices are based in offices including London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Not published
Opportunity
apprenticeship
2027 cycle
No 2027 date published as of 22 September 2026; the most recent cycle's applications closed 17:00 on 20 February 2026.
Confidence
high
Having been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the last three years (or other eligible residency status), and having the right to permanently live and work in the UK for the full duration of the apprenticeship.
DLA Piper UK, from its own careers pages
The catch: DLA Piper says it will review applications against the full funding criteria after submission and may request further information to confirm eligibility status, so residency is checked, not just declared.

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Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-22.

Common questions

Does DLA Piper UK sponsor visas for its solicitor apprenticeship, level 7?

No. DLA Piper UK does not sponsor its solicitor apprenticeship, level 7 for international students who need a visa. DLA Piper's FAQ says the firm itself sets no academic requirements, but its tuition provider requires at least three A levels grade C or above and five GCSEs grade C/4 or above including Maths and English. Because the programme is funded through the Level 7 Apprenticeship Levy, candidates must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the last three years, or have other eligible residency status, and have the right to permanently live and work in the UK for the full six-year duration. The most recent cycle's applications closed at 17:00 on 20 February 2026; no 2027 dates were published as of 22 September 2026. Solicitor apprentices are based in offices including London, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with DLA Piper UK?

DLA Piper says it will review applications against the full funding criteria after submission and may request further information to confirm eligibility status, so residency is checked, not just declared.

How should I confirm DLA Piper UK's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on DLA Piper UK's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.