How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
University
Any degree that teaches analytical skills can be useful for this role.
Some employers might prefer you to have a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject such as:
- business information systems
- business management
- computing and systems development
- computer science
Experience during your degree
You may have an advantage if your degree course lets you get some business experience.
This could be through:
- internships
- work placements
- a year in industry
It may also be useful to get experience of managing projects and analysing data.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
- a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study
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Apprenticeship
You could gain some of the skills and knowledge needed for this role through an apprenticeship.
For example, you could do the Business Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship or the Project Manager Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
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Direct Application
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got several years' experience in project management, consulting or IT.
Real career story
Law degree
“I graduated with a law degree, but I had no idea what career I wanted. Law gave me a lot of transferable skills such as research and analysis. I ended up starting my career in pensions which required analysis of data and records.”
Working in data
“Having really enjoyed the data analysis aspect from my pension’s role, I carried on working within data teams. I did not have much data experience coming from a law degree, but I found that I wanted a role that involved data analysis. My previous experience was enough to apply for roles.”
Business analyst apprenticeship
“After looking at different professions, I managed to secure a business analysis position which requires data analysis as part of the role.
Due to my lack of training and qualifications, I have recently enrolled on the Business Analyst Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship. This will further develop my skills to enable me to progress into more senior business analyst positions in the future.”
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Career tips
To become a business analyst, it might be useful to know about agile project management or other similar methods.
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a business analyst from:
You can also find out about government business analysts in the Civil Service on GOV.UK.