How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- volunteering
- applying directly
- specialist courses run by a professional body
University
You could do a degree subject relevant to working in fundraising, which may give you an advantage when applying for jobs, especially in corporate fundraising. Subjects include:
- marketing
- media and communications
- public relations
- business studies
You could also do a university course in a subject like voluntary sector management or public service management.
Some of the larger UK charities offer work experience, internships and graduate training schemes. You can search the Charity Commission register for organisations.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
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College
You could take a college course in customer service to develop skills which are useful for this job.
This may help you when applying for volunteer and junior fundraising roles.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
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Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Fundraiser Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, with a charitable organisation.
This typically takes between 1 and 2 years to complete and is a mix of training in the workplace and off-the-job study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
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Work
You could start by working for a charity in an admin or retail support role, then move into fundraising once you've got some experience.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a good way to get experience in fundraising and to gain insights into the charity sector. It's also a great way to start making contacts, which might lead to paid job opportunities.
You can find out more about volunteering through:
Direct Application
You can apply directly to job vacancies in charity fundraising, if you've got relevant experience from other work, for example advertising, public relations, events, sales or finance.
Other Routes
You could do a specialist course like the Certificate or Diploma in Fundraising offered by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. You'll normally need to be working in fundraising to do these.
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Career tips
Employers will be interested in your skills, experience, values and commitment to working in the charity sector.
Further information
You can get more advice about working and training in the charity sector through the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and CharityJob.