WHAT YOU’LL DO ONCE YOU HAVE QUALIFIED FROM ONE OF OUR MARINE ENGINEERING CADETSHIP COURSES
Our marine engineering cadetship courses equip you with the knowledge and skills needed for life at sea as a qualified Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy. You’ll operate and maintain the mechanical systems such as engines, ventilation systems, navigation and communications equipment, deck fittings like cranes, hoists and landing craft.
During your time at college – five phases over three years, split between in-class and at sea training – your tuition fees will be fully covered, and you will receive a minimum payment of £800 per month.
Once qualified you’ll be ranked according to your experience and qualifications and with each grade comes more responsibilities. As an Officer Cadet at our Engineering University you will start at the bottom and work your way up:
- Chief Engineer – overall authority for planning engineering tasks and delegating them to staff
- Second Engineer –day-to-day supervision of the ship’s engineering team
- Third Engineer – assisting the Second Engineer and looking after the mechanical systems and machinery
- Junior/Fourth Engineer – carrying out general machinery maintenance.
If this doesn’t sound like the route for you, there are other Merchant Navy careers to choose from.

WHAT YOU’LL DO ONCE YOU HAVE QUALIFIED FROM ONE OF OUR MARINE ENGINEERING CADETSHIP COURSES
Our marine engineering cadetship courses equip you with the knowledge and skills needed for life at sea as a qualified Engineering Officer in the Merchant Navy. You’ll operate and maintain the mechanical systems such as engines, ventilation systems, navigation and communications equipment, deck fittings like cranes, hoists and landing craft.
During your time at college – five phases over three years, split between in-class and at sea training – your tuition fees will be fully covered, and you will receive a fixed payment of £750 per month.
Once qualified you’ll be graded according to your experience and qualifications and with each grade comes more responsibilities. As an Officer Cadet you will start at the bottom and work your way up:
- Chief Engineer – overall authority for planning engineering tasks and delegating them to staff
- Second Engineer –day-to-day supervision of the ship’s engineering team
- Third Engineer – assisting the Second Officer and looking after the mechanical systems and machinery
- Junior/Fourth Engineer – carrying out general machinery maintenanceIf that doesn’t sound like you there are other Merchant Navy careers to choose from.

Eligibility for our Marine Engineering Cadetship Courses
HNC/D
To undertake the HNC/D route you require a minimum of four qualifications including maths, English and one science based subject at the following grade level*:
GCSEs | 4-9 |
National 5s | A-C |
Standard Grades | 1-3 |
*Equivalent grades will be considered
The HNC/D route comprises of three years of study broken down into five phases, three of which are spent at college and two at sea. We offer a variety of marine engineering courses to choose from.
During your college phases you will work towards gaining an HNC/D in marine engineering, and whilst on your sea phases you will complete eight months of practical experience.
Professional Diploma / Foundation Degree
If you hold at least 48 UCAS points from Highers or A-Levels including maths and/or physics, plus the qualifications indicated for the HNC/D course indicated above you could be eligible for the Professional Diploma/Foundation Degree course.
This course follows the same structure as the HNC/D route and we offer a variety of marine engineering courses to choose from.
Engineering Post Graduate
If you have previously completed a relevant engineering degree i.e. BEng Mechanical Engineering or are a time spent Engineer, you may be eligible for the Post Graduate course. This course is tailored to your own experience and qualifications but lasts approximately 18 months and usually entails 9 months of sea time plus relevant industry courses to transfer your knowledge to the maritime sector.
To apply for this course you must initially apply to an approved nautical college for a written action plan, supplying the college with copies of your award with its associated transcript. Once the written action plan is received you can then submit an application via our ‘Apply Now’ section, indicating in the additional qualifications section that you hold an engineering degree or relevant engineering experience, and a college action plan.
Further details can be found in training guidance note MIN511.
Or you can contact us to discuss in more detail.
If you meet the criteria, apply for one of our engineering cadetships today.



To be eligible for any of the routes indicated above you must hold a valid EU passport and have been a permanent resident in the UK for the last 36 months.
Eligibility for Marine Engineering Cadetship Courses in Scotland & England
HNC/D
To undertake the HNC/D route you require a minimum of four qualifications including maths, English and one science based subject at the following grade level*:
GCSEs | 4-9 |
National 5s | A-C |
Standard Grades | 1-3 |
*Equivalent grades will be considered
The HNC/D route comprises of three years of study broken down into five phases, three of which are spent at college and two at sea. We offer a variety of marine engineering courses to choose from.
During your college phases you will work towards gaining an HNC/D in marine engineering, and whilst on your sea phases you will complete eight months of practical experience.
Professional Diploma / Foundation Degree
If you hold at least 48 UCAS points from Highers or A-Levels including maths and/or physics, plus the qualifications indicated for the HNC/D course indicated above you could be eligible for the ETO Professional Diploma/Foundation Degree course.
The course follows the same structure as the HNC/D route and we offer a variety of marine electrical cadetship courses to choose from
Marine Engineering Post Graduate
If you have previously completed a relevant engineering degree i.e. BEng Mechanical Engineering or are a time spent Engineer, you may be eligible for the Post Graduate course. This course is tailored to your own experience and qualifications but lasts approximately 18 months and usually entails 9 months of sea time plus relevant industry courses to transfer your knowledge to the maritime sector.
To apply for this course you must initially apply to an approved nautical college for a written action plan, supplying the college with copies of your award with its associated transcript. Once the written action plan is received you can then submit an application via our ‘Apply Now’ section, indicating in the additional qualifications section that you hold an engineering degree or relevant engineering experience, and a college action plan.
Further details can be found in training guidance note MIN511.
Or you can contact us to discuss in more detail.
If you meet the criteria, apply for one of our marine engineering cadetship courses today.
NOTE – If you do not currently meet the entry criteria, you may wish to consider the Marine Pre-Cadetship option.
To be eligible for any of the routes indicated above you must hold a valid EU passport and have been a permanent resident in the UK for the last 36 months.


