Dispensing Optician Apprenticeship

Course Overview

The Diploma of Higher Education Dispensing Optician is a three-year, 240-credit Level 6 apprenticeship programme designed to prepare apprentices for professional practice as dispensing opticians. Dispensing opticians are registered healthcare professionals who advise patients on fit and supply spectacle frames and lenses tailored to individual visual, lifestyle, and vocational needs. The programme combines academic study with structured work-based learning, enabling apprentices to develop professional competence while remaining in salaried employment within an optical setting. The curriculum aligns with the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) ophthalmic dispensing syllabus, the General Optical Council (GOC) Requirements for Approved Qualifications in Optometry or Dispensing Optics, and the Skills for England Dispensing Optician Apprenticeship Standard (ST0774). Through the integration of theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, and professional behaviours, apprentices will build the expertise required for safe and effective patient care. Successful completion of the programme and the End-Point Assessment delivered by ABDO will enable graduates to apply for registration with the GOC as a Dispensing Optician, a protected professional title. Graduates will also be eligible to use the post-nominal FBDO (Fellow of the British Dispensing Opticians), supporting future professional progression.

Tuition Fees & Funding

Fees shown are for current entry. Fees may increase annually in line with inflation.

Graduate Outcomes

Based on official HESA Graduate Outcomes survey data

National Student Survey (NSS) results — undergraduate final-year students only

National Student Survey via Discover Uni.

Frequently Asked Questions