Having the unique opportunity to gain a quality education while improving football skills is very rare for many young students. Football enthusiasts, who want to train like a professional and pursue an education in sports to build skills on and off the pitch, are often limited when looking for opportunities that can get their foot in the door for their dream career. With few academies to choose from and many programmes that all offer different types of education, it can be difficult to know which is best to kickstart a career in the football industry.
At FCV, we are always clear and transparent about everything our academy offers, so that you know exactly what we provide and how it can help improve your skills and knowledge. A huge part of our academy is our football and education programmes in England that combine elite training with high-quality education to help young football enthusiasts learn more about sports, deepen their knowledge and skills in interesting topics, improve their football talent and start a career they love.
Our football academy in England, with BTEC level 3 sport education, is a vocational programme designed for 16-19-year-old football enthusiasts who want to develop a career in the football and sports industry. This gives an exceptional combination of elite football training with a high-quality education that’s provided by Loughborough College, who are one of the top sports colleges in the world, to develop young talent and build skills in a range of sports subjects.
Taking part in our BTEC football academy in England means that young players gain 20 hours of professional training, from UEFA-qualified coaches, that develop their technical skills, tactical awareness, physical conditioning and match preparation skills. Alongside this, they get the opportunity to compete against top academy teams at regular league fixtures to gain the valuable experience of playing like a professional, as well as exposure for their talent.
What’s more is that participants gain a world-class sports education through expert tutors, modern facilities and a supportive learning environment to help them succeed in their studies. Each student will receive tailored learning in subjects like anatomy and physiology, psychology, and coaching, to help build their dream career. Units that are studied cover key areas of the sport industry, including:
The dates for our football academy in England with BTEC level 3 sport education vary depending on when you enrol. We offer enrolment every September and January to allow students to start their journey at the best time for them in the year.
The entry requirements for our BTEC football academy in England are a minimum of five GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above. These must include English and Maths and can be equivalent international qualifications.
We are also a football academy in England with A Levels and training to combine quality academic studies with professional football training. This is a two-year course that’s designed for students aged 16 to 19 who are looking to build a career in the football industry and develop their skillset on and off the pitch. Our A Level programme focuses on preparing students for the outside world and achieving success in their dream careers, whether that be professional football or any career in sports.
Loughborough College, which is known for its quality sports education and connections to professional sports organisations, run the education side of the programme to provide excellent knowledge and skills in a variety of subjects. Students can choose three subjects to study, such as business, psychology and sports science, and expand their knowledge, while developing their football careers. This education opens a pathway to university studies to further build their skills and open many doors to various careers.
Alongside this, our A Level football academy offers training for 15 hours each week to receive expert guidance in every aspect of the game. Every student can grow their talent to a high standard and have the chance to put what they’ve learned into practice in competitive college football leagues. These matches can be great exposure for talented players to gain recognition and progress further within the academy, allowing them to kickstart their football careers.
Our A Level programme begins enrolment in September and provides two years of training and learning for aspiring players aged 16 to 19.
The entry requirements for our A Level football academy should be at least five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above. These should include English Language and Maths. Particular subjects that students want to study have their own requirements:
If you’re looking for a football academy in England with university degree pathways, look no further than FCV. We offer higher education programmes that are tailored to students who are passionate about football and learning. Our degree opportunities combine top-tier education with professional football training for students to build their dream careers, such as Applied Sport Science, Sports Coaching and Sport Management. What’s more is that every participant gets the unique chance to play for our under-23 team to build their talent.
Students will train like a professional player for 15 hours a week and focus on improving their technical skills, tactical awareness and physical conditioning. They also get the chance to compete against top academy teams in regular league fixtures that offer valuable exposure and a chance to put what they’ve learnt into practice. Beyond our training, our football academy with university degree pathways in England provides football enthusiasts with player development opportunities for talent to progress to our FCV Grace Dieu Semi-Professional Men’s team.
As well as this, students gain an excellent higher education at Loughborough University and enjoy a unique environment where they can excel in their football skills while receiving a degree. This ensures that every student is equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their sports career and educational studies.
Enrolment for university studies and football training takes place every September to provide young football enthusiasts with the chance to start their academic and athletic journey at the start of the traditional academic year.
The entry requirements for our football academy university pathway in England depend on the topic students want to study and pursue a career in. These are the criteria for young people to gain a top-class education while developing their football skills:
We are also a football boarding school in England for international students to gain the opportunity to train at a professional level and improve their proficiency in English. Our English Language football programme runs for 35 weeks and is a chance for international students to open doors to higher education and a career in the football industry. This programme combines expert-led football training with specialist English Language education to develop their skills and be prepared for a successful sports career – all while living and studying in the UK!
Students get the opportunity to train daily with UEFA-qualified coaches and develop their skills in every part of the game. They can partake in competitive matches to gain a professional football experience and gain opportunities through their talent to progress and start their careers. Alongside this, students will receive a quality English language education through ESBM to improve their general English and academic writing. These classes are done in small groups to provide the support every student needs to progress their English Language skills.
Enrolment for this programme starts in September and a deposit of £3500 is required to confirm your place. This provides international students with the chance to build their football skills and create pathways to further education to build successful careers in the industry.
There are no entry requirements for our football boarding school in England for international students. Any football enthusiast from around the world can join this programme to improve their proficiency in English, open doors to higher education and career opportunities and build their football skills. This programme is for international students who are looking to progress academically into A Levels, BTECs and degree programmes and who want to progress in football through scouting events and direct contacts with professional clubs.
Once you’ve found the right programme for you at our football academy with school in England, it’s time for the next steps. What to do next is entirely dependent on the programme you’ve chosen. However, most programmes require the same process for you to complete to gain excellent training and education.
Our BTEC, A Levels and University programmes have the same application process. All you need to do is contact us via phone, email or our online enquiry form and provide details about yourself along with your football aspirations. Once you’ve contacted us, our team will organise a virtual meeting to learn more about you and share more details about what we do to make sure that FCV is the right academy for you. After this meeting, we will send you the booking form to complete, and then you’ll receive an acceptance letter to start your journey of football development and education.
If you’re an international student, we’ll also support you throughout your student visa application process and provide a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) statement to allow you to study in the UK.
For our English Language football programme for international students, the enrolment process is slightly different. To apply to this, you need to:
Enrol in our football and education programmes in England for September 2026 and begin your journey in progressing your sports career with an extraordinary blend of professional training and high-quality education. Our programmes are designed to build your skills on and off the pitch to prepare you for a successful football career, whether that be in professional football or another sports field, like coaching. These unique, exciting opportunities provide you with countless opportunities to grow your talent, gain the exposure you’ve dreamed of and equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to get your foot in the door for a career in the industry.
