Graduate Scheme Deadlines 2026/27: UK Employer Tracker

This page lists opening and closing dates for UK graduate schemes starting in 2027. Each employer links to our guide for the aptitude tests and interviews you will face once you apply, so you can prepare before the invitation lands.

Dates without a Reported tag are typical windows based on recent cycles and are shown by month.

Most schemes open between August and October 2026. The hard deadlines cluster in October and November, while rolling schemes quietly fill from September onwards.

The Big Four open in late summer and recruit on a rolling basis. Published closing dates run into December or January, but popular service lines in London fill weeks earlier.

MBB firms run short, fixed windows that close in October. Miss them and you wait a full year.

Investment banks open earliest and review applications as they arrive. Retail and commercial banks publish closing dates but can close early when volumes are high.

FMCG leadership programmes open in early autumn. Supermarket schemes are more spread out, and Aldi recruits on a rolling basis all year.

Engineering schemes have longer windows than finance, often running into December or January, but individual disciplines close when full.

Big Tech recruits on a rolling basis from late summer. UK telecoms schemes typically run through the autumn.

Pharma programmes open in early autumn with windows of six to ten weeks.

Public sector schemes have fixed windows and do not close early, but they are short and the online tests follow quickly after you apply.

On a rolling scheme the published closing date is the latest you can apply, not the date that matters. Assessment centre places go to strong applicants who apply early, and by the closing date many schemes have no interview slots left.

• Prepare for the tests before applications open. Online test invitations usually arrive within 72 hours of applying. Start with numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and situational judgement practice.
• Apply to fixed-deadline schemes in order of closing date. McKinsey, BCG and Lloyds close in October; the Fast Stream and NHS GMTS follow. Put these first, then work through rolling schemes.
• Submit rolling applications in the first two to four weeks. For the Big Four and investment banks, September applications have far more open slots than November ones.
• Batch by test provider. Many of these employers use SHL. See which tests each graduate scheme uses and group applications so your preparation carries over.
• Have your stories ready before the video interview. Most schemes move from tests to a recorded video interview within two weeks. Prepare five or six STAR examples in advance.