By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Associate Consultant · London · 2026-27 cycle
Deadline 15 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTDeadline was set for 15 Oct 2026Missed it? Your options
Short answer: You apply online with a CV, and no cover letter. The deadline is 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026.This year’s deadline was set for 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026. Bain then emails you a Sova test: numerical, logical and a personality questionnaire, all due by 12:00 BST on 20 October.Bain then emailed applicants a Sova test: numerical, logical and a personality questionnaire, due by 12:00 BST on 20 October. Two rounds of case interviews follow, from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026.Two rounds of case interviews ran from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026. Applied already? Start at the test step. Missed it? See your options below.Missed it? See your options below. Applied already? Find your stage in the steps below.
Applied already?
Finish every Sova part by 12:00 BST on 20 October.The Sova test was due by 12:00 BST on 20 October. Then prepare for case interviews from mid-November 2026.Case interviews ran from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026. The Sova test
Missed it?
In your penultimate year? Look at the internship and True North Scholarships. Or try another Bain office, or next year’s window. Your options
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with Bain & Company.
Bain & Company hires graduates in London as Associate Consultants. This guide uses Bain’s own pages for every date and rule.
This playbook covers London, including for international students. For nearly 10 years, we’ve helped more than 5,000 professionals get hired. Want to know if your CV will pass screening in the UK? Check your CV for free: a score in 30 seconds, then a fix for each problem.
01/10
Your route to an offer
Pick your stage and tick each step when done. Dates are from Bain’s London recruiting page. Prep times are our suggestions.
1. Application: deadline 23:59 BST on 15 Oct 20261. Application: deadline was set for 15 Oct 2026
A CV only, with no cover letter. Bain’s London page gives the deadline as 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026. Then a test link arrives by email.This year’s London deadline was set for 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026. Applicants then got a test link by email.
2. Sova test: due by 12:00 BST on 20 Oct 20262. Sova test: was due 20 Oct 2026
Numerical, logical and a personality questionnaire. Bain says about 30 to 40 minutes. Prep a few days.
3. First round: case interviews in mid-November 20263. First round: case interviews, held mid-November 2026
Case interviews, in the London office or on Zoom. Prep 3 to 4 weeks. Bain says to start practising early.
4. Final round: late November 2026 to early December 20264. Final round: held late November 2026 to early December 2026
More case interviews, in the office or on Zoom. Prep about 1 week. Bain does not publish how many cases or how long.
Then the offer. Bain does not publish how or when London makes offers.Check Bain’s London page for how and when London makes offers. Start dates are typically January, March, May, September or October.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The role at a glance
Everything you need to decide, on one screen. If Bain has not published something, we say so.
15 Oct 2026
Deadline, 23:59 BSTClosed
20 Oct 2026
Sova test due, 12:00 BSTSova test was due
30-40 min
Bain’s guide for the test
2 rounds
Case interviews, Nov 2026 to Dec 2026Case interviews held, Nov 2026 to Dec 2026
Not published
Salary
Not stated
Visa sponsorship, on Bain’s pages
Where these facts come from
- Dates and rounds. Bain’s London recruiting page gives every date here. Applications close at 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026.Applications were due by 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026. Every test section is due by 12:00 BST on 20 October.Every test section was due by 12:00 BST on 20 October. First rounds are in mid-November 2026, and finals run from late November 2026 to early December 2026.First rounds were in mid-November 2026, and finals ran from late November 2026 to early December 2026.
- Test length. “Approximately 30-40 minutes”, from Bain’s digital assessment page.
- Who can apply. Final-year students, or graduates with less than two years of full-time work. Bain welcomes “Bachelor’s, Master’s (non-MBA), and PhD students from any discipline or university”.
- Salary. Not on Bain’s job page for London.
New since last cycle
A calculator is now allowed in the test. In August 2025, Bain’s page said “Calculators are not permitted” for Sova (archived copy). By November 2025 it allowed them, and it still does.
03/10
What Bain looks for
Bain asks for strong academics, numbers and clear communication. It also says: “No consulting background? No problem.”
Strong academics
Show it by: your degree and grades at the top of your CV.
Analytical and numerical skills
Show it by: a result you measured, with the number.
Communication
Show it by: a CV with no slips, and clear answers out loud.
Initiative, leadership and teamwork
Show it by: something you started or led, and what changed.
The six parts of Bain’s interview form
StructureAnalysisDriving the discussionRecommendationClient skillsTeam skills
From Bain’s video What to Expect in a Bain Case Interview (July 2025). Four parts cover problem solving. Two cover how you work with clients and a team.
What Bain says, in its own words
- Skills. “Successful candidates bring strong academics, analytical & numerical and communication skills”, and “a record of initiative, leadership, and teamwork” (London page).
- Personality. “People at Bain have a diverse range of personality traits and thinking styles”, and “we are not looking for one single type of person.”
- Why Bain. “In all cases, we look for people who can explain why they want to join us specifically” (interviewing page).
- The job. Fluent English and a “Willingness to travel and work onsite with clients”.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Your CV carries the written application alone. London asks for no cover letter.
1
Pick London
On Bain’s job page
2
Upload your CV
No cover letter
3
Get the test link
Check spam too
4
Finish the test
By 12:00 BST, 20 OctWas due 20 Oct
More on AI, the test link and contacts
- Where to apply. The Associate Consultant job page, with London selected.
- AI. Bain asks that you “only use AI, such as Chat GPT or Claude, to check grammar and spelling in your CV”. AI is not permitted in the test or in virtual interviews.
- The test link. “Following your application, you will receive a link to an online assessment”. In some markets it comes within a week, so check spam.
- Hearing back. Bain’s general line is “within 60 days”, which varies by role and office.
- Questions. Email Bain’s London team at [email protected].
- Scams. Bain says it never interviews by instant messaging. It never asks candidates to buy products or process payments.
Your CV: do and don’t
Do
“Built a pricing plan that lifted society ticket sales by 30%”
Put your degree and grades first. Show initiative, leadership and teamwork, each with a number.
Don’t
“Helped with society events”
A duty with no result tells Bain little.
Our CV achievement examples show how to write those lines. Getting ready to apply for jobs in the UK? Check your CV for free: see it the way a recruiter does, then fix each problem.
Save Bain & Company and over 2,000 other UK schemes to one free calendar. See what closes next and what you have applied to.
Track my schemes freeFree account, no card.
Can’t make the deadline? Your optionsMissed the deadline? Your options
- In your penultimate year? Bain’s London page says London now offers the Associate Consultant Intern (ACI) programme for penultimate-year students. Bain’s pages do not agree on when it opens, so watch the London page.Bain’s pages did not agree on when it would open, so check the London page to see if it is open.
- True North Scholarships. For penultimate-year women, and Black heritage students, at UK or Irish universities. See the scholarships for women and for Black heritage students. Both say “Apply in spring 2027”. Each offers a London workshop, an early full-time interview and £10,000 for the winner.
- Next year’s London window. In June 2026, Bain’s London page said applications would reopen in September 2026 (archived copy). So we expect the next window to open in about September 2027.So the next window is likely to open in about September 2027. Check the London page to see if it is open. Join Bain’s talent community for alerts.
- Other Bain offices. Bain says “Eligibility and application deadlines vary by office”. Some offices need another language.
- More than two years of work? Use the experienced-hire route. Email [email protected].
- PhD, MD or JD? See Bain’s advanced degree page.
- Other firms. See our McKinsey Business Analyst and BCG Associate guides.
05/10Stage 2 · Sova test
The Sova online assessment
London uses a Sova online assessment with three parts. Numerical reasoning, logical reasoning and a personality questionnaire. Bain says it takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
What Bain says
Three parts, all due by 12:00 BST on 20 October.Three parts. This year, all were due by 12:00 BST on 20 October. You can split them over more than one sitting.
Not published
The number of questions, the order of parts and any pass mark. London lists no verbal part.
Step through the test
Numerical reasoning: four options
Your hub
Your invite opens a hub with one card per part and a rough time for each. Pick a card and press Start. A part you have finished cannot be reopened. Employers set their own version, so yours may differ.
Read the instructions
Each part opens with short instructions and a practice question that does not count. Keep a pen, paper and calculator to hand.
Read the table
The question sits on the left with a table or chart under it. Four answers sit on the right. Next stays grey until you pick one.
Read the chart, pick one
Your pick turns grey with a dark outline and Next turns blue. Time taken counts as well as accuracy, so keep moving.
Your moves
- Read the question first, then find the one row or bar you need.
- Estimate, then check with your calculator.
- There is no countdown, but your speed counts. Work quickly and carefully.
Logical reasoning: six options
Spot the pattern
Four pictures follow a rule. Pick which of six options comes next. Employers set their own version, so yours may differ.
Pick one of six
The picture you pick fades and shows a large tick. Next turns blue once you have picked.
Practice shows the answer
On a practice question, a wrong answer tells you which picture was right. You pick it and press Next to move on.
Your moves
- Name the rule: what moves, turns, grows or repeats.
- Check your rule against every picture before you pick.
- Use the practice question at the start. It does not count.
Personality questionnaire: not one score
Bain’s London page calls this part “behavioural preferences”. Sova does not score it as one number, and speed does not count here.
Sova’s free practice shows two pictures, each with a word, and you pick the one more like you. Sova’s help page also mentions questions where you select “one answer in each column”. Bain does not say which style you will see.
Your moves
- Answer honestly. Bain says it is “not looking for one single type of person.”
- Answer every part of each question, or Next stays off.
Our own simplified drawings of Sova’s free practice test, not screenshots. Bain’s real test uses the same platform, but your parts may differ. The practice hub shows six cards. Bain London names three, so skip Situational Judgement, Video Interview and Verbal.
The rules: allowed and banned
Allowed
- Pen and paper
- A calculator, in the test only
- More than one sitting
Banned
- AI tools of any kind
- Screenshots or recording
- Transcription or feedback software
From Bain’s digital assessment page, which calls AI use “strictly prohibited”. Older guides say no calculator, because Bain banned them until late 2025. Calculators are not allowed in the interviews.
Extra time, retakes and problems on the day
- Extra time. Do not start the test. Email [email protected] “as soon as you can”. Sova can only add extra time before you start.
- Sova or TestGorilla. Bain’s email says which test you take. London’s page names Sova.
- Sittings. You can stop between parts. But a timed part keeps running once you start it, and a finished part cannot be reopened.
- Retakes. None, “unless directed otherwise”.
- Lost connection. Reopen the link in your invite to carry on.
- Next will not click. Answer every part of the question. Reset your zoom to 100%.
- Deadline. Sova cannot extend it. Only Bain can reset a test.
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 14 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From Bain
- Bain’s rules for the online testBain Careers · all offices30 to 40 minutes. Pen, paper and calculator allowed. No AI. What to do first if you need extra time.Free
From Sova
- Sova’s free practice testSova · no account neededThe real Sova screens, with feedback after each answer. Do numerical, logical and personality. Skip the rest.Free
Skip verbal and judgement drills for London. Bain’s page lists numerical, logical and personality only. Skip anyone selling real Bain or Sova questions, solvers or AI help.
Next: build speed on charts and patterns with our guide to psychometric and logic tests.
06/10Stage 3 · Interviews
Bain case interviews
Both London rounds are case interviews. They run in the London office or on Zoom.
YouWhy Bain, your past
Why Bain · Your experience · Your questions
CaseClient problem
Clarify · Structure · Maths · Recommend
Bain London says: “Interviews during both rounds consist of case interviews, so please consider beginning to practice early.” It does not publish how many cases each round has.
Bain: “We’re not looking for a single right answer.” A case “is not a test of business knowledge” (Bain video).
How to answer
A case
Five habits from Bain’s case interview page and its own mock case:
1
Clarify the goal
Ask what the client wants before you build anything.
2
Structure
Take a minute or two to lay out your plan.
3
Think aloud
Say each step, including your maths.
4
Listen and adapt
Use new facts and hints as they come.
5
Recommend
End with an answer, its risks and next steps.
No calculator here. Bain says “it’s not the kind of math that you need a calculator for”, but “You do need to get it right.” It calls 20 to 25 practice cases “the sweet spot”.
Why Bain and your past
Bain says it will “never ask you to memorize and recite material”. So prepare true stories, not scripts. Build each one in four parts:
The moment
Where and when, in one line.
Your aim
What you set out to do, and why it was hard.
What you did
Your own steps, not the team’s.
What changed
The result, with a number if you can.
Follow-ups to rehearse
Why Bain, not another firm?What exactly was your role?What would you do differently?What do you want to ask us?
Our list, built on Bain’s London traits and its interviewing page.
Build each story with our guide on how to pass a job interview, then rehearse the toughest interview questions.
Practise: one question at a time
Our own practice prompts, built on the parts of Bain’s interview form. Bain publishes no London question list.
Structure
A UK bakery chain’s profits fell this year. How would you structure the problem?
What they’re testing: a clear plan after one or two clarifying questions.
Show a strong answer
- Ask the goal, the time frame and what changed.
- Split profit into revenue and costs, then say which you would check first.
Analysis
The chain sells 400,000 loaves a month at £2.50 each. What is its yearly revenue from loaves?
What they’re testing: “Can they do math?” Accurate sums, said out loud.
Show a strong answer
- £1 million a month, so £12 million a year.
- Then say what it means, such as the share of total revenue.
Driving the discussion
Revenue is flat, but costs rose 15%. What would you look at next?
What they’re testing: you pick the next step, not the interviewer.
Show a strong answer
- Split costs by type and find the one that rose most.
- Say what you expect to find, then ask for that data.
Recommendation
“The CEO has just walked in. What do you recommend?”
What they’re testing: an answer, not a summary of your work.
Show a strong answer
- Lead with the answer, then give two reasons.
- Name one risk and the next step.
Why Bain
“Why Bain, and not another consulting firm?”
What they’re testing: whether you can explain why you want Bain specifically.
Show a strong answer
- Two reasons tied to Bain itself, such as its work or people you met.
- Link each reason to something you have done.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories per row, each in four parts. One story can cover two rows.
| What Bain asks for | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Initiative | ||
| Leadership | ||
| Teamwork | ||
| Numbers and analysis | ||
| Why Bain |
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 14 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From Bain
- Bain’s case interview tipsBain Careers · no account neededHow Bain wants you to think in a case, with tips for the office and for Zoom.Free
- Try Bain’s Coffee Shop Co. caseBain Careers · good and better answersBain’s own practice case. Compare your answers with its good and better ones.Free
Watch
- What Bain’s interviewers scoreBain & Company on YouTube · Jul 2025 · 14 minBain recruiters walk through the interview form and how many cases to practise.Free
- A full Bain mock caseBain & Company on YouTube · Dec 2023 · 28 minBased on a real Bain case. Watch the candidate clarify first, then close with risks and next steps.Free
Practise
- A free 7-day case courseCrafting Cases · named by Bain · free account neededShort lessons on structuring any case. Bain’s case page names this course.Free
- Free mock cases with other candidatesPrepLounge · free account needed · free plan: up to 10 peer case meetingsBain’s recruiters suggest 20 to 25 practice cases. A partner makes that possible.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Final round
Final round and offers
The final round is more case interviews. It runs from late November 2026 to early December 2026, in the office or on Zoom.This year it ran from late November 2026 to early December 2026, in the office or on Zoom.
Cases again
Bain does not publish how many cases, how long, or who interviews.
Know your interviewers
Bain suggests you get to know them ahead of time, and write your questions in advance.
Offers
Bain does not publish how or when London makes offers.
More on the final round and starting
- Other formats. Bain’s interviewing page says some roles add a behavioural interview, a chat with future colleagues or a written assignment. For London, it names only case interviews.
- Start dates. “Typically January, March, May, September and October.” Bain gives no year.
When things happen: London, 2026-27
15 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
Applications close
15 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
Applications were due
20 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
Every Sova part due
20 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
Sova parts were due
Mid-Nov 2026
First-round case interviews
Late Nov 2026 to early Dec 2026
Final-round case interviews
Late Nov 2026 to early Dec 2026
Final-round case interviews
Spring 2027
True North Scholarship applications
Sep 2027
Next London window likely opens, our estimate
Sep 2027
Next London window likely opens, our estimate
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Our reading: Bain’s pages say nothing about visas or sponsorship. If you need a visa, ask the London recruiting team before you apply.
Neither the London recruiting page nor the job page mentions visas.
The Graduate visa
- Graduate visa. It lasts “2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026” and “18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027” (GOV.UK). It needs no sponsor.
Need sponsorship? See our guides to UK companies that sponsor visas and staying in the UK after studying. This is general information, so check GOV.UK.
09/10
Key takeaways
Before your next step
- London’s deadline is 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026.London’s deadline was set for 23:59 BST on 15 October 2026. The next window is likely to open in September 2027. You apply with a CV only.
- Every Sova part is due by 12:00 BST on 20 October: numerical, logical and personality.Every Sova part was due by 12:00 BST on 20 October: numerical, logical and personality.
- Practise on Sova’s free test. Skip its verbal, judgement and video parts.
- A calculator is allowed in the test, but not in the interviews.
- Both interview rounds are case interviews, from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026.Both interview rounds were case interviews, from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026.
- Missed it? Look at the internship, True North, other offices or next year’s window.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save Bain & Company once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
How does the Bain Associate Consultant application process work in London?
You apply online with a CV, and no cover letter. Bain then emails you a link to a Sova online assessment: numerical reasoning, logical reasoning and a personality questionnaire. Every part is due by 12:00 BST on 20 October 2026.This year, every part was due by 12:00 BST on 20 October 2026. Two rounds of case interviews follow, from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026.Two rounds of case interviews followed, from mid-November 2026 to early December 2026.
When is the Bain London deadline for 2026-27?
Applications close at 23:59 BST on Thursday 15 October 2026.Applications were due by 23:59 BST on Thursday 15 October 2026. The next London window is likely to open in September 2027. The online test is due by 12:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October.The online test was due by 12:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. First-round interviews are in mid-November 2026, and final rounds run from late November 2026 to early December 2026.First-round interviews were in mid-November 2026, and final rounds ran from late November 2026 to early December 2026.
Which test does Bain London use?
A Sova online assessment with numerical reasoning, logical reasoning and a personality questionnaire. Bain says it takes about 30 to 40 minutes. London lists no verbal part. Your invite email confirms which test you take.
Can I use a calculator in the Bain test?
Yes. Bain allows a pen, paper and calculator in the online test. Older guides say no calculator, because Bain changed the rule in late 2025. Calculators are not allowed in the interviews.
What are Bain’s London interviews like?
Both rounds are case interviews, in the London office or on Zoom. Bain says it is not looking for a single right answer. Its interviewers look at how you structure the problem, do the maths, drive the discussion and make a recommendation.
Does Bain sponsor visas in London?
Our reading: Bain’s own pages say nothing about visas or sponsorship. If you need a visa, ask the London recruiting team before you apply. UK graduates can also use the Graduate visa, which needs no sponsor.
I missed the Bain London deadline. What now?
Penultimate-year students can look at London’s internship and the True North Scholarships, which take applications in spring 2027. Bain’s pages do not agree on when the internship opens, so watch the London page.Check Bain’s London page to see if the internship is open. You can also try another Bain office, or join Bain’s talent community for next year’s London window. We expect it to open in about September 2027.It is likely to open in about September 2027, so check the London page.
