By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Consulting Analyst · London, Edinburgh, Manchester · 2027-28
Applications close 16 Oct 2026, 23:59 BSTDeadline was set for 16 Oct 2026Missed it? Your options
Short answer: Apply now. Accenture’s three Consulting Analyst ads, for London, Edinburgh and Manchester, close on Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 BST.This year’s three Consulting Analyst ads, for London, Edinburgh and Manchester, have closed. The deadline was set for Friday 16 October 2026. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027. The form takes about 15 minutes, with no CV. Next comes the untimed Discovery Portal assessment. Then you have a virtual Task Based Interview and an in-person strengths interview. Consulting has no case study. London pays £40,000, plus a £7,200 signing bonus.
Applying now?Applying next year?
Pick one office. Submit by 23:59 BST on Friday 16 October.This year’s ads have closed. The deadline was set for Friday 16 October. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027. Pick one office when they do. Roles are filled first come, first served. How to apply
Missed it?
Check which other Accenture routes are open. You get one role a year. Internships open on 19 October, Accenture said.Accenture said internships would open on 19 October. Your options
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with Accenture.
Accenture’s UK Consulting Graduate Programme hires Consulting Analysts in London, Edinburgh and Manchester. The ads went live on 5 October 2026 and closewere due to close on 16 October. This guide uses Accenture’s own words wherever it can.
This playbook covers each stage, from the form to the final interview, and what to do if you miss the date. 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 come from Accenture’s three Consulting ads and its job feed.
1. Apply by 16 October 20261. Apply (deadline was set for 16 October 2026)
Apply now. The ads close at 23:59 BST on Friday 16 October.This year’s ads have closed. The deadline was set for Friday 16 October. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027. Roles are filled first come, first served.
2. The Discovery Portal
Accenture says you cannot prepare for it. Plan 60 to 90 quiet minutes on a laptop instead.
3. Task Based Interview
An online interview about work scenarios. You pick the slot, so book it early.
4. Business Strengths Interview and offer
An in-person strengths interview, with no case study. Then you can ask your own questions.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The role at a glance
Three offices, any degree subject, no minimum degree class.
16 Oct 2026
Ads close at 23:59 BSTAds have closed
£40,000
Starting salary in London
£36,400
Edinburgh and Manchester
£7,200
Signing bonus, subject to terms
None
Minimum degree class
1 role
In one location, each year
| Office | Address | Starting salary |
|---|---|---|
| London | 30 Fenchurch Street | £40,000 |
| Edinburgh | Atria One, 144 Morrison Street | £36,400 |
| Manchester | No. 2 Circle Square, 1 Symphony Park | £36,400 |
Each ad adds “plus a £7,200 signing bonus (subject to terms)”. Accenture does not publish the terms. From the London, Edinburgh and Manchester ads, checked 15 October 2026.
Where these facts come from
- The date. Each ad gives 16 October 2026 as the closing date. Accenture’s job feed sets the cut-off at 23:59 BST that day.
- Start dates. Start dates run from September 2027 to August 2028. The ads say they “are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.”
- Degree. You need a bachelor’s degree by your start date, and Accenture accepts “all degree disciplines”. Its Support Hub says “Our graduate programmes do not have a minimum degree classification requirement.” You must be in your final year or have graduated.
- Office days and travel. “A minimum of three days per week”, and you “must live within commuting distance”. The Hub says it can be “up to 5 days a week based on business demand”. Most programmes involve “travelling to client sites”, sometimes “staying away from home for long periods of time”.
- Training. The Analyst “Runway” programme builds core consulting skills, including AI. Then you spend 12 months on varied client projects. After that you specialise in an industry, such as Financial Services, or a function, such as Change Management. On average, graduates stay on the programme for “24 – 36 months before promotion”.
- Benefits. The ad lists “30 days of vacation per year, plus bank holidays”, three days of volunteering leave, a pension “with matched contributions”, a share purchase plan and elective private medical insurance.
03/10
What Accenture looks for
The ad names six traits of graduates who “tend to excel”. Have a short story ready for each one.
Passion for business and technology
Show it by: a tech change you followed and what it meant for a business.
Thriving when things change
Show it by: a time plans changed and you adapted fast.
Clear communication
Show it by: a story you can tell clearly in two minutes.
Teamwork and problem-solving
Show it by: a team problem you helped to solve.
Presenting and building relationships
Show it by: a time you won someone over to an idea.
Learning from feedback
Show it by: feedback you acted on, and what changed.
What Accenture says, in its own words
- Business and change. Graduates who excel “have an innate passion for exploring how business and technology shape the future”. They “excel in fast-moving, ever-evolving environments where no two days are the same”.
- People. They bring “a collaborative spirit and a can-do mindset”. They “confidently present ideas and build strong connections with stakeholders”.
- Learning. They “bring a learning mindset, actively seeking feedback and using it to adapt and improve”.
- The work. Analysts “analyse data to uncover insights” and “use AI and emerging technologies responsibly to help clients solve problems”.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply now. Applications close on 16 October 2026. Accenture’s job feed sets the cut-off at 23:59 BST that day (checked 15 October 2026).This year’s ads have closed. The deadline was set for 16 October 2026. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027.
Accenture says: “We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment, as roles are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.”
So apply as soon as you can, not on the last evening. Accenture’s help pages add that programmes can close once it has enough applications.
1
Pick one office
London, Edinburgh or Manchester
2
Open that ad
Each office has its own
3
Fill in the form
About 15 minutes, no CV
4
Submit
By 23:59 BST on 16 October
The form asks about your degree, work experience, training courses and right to work. There is no CV, cover letter or motivation question.
Your office, the form, replies, adjustments and scams
- Your office is fixed. The Hub says “you will only be offered a role in the office you applied for”. It adds “We don’t match candidates to roles”.
- The 6-month question. The form asks if you applied for a Graduate, Internship or Apprenticeship role at Accenture “in the UK or Ireland within the last 6 months”. So Ireland counts.
- UK residence. The form asks about “5 years’ continuous physical residence in the UK”, for security clearance. The Hub says “sometimes we may need to limit the number of candidates employed who do not meet the criteria”.
- Your circumstances. Accenture says “We will take genuine mitigating circumstances into account”. Diversity questions are optional and “not visible to those assessing your suitability”.
- Replies. Accenture aims to reply “within 2- 3 weeks”, but says busy periods can take longer.
- Adjustments. Accenture works with MyPlus and the Business Disability Forum. Past adjustments include extra time, a changed format and a set interview time. Ask “as soon as possible”. Accenture says these talks are confidential and “would have no impact on the outcome of your application”.
- Scams. Accenture “will never ask for payment to interview or work with our company”. It never contacts you through outside chat apps.
Your form answers: do and don’t
Do
“Part-time sales assistant, 2024 to 2026. Trained four new starters.”
The form asks for your work experience. Give the role, the dates and one result.
Don’t
“Applied to Consulting in London and AI & Data in Edinburgh”
Accenture allows one role in one location each year.
Accenture asks for no CV, but your interview stories start with what you have done. Our CV achievement examples help you find a result for each role. Our guide to writing a strong CV helps you pick your best examples. 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 Accenture 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.
Missed the deadline? Your options
- No other Consulting office. All three closewere due to close at the same time.
- Strategy, London. The Strategy Analyst ad also closeswas also due to close on 16 October 2026, and its final stage adds a case study.
- Other Accenture routes. These ads were open on 15 October 2026 with no deadline listed:These ads were open in October 2026. Check each one is still live: AI & Data in London and Edinburgh, Digital Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain in London, and Technology Analyst in eight offices.
- One role a year. The ad says “You can only apply for one role in one location each year”. So if you applied to Consulting, you cannot also apply to these. The Hub adds: “If you are unsuccessful, you will need to wait 6 months before reapplying to the same or any other programme at Accenture (including regional offices).”
- Penultimate year. Accenture said in a live stream that its internships openwould open on 19 October. Check its internships page that weekfor live ads.
- Next year. This cycle opened on 5 October 2026. So the next one will likely open in early October 2027.
- Other firms. See our guides to McKinsey and BCG.
05/10Stage 2 · Online test
The Discovery Portal
Accenture says its Discovery Portal is “bespoke to Accenture”. It also says plainly: “You cannot prepare for the assessments”.
Accenture does not name a test provider. It publishes no practice test and no pass mark.
The portal is not timed. Accenture recommends that you “put aside 60 – 90 minutes”, somewhere quiet, ideally in one sitting. It records your time, but “the time taken does not factor in the final result”.
A tutorial waits when you log in. Everyone gets “a personal feedback report – whether you pass or not”. Accenture runs weekly live chats for candidates at this stage.
What the portal covered last cycle
- Accenture’s older profile. Accenture’s profile on targetjobs is from last cycle. It uses older programme names, so this year’s portal may differ.
- Skills. That profile says the portal assessed “analytical skills, collaboration, initiative and growth mindset”.
- Questions. It lists “situational judgement, data interpretation and numerical reasoning questions”, “positioned through Video, Animation and Imagery”.
- Order. It said you could take the parts in “the order of your choosing”.
Accenture’s set-up advice
Accenture recommends
- A laptop or desktop, in full screen
- Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox
- One sitting, somewhere quiet
- Picking up where you left off if your connection drops
Accenture asks you to avoid
- AI where the instructions say not to use it
- Pop-up blockers left on
- A phone. It works, but Accenture strongly recommends a laptop
On AI, Accenture says “we encourage the use of Generative AI when appropriate”. But “in the majority of the assessment process we request your authentic participation”. So read each instruction before you start a section.
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 15 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From Accenture
- How Accenture’s online assessment worksAccenture Support Hub UK · 2027-28 intake · no account neededAccenture’s own answers: untimed, about 60 to 90 minutes, one sitting, with a tutorial at the start.Free
- What the Discovery Portal covered, in Accenture’s wordsAccenture’s profile on targetjobs · undated · older programme namesAccenture lists the question types it used last cycle: situational judgement, data interpretation and numbers.Free
Watch
- Accenture people on using AI without losing judgementAccenture UK on YouTube · Oct 2026 · 3 minAccenture welcomes AI when appropriate but wants the real you. Three staff show where AI helps and where your judgement leads.Free
Skip anyone selling Accenture questions or paid help. Accenture says you cannot prepare for its assessments. It never asks for money at any stage.
Next: you cannot practise Accenture’s own portal. If tests in general make you nervous, our guide to psychometric and logic tests explains the common types.
06/10Stage 3 · Interviews
Accenture interviews
Two interviews, and both are about you. First a virtual Task Based Interview, then an in-person Business Strengths Interview.
Task Based InterviewOnline, with a recruiter
Client scenarios · How you would respond · On camera, business-casual
Business Strengths InterviewIn person, about 50 to 60 min
Your natural strengths · What motivates you · Then your questions
No case study for Consulting. Accenture adds a case study interview only for Strategy, AI & Data and Digital Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
Accenture says the Task Based Interview “is an online interview with a recruiter where you will be asked to consider work based scenarios, and discuss with a recruiter how you would respond in the situation.”
Two sources describe who you meet at the final interview. The Hub says “a Manager or Managing Director from our business”. The ad says “One interview with a manager from the business area you applied to”.
What Accenture says about each interview
- Booking. “Yes, you can choose a date and time that suits you.” Accenture advises booking early, because start dates “can fill up very quickly”.
- On camera. “you will be on camera throughout”. “The dress code is business-casual.” Your recruiter can see your background.
- Last cycle. Accenture’s older targetjobs profile said the Task Based Interview took “approximately one hour”, mostly spoken, “aside from one short written response”.
- Strengths. It “lasts approximately 50-60 minutes”. Then you can ask about the role and life at Accenture. Accenture sends guidance before each interview.
- Support. Accenture asks you to “look out for our weekly digital chat sessions with recruiters”. Live Q&A sessions also run before the final interview.
How to answer
Task Based Interview
Accenture wants to see “your working style or how you might overcome a client challenge”. This answer frame is ours:
Clarify
Restate the scenario and what the client needs.
Options
Give two ways forward, then pick one.
Reasons
Say why, with the client and the team in mind.
Check
Say what you would watch, and when you would change course.
Strengths interview
Accenture explores “your natural strengths and what motivates you”. Prospects, a UK careers service, advises: “Emphasise activities that energise you, not just those you can do well”.
Your moves
- Prepare four to six varied stories, as Prospects suggests.
- After you name a strength, explain why it matters to you.
- Say what energised you, not only what you did.
- Answer honestly. There is often no right answer.
The moves are ours, built on Accenture’s words and Prospects’ general guide.
See our guides on how to pass a job interview and the toughest interview questions.
Practise: scenario questions
Our own scenarios, built from the ad’s account of the role. They are not Accenture’s questions.
Client deadline
“A client wants a report two days early. Your manager is away. What do you do?”
What they’re testing: judgement and client focus under pressure.
Show a strong answer
- Ask what the client needs most by then. Offer that part on time and the rest later. Tell your manager what you agreed, in writing.
AI and data
“An AI tool gives you a quick number for a client dashboard. It looks too good. What do you do?”
What they’re testing: using AI responsibly, as the ad asks.
Show a strong answer
- Check the number against the source data before you share it. Explain any gap and fix the method. Tell the team what you found.
Team conflict
“Two teammates disagree on the approach, and the work has stalled. What do you do?”
What they’re testing: collaboration and problem-solving.
Show a strong answer
- Hear both views and find what they agree on. Test the open question with data. Agree one plan and a date to review it.
Feedback
“A client says your slides are hard to follow. How do you respond?”
What they’re testing: a learning mindset and clear communication.
Show a strong answer
- Thank them and ask what they need. Cut each slide to one message. Check the new version with them before the meeting.
Practise: strengths questions
Prospects lists these as typical strengths questions. They are a general guide, not Accenture’s questions. The answer tips are ours.
Energy
“What energises you?”
What they’re testing: what you enjoy, not only what you can do.
Show a strong answer
- Name one activity. Give a recent example, then say why it gives you energy.
Working style
“Do you prefer the big picture or the small details?”
What they’re testing: how you like to work. There is no right answer.
Show a strong answer
- Pick one honestly and give an example. Then show you can handle the other side when needed.
Pride
“When did you achieve something you’re really proud of?”
What they’re testing: what success means to you.
Show a strong answer
- Choose a result you drove. Say what you did, what changed and why it mattered to you.
Self-awareness
“What do you enjoy doing the least?”
What they’re testing: honesty about yourself.
Show a strong answer
- Be honest, but pick a task the role does not centre on. Say how you still get it done well.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories for each trait Accenture names. Learn them well enough to tell without notes.
| Trait | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Passion for business and technology | ||
| Thriving when things change | ||
| Clear communication | ||
| Teamwork and problem-solving | ||
| Presenting and building relationships | ||
| Learning from feedback |
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 15 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From Accenture
- What happens in each Accenture interviewAccenture Support Hub UK · 2027-28 intake · no account neededAccenture’s own lines on the scenario interview and the strengths interview, including length and dress code.Free
Read
- How strengths-based interviews workProspects (Jisc) · updated Sep 2026 · general guide, not Accenture-specificPlan four to six examples. Talk about what energises you, not only what you do well.Free
Watch
- Accenture UK’s live session with recent graduatesAccenture UK on YouTube · Oct 2026 · 59 minGraduates talk about their first years, training and the skills Accenture values. Note one detail for your answer to why Accenture.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Final
Final interview and offer
The Business Strengths Interview is the last stage. An offer is only for the office you applied to.
Your start date
Accenture offers “the next available start date”, from September 2027 to August 2028. That can be “up to 12- 18 months in advance”. It allows deferral only in exceptional circumstances.
Your pay
The £7,200 signing bonus is “(subject to terms)”. Accenture does not publish the terms, so ask.
Your training
The Analyst “Runway” programme, then a year of varied projects before you specialise.
Before you join
Accenture says its Pre Joiner Engagement Team will be in touch.
Accenture publishes no wait time from the final interview to an offer.
Key dates: Consulting Analyst, 2027-28 intake
5 Oct 2026
Consulting ads opened
16 Oct 2026
All three ads close, 23:59 BST
16 Oct 2026
Applications were due by 23:59 BST
19 Oct 2026
Internships openwere due to open, Accenture said in a live stream
Oct 2026 to New Year
Interviews, the ad says
Oct 2026 to New Year
Interviews, the ad says
Sep 2027 to Aug 2028
Start dates, first come, first served
Early Oct 2027
Next cycle likely opens
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Accenture can consider sponsorship for Consulting in all three offices. Its visa table lists Consulting as “All locations” and “Yes – subject to UKVI restrictions”.
Yes
Consulting, all locations
No promise
Accenture cannot guarantee it
Sep 2027
The policy covers hires from then
Source: Accenture’s Team Visa Sponsorship Policy – as of October 2026, read on 15 October 2026.
Accenture’s conditions, in its own words
- No guarantee. Accenture “can consider Skilled Worker Visa (SWV) sponsorship” for these programmes, but it “cannot guarantee you will be eligible for sponsorship”.
- Salary rules. UK salary thresholds must be met “at both the application and visa extension stages”.
- The risk. “If salary thresholds are not met at any stage, Accenture may need to withdraw an offer or end employment if you lose your right to work in the UK.”
- Rules can change. Sponsorship also depends on “UK immigration rules in force at the time of your start date – these can change”.
- On a Graduate visa? GOV.UK says 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”. Check when yours ends before you pick a start date.
Our reading: whether you qualify depends on your own visa history and the role. So ask Accenture before you apply.
See our guides to staying in the UK after studying and UK companies that sponsor visas. This is general information, so check GOV.UK.
09/10
Key takeaways
Before you apply
- Apply now. All three Consulting ads close on Friday 16 October 2026 at 23:59 BST.This year’s three Consulting ads have closed. The deadline was set for Friday 16 October 2026. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027.
- You can apply for one role in one location each year. Choose your office with care.
- The form takes about 15 minutes and needs no CV. Give each role a result.
- Accenture says you cannot prepare for its portal. Plan 60 to 90 quiet minutes on a laptop.
- Both interviews are about you. Consulting has no case study.
- Have two stories for each of the six traits the ad names.
- Need a visa? Ask Accenture about your own case before you apply.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save Accenture once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
When does the Accenture Consulting graduate programme close?
The three Consulting Analyst ads, for London, Edinburgh and Manchester, say applications close on 16 October 2026. Accenture’s job feed sets the cut-off at 23:59 BST that day. Roles are filled first come, first served, so apply as soon as you can.The three Consulting Analyst ads, for London, Edinburgh and Manchester, have closed. Their deadline was set for 16 October 2026. The next ones are likely to open in October 2027. Roles are filled first come, first served, so apply early.
How much does an Accenture Consulting Analyst earn?
The ads give a starting salary of £40,000 in London and £36,400 in Edinburgh and Manchester. Each adds a £7,200 signing bonus, subject to terms. Accenture does not publish the terms. We checked the figures on 15 October 2026.
Do I need a 2:1 for Accenture Consulting?
No. Accenture says its graduate programmes have no minimum degree class. Consulting takes any degree subject. You must be in your final year or have graduated, with a bachelor’s degree by your start date.
Is the Accenture Discovery Portal timed?
No. Accenture says the portal is not timed, but it recommends you set aside 60 to 90 minutes and do it in one sitting. It calls the portal bespoke, names no test provider and says you cannot prepare for it.
Is there a case study in the Accenture Consulting interviews?
No. Consulting has a virtual Task Based Interview with a recruiter, then an in-person strengths interview of about 50 to 60 minutes. Only Strategy, AI & Data and Digital Engineering, Manufacturing and Supply Chain add a case study.
Does Accenture sponsor visas for Consulting Analysts?
Accenture’s visa policy, as of October 2026, marks Consulting in all locations as yes, subject to UKVI restrictions. It says it can consider Skilled Worker sponsorship but cannot guarantee it. Whether you qualify depends on your own visa history and the role, so ask Accenture before you apply.
I missed the Accenture Consulting deadline. What now?
Accenture’s AI & Data, Digital Engineering and Technology Analyst ads were open on 15 October 2026 with no deadline listed.were open in October 2026, so check each one is still live. But you get one role in one location each year. Accenture said in a live stream that internships openwould open on 19 October. The next cycle will likely open in early October 2027.
