By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Audit Graduate Programme (Assurance) · 14 UK offices · September 2027 start, London also April 2027
Open now, closes when places fillThis year’s listings have closedCheck EY’s listingsOffice full? Your options
Short answer: Apply now. On 15 October 2026, EY’s Audit graduate programme had 15 open listings across 14 UK offices. Each closes when its places fill, with no date given. Office full? See your other options below.This year’s Audit listings had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.EY’s Audit graduate programme runs in 14 UK offices. Check each office’s listing on EY’s site. You fill in a form with no CV. Then you take a Realistic Job Preview and a behavioural skills test, and go to an in-person Experience Day. Only London sponsors visas, on a limited basis.
Applying now?Applying next year?Applying?
Pick one office and fill in the form. Every listing closes when it fills, so take the tests soon after.This year’s listings had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.Pick one office and check its listing on EY’s site. How to apply
Office full or missed it?
Try another office or another EY programme.Try another EY programme or another firm.Try another office or another EY programme. You get one EY application every six months. Your options
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with EY.
EY hires Audit graduates to carry out “independent assessments of financial information to support true and fair reporting”. This guide to the EY Audit graduate application process uses EY’s own pages for every date and rule.
This playbook covers every open office, 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. Prep times are our suggestions.
1. Application: open now, closes when filled1. Application: this year’s listings have closed1. Application: an online form
An online form, with no CV or cover letter. Each office closes when its places fill, so apply early.This year’s listings had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.Check each office’s listing on EY’s site.
2. Online tests: job preview, then skills test
A Realistic Job Preview, then a behavioural skills test. Both run on Cappfinity’s platform. Prep a few days.
3. Experience Day: in person
A day in an EY office, with group and individual tasks. EY aims to give at least a week’s notice. Prep 1 to 2 weeks.
4. Final step: an interview only if your programme has one
Check your invitation for a final interview. If you have one, it usually comes two to three weeks after the Experience Day.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The role at a glance
Everything you need to decide, on one screen. If EY has not published something, we say so.
15Closed14
Audit listings open on 15 October 2026This year’s Audit listingsUK offices with Audit listings
Sep 2027
Start date, London also April 2027
3 years
Great Britain, 3.5 in Northern Ireland
No CV
An online form only
In person
EY Experience Day
Competitive
Salary, no figure published
Great Britain: 12 offices
ICAEW or ICAS, over 3 years. EY pays the costs. In England you also gain a Level 7 apprenticeship, “equivalent to a master’s degree”.
Northern Ireland: 2 offices
Chartered Accountants Ireland, over 3.5 years. You must “remain in Northern Ireland for the entire duration of the programme”.
EY does not say which GB offices train ICAEW and which ICAS. Ofsted rated EY’s Level 7 apprenticeship in England Outstanding in 2024.
Where these facts come from
- Listings and pay. EY’s Audit listings, checked 15 October 2026. Pay is “Competitive”.
- Qualification. “A globally recognised Chartered Accountancy qualification” with ICAEW or ICAS.
- Level 7. “For those based in England”. Ofsted rated it Outstanding “across all areas of delivery”.
- Costs and CV. EY says “we’ll cover the costs for you”, and “A CV or cover letter is not required” (EY’s FAQs).
03/10
What EY Audit looks for
Audit’s listings name five core skills, in the words below. EY also weighs your A-levels with your online test scores.
Analytical thinking
“Using data, technology and professional judgement to deliver strong insights others can rely on.”
Collaboration
“Thrive in inclusive teams where every voice and perspective strengthens outcomes.”
Integrity
“Acting with confidence and accountability to protect trust in business and society.”
Digital, data & AI fluency
“Applying digital tools and analytics to improve efficiency and focus on higher-value work.”
Adaptability
“Responding to changing client needs as priorities and technology evolve.”
Academic record
An honours degree in any subject, GCSE 4/C English and Maths, and three A-levels or five Highers.
EY’s eight skills, used across its hiring
ProactiveDo the right thingCuriousBuild relationshipsAgilityThink criticallyEmbrace technologyMotivated
From EY’s key skills page. No Audit listing names a degree class. EY also uses contextual recruitment, which weighs your socio-economic background.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply now: every office closes when it fills. EY gives no closing date.This year’s Audit listings have closed. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.Check each office’s listing before you apply. Roles close “once positions are filled or if we receive a high volume of applications”.
1
Pick one office
One EY programme per six months
2
Fill in the form
No CV or cover letter
3
Take the tests
Job preview, then skills test
4
Watch your inbox
And your junk folder
Audit listings by intake
| Intake | Offices | Trains for |
|---|---|---|
| September 2027, Great Britain | Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle, Reading, Southampton | ICAEW or ICAS, 3 years |
| April 2027 | London | ICAEW or ICAS, 3 years |
| September 2027, Northern Ireland | Belfast, Derry/ |
Chartered Accountants Ireland, 3.5 years |
From EY’s Audit listings, checked 15 October 2026. All 15 said “Applications are open”.15 October 2026. All had closed by then.15 October 2026. Check each listing for its status. Only London sponsors visas, on a limited basis.
Where to apply, the rules and EY’s help
- Where to apply. Each office has its own form, such as London, September 2027 or Belfast.
- One at a time. “You can only apply for one programme every six months, so choose carefully.” No swaps.
- If you are rejected. Wait six months and use a new email address. At most two applications a year.
- Changing office. Transfers “may be reviewed depending on vacancy availability”.
- Stay active. If your application “has been inactive for 10 days”, EY withdraws it.
- Emails. Hotmail addresses “often reject or block our emails”. Real EY emails end in @ey.com or @uk.ey.com.
- Convictions. Chartered Accountancy is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, so “you must disclose all spent or unspent convictions”.
- Questions. Call EY on +44 (0)800 289 208, weekdays 8:30am to 5:30pm.
Your form answers: do and don’t
Do
“Maths (A), Economics (B), History (B), 2024”
EY asks for your qualifications and says “proofread before submitting”. Match your certificates exactly.
Don’t
“Applied to Audit and Tax in the same week”
EY takes one programme every six months, with no swaps.
EY does not publish its form questions. Our CV achievement examples help you find a result for each Audit skill. 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 EY 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.
Office full or missed it? Your options
- The rule first. Each route below uses your one EY application for six months.
- Another office. On 15 October 2026, all 15 Audit listings were open.This year’s Audit listings had all closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.Check each office’s listing on EY’s site.
- Other EY graduate programmes. Technology Risk, Forensic, Tax and Actuarial also hire graduates. Check which are open on EY’s vacancies.
- Placement year ahead? The one-year Audit Industrial Placement, starting July 2027, was open in Aberdeen and Belfast on 15 October 2026.The Audit Industrial Placement had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.Check EY’s listings for the Audit Industrial Placement. EY calls it “a pathway to our Graduate programme within the same business area and location”.
- Apprenticeships and internships. When we checked on 15 October 2026, they were not open yet. EY said they “will open shortly”.They were open when we checked on 15 October 2026.They had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.
- Other firms. See our PwC Audit graduate scheme guide.
05/10Stage 2 · Online tests
EY’s online tests
EY’s tests run on Cappfinity’s platform. EY’s careers pages do not name it. But EY’s prep hub says its systems are “operated on behalf of EY by Cappfinity Limited”.
First: Realistic Job Preview
“A first stage of online assessment including teamwork and learning capability.”
Then: behavioural skills test
“Measuring whether you have the required skills for the role.”
Step through the tests
Behavioural questions: rank, scale, pick and write
Read the welcome page
A welcome page explains the assessment and gives a few tips. Press Continue to start. Employers set their own version, so yours may differ.
Rank the responses
A short work scenario comes with four possible actions. Drag them into order, from the one you would most likely take to the least likely.
Move the slider
Some questions ask where you sit between two views. Drag the handle along the scale, and a box above it shows what you picked.
Pick the best response
A scenario comes with four responses. Pick the one you think is most appropriate, then save and go on.
Write your answer
Some questions ask for a written answer. These can be timed, and a counter shows how many characters you have left.
Your moves
- Answer as you would really act. EY checks if your values “align with ours”.
- For written answers, plan two or three points first.
Video answers: check, read and record
Test your camera
Before the questions you record a short test clip, play it back and accept it. Employers set their own version, so yours may differ.
Read the question
The question appears with a short preparation countdown. Use the time to plan, then press Record Now.
Record your answer
A second timer shows how long you have to answer. Press Finish Recording when you are done.
Your moves
- Check your webcam and mic in a quiet, well-lit room.
- Use the prep time to plan two or three points.
Last year EY listed a 20-minute numerical test. EY has not confirmed one for 2026-27.
Our own simplified drawings of Cappfinity’s practice screens, not screenshots. Employers set their own version, so your screens may differ. We do not draw the pattern or rules format.
The rules: do and don’t
Do
- Work alone and answer as yourself
- Use a PC or laptop, not a phone
- Keep your camera on if asked
Don’t
- Use help from anyone or any AI tool
- Share any test content
- Use anyone else’s materials
EY’s rules say do every test “without any assistance”. EY names no AI rule, so use none.
Time limits, practice, adjustments and re-sits
- Time. Your invite and each test’s instructions give any time limits.
- Practice. EY’s practice hub sits “within the assessment portal”.
- Adjustments. Ask before you start: usually up to 25% extra time. EY “won’t be able to let you re-sit” if you ask afterwards.
- Re-sits. EY may ask you to re-sit. If it suspects help, it can reject you.
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 EY
- What EY’s online tests could involveEY Careers FAQs · 2026-27 · no account neededEY’s six question formats, time limits and fair-play rules.Free
- EY’s application bootcamp webinarEY Careers · Tuesdays to 24 Nov, 4:00pm · virtual · free sign-upRan on Tuesdays to 24 Nov · virtualTips from EY recruiters, with live questions.Free
Practise
- Try Cappfinity’s numerical demoCappfinity, EY’s test provider · EY listed a numerical test last year · no account neededGeneral practice in last year’s format. EY sets its own version.Free
Skip anyone selling real EY questions or offering help during the tests. EY’s rules say you work alone and share nothing.
Next: learn how ranking and judgement questions work with our guide to psychometric and logic tests.
06/10Stage 3 · Experience Day
The EY Experience Day
The Experience Day is in person, in an EY office. EY uses it to “see how you work with other people and apply your skills in work-based scenarios”.
Group exerciseEY’s 2025 pack
Argue for one area · Hear every view · Agree as a team
Written exerciseEY’s 2025 pack
Client data · Short questions · Your written view
When: EY’s graduate page says Experience Days run from November 2026 to April 2027. Book travel only after EY’s guidelines arrive.This cycle’s Experience Days ran from November 2026 to April 2027.
How to answer
Group exercise
EY’s 2025 pack asks you to “champion the successes of your industry and initiatives, whilst also ensuring that all parties’ views are included and considered”.
1
Read your brief
Note two facts for your area
2
Make your case
Short, with one number
3
Bring others in
Ask the quietest person
4
Help decide
Sum up and agree
Written exercise
EY’s 2025 pack asks you to “dig into this data, answer some questions about it, and then put together some written thoughts”. It adds: “We’re not just looking for number-crunching; we want your insights”.
1
Read the email
Know what the manager wants
2
Find key figures
Two or three, not all
3
Answer each question
Short and exact
4
Give your view
The answer first, then risks
Last year’s tip from EY: no mobile phone, and have a calculator, notepad and pen.
Skills interview
EY’s skills-led interviews are “either virtual or in-person depending on which stage in the process you are at”. Build each true story 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 audit?Why EY?What exactly was your role?What would you do differently?
See our guide on how to pass a job interview, then rehearse the toughest interview questions.
Practise: one question at a time
Audit’s skills
Our own practice prompts, built on Audit’s five core skills. EY publishes no Audit interview questions.
Integrity
Tell me about a time you did the right thing when it was not easy.
What they’re testing: “confidence and accountability”.
Show a strong answer
- A real moment, what you did and why. Keep it honest and specific.
Analytical thinking
Tell me about a time you used data to reach a view others relied on.
What they’re testing: insights “others can rely on”.
Show a strong answer
- The data, what you checked, and the decision it led to.
Adaptability
Tell me about a time a plan changed late. What did you do?
What they’re testing: how you respond when priorities change.
Show a strong answer
- The change, your next step and the result.
Digital, data & AI fluency
Tell me about a time you used a digital tool to make a task quicker or better.
What they’re testing: “applying digital tools and analytics to improve efficiency”.
Show a strong answer
- The task, the tool you chose, and what it saved or improved.
Why audit and ethics
Coaches say these come up in Big 4 audit interviews (Jag Dhaliwal ACA, video below). Not EY-specific.
Why audit
Why audit, and why EY?
What they’re testing: real interest in the work.
Show a strong answer
- Two reasons tied to EY’s Audit work, such as “true and fair reporting”, each linked to something you have done.
Ethics
A colleague changes a figure to meet a deadline. What do you do?
What they’re testing: integrity under pressure.
Show a strong answer
- Coaches say “escalate that to your manager immediately”, then “document everything”.
Teamwork
Tell me about a time your team disagreed.
What they’re testing: collaboration where “every voice” counts.
Show a strong answer
- How you listened, what you agreed and the result.
About you
Tell me about yourself.
What they’re testing: “enthusiasm to succeed”.
Show a strong answer
- Coaches say: present, past, future. End on why Audit at EY.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories per row. One story can cover two rows.
| What EY Audit asks for | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical thinking | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Integrity | ||
| Digital, data and AI fluency | ||
| Adaptability | ||
| Why Audit at EY |
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 EY
- The eight skills EY looks forEY Careers · no account neededPlan one story per skill, then match them to Audit’s five.Free
- EY’s own written exercise brief, 2025EY Experience Day 2025 · PDF · no account neededClient data, questions, then your written view.Free
- EY’s own group exercise brief, 2025EY Experience Day 2025 · large PDF · no account neededArgue for one area while every view is heard.Free
Watch
- 13 common Big 4 interview questions, from an audit managerJag Dhaliwal ACA on YouTube · Oct 2025 · 30 minCoaches say: escalate and document on ethics. Most useful if your route has a final interview.Free
From ICAEW
- The five ethics principles auditors work byICAEW Code of Ethics · updated Jul 2026 · no account neededIntegrity, objectivity, professional competence and due care, confidentiality, and professional behaviour.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Final step
Final step and offers
EY holds a final interview only “if your programme includes” one. EY does not say whether Audit does, so check your Experience Day invitation.
A final interview, if any
It “will usually take place two to three weeks after your EY Experience Day”.
An offer or the reserve list
When roles fill, EY puts some high performers on a reserve list, and offers a place if one frees up.
Another office
EY may contact you about “alternative office locations or vacancies”.
Feedback, hearing back and convictions
- Feedback. “At each stage in our process, we are committed to giving you feedback.”
- Hearing back. EY publishes no timeframe. Watch your portal, inbox and junk folder.
- Convictions. Declare all of them, spent or unspent.
When things happen: Audit, 2026-27
15 October 2026
All 15 Audit listings open, each closes when filled
15 October 2026
This year’s Audit listings had closed when we checked
15 October 2026
Listings checked. See each office’s listing on EY’s site
Tuesdays to 24 Nov
EY’s application bootcamp webinars, 4:00pm
20 Oct to 24 Nov
EY’s bootcamp webinars ran on Tuesdays, 4:00pm
Nov 2026 to Apr 2027
EY Experience Days, in person
April 2027
London April intake startsLondon April intake started
September 2027
Programmes start in 14 officesProgrammes started in 14 offices
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Our reading: only London sponsors visas, on a limited basis. Graduate visa time counts towards GOV.UK’s four-year cap on the new entrant rate EY needs. If you have held a Graduate visa, ask EY before you apply.
EY’s London listings, checked 15 October 2026, say “Visa sponsorship is available for this position on a limited basis.” You “must be eligible for the New Entrant rate for four years from the start date of your programme”. For every other office, Northern Ireland included, EY “cannot accept applications for this role from those who would require EY visa sponsorship. This includes individuals who have or plan to apply for a Graduate visa” (EY listings).
The Graduate visa, right to work and EY’s cut-off
- 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).
- Right to work. It must be “in place in time for the first day of the graduate programme”. Students finish their degree “by 31 August”, with a CAS end date before then.
- Work-permit cut-off, London only. EY’s FAQs set a last date to apply if you need a work permit. For the April 2027 intake, it is 28 November 2026.For the April 2027 intake, it was set for 28 November 2026. For the September 2027 intake, it is 1 May 2027.For the September 2027 intake, it was set for 1 May 2027. EY’s labels for these dates still say 2026 intakes, so check with EY.
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
- Apply now. Every Audit office closes when its places fill, with no date given.This year’s Audit listings had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.Check each office’s listing on EY’s site before you apply.
- You get one EY application every six months, so pick Audit and your office on purpose.
- The tests are a Realistic Job Preview, then a behavioural skills test. Do them alone.
- The Experience Day is in person. EY’s 2025 packs had a group and a written exercise.
- Need a visa? Only London sponsors, on a limited basis. You must qualify as a new entrant for four years.
- Office full? Try another office, or Technology Risk, Forensic, Tax or Actuarial.Missed it? Check EY’s other programmes, or another firm.Office full? Try another office, or Technology Risk, Forensic, Tax or Actuarial.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save EY once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
How does the EY Audit graduate application process work?
You fill in EY’s online form for one office, with no CV or cover letter. Then you take a Realistic Job Preview and a behavioural skills test. Next comes an in-person EY Experience Day. A final interview follows only if your programme includes one.
When does the EY Audit graduate programme close?
EY gives no fixed date. Each office closes when its places fill, or if EY gets a high volume of applications. On 15 October 2026, all 15 Audit listings were open.This year’s listings had all closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.Check each office’s listing on EY’s site. Some roles may reopen later.
Which qualification will I study for on EY’s Audit programme?
In Great Britain, the ICAEW or ICAS Chartered Accountancy qualification, over three years. In Northern Ireland, Chartered Accountants Ireland, over three and a half years. EY pays the costs. In England you also gain a Level 7 apprenticeship.
What are the EY Audit online tests?
A Realistic Job Preview first, then a behavioural skills test. Both run on Cappfinity’s platform. EY’s FAQs list six formats, from picking an answer to recording a video. Last year EY also listed a 20-minute numerical test, but it has not confirmed one for 2026-27.
Do I need a 2:1 for EY Audit?
No Audit listing names a degree class. EY asks for an honours degree in any subject, GCSE grade 4/C in English Language and Maths, and three A-levels or five Highers, or equivalent. EY also weighs your A-levels with your test scores.
Does EY sponsor visas for Audit graduates?
Only in London, on a limited basis. You must qualify for the Skilled Worker new entrant rate for four years from your start date. No other office sponsors. Elsewhere EY cannot take people who need sponsorship, including Graduate visa holders.
