By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Forensic Services Graduate Programme (Assurance) · London · September 2027 start
Open now, closes when places fillThis year’s listing has closedCheck EY’s listingMissed it? Your options
Short answer: Apply now. On 15 October 2026, EY’s Forensic Services graduate programme was open in London only. It closes when places fill, with no date given.This year’s Forensic Services listing had closed when we checked on 17 October 2026. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.EY’s Forensic Services graduate programme runs in London only. Check its 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. EY sponsors visas on a limited basis. Missed it? Audit and Technology Risk are other EY Assurance programmes.
Applying now?Applying next year?Applying?
Fill in the form for London. The programme closes when it fills, so take the tests soon after.This year’s listing had closed when we checked on 17 October 2026. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.Check the London listing on EY’s site, then fill in the form. How to apply
Full or missed it?
Try another EY Assurance programme or a placement. 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 Forensic Services graduates to “shape outcomes through AI-powered forensic investigations”. This guide to the EY Forensic Services graduate application process uses EY’s own pages for every date and rule.
This playbook covers the London programme, 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 listing has closed1. Application: an online form
An online form, with no CV or cover letter. London closes when its places fill, so apply early.This year’s listing had closed when we checked on 17 October 2026.Check the London 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.
London
Only office, open on 17 October 2026Only office. Closed this yearThe only office
Sep 2027
Start date, no April intake
3 years
Programme length
No CV
An online form only
In person
EY Experience Day
Competitive
Salary, no figure published
What you will be doing, in EY’s words
Investigations
“Work on high-profile investigations, regulatory requests and complex business challenges that create real-world impact.”
Data and AI
“Use data, AI and advanced technologies to uncover insights, solve problems and help shape better outcomes.”
Working with others
“Collaborate with specialists, clients and stakeholders to deliver innovative solutions and confident decision-making.”
Learning
“Build future-ready skills through hands-on experience, coaching and continuous learning in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
Qualification: EY names none. The listing says “Role-specific qualification”. Training “may include professional learning, training and, where relevant, qualifications aligned to your role.”
Where these facts come from
- Listing and pay. EY’s Forensic Services listing, checked 15 October 2026. It says “Programme length: Three years” and “Salary: Competitive”. EY’s FAQs add: “We don’t discuss salaries before an offer is made”.
- Training. The listing says “you’ll receive training and learnings across digital forensics, data collection tools, data visualisations and more”.
- The wider team. EY’s Assurance careers page says: “You’ll support investigations, dispute resolution and regulatory challenges, while strengthening compliance programmes, anti-fraud efforts and the ethical business practices of the future.”
- No CV. “A CV or cover letter is not required” (EY’s FAQs).
03/10
What EY Forensic Services looks for
The Forensic Services listing names six core skills, in the words below. EY also weighs your A-levels with your online test scores.
Analytical thinking
“Interpreting data and information to identify patterns, risks and insights.”
Digital fluency
“Use tools and automation to work smarter and focus on higher-value work.”
Curiosity and problem-solving
“Exploring issues and asking the right questions to uncover answers.”
Collaboration
“Working effectively within teams and across different stakeholders.”
Communication
“Clearly explaining findings and building trusted relationships.”
Integrity and professionalism
“Handling sensitive information responsibly and maintaining high standards.”
EY’s eight skills, used across its hiring
ProactiveDo the right thingCuriousBuild relationshipsAgilityThink criticallyEmbrace technologyMotivated
From EY’s key skills page. The listing names no degree class and no required subject. EY also uses contextual recruitment, which weighs your socio-economic background.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply now: Forensic Services closes when it fills. EY gives no closing date.This year’s Forensic Services listing has closed. Watch EY’s graduate page for next year’s.Check the London listing before you apply. Roles close “once positions are filled or if we receive a high volume of applications”.
1
Pick Forensic
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
The London listing
“Applications are open”
London is the only office.
Closed for this year
London is the only office.
Check the listing’s status
London is the only office.
No closing date
It closes when its places fill.
Visa sponsorship: limited
You must qualify as a new entrant for all three years.
Start date: September 2027
Three years. There is no April intake.
From EY’s Forensic Services listing, checked 17 October 2026.
Where to apply, the rules and EY’s help
- Where to apply. EY’s form for Forensic Services, London, September 2027.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Forensic Services and Audit 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 Forensic Services 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.
Full or missed it? Your options
- The rule first. “You can only apply for one programme every six months, so choose carefully.” Each route below uses that one application.
- No other forensic route. Last cycle EY also listed eDiscovery and Forensic Data Analytics (archived EY page). Neither is listed for 2027.
- Other Assurance graduate programmes. Audit and Technology Risk are different programmes, in several UK offices. Check which are open on EY’s vacancies.
- Other EY programmes. Consulting, EY-Parthenon and Tax also hire graduates.
- Placement year ahead? EY listed no Forensic placement or internship on 15 October 2026. Audit (Aberdeen, Belfast) and Technology Risk (Belfast) industrial placements, starting July 2027, were open on 17 October 2026.Not all of EY’s other routes were open when we checked on 17 October 2026. Check the Audit and Technology Risk placements on EY’s site.Check EY’s listings for the Audit and Technology Risk industrial placements. Each is “a pathway to our Graduate programme within the same business area and location”.
- Internships. When we checked on 15 October 2026, they were not open yet. EY said its intern programmes “will open shortly”.They were open when we checked on 15 October 2026.They had closed when we checked on 15 October 2026.
- Next cycle. EY gives no date for the next cycle.
- 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.”
EY publishes no Forensic-only test. Expect the same two stages.
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
No case study or technical interview is published. EY names neither for Forensic Services.
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. EY repays travel “up to a set maximum amount”.
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 Forensic Services?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
Forensic Services’ skills
Our own practice prompts, built on Forensic Services’ six core skills. EY publishes no Forensic Services interview questions.
Analytical thinking
Tell me about a time you spotted a pattern or a risk in a set of data.
What they’re testing: interpreting data “to identify patterns, risks and insights”.
Show a strong answer
- The data, what you noticed, how you checked it and what changed.
Integrity and professionalism
Tell me about a time you were trusted with sensitive information.
What they’re testing: “handling sensitive information responsibly and maintaining high standards”.
Show a strong answer
- What was at stake, the standard you kept and how you kept it.
Communication
Tell me about a time you explained a complex finding to someone outside your field.
What they’re testing: “clearly explaining findings and building trusted relationships”.
Show a strong answer
- The finding, who needed it, how you made it plain and what they did next.
Digital fluency
Tell me about a time you used a tool or automation to save time on a task.
What they’re testing: using “tools and automation to work smarter and focus on higher-value work”.
Show a strong answer
- The task, the tool you chose, the time it saved and what you did with that time.
Why EY and EY’s skills
Our own practice prompts and advice, built on EY’s eight skills. Not from a real EY interview.
Why EY
Why Forensic Services, and why EY?
What they’re testing: real interest in the work.
Show a strong answer
- Two reasons tied to EY’s own words about the work, each linked to something you have done.
Curious
Tell me about something you had to learn quickly.
What they’re testing: “a questioning mindset”.
Show a strong answer
- What you learned, how you went about it and how you used it.
Agility
Tell me about a setback and how you responded.
What they’re testing: “Setbacks don’t faze you; they energise you.”
Show a strong answer
- The setback, your next step and what changed because of it.
Proactive
Tell me about a time you took charge of something nobody asked you to do.
What they’re testing: that you “take responsibility to deliver high quality outcomes”.
Show a strong answer
- What you noticed, why you stepped in, the steps you took and the result.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories per row. One story can cover two rows.
| What EY Forensic Services asks for | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical thinking | ||
| Digital fluency | ||
| Curiosity and problem-solving | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Communication | ||
| Integrity and professionalism | ||
| Why Forensic Services 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 Forensic Services’ six.Free
- EY’s own written exercise briefEY’s own, from the 2025 cycle · PDF · no account neededClient data, questions, then your written view of what the data shows.Free
- EY’s own group exercise briefEY’s own, from the 2025 cycle · large PDF · no account neededGive each friend one industry from the brief, then argue it out.Free
Read
- How assessment days workProspects (Jisc) · updated Sep 2026 · general guide, not EY-specificPlain tips for group tasks: draw others in, show your working, read the brief twice.Free
- What EY’s forensic teams doEY UK services page · written for clients · background readingThe work behind the programme. Useful for “Why Forensic Services?”.Free
- What forensic work involvesProspects · June 2026 · background reading, not EY-specificPlain background on tracing money, calculating losses and writing evidence-based reports. EY names no qualification for this programme.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 Forensic Services 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 programme
EY may contact you about “alternative office locations or vacancies”. Forensic Services runs only in London, so that would mean another programme.
Feedback and hearing back
- 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.
When things happen: Forensic Services, 2026-27
17 October 2026
London open, closes when filled
17 October 2026
This year’s listing had closed when we checked
17 October 2026
Listing checked. See the London 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
September 2027
The three-year programme starts in LondonThe three-year programme started in London
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Our reading: EY sponsors this London programme 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 listing, checked 15 October 2026, says “Visa sponsorship is available for this position on a limited basis.” It adds: “Your eligibility for the New Entrant rate must subsist for the entire duration of the Graduate programme.” The programme lasts three years. On a Graduate visa, EY asks that “your total stay in the UK by the end of your EY Graduate programme plus the date you applied for your Graduate visa will be less than 4 years” (EY listing). EY’s FAQs add: “For some roles this means we cannot accept applicants who have previously been on a graduate visa”.
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 September 2027 intake, it is 1 May 2027.For the September 2027 intake, it was set for 1 May 2027. EY’s label for this date still says 2026, 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. Forensic Services runs in London only and closes when its places fill, with no date given.This year’s listing had closed when we checked on 17 October 2026. Use this guide for next year.Check the London listing on EY’s site before you apply.
- You get one EY application every six months, so pick Forensic Services on purpose.
- The tests are a Realistic Job Preview, then a behavioural skills test. EY publishes no Forensic-only test.
- The Experience Day is in person. EY publishes no case study or technical interview for it.
- Need a visa? EY sponsors on a limited basis. You must qualify as a new entrant for all three years.
- Missed it? Try EY’s Audit or Technology Risk programmes, or a placement year.
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 Forensic Services graduate application process work?
You fill in EY’s online form for the London programme, 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. EY does not say whether Forensic Services does.
When does EY Forensic Services close for 2027?
EY gives no closing date. Applications close once places are filled or if EY gets a high volume of applications. Forensic Services was open in London on 17 October 2026, so apply early.This year’s listing had closed when we checked on 17 October 2026.Check the London listing on EY’s site.
Which qualification will I study for on EY’s Forensic Services programme?
EY does not name one. The listing says “Role-specific qualification”. Training may include qualifications where relevant to your role.
Is there a case study or technical interview for EY Forensic Services?
EY publishes neither for Forensic Services. The in-person Experience Day has group and individual activities. EY’s own 2025 practice packs had a group exercise and a written exercise built on client data.
Do I need a 2:1 or an accounting degree for EY Forensic Services?
No. The listing names no degree class or subject. 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.
Does EY sponsor visas for Forensic Services graduates?
Yes, on a limited basis. You must qualify for the Skilled Worker new entrant rate for the whole three-year programme. On a Graduate visa, your total UK stay by the end of the programme must be under four years. So check with EY before you apply.
How much does EY Forensic Services pay?
EY publishes no figure. The listing says “Competitive”, and EY’s FAQs say “We don’t discuss salaries before an offer is made”.
