By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Audit Graduate Trainee (ACA) · Mid Market, Public Sector and more · September 2027
No closing date · 33 roles open, 15 October 2026Closed this yearCheck each ad for its dateMissed it? Your options
Short answer: Apply now. Forvis Mazars says “Applications for our 2027 opportunities are now open”. On 15 October 2026, 33 audit graduate roles were open in 12 UK offices, with no closing date.This year’s audit graduate roles have closed. Forvis Mazars filled most roles first come, first served. It says you can apply for “roles starting in September 2028 when they open”.Check each audit ad for its closing date. Forvis Mazars fills most roles first come, first served. You get one application per academic year, and no CV is needed. Then come a five-minute online assessment, a live video interview, a half-day virtual assessment centre and an in-person final interview. Pay is not published.
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with Forvis Mazars.
Forvis Mazars’ Audit Graduate Trainee programme comes with “funded ACA study, structured training and dedicated study leave”. The 2027 intake starts on 6 September 2027.The 2027 intake started on 6 September 2027.
This playbook covers all nine audit streams, from Mid Market to Data Transformation, office by office. 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. Rules and stages are Forvis Mazars’, checked 15 October 2026. Prep times are ours.
1. Apply: no closing date1. Apply: this year’s roles have closed1. Apply: see each ad’s closing date
One application per academic year, for one office and stream. Prep 1 to 2 days.
2. Online assessment: about five minutes
A short strengths assessment, with a report afterwards. The firm says it “requires no preparation”.
3. Interviews: live video, then an assessment centre
A live video interview, then a half-day virtual assessment centre. Prep about 1 week.
4. Final interview: in person, with a senior leader
A presentation task and questions, at the office you could join. Prep 1 to 2 weeks.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The programme at a glance
Funded ACA study and a fixed start date, but no published pay. Where Forvis Mazars is silent, we say so.
33 roles
Audit roles open, 15 October 2026Audit roles, all closed this yearAudit roles. See each ad for its date
Rolling
No closing date published
Closed
Filled first come, first served
See ads
Each ad gives its own closing date
6 Sep 2027
Start date for the 2027 intake
ACA
Funded study in 30 of the 33 ads
Not published
Salary, shared with your offer
112 UCAS
Plus a 2:1 and GCSE Maths and English
Mid Market: 11 of the 33 ads
The most common stream. The ads describe “privately owned businesses, from ambitious start-ups to large international groups”.
Eight more streams: 22 ads
Industry & Services, Public Sector, Social Sector, Banking, Asset Management, Insurance, IT Specialist and Data Transformation.
Where these facts come from
- Qualification. 30 ads offer “funded ACA study”. Data Transformation offers “funded ACA Certificate Level study”. IT Specialist offers “ACA Certificate Level Only / CISA” (IT Specialist ad).
- Pay. “We offer a competitive starting salary for all early careers roles, which increases as you progress and pass your professional exams.” Full details “will be shared as part of your offer” (FAQ). Compare salaries in the UK.
- Start. Forvis Mazars gives 6 September 2027 as the start of its 2027 intake. Your studies must be finished before then.
- Holiday. “Between 25 days and 29 days holiday”, with “the option to buy up to 10 days” (rewards page).
- Work pattern. Hybrid. The firm says “on average, we will spend at least two or three days at client site or in the office”. It “will vary depending on the needs of your role”.
- The firm. The ads say it has “14 offices across the nation and has over 3,400 professionals, with 190 partners”.
03/10
What Forvis Mazars looks for
Forvis Mazars names five traits it looks for in trainees. It adds “We’re looking for a spark of potential.”
Collaborative
“You enjoy working with others and building strong relationships.”
Curious and detail-focused
“You’re able to interpret information and pay attention to the finer points.”
Commercially aware
“You understand the bigger picture and think with purpose.”
Motivated to grow
“You’re ready to take on the challenge of balancing work and study as you work towards professional qualifications.”
Values-driven
“You share the values that shape our culture and guide how we work together.”
From Forvis Mazars’ FAQ, updated 23 September 2026. Every audit ad adds “You don’t need prior audit experience before you join.” On background, the firm says “There isn’t a specific type of person, education, or background that we seek in our trainees.”
The ads’ own list, and the six values
Every audit ad asks “Does this sound like you?” and lists six lines.
- Numbers. “Enjoy working with numbers, analysing data and spotting trends.”
- Business. “Curious about business, financial performance and risk.”
- People. “A clear communicator who builds strong relationships.”
- Technology. “Interested in technology, data analytics and AI in audit.”
- Attitude. “Adaptable, motivated and eager to learn.”
- Study. “Ready to study towards a professional qualification alongside your role.”
- Values. Integrity, Responsibility, Independence, Technical excellence, Diversity and respect, and Continuity (values page).
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply now: there is no closing date. Forvis Mazars says “Applications for our 2027 opportunities are now open” and recruits most roles “on a first-come, first-served basis”.This year’s audit roles have closed. Forvis Mazars recruits most roles “on a first-come, first-served basis”.Check each ad for its closing date. Forvis Mazars recruits most roles “on a first-come, first-served basis”.
1
Pick one ad
One office and stream
2
Fill the form
Education and qualifications
3
Write your statement
“a motivation statement”
4
Online assessment
About 5 minutes, next
The one-application rule, entry rules and support
- One application. “We only accept one application per academic year (September to August)”. If you have applied for a September 2027 role, “you won’t be able to apply again for another role with the same start date” (FAQ).
- Second choice. On the form “you can select a second-choice office location and service line”, in case your first choice fills.
- Entry. “GCSE Maths and English Language at Grade 4/C”, a 2:1 “Achieved or predicted”, and “a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points from your top three” Level 3 qualifications. The FAQ applying this to graduates was updated on 8 October 2026. If exceptional circumstances affected your grades, “we will review your application on an individual basis and consider the context provided”.
- Finish first. Your degree must be “formally completed” before you join on 6 September 2027.
- Support. Ask for adjustments at any stage. You can also chat with “recent graduate or apprentice joiners”, and get feedback “even if you don’t secure a role” (selection page).
- Scams. “We will never ask candidates to make payments, purchase equipment, or provide bank details”.
The audit roles: pick one office and stream
Each office and stream has its own ad. Pick the one you want most, as you get one application.
| Office | Ads listed | Sponsorship |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Mid Market, Industry & Services | No |
| Bristol | Mid Market, Industry & Services | No |
| Edinburgh | Mid Market, Public Sector | No |
| Glasgow | Mid Market, Public Sector | No |
| Leeds | Mid Market, Public Sector, Banking | No |
| London | Mid Market, Industry & Services, Public Sector, Insurance, Asset Management, IT Specialist, Data Transformation | Possible |
| Manchester | Mid Market, Industry & Services, Public Sector, Social Sector, Banking, Data Transformation | No |
| Milton Keynes | Mid Market, Industry & Services, Asset Management | No |
| Newcastle | Public Sector | No |
| Nottingham | Mid Market, Social Sector | No |
| Poole | Mid Market | No |
| Sutton | Mid Market, Social Sector | Possible |
From Forvis Mazars’ Workday job list, checked on 15 October 2026. Ads posted 12 to 14 October 2026. No ad gives a closing date. No ad gave a closing date. This year’s roles have closed. Check each ad for its closing date. Not listed when we checked on 15 October 2026: audit graduate roles in Leicester, and Banking in London. Audit graduate roles in Leicester and Banking in London were listed when we checked on 15 October 2026. Audit graduate roles in Leicester and Banking in London were not open when we checked on 15 October 2026. The Sponsorship column is our reading of the FAQ, which rules out graduate roles outside London and Sutton.
Your motivation statement: do and don’t
Do
“I chose Social Sector audit after two years as treasurer of my university’s volunteering society”
Name your stream and a real moment. The firm later looks for “your interest in Forvis Mazars and the role you’ve applied to”.
Don’t
“I am passionate about joining a leading professional services firm”
It could fit any firm. Forvis Mazars also asks you not to use AI at any stage.
Forvis Mazars says “There’s no need for a CV or a cover letter, just spend time checking that all the information is accurate”. Our CV achievement examples show how to turn a task into a result for your statement. 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 Forvis Mazars 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.
Your office not listed, or not selected? Your options
- Another office or stream. Only if you have not applied this academic year. On 15 October 2026, 33 audit roles were open. This year’s audit roles have closed. Check each ad for its closing date.
- Other programmes. Forvis Mazars listed 15 Tax Graduate Trainee roles for September 2027. Financial Planning had Graduate Trainee roles in Leeds, London and Milton Keynes. Accounting and Outsourcing had a Graduate Rotation Programme in Sutton. Each is a separate programme on the same job list, under the same one-application rule. They were open when we checked on 15 October 2026. Their roles have closed this year. Check the job list for their dates.
- Next year. Forvis Mazars says you can apply for “roles starting in September 2028 when they open”. It has not published an opening date. It has now set an opening date, so check its careers site. Those roles are now open, so check the job list. That round has now closed.
- Still a student? Summer in the City is a “paid Summer Internship Programme” over five weeks, with “the opportunity to fast-track to a graduate role starting in September 2028”. Forvis Mazars says applications open in January 2027 Forvis Mazars said applications would open in January 2027 (undergraduates page).
- Meet the firm. An in-person Early Careers Insight event at the Poole office, Tuesday 3 November 2026, from 17:30 GMT to 19:00 GMT.Forvis Mazars held an in-person Early Careers Insight event at the Poole office on 3 November 2026. It says upcoming events will be listed on its careers website.
05/10Stage 2 · Online assessment
The online assessment
The first stage after the form is a short online assessment. Forvis Mazars says it “takes about five minutes and requires no preparation”.
About 5 min
Usual length, says the firm
Not timed
So no extra time is offered
A report
Top two strengths, one to develop
It “measures the strengths which drive high performance at Forvis Mazars” and “starts with a few warm-up questions”. The firm’s tips: “take the assessment in a quiet, distraction-free space. Carefully read the instructions and be yourself” (selection page). No practice version is public.
How it is scored, and what you get back
- Scoring. “Candidate responses are scored using deterministic, rule-based algorithms”. “We do not use black-box or generative AI to decide scores.”
- Not timed. “Our online assessment isn’t timed”, so the firm says “we don’t offer additional time”. Ask about other adjustments.
- Guide video. “We will also share a video to guide you through what to expect”. Read “the introductory page to the assessment” first. It has “a short video to watch which explains how the assessment works and our top tips.”
- Your report. It shows “your top two strengths and one area for development”. Use it to pick your interview stories.
The AI rule: prepare with it, never use it in a stage
Allowed
- AI to prepare for an interview or assessment
- The firm’s guide video, before you start
- Adjustments, if you ask the team
- A chat with a recent joiner
Asked not to
- AI during any stage of the process
- AI-written answers on your form
- A second application with the same start date
- Paying anyone who says they recruit for the firm
The firm says “You may use AI to prepare for an interview or assessment stage, however, we ask that you refrain from using AI during any stage of the recruitment process” (FAQ, 23 September 2026).
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 the employer
- Selection process: the online assessmentForvis Mazars · read the Online assessment section · no account neededThe firm’s own words on the five-minute assessment, its warm-up questions and your report.Free
- Early careers FAQsForvis Mazars · checked 15 Oct 2026 · no account neededTiming, the guide video, scoring and the AI rule. Search the page for “online assessment”.Free
- Our valuesForvis Mazars · no account neededThe assessment looks for your strengths, and the firm wants trainees who are “Values-driven”. Know its six values before you start.Free
Skip paid “Forvis Mazars test” packs. The firm says the assessment “requires no preparation”, and packs built on the old Mazars number and word tests describe stages it no longer lists.
Next: see how other employers use reasoning and personality tests in our guide to psychometric and logic tests.
06/10Stage 3 · Interviews
The video interview and assessment centre
Next comes a live video interview with “one of our team”. You pick a time from the slots the firm emails you.
It is “your opportunity to speak to one of our team and showcase your motivations, strengths and abilities”. The firm says “new interview slots are released regularly”, but “we’re only able to send two invitations to book your interview.” The firm’s TARGETjobs profile says it is “a MS Teams video interview, involving strengths-based questions with our recruitment team”. Length and question count are not published.
The half-day virtual assessment centre
If you pass the interview, you join “one of our half day virtual assessment centres”. It assesses your strengths “using assessments that help reflect what it is like to work at Forvis Mazars”. The firm says “You are not required to complete any specific preparation”. You “will have plenty of time to speak to the other candidates and people from our business on the day.”
The firm’s TARGETjobs profile says the day includes “a group exercise, in-tray exercise and a self-reflection exercise”. The careers site does not list the exercises.
How to answer: show a strength with proof
This four-step frame is ours. Forvis Mazars publishes no answer method.
1
Name the strength
One of the five traits
2
Give the moment
Where, when, your part
3
Show the result
What changed, with a number
4
Link it to audit
Why it helps in your stream
Be ready to talk about
Your motivationsYour strengthsYour abilitiesWhy Forvis MazarsWhy your stream
See our guides on how to pass a job interview and the toughest interview questions.
Practise: questions built from the firm’s words
Motivation questions
Forvis Mazars publishes no interview questions. We turned its own words into practice questions.
Why the firm
Why do you want to join Forvis Mazars?
What the firm says
- It wants to see “your interest in Forvis Mazars and the role you’ve applied to”. Use facts from its own pages, not general praise.
Why audit
Why audit, and why this stream?
What the firm says
- “Audit is about more than numbers. It’s about understanding organisations, building trust in financial information, and helping businesses, investors and communities make informed decisions.” Read the team paragraph in your ad.
Work and study
How will you balance work and study for the ACA?
What the firm says
- It wants people “ready to take on the challenge of balancing work and study”. The ads offer “dedicated study leave”.
Values
Which of the firm’s values matters most to you, and why?
What the firm says
- Values-driven: “You share the values that shape our culture”. The six are Integrity, Responsibility, Independence, Technical excellence, Diversity and respect, and Continuity. Pick one and back it with a real moment.
Strengths questions
Each question comes from one of the firm’s traits. The wording of the questions is ours.
Detail
Tell us about a time you spotted a detail others missed.
What the firm says
- Curious and detail-focused: “You’re able to interpret information and pay attention to the finer points.”
Teamwork
Tell us about a strong working relationship you built.
What the firm says
- Collaborative: “You enjoy working with others and building strong relationships.”
Pressure
Tell us about a time you worked to a tight deadline.
What the firm says
- Its best trainees show “Excellent time management skills”. One “Works well under pressure and has a positive ‘can-do’ attitude”.
Business
Tell us about a business you follow and what drives its results.
What the firm says
- Commercially aware. The ads want people “Curious about business, financial performance and risk.” Name one result, one risk and what you would ask about it.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories for each of the firm’s five traits.
| Trait | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Collaborative | ||
| Curious and detail-focused | ||
| Commercially aware | ||
| Motivated to grow | ||
| Values-driven |
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 the employer
- Selection process: the interview stagesForvis Mazars · read the video interview, assessment centre and final interview sections · no account neededA different part of the page from Kit 1. Read it with “What do we look for?” at the end.Free
- About usForvis Mazars · no account neededFacts for your why audit here answer, such as “a leading auditor to Public Interest Entities (PIEs)”.Free
Watch
- 13 common Big 4 interview questionsJag Dhaliwal ACA on YouTube · Oct 2025 · 30 minCoaches say: escalate and document on ethics questions. His tips for senior interviewers suit the final interview.Free
From ICAEW
- ICAEW Code of EthicsICAEW · updated Jul 2026 · no account neededThe five principles auditors work by, from integrity to professional behaviour. The ads offer ACA study, so ICAEW is your body.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Final
The final interview and your offer
The last stage is “a final in-person interview with a senior leader from your chosen business area”. It takes place at the office you could join.
A presentation and questions
“We want to understand more about your skills, experiences, and aspirations through a presentation task and interview questions.”
Your questions too
A chance “to ask us any questions about the role, team, or culture whilst experiencing the office you could be joining us in.”
A mentor call, if you ask
The firm’s TARGETjobs profile says you can “request a mentor call from a current trainee in the firm to support with your preparation”.
Travel
The firm will “reimburse travel expenses up to a reasonable amount. Please keep your receipts”.
The offer
If you pass, “you’ll receive a formal offer”, and you are “assigned a buddy from your new team”.
From Forvis Mazars’ selection page and FAQ, 15 October 2026. The presentation topic, the interview length and the panel size are not published.
Offer conditions and the ICAEW conduct rule
- Right to work. You need a right to work “that lasts the duration of the programme you have applied to”.
- Your degree. It must be “formally completed” before you join, and the start date is fixed at 6 September 2027.
- ICAEW’s rule, not the firm’s. Before you join ICAEW, your training principal “will need to confirm that you are a fit and proper person to be admitted”. “a criminal record” or “an adverse finding by any professional body or regulator” can raise doubts (ICAEW).
Key dates: September 2027 intake
12 to 14 Oct 2026
33 audit graduate ads posted
15 October 2026
All 33 open, no closing date. Apply now
15 October 2026
Check each ad for its closing date
3 Nov 2026
Early Careers Insight event in PooleEarly Careers Insight event held in Poole
31 Dec 2026
Cut-off to apply if you need a visaApplications needing a visa were due by this date
Jan 2027
Summer in the City opens, for studentsSummer in the City was due to open, for students
15 October 2026
This year’s audit roles have closed
6 Sep 2027
The 2027 intake startsThe 2027 intake started
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Forvis Mazars can only sponsor graduate roles in London or Sutton. If you need sponsorship, apply by 31 December 2026.For the September 2027 intake, applications needing sponsorship were due by 31 December 2026.
Its FAQ, updated 23 September 2026, sets 31 December 2026 as the cut-off for applicants who need visa sponsorship. This covers its September 2027 intake. It says “These deadlines are non-negotiable”. It does not sponsor “Graduate roles which are not based in London or Sutton”, citing “the salary requirements established by the Home Office”. Of the 33 audit ads open on 15 October 2026, 9 were in London or Sutton. The ads themselves do not mention sponsorship.
The Graduate visa and right to work
- 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). The firm does not publish the programme’s length.
- Right to work. It must last “the duration of the programme you have applied to”. See how to prove your right to work.
- After an offer. The firm’s immigration team starts “around three months before your start date”.
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 you apply
- Forvis Mazars says its 2027 applications are now open, with no closing date, so apply now.This year’s audit roles have closed. Forvis Mazars fills most roles first come, first served.Check each ad for its closing date. Forvis Mazars fills most roles first come, first served.
- You get one application per academic year, so pick your office and stream with care.
- There is no CV or cover letter. You write a motivation statement, without AI.
- The online assessment takes about five minutes, is not timed and needs no preparation.
- Book your video interview from the first invite, as the firm sends only two.
- The final interview is in person, with a senior leader, a presentation task and questions.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save Forvis Mazars once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
When does the Forvis Mazars audit graduate programme close?
Forvis Mazars publishes no closing date. It recruits most roles first come, first served, so a role can close early. On 15 October 2026, 33 audit graduate roles for September 2027 were open.This year’s audit graduate roles have closed. Forvis Mazars published no closing date and filled most roles first come, first served. It says you can apply for “roles starting in September 2028 when they open”.Check each audit ad for its closing date. Forvis Mazars recruits most roles first come, first served, so a role can close early.
How much does the Forvis Mazars audit graduate programme pay?
Forvis Mazars does not publish pay. It says it offers a competitive starting salary that rises as you progress and pass your professional exams. Full details of salary and benefits come with an offer.
What grades do I need for Forvis Mazars audit?
GCSE Maths and English Language at grade 4 or C, a 2:1 achieved or predicted, and at least 112 UCAS points from your top three Level 3 qualifications. The FAQ that sets this for graduates was updated on 8 October 2026.
What is the Forvis Mazars online assessment?
A short strengths assessment that takes about five minutes. It is not timed and starts with a few warm-up questions. Forvis Mazars says it requires no preparation. Afterwards you get a report with your top two strengths and one area for development.
Can I apply to more than one Forvis Mazars office?
No. Forvis Mazars accepts one application per academic year, from September to August, and none for another role with the same start date. On the form you can name a second-choice office and service line.
What happens at the Forvis Mazars final interview?
You meet a senior leader from your chosen business area, in person at the office. You complete a presentation task and answer interview questions. Forvis Mazars reimburses travel up to a reasonable amount, so keep your receipts.
Does Forvis Mazars sponsor visas for audit graduates?
Only for graduate roles based in London or Sutton. You must apply by 31 December 2026. For the September 2027 intake, applications needing a visa were due by 31 December 2026. Of the 33 audit ads open on 15 October 2026, 9 were in London or Sutton. Check your right to work before you apply.
