By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Associate Consultant, Strategy · London · 2027 start
Applications close 1 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMTDeadline was set for 1 Nov 2026
Short answer: Apply now. OC&C’s London Strategy ad closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November 2026, and OC&C reviews applications as they arrive.This year’s London Strategy ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November 2026. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027. Send a CV with your name and contact details removed. No cover letter is needed. After the CV come an online blended assessment and a one-way video. Then you face four case interviews in two rounds. Pay starts at £54,000, plus a £7,000 signing bonus.
Applying now?Applying next year?
Remove your name and contact details from your CV. Submit by 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November.This year’s ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027. How to apply
Strategy or Analytics?
You can make only one Associate Consultant application in London. Analytics needs Python. It closes on 8 November.Its deadline was set for 8 November. Compare the two
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with OC&C Strategy Consultants.
OC&C Strategy Consultants was founded in London in 1987. Its ad says it advises clients on strategy and M&A, not long implementation projects.
This playbook covers each stage, from your CV to the second round, 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. Every step comes from OC&C’s London Strategy ad.
1. Apply by 1 November 20261. Apply (deadline was set for 1 November 2026)
Apply now. The ad closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November.This year’s ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027. OC&C reviews applications as they arrive.
2. Blended assessment and video
OC&C names no test provider. Its new test mixes reasoning with questions about you.
3. First round interviews
Two 30-minute case interviews, online. Your interviewers are Consultants and Managers.
4. Second round and offer
Two 45-minute case interviews in person. Your interviewers are Associate Partners and Partners.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The role at a glance
One London role, any degree subject, no cover letter. You need no consulting experience.
1 Nov 2026
Ad closes at 23:59 GMTDeadline (now closed)
£54,000
Starting salary
£7,000
Signing bonus, plus a yearly bonus
4
Case interviews, in two rounds
10
Projects a year, typically
5 to 7
People in a typical team
Where these facts come from
- The ad. The London Strategy ad gives “£54,000 + £7,000 signing bonus + annual performance bonus”. Last year’s ad gave £52,000.
- Start dates. March 2027 (limited spaces), September 2027, January 2028 or March 2028. The ad says they are “Allocated post-offer”.
- The work. Associate Consultants are “typically working on ten projects a year”. Teams are small, “~5-7 vs often 10+ at more implementation-focused firms”.
- Who can apply. OC&C’s application FAQs accept a degree “from any discipline”. The ad says: “You don’t need previous consulting or business experience to join us.”
- The office. 6 New Street Square, London (Companies House).
- Extras. OC&C’s 2025 graduate brochure describes an Ambassadorship Programme, where staff “spend 4-6 months living abroad and working at another OC&C office”. After 12 months, staff are encouraged to take “up to a month’s unpaid leave”.
New for 2026-27
A new online test. The Online Blended Assessment adds questions about you to the reasoning.
An AI tool helps screen CVs. OC&C says people make the final decisions.
New visa wording. Last year’s ad said sponsorship was provided. This year’s offers a limited number.
03/10
What OC&C looks for
OC&C looks for potential, not experience. Show each quality with proof on your CV, in the video and in your cases.
Structured thinking
Show it by: breaking a messy problem into parts, out loud.
Numeracy
Show it by: quick, correct maths from tables, in tests and cases.
Commercial curiosity
Show it by: a view on what matters most to a business you follow.
Clear communication
Show it by: explaining your thinking simply, then taking a challenge well.
Teamwork
Show it by: a team story where you asked for feedback and used it.
Ownership
Show it by: a project you started or drove forward yourself.
What OC&C says, in its own words
- Thinking. The ad wants “Creative and structured thinkers who enjoy breaking down complex or ambiguous problems” and “Logical and numerate problem-solvers”.
- Business sense. It wants “Commercially curious individuals who can identify what matters most, consider competing priorities and turn analysis into practical recommendations”.
- People. It wants “Clear and confident communicators”, “Collaborative team players” and “Proactive, self-directed individuals who take ownership”.
- Also listed. “Curious and adaptable learners”, “Resilient and hard-working individuals” and “A strong academic record”.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply now. The ad closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November 2026. OC&C screens applications “on a rolling basis”, so places may fill before the close.This year’s ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November 2026. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027. OC&C screens applications “on a rolling basis”, so apply early in the window.
1
Choose one role
Strategy or Analytics, not both
2
Anonymise your CV
Remove your name and contact details
3
Apply on the portal
Your CV only, no cover letter
4
Submit
By 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 NovemberApplications were due by Sunday 1 November
Expect a confirmation email within 48 hours. Add OC&C to your safe sender list, because some candidates have missed its emails in junk folders. Real OC&C emails come only from occstrategy.com or occrecruitment.com addresses (OC&C on fraud). OC&C uses an in-house AI tool to help screen CVs, but says final decisions are made by people.
Strategy
Any degree subject. A blended test, a video, then four case interviews. Closes 1 November.Deadline was set for 1 November. The Strategy ad
Analytics
Python is required, but “only basic coding ability”. It adds a Python coding test. Closes 8 November.Deadline was set for 8 November. The Analytics ad
You can make only one Associate Consultant application in London, Strategy or Analytics. If you change your mind later, OC&C says to email its Recruitment Team to switch.
The Stratathon: an OC&C event with a prize
- When. Session 2 runs on 3 November 2026 at OC&C’s London office, 10:00 GMT to 17:30 GMT.is running today, 3 November 2026, at OC&C’s London office.ran on 3 November 2026 at OC&C’s London office. Register by 19 October, alone or in a pair.Sign-ups were due by 19 October. Session 1 sign-up closes on 5 October.Sign-up for Session 1 has closed.
- Who. Final-year students only, and no MBA students. OC&C aims it at students interested in “Advanced Analytics & AI”, with skills such as R, Python, Tableau or Excel.
- The prize. OC&C’s page says: “Winners: Get to skip to interview phase and an Amazon voucher (Analytics only)”. It is unclear whether “Analytics only” covers the skip or only the voucher. If you apply for Strategy, ask OC&C before you count on it.
Your CV: what OC&C judges
Intellectual curiosity
OC&C wants “the most curious people to tackle the most difficult questions”. Show a question you chased beyond your course.
Extracurricular interests
Activities that show “a natural flair for commercial awareness and thought leadership”. Show a society or project with a result.
Commercial awareness
Shown “through internships, part-time work or volunteering”. Show what you changed at work, with a number.
These are the three criteria in OC&C’s FAQs. It also says CVs should be one or two pages.
Do
“Ran price tests for the student café. Profit rose 12% in one term.”
A commercial result with a number. It shows curiosity and ownership.
Don’t
Your name, phone and email at the top
OC&C asks you to remove your name and contact details.
Our CV achievement examples show how to write those lines, and our guide to writing a strong CV covers the rest. 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 OC&C Strategy Consultants 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
- Analytics. The Analytics role closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 8 November 2026. Python is required. You can hold only one OC&C Associate Consultant application, so choose one.has closed. Its deadline was set for Sunday 8 November 2026.
- Penultimate year. The Summer Internship 2027 is for students in the 2nd year of a 3-year degree, or the 3rd year of a 4-year degree. The portal lists 4 January 2027 as its end date, with no time. Apply by then.This year’s internship ad has closed. Its end date was set for 4 January 2027. OC&C typically makes full-time offers to interns who do well.
- Next year. OC&C says you can reapply “when the roles reopen the following year”. The Strategy role is likely to open again in early September 2027.Check OC&C’s careers site for the new Strategy ad.
- PhD students. OC&C asks you to apply “the October before you plan to submit your thesis”.
- Other firms. See our guides to McKinsey and BCG.
05/10Stage 2 · Tests
OC&C online test and video
OC&C calls its test the “Online Blended Assessment”. It mixes numerical and critical reasoning with behavioural and motivational questions.
OC&C says the test helps it “understand your skills and approach to problem-solving”.
Prep sites describe last year’s test, which was different. OC&C describes a new blended test for 2026-27.
The link may come before the deadline. OC&C says this is “to stagger the amount of people doing the test at one time”.
Numerical reasoning
Practise sums from tables and charts, fast and accurate.
Critical reasoning
Practise judging what follows from a short set of facts.
Behavioural questions
How you tend to work. Answer as you really are.
Motivational questions
What drives you. Know why strategy and why OC&C.
OC&C names the four parts. The tips are ours.
The one-way video
Pass the blended test and OC&C invites you to “a short one-way video assessment”. You record answers to set questions, with no one on the other side. OC&C does not publish the questions or the timing.
Your moves
- Read the invite for the timing and any practice question.
- Prepare why strategy, why OC&C and one story for each quality.
- Answer in order: your point, an example, then the result.
- Look at the camera, not at your own face.
- Use a quiet room with light in front of you.
These moves are ours. OC&C publishes no rules for the test or the video, for example on calculators. Your invite is the final word, so practise maths by hand as well.
These are our practice questions, not OC&C’s. Say each answer out loud in about a minute.
Motivation
“Why do you want to work in strategy consulting?”
What it tests: a real reason, not a list.
Show our tip
- Name one problem you enjoyed solving. Then link it to the variety of ten projects a year.
Why OC&C
“Why OC&C?”
What it tests: whether you looked beyond the name.
Show our tip
- Use facts from its ad: strategy and M&A advice, small teams and its five sectors. Say which one draws you, and why.
Ownership
“Tell us about a time you took charge of a problem.”
What it tests: initiative and drive.
Show our tip
- Give the situation in one line. Spend most of the time on what you did. End with the result, in numbers if you can.
Feedback
“Tell us about feedback that changed how you work.”
What it tests: whether you learn and adapt.
Show our tip
- Give the feedback in one line. Say what you changed and what happened next. OC&C’s ad asks for “Curious and adaptable learners”.
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 14 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From OC&C
- OC&C’s application FAQsOC&C Careers · no account neededThe Strategy tab covers CV length, the three CV criteria and why the test link can come early.Free
General practice
- Table and chart questionsSHL Direct · general numerical practice; OC&C names no provider · no account neededUse these only as general practice for the numerical part OC&C confirms. Work some by hand too.Free
Skip anyone selling “exact” OC&C test questions. OC&C publishes no practice test, and its test is new this year, so nobody can sell the real one.
Next: reasoning tests reward steady practice. Our guide to psychometric and logic tests shows how to train for each type.
06/10Stage 3 · Interviews
OC&C case interviews
All four OC&C interviews are case studies. They come in two rounds, and the ad lists no assessment centre.
Round 1Online
Two cases · 30 minutes each · Consultants and Managers
Round 2In person
Two cases · 45 minutes each · Associate Partners and Partners
No assessment centre: the ad lists no group task or presentation.
What OC&C’s ad says it wants to see
Breaking down complex problemsAnalysing numbers and factsIdentifying what matters mostPractical recommendationsExplaining your thinking
OC&C’s sectors are a fair guide to case themes: retail, leisure and hospitality, consumer goods, technology and media, B2B products and services, and private equity.
How to answer
Round 1, online
The interviewer cannot see your notepad. In a practice case on Management Consulted’s channel, an OC&C partner advised candidates to “almost verbalize the notepad a bit more as you’re talking through it if you’re not sitting across the table”.
Your moves
- Restate the question and ask what the client wants.
- Say your structure out loud, part by part.
- Talk through each sum as you do it.
- End with a clear recommendation.
Round 2, in person
Round 2 has longer cases with Associate Partners and Partners. In a practice sizing case, an OC&C partner asked the candidate to imagine “you had two days rather than four minutes” and say which steps to revisit.
Your moves
- Turn your page so the interviewer can see your structure.
- Be ready to defend each number and each judgement.
- Say which part matters most, and why.
- Give a recommendation, its main risk and what you would check next.
The moves are ours. OC&C does not say whether interviewers also ask about you, so have a short answer to why OC&C ready.
See our guides on how to pass a job interview and the toughest interview questions.
Practise cases in OC&C’s sectors
These are our practice cases, built on OC&C’s sectors. They are not OC&C’s questions, and the working is ours.
Sizing, consumer
“Estimate how many takeaway coffees are sold in the UK each day.”
What it tests: a clear method and round numbers.
Show our working
- Take about 55 million adults. Say one in five buys one a day. That gives about 11 million. Then check it against the number of coffee shops and what each might sell.
Profit, retail
“A fashion retailer’s sales are flat, but profit fell 20%. Why?”
What it tests: a profit structure, then focus.
Show our working
- Sales are flat, so look at costs and mix. Did discounts grow, did the cost of goods rise, or did rent and wages climb? Ask for data on each, then focus on the biggest change.
Private equity
“A private equity firm wants to buy a chain of gyms. Should it?”
What it tests: judging a deal from several angles.
Show our working
- Look at the market, the chain’s members, prices and costs per site, the price asked and the exit. Compare profit per gym with rivals. End with yes or no, and the main risk.
Pricing, technology
“A software firm with almost no cost per extra customer raises prices by 10%. How many customers can it lose before revenue falls?”
What it tests: simple maths with a business meaning.
Show our working
- New revenue is 1.1 times the customers kept. That equals the old revenue when it keeps 1 divided by 1.1, about 91%. So it can lose about 9%.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories for each quality OC&C names. Use them in the video and the questions about you.
| Quality | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Structured thinking | ||
| Numeracy | ||
| Commercial curiosity | ||
| Clear communication | ||
| Teamwork | ||
| Ownership |
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 14 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From OC&C
- OC&C’s “How to ace the case” sessionOC&C on Zoom · 19 Oct and 26 Oct 2026 · 5 pm UK time · 2 hours · free registrationran on 19 Oct and 26 Oct 2026 · 2 hoursOC&C consultants explain how to ace a case and what to expect from the process. Book one before your first round.Check the events page for later sessions.Free
Watch
- An OC&C partner runs a sizing caseManagement Consulted on YouTube · Sep 2022 · 32 minSee how an OC&C interviewer leads a case from start to finish, then gives feedback.Free
- An OC&C partner runs a private equity caseManagement Consulted on YouTube · Aug 2023 · 31 minA gym deal with real maths, plus his tip for online rounds.Free
- A sizing and pricing caseRocketblocks on YouTube · Feb 2025 · 36 minSizing, pricing and a clear call, with feedback after each step.Free
Practise
- Run a grocery case with a friendFrom Oliver Wyman, not OC&C · no account neededOliver Wyman’s Urban Grocers case. One reads the case, one solves aloud. Then swap.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Final
Second round and offer
The final stage is round 2: two 45-minute case interviews in person. Your interviewers are Associate Partners and Partners.
Then comes what the ad calls “Job Offer!”. OC&C does not publish when offers go out.
Ask about the day
Where, when and how long, and who you will meet.
Practise longer cases
Run 45-minute cases with a friend, and end each with a recommendation.
Ask about start dates
March 2027 (limited spaces), September 2027, January 2028 or March 2028, set after the offer.
Ask about your right to work
If you need a visa, ask early. Sponsorships are limited.
These steps are our suggestions. After you join, OC&C’s brochure describes short “Bitesize” sessions and longer training offsites.
Key dates: London Strategy role, 2026-27
19 Oct 2026
“How to ace the case” on Zoom, 5 pm. Stratathon 2 sign-up closesStratathon 2 sign-ups were due
26 Oct 2026
“How to ace the case” on Zoom, 5 pm
1 Nov 2026
Strategy ad closes, 23:59 GMT
1 Nov 2026
Strategy applications were due by 23:59 GMT
After you apply
Tests and case interviews. OC&C publishes no dates
After you apply
Tests and case interviews. OC&C publishes no dates
3 Nov 2026
Stratathon Session 2, at OC&C’s London office
8 Nov 2026
Analytics ad closes, 23:59 GMTAnalytics applications were due by 23:59 GMT
4 Jan 2027
Internship end date on the portal
Mar 2027
Earliest start date, limited spaces
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Our reading: OC&C sponsors some graduates, but places are limited. If you need a visa, ask early.
The ad says: “We have a limited number of visa sponsorships available for this graduate role.” Sponsorship “will be considered for eligible candidates who require it, subject to availability and business requirements” (London Strategy ad). Last year’s ad said “UK Visa Sponsorship Provided: Yes”.
The Graduate visa
- Graduate visa. It lasts “2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026” and “18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027” (GOV.UK). It needs no sponsor.
Need sponsorship? See our guides to UK companies that sponsor visas and staying in the UK after studying. This is general information, so check GOV.UK.
09/10
Key takeaways
Before you apply
- Apply now. The ad closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November 2026, and OC&C reviews applications as they arrive.This year’s ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November 2026. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027.
- Choose one role. You can apply for Strategy or Analytics, not both.
- Remove your name and contact details from your CV. No cover letter is needed.
- The online test is new this year. Practise reasoning, and know why you want OC&C.
- All four interviews are cases. Say your structure out loud, especially online.
- Book a free “How to ace the case” session on 19 October or 26 October.Watch two OC&C partners run practice cases. The links are in the kit above.
- If you need a visa, ask early. OC&C has a limited number of sponsorships.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save OC&C Strategy Consultants once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
When is the OC&C Associate Consultant deadline?
The London Strategy ad closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1 November 2026. OC&C screens applications on a rolling basis and reviews them as they arrive, so apply as early as you can.This year’s London Strategy ad has closed. The deadline was set for Sunday 1 November 2026. The next one is likely to open in early September 2027.
What do I need to apply to OC&C?
A CV of one or two pages, with your name and contact details removed. No cover letter is needed. You can study any subject, and you need no consulting experience. Apply on OC&C’s careers portal.
What is the OC&C online test?
OC&C calls it the Online Blended Assessment. It mixes numerical and critical reasoning with behavioural and motivational questions. OC&C names no provider. If you pass, you record a short one-way video.
How many interviews does OC&C have?
Four case interviews in two rounds. Round 1 is two 30-minute online cases with Consultants and Managers. Round 2 is two 45-minute in-person cases with Associate Partners and Partners.
What is the OC&C Associate Consultant salary?
The ad gives a starting salary of £54,000, plus a £7,000 signing bonus and an annual performance bonus.
Does OC&C sponsor visas?
Our reading: OC&C sponsors some graduates, but places are limited. The ad says it has a limited number of visa sponsorships for this role. Ask early if you need one.
I missed the OC&C deadline. What now?
The Analytics role closes at 23:59 GMT on Sunday 8 November 2026, but it needs Python and you can hold only one application.The Analytics ad has closed. Its deadline was set for Sunday 8 November 2026. Penultimate-year students can apply for the 2027 internship by 4 January 2027.The 2027 internship ad has closed. Its end date was set for 4 January 2027. You can reapply when the roles reopen. The next round is likely to open in early September 2027.Check OC&C’s careers site for the new ad.
