If you're graduating in 2027, the honest answer is: earlier than you think. Most graduate scheme applications for the 2027 intake open in the second half of 2026, and the biggest employers close their doors within weeks, sometimes days, of opening.
Graduate schemes at banks, Big 4 firms and top consultancies typically follow this rhythm:
Most graduate schemes review applications on a rolling basis rather than waiting for a single deadline. That means a scheme advertised as "closing in December" might actually stop accepting applications in October, once enough strong candidates have come through. Applying in week one gives you a meaningfully better chance than applying in week eight.
If you're due to graduate in 2027, the highest-leverage thing you can do this summer is get application-ready before schemes open: a strong CV, a clear list of target employers, and practice under your belt for numerical and verbal reasoning tests. Waiting until applications open to start preparing puts you behind candidates who started months earlier.
Our mentors track opening dates across banking, consulting, law and the Big 4, and work with learners from the summer before applications open through to final offer. See our Careers & Graduate Schemes page for packages.