Graduate schemes 2026

Many of the UK's leading employers offer dedicated training programmes for those with a degree - discover the benefits of joining a graduate scheme in 2026, what's involved and how to secure your place

What is a graduate scheme?

A graduate scheme is a structured training programme run by an employer to develop future leaders of their organisation. It usually lasts between one and two years (although it can be longer).

Graduate programmes are typically available in a number of specialisms, or streams as they're also known, ranging from finance, retail and marketing, to HR, management and law.

Some employers will only take on recent graduates (within the last few years), although many programmes are open to anyone with a degree. For example, there is no age limit for those applying to the National Health Service's (NHS) Graduate Management Training Scheme.

What does a graduate programme involve?

The scheme may be focused on a job role or split into time-specific placements, such as spending six months at a time rotating across various business functions, teams and possibly locations. This means that a large degree of flexibility is required.

As a graduate trainee, you'll benefit from being handed responsibility from the outset. This is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop a broad understanding of your chosen profession, as well as receive support in building key skills.

Schemes are generally oversubscribed, and places are limited - especially those offered by high-profile companies in major industries such as finance and law. You'll therefore have to ensure your application stands out from those submitted by other candidates.

What are the benefits of graduate schemes?

• Develop your skills through formal training - You'll build essential professional skills and gain a deep understanding of your field as you learn about one or more areas of the business. These programmes also help you to hone transferable skills that can be applied to any career. Discover the skills employers want.
• An opportunity to specialise or explore your options - Some schemes are designed to give you experience of different business operations so you can work out the area that interests you the most through trial and error. Other programmes allow you to gain specialist knowledge from the outset, and the company may even support you in achieving a professional qualification.
• A chance to develop your leadership ability - The aim of many programmes is to train future leaders of the business. You may be handed responsibility from the beginning and learn about being a manager by learning on the job. Read about 7 skills for a successful management career.
• Gain valuable experience for your CV - Working for a leading employer and being trained by those at the top of their industry means that you'll benefit from this experience even if you don’t get taken on after the scheme ends or you decide it's not for you. This will look great on your CV and show how you've successfully adapted to the workplace, which is highly valued by recruiters.
• Build a network of contacts - When you're starting out, having experienced professionals who can vouch for you becomes crucial. Take every opportunity to connect with colleagues and managers on LinkedIn and maintain this throughout your career. Find out how to improve your LinkedIn profile.
• Earn a competitive salary - Graduate schemes are renowned for offering attractive starting salaries and bonuses to graduates, with the potential for this to increase as you progress in your career.

How much will I be paid?

High Fliers' The Graduate Market in 2025 report revealed that the most generous payers from The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers are investment banks, law firms, and consulting firms.

These top employers offer graduate salaries of at least £50,000, with investment bankers able to earn around £60,000.

The Institute of Student Employers' (ISE) Student Development survey 2025 surveyed 148 employers across a range of industries to discover how graduates progressed during their three-year graduate programme.

Over four-fifths (83%) of the organisations questioned reported that graduates had received a salary increase following the completion of an early career programme.

The research revealed that graduates started with an average salary of £32,000, which rose to £50,000 after three years - an increase of 56%. This showed a notable salary progression by the end of the scheme.

Which companies run graduate schemes?

• Agriculture/environment - Work experience is essential for those looking to enter the agriculture industry, with larger employers such as Dunbia and the National Farmers' Union (NFU) providing training for those seeking graduate opportunities in agriculture. To land a place on a scheme run by one of the major employers in the environment sector, discover how to get an environmental job.
• Charity - While rarer in this sector, some organisations such as Cancer Research UK and Save The Children run training schemes. Read more about getting a graduate charity job.
• Energy and utilities - The oil and gas industry is always looking for new recruits to work in the manufacturing, technical, commercial and corporate operations of global companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell. There's also the option of getting a graduate job in nuclear energy.
• Engineering - Employers across all industries take on engineering graduates every year. These include automotive manufacturers like Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, through to energy companies such as BP and EDF Energy. Read about how to become an engineer and get the lowdown on engineering graduate schemes.
• Finance - All the major banks, including Barclays, the Lloyds Banking Group, and HSBC, have dedicated finance graduate schemes, and finance specialists are in demand across all sectors.
• Healthcare/management - If you're looking to work in the healthcare sector at management level, consider joining the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. General management programmes, including consulting graduate schemes, are also available.
• Human resources (HR) - Many large organisations, including Accenture, Nestlé and the Civil Service, require graduates to work in their busy personnel departments. See HR graduate schemes.
• Information technology (IT)/sales - Graduate training programmes are also run by IT and telecommunications companies such as Cisco, Capgemini, and Fujitsu in a range of technical and sales-based roles. Read about tech graduate schemes and sales graduate schemes.
• Law - By following a structured route into the legal profession, you can take advantage of training contracts, which provide the two years of qualifying work experience required to become a solicitor.
• Marketing/media - Another popular and far-reaching field, you could work for a major media company such as the BBC, Sky or Virgin Media O2. There are also general marketing graduate schemes available across all sectors. For creatives, you can explore how to get a creative job.
• Public services/intelligence - If you're interested in getting a graduate job in public services, you'll find a number of schemes available through governmental departments, the police, the intelligence services and the armed forces.
• Retail - The UK's biggest retailers, including Aldi, Asda, Marks & Spencer and Tesco, train their staff through structured retail graduate schemes typically split across various customer-facing and head office roles. There are also opportunities to work in logistics and supply chain management.
• Science and pharmaceuticals - Spanning a number of sectors, including healthcare and engineering, science graduate schemes from the likes of Bayer UK and GSK are ideal for careers in which you'll put your scientific knowledge to good use.
• Transport - Aer Lingus, British Airways (BA), easyJet, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic seek graduates for their commercial, finance and IT-related airline graduate schemes. You could also consider road and railway careers.

Where can I find out more about employer programmes?

If you're interested in working for a specific company, you can visit its website and follow it on social media. By engaging with the recruiter through popular channels such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, you can get a good idea of its culture and values.

By attending in-person or virtual careers fairs and recruitment events while still at university, you'll get to find out about employers you'd be interested in working for and speak to recent graduates about what's involved with a particular scheme.

When do graduate schemes start?

Start dates for these programmes are usually set for July or August following graduation, but this does vary, as some employers take on new recruits in September or October. They may even recruit throughout the year as vacancies become available.

For instance, the start date for Scottish Power's programmes is stated as early September, while the start date for graduate jobs at RSM UK is set for either January or August, depending on the role.

When can I apply for graduate programmes?

In most cases, applications are accepted from September or October 2025 for schemes that start in summer 2026. Employers usually continue to accept applications until the end of the year or early January.

However, it's advisable to apply as early as possible, as some organisations fill places on an ongoing basis and close as soon as they're full.

For example, applications for the Civil Service Fast Stream 2026 will open from 9 October 2025, while Tesco starts accepting applications from September.

Where and how do I apply?

You'll need to apply directly to the employer programme via their website.

The first stage is often similar to applying for graduate jobs - you'll be expected to fill out an online job application. Guidance on CVs and cover letters may also be useful.

After this, it's worth delving into the following, as they are considered key stages of the selection process:

• interview tips
• assessment centres
• psychometric tests

Many employers use social media to share helpful and informal advice with candidates about all aspects of the application process. For example, at the NHS, this ranges from current trainees giving tips on how they prepared for their assessment centre, to alumni sharing general advice on interviews and the graduate team offering pointers on passing online tests.

For information on setting up relevant accounts and how to network with current graduates, see social media and job hunting.

Can I get on a graduate scheme with a 2:2?

While graduate programmes generally expect applicants to have a 2:1 or higher, some employers may be more flexible.

For example, the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme and all of MBDA's graduate programmes ask for a 2:2. However, the NHS programme expects the degree to be in a numerate subject, while for MBDA, the subject(s) accepted will depend on the specific scheme you're applying for.

If you get invited to interview, be prepared to discuss your grade with recruiters. Be positive by highlighting your strengths in other areas, and by emphasising work experience or extra-curricular activities.

To prepare, you can also run through some example questions and answers.

Will I be offered a permanent job?

It's quite common for graduates to be offered a permanent role upon completion of a scheme - for instance, the banking and finance programmes at Santander UK - but this is by no means the case with all employers.

You'll need to check the programme you're applying for to find out where you'll stand afterwards.

What if I don't like my graduate scheme?

As there's a clamour for places at the top firms, the dropout rate for graduate schemes will understandably be low.

For example, the High Fliers report, which analysed graduate vacancies for the 2024/25 year, found that the number of graduate job applications received by leading recruiters had increased by over a quarter (28%) compared to the previous year, particularly in 13 key industries and business sectors, such as retail, investment banking and engineering. Some organisations have reported increased application levels by over 50% year on year.

However, if you do decide that the scheme isn't for you, make sure you take time to reassess the situation.

One of the most common reasons for leaving a scheme within the first year is to make a career change, with conversion courses offering routes into other industries. Consider how to find a job.

Alternatively, you could take a gap year to think about things and experience a new culture.

As you plan your next move, you might wish to revisit choosing a career and explore what you can do with your degree.

Find out more

• Consider 4 routes to take after graduation.
• Discover the 7 ways to improve graduate employability.
• Read about diversity in the workplace.