Big 4 recruitment, stage by stage
More London and the Shard, October. Photograph: Ryan Hodnett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
Online tests, a recorded video interview, an assessment day and a final interview. The firms publish their stages; the names differ, the order barely does.
The large professional services firms hire graduates through staged processes, mostly online until the end. Learn the stages once and you can prepare for several firms at a time.
This is one of the sector guides in Careers. Each stage below is from the firm’s own page, read on 7 October 2026.
Three published processes share one shape
PwC, KPMG and Deloitte publish their UK graduate stages, and they follow one order: an application, online tests, a recorded interview, then a final stage with people from the business.
The published stages for UK graduate roles, read 7 October 2026
PwC
- Apply online
- Online assessment
- Video interview
- Virtual assessment centre
- Matching to a business area (graduate programmes)
- Business assessment: an interview with a senior leader
- Offer
KPMG
- Explore and apply
- Two online assessments
- Video interview
- Launch Pad, an in-person half-day event
Deloitte
- Apply online
- Immersive online assessment
- Job simulation
- Final stage assessment
- Outcome
EY, the fourth firm, sets out its own stages on EY’s UK student careers pages (opens ey.com); read them there before you apply.
The labels differ, but the order holds, so practice for one firm’s tests or recorded interview is practice for the others.
More on choosing a service lineLess on choosing a service line
Choose the service line before you choose the firm. Audit, tax, consulting and deals are different jobs with different days, and each application is for one of them in one office. A clear reason for the line carries you through every later stage.
The form’s visa question matters more than it looks: answer it truthfully and exactly. The page on your visa status on a UK CV has the wording.
More on the visa questionLess on the visa question
PwC’s form asks applicants who need visa sponsorship to give details of the type of visa they require.
The University of Warwick’s careers service explains why the question is there: “The questions are asked by employers to ascertain whether they will need to sponsor you, how many hours or for how long you will be able to work with them without requiring sponsorship.”
Warwick’s advice is to answer truthfully. Manchester’s suggests giving your visa type, its end date and any work limits. A precise answer reads as organised.
Online tests come first and sift hardest
Online tests come first, and for most applicants they are the real first round.
| Firm | What the first test stage is called |
|---|---|
| PwC | Online assessment |
| KPMG | Two online assessments, sent automatically after the form |
| Deloitte | Immersive online assessment, then a job simulation |
Practise under time pressure, in a quiet room, on the device you will use, and take each firm’s own practice material where it offers it.
More on when the tests comeLess on when the tests come
The University of York’s careers service puts this sifting in the winter: from December to February, employers sift applications by online tests, video or phone interviews, while some schemes are still open.
Take the tests soon after you apply, while the firm’s window is open and your preparation is fresh. A firm that closes early may fill its places in the meantime.
More on preparing for reasoning testsLess on preparing for reasoning tests
Practise the formats rather than memorising answers. Numerical questions reward speed with tables; verbal questions reward reading the passage, not your own knowledge.
Situational questions ask what you would do at work: answer as yourself, consistently, rather than guessing what the firm wants.
The video interview is recorded and watched later
PwC and KPMG both use a recorded interview, with no interviewer on the other side of the screen.
As this is a recorded interview, you will be able to complete this stage at a time that suits you and you should allow 40 minutes to complete.
Record at your sharpest time of day, with the light in front of you and the door shut.
The video interview guide covers set-up, timing and the shape of a good answer.
More on the platformsLess on the platforms
PwC’s recorded interview runs on the SHL platform: questions appear on screen, you describe your experience, and an assessor reviews your answers afterwards.
HireVue, a common platform for this stage, says most of its video assessments ask between five and eight questions, with several minutes to answer each.
Deloitte’s process puts its job simulation at the same point in the order.
More on stories, not scriptsLess on stories, not scripts
Four or five real examples (a team that struggled, a deadline you rescued, a mistake you fixed) will answer most competency questions, and they sound like you when you tell them fresh each time.
The final stages differ more than the first
The last rounds are where the firms part company.
| Firm | Final rounds | Where |
|---|---|---|
| PwC | Assessment centre, then a senior leader interview | Virtual, then the business area |
| KPMG | Launch Pad, a half day | In person, dated events |
| Deloitte | Topic discussion and a skills and motivation interview | In person, the linked office |
Prepare for the format you will meet. The assessment centre guide takes the group and case exercises in turn.
More on each firm's final stageLess on each firm's final stage
PwC holds a virtual immersive assessment centre as its penultimate stage, then a final interview with a senior leader from the business area you are matched to.
KPMG’s Launch Pad dates run from Tuesday 17 November 2026 at London Oval to Wednesday 5 May 2027 at Leeds New Dock Hall, and the firm says successful candidates have an offer within two working days.
Deloitte’s final stage is at the office linked to your application: a discussion of a topic you prepare in advance with an assessor, and a skills and motivation interview.
More on the final interviewsLess on the final interviews
Treat Deloitte’s topic like a short client brief: a clear view, the facts behind it, and the questions you would ask next. Expect the assessor to push on your reasoning.
Every final round asks why this firm and why this service line.
Answer with the firm’s own words about its work, and with something you have done that shows the interest is real. A reason that fits all four firms will not persuade any of them.
A virtual assessment centre needs a reliable connection and a clear desk; an in-person half day needs a plan for travel and a rested morning.
Apply early because windows close when full
Deadlines on a Big 4 advert are the latest date, not the expected one: Deloitte closes applications early when volumes are very high.
Schemes with the “Big Four” professional services companies are likely to close by December/January
So the practical deadline is the autumn of your final year, or the first term of a one-year master’s.
| When | What usually happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| September to December | The peak time to apply for graduate schemes | York Careers |
| December to February | Sifting by online tests and video interviews | York Careers |
| 17 November 2026 to 5 May 2027 | KPMG’s Launch Pad final-stage days | KPMG UK |
| March and April | Assessment centres at many recruiters | targetjobs |
| April to June | Job offers at many recruiters | targetjobs |
| May and June | Some schemes reopen if places are unfilled | York Careers |
The reopening in May and June is a second chance, not a plan.
More on rolling recruitmentLess on rolling recruitment
York’s careers service adds that some schemes recruit on a rolling basis, assessing applications in batches, and may close once they have enough good applicants. Apply in the autumn and treat the spring as the time for interviews, not first applications.
Deloitte runs the same staged structure for its summer vacation scheme, industrial placements and graduate programmes. If you are a year out, that makes a summer scheme the natural first step.
More on applying to several firmsLess on applying to several firms
Applying to more than one firm is manageable because of the shared shape. Two or three firms in one service line, applied to in the same few weeks, let one round of test practice and one set of stories serve every application.
The consulting guide covers the neighbouring advisory route and its own calendar.
The pay, set against the visa rules
£34,500 median starting salary, accounting and professional services, 2026
That median sits below the general Skilled Worker threshold of £41,700 and above the new-entrant floor of £33,400. If you are on a Graduate visa, or were in the last 2 years, you count as a new entrant for the salary rules.
A sector median says nothing certain about a particular offer: the salary must meet both the threshold and the going rate for the job’s occupation code. The graduate pay table shows how the bar is set for a job.
More on the timing of an offerLess on the timing of an offer
Timing matters as much as pay. You may switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK once you have completed your course, or earlier if the job starts after your course has finished. The date on your offer letter and the end of your course are the two dates to hold side by side.
The Hong Kong edition covers the firms for graduates with BN(O) status, who may not need a sponsor at all.
This week
- Pick one firm and one service line, and read its stages page end to end
- Take one practice reasoning test under timed conditions
- Record two answers on your phone and watch them back
- Apply to your first-choice firm before December, while windows are open
Sources
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker general salary threshold You’ll usually need to be paid the ‘standard’ salary rate of at least £41,700 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher. Checked
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker new-entrant salary floor You can be paid 70% of your job’s standard going rate if your salary will be at least £33,400 per year and one of the following applies: Checked
- GOV.UK: Who counts as a new entrant you’re currently in the UK on a Graduate visa (or you have been in the last 2 years, and a Graduate or visit visa was your most recent visa) Checked
- GOV.UK: The going-rate rule Going rates in Table 1 are per year and based on a 37.5-hour working week. They must be pro-rated for other working patterns, based on the weekly working hours stated by the applicant’s sponsor. Checked
- GOV.UK: Switching from a Student visa to Skilled Worker inside the UK If you’re currently in the UK on a Student visa, you must also meet one of the following requirements: Checked
- High Fliers Research: The Graduate Market in 2026 Chart 9 Graduate Salaries at the UK's Top Employers in 2026, by Sector or Industry. Median starting salaries. Accounting & professional services: £34,500. Source, The Graduate Market in 2026 Read
- targetjobs: When to apply for graduate jobs Those recruiters who set deadlines in November and December typically hold first-round interviews and assessments in January and February. Assessment centres are usually held in March and April and job offers made in April, May and June. Read
- PwC UK: Assessment and selection process (Early Careers) The penultimate stage of our assessment and selection process is a virtual immersive assessment centre. ... The final stage of our assessment and selection process is an interview with a senior leader from the business area you’re matched to.provide us with details on the type of visa you require if you require visa sponsorshipThe next stage of our assessment and selection process is an on-demand video interview which will be conducted virtually via the SHL platform. You’ll be presented with a series of questions on the screen and asked to describe your experience. Instead of having an interviewer, your answers will be recorded and reviewed afterwards by one of our assessors. Read
- University of Warwick Careers: Job applications (international students) The questions are asked by employers to ascertain whether they will need to sponsor you, how many hours or for how long you will be able to work with them without requiring sponsorship.Answer responsibly: It’s your duty to respond truthfully and adapt responses to match your personal situation. Read
- University of Manchester Careers Service: Talking to employers about your visa Include your visa status on your CV. You can typically add this information to the heading or your contact details section. Mention the type of visa you hold (or are eligible to apply for), its expiration date, and any relevant work restrictions if applicable. Read
- KPMG UK: Application process (graduate) After submitting your application, you will be automatically invited to complete two online assessments. ... If you are successful at Stage 2, you may be invited to our Video Interview. ... If you are successful at Stage 3, you will be invited to attend the final stage of the recruitment process: Launch Pad, an in-person, half day event.As this is a recorded interview, you will be able to complete this stage at a time that suits you and you should allow 40 minutes to complete.The dates of our Launch Pad events can be found below: Tuesday 17th November 2026: London Oval ... Wednesday 5th May 2027: Leeds New Dock Hall ... If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days! Read
- Deloitte UK: Early Careers Assessment Regardless of whether you’re applying for a Summer Vacation Scheme, Industrial Placement, or one of our full-time Graduate or Brightstart programmes, our assessment process follows the same structure: ... STEP 4, Final Stage AssessmentIf you're applying for a Graduate, Entry Level Apprentice, Industrial Placement or BrightStart Apprentice role, your final stage assessment will take place in person at the Deloitte office linked to your application. ... The Final Stage Assessment is split into two exercises*: A discussion about your topic preparation with one of our assessors. ... A skills and motivation interview where we’ll ask some questions to learn more about your alignment with the capabilities we look for at Deloitte. Read
- Deloitte UK: Early Careers Application We have lots of roles available within different business areas at Deloitte, with different opening and closing dates for applications, depending on the programmes and locations. However, we do close applications early when we get a very high volume of submissions, so we recommend applying as early as possible. Read
- University of York Careers and Placements: Recruitment time frames May to June: Some schemes may re-open if they have unfilled vacancies. ... Schemes with the "Big Four" professional services companies are likely to close by December/JanuarySeptember to December: The peak time to apply for graduate schemes. ... December to February: Initial sifting of applications by online tests, video or phone interviews. Some schemes are still open. Some operate a rolling recruitment process, assessing applications in batches. It is best to apply as soon as possible as they may close when they have enough good applicants Read
- HireVue: FAQ for candidates In a video-based assessment, you’ll be presented with a question, either written or in video form, and be given several minutes to respond to each question. Most video-based assessments include between five and eight questions. Read
This page is about the UK job hunt and is not immigration advice. For your own situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or an immigration solicitor, and check the current rules on gov.uk.
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