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Offices old and new along Cheapside in the City of London

Chinese students in the UK

Cheapside, City of London. Photograph: Lewis Clarke, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped

Two hiring seasons, one year: the UK calendar beside China's autumn season, then online tests, video interviews and Big 4 rounds.

7,149 Chinese nationals were granted a Graduate visa in the year to June 2026. Source: Home Office.

By the Get a job in the UK desk

Updated

Checked against gov.uk on

The Season

I graduate in
  1. Graduate scheme applications From August 2026 to January 2027 Most open September or October, banks from August; many deadlines fall in November and December.
  2. Spring weeks and insight programmes September 2026 to January 2027 For first-years, and second-years on four-year courses; most applications fall in autumn, programmes run around Easter.
  3. Summer internship applications (summer 2027) From August 2026 to January 2027 For penultimate-year students; many review applications as they arrive and close early.
  4. Assessment centre season November 2026 to April 2027 First rounds follow deadlines; final assessment days run from November into spring.
  5. Autumn campus recruitment in China (from employers' China pages) August 2026 to October 2026. From PwC China and Bank of China, read 7 October 2026.
  6. Graduate visa lengths A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.
Today, 9 October

Full calendar

This edition is for Chinese students and graduates of UK universities. The Season above adds China’s autumn campus season, from employers’ own China pages. The other editions share the UK rows.

Two hiring seasons fall in the same autumn

China’s autumn campus season runs in the same months as the UK scheme season; they overlap most in September and October.

Stage UK graduate schemes China autumn campus round
Applications September or October for most; August in banking (targetjobs) From August 2026 at PwC China; Bank of China closed on 9 October 2026
Tests and assessment days First rounds in January and February; assessment centres in March and April (targetjobs) PwC China Superdays from September 2026; Bank of China’s written test in mid to late October
Offers April to June (targetjobs) From September 2026 at PwC China
More on the two China roundsLess on the two China rounds

PwC China’s timeline for 2027 entry took applications from August 2026 and began its Superday assessments, and its offers, from September 2026.

Bank of China announced its 2027 global campus recruitment on 3 September 2026, for new graduates of universities in China and abroad. Its notice set the deadline at 9 October 2026, Beijing time, with a written test planned for mid to late October.

employers typically recruit up to one-year ahead, starting early in Autumn Term, and sometimes over the summer
LSE Careers, the graduate job market

Running both means one diary with two sets of deadlines. Decide by the start of term which applications get your strongest weeks, rather than splitting every week between two markets.

Online tests and recorded interviews come first

At the Big 4, the screening happens before you meet anyone. KPMG UK invites every applicant to two online assessments, may then invite you to a video interview, and holds its final stage, Launch Pad, as an in-person half day.

The recorded interview What the firm or platform says
KPMG UK You choose when to do it; allow 40 minutes
PwC UK An on-demand interview on the SHL platform, reviewed afterwards by an assessor
HireVue Sit it at the time of day you feel sharpest; a practice question comes first

Most video assessments ask five to eight questions, with several minutes for each

Source: HireVue, FAQ for candidates

Practise for the camera, not the room, then answer each question with one example: the situation, what you did, and the result. Video interviews and HireVue has the set-up, the timing and an answer structure.

The Big 4 and banks fill places early

The glass offices of More London on the South Bank, with the Shard behind
More London and the Shard, OctoberPhotograph: Ryan Hodnett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

York’s careers service expects Big Four schemes to close by December or January; Deloitte UK says it closes early when applications run very high. Apply in the autumn term.

Firm Screening Final stage
KPMG UK Two online assessments, then a recorded video interview Launch Pad, an in-person half day
PwC UK An on-demand video interview on SHL A virtual assessment centre, then a senior leader interview
Deloitte UK A staged process, the same for internships and graduate roles In person: a prepared discussion and an interview

Banks set their own dates and may close early: Barclays gave 31 October 2026 for one 2027 London summer internship, warning it might close sooner because of application volumes.

Big 4 recruitment, stage by stage sets out the four firms side by side, with their dates.

Mandarin is a skill: put it on the page

If Mandarin is your first language, list it in the skills section as a professional skill with an honest level, and add one line on what you used it for: research, a client meeting, a translation.

Visitors at tables and among planted terraces under the curved glass roof of the Sky Garden, with London spread out below
The Sky Garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch StreetPhotograph: User:Colin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
we will facilitate your 2026/2027 application with the online assessment and virtual interview process
PwC China, campus recruitment

Read each advert for the work, not the language alone. Where a London role covers clients, markets or colleagues in China, name the experience that proves you can do that work.

More on keeping both markets openLess on keeping both markets open

The same skill keeps the other market open. PwC China runs that online process so students abroad need not travel back, and Bank of China’s round takes graduates of universities abroad, so a UK search and a China search can share one autumn.

7,149 Graduate visas for Chinese nationals in the year to June 2026

Graduate route grants to Chinese main applicants, by year ending June: 2022, 6,497; 2023, 11,315; 2024, 10,655; 2025, 8,563; 2026, 7,149.

Source: Home Office, Immigration System Statistics, table Data_Exe_D01, main applicants granted an extension on the Graduate route. Download the figures (CSV)

View as a tableHide the table
Graduate visas for Chinese nationals, by year ending June
Year ending JuneGraduate visas granted
20226,497
202311,315
202410,655
20258,563
20267,149

Banks and firms with London graduate programmes

  • HSBC Graduates in banking, wealth and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • Citi Analysts in banking, markets and services Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • UBS Graduates in wealth, finance, operations and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • KPMG Graduates in audit, tax and consulting Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • PwC Graduates in audit, tax, consulting and strategy Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
  • Deloitte Graduates in audit, consulting, technology and law Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked

Logos identify each employer. A listing here is a fact about the employer, not an endorsement, and implies no affiliation.

This week

  1. Put the UK and China deadlines you care about into one diary
  2. Record three timed answers on your laptop camera and watch them back
  3. Apply to your first-choice Big 4 firm before the end of term
  4. Write your Mandarin level and one example of using it into your CV

Filed in September

Sources

  1. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or before 31 December 2026) 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 Checked
  2. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or after 1 January 2027) 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 Checked
  3. GOV.UK: Graduate visa length after a PhD or other doctorate If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Checked
  4. PwC China: PwC China: Students (campus recruitment) Start from August 2026 Submission of your online application is the first step of your journey to PwC. ... Start from September 2026 Candidates who have passed our online assessment will receive an invitation to our PwC Superday. ... Start from September 2026 Congratulations! If you have reached this stage, it means you have been officially invited to join the firm and begin your PwC journey. Offer letters will be sent out to successful candidates.Without the need to travel back to Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR, we will facilitate your 2026/2027 application with the online assessment and virtual interview process. Read
  5. Bank of China: 中国银行股份有限公司2027年全球校园招聘公告 (2027 global campus recruitment notice, 3 September 2026) 根据业务发展需要，中国银行启动2027年全球校园招聘 ... 面向境内外院校招收应届毕业生 ... 报名截止时间为北京时间2026年10月9日24点。 ... 中国银行初步定于10月中下旬组织统一笔试 Read
  6. LSE Careers: Graduate job market Graduate schemes are competitive, and employers typically recruit up to one-year ahead, starting early in Autumn Term, and sometimes over the summer, so it’s important to check their deadlines and processes. Read
  7. 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. Read
  8. PwC UK: Assessment and selection process (Early Careers) The 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.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. Read
  9. 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.Unlike a typical interview, you can complete a video-based assessment anytime, anywhere. Take advantage of this! Be sure to take your assessment during the time of day you feel sharpest and most alert. Read
  10. HireVue: Interview tips Most on-demand interviews ask you to give your answer in just a few minutes. It’s helpful to think about how you will illustrate your skills clearly in that timeframe, and to practice them out loud. You’ll even have the opportunity to do a practice question. Read
  11. University of Glasgow Careers: The STAR technique The STAR technique is a way to structure your answers to competency based questions in either an interview or an application form. This is when an employer asks you to demonstrate a particular skill by providing an example from your previous experience. Read
  12. targetjobs: When to apply for graduate jobs Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October. ... Applications for graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October.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
  13. 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/January Read
  14. 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
  15. Deloitte UK: Early Careers Assessment If 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
  16. Barclays: 2027 Marketing Analyst Summer Internship Programme London The closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Please note that this vacancy may close ahead of the advertised date due to application volumes, and we therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible. ... To be considered for this opportunity, you must be in your penultimate year of university. You must be graduating in 2028. ... Please also note that, during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme. Read
  17. LSE Careers: Graduate scheme applications Recruitment Timeframes August to January Graduate schemes open, some fixed date, some rolling Formal internship schemes open including parliamentary internships October to April Assessments & offers Traineeship applications June to September Internships, grad schemes begin Smaller organisations in public and private sector hire throughout the year Read
  18. LSE Department of Finance: Graduate scheme applications Prepare early: most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November (your course begins in early September). Read
  19. targetjobs: Graduate scheme applications Many employers set application deadlines in November and December. ... Some employers do not set a deadline and keep their graduate programmes ‘open’ all year or have ‘ongoing recruitment’, but they still expect to receive most of their applications by Christmas. Read
  20. Lancaster University Management School Careers: Spring weeks and insight programmes They generally take place during the Easter break in your first spring term. They, therefore, require applications in September and October in your first year at university! Note: Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-year students can also apply. ... Some schemes will open in July and August! Read
  21. Piper Sandler: Spring weeks and insight programmes For those that are successful on the Spring Week programme, you may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship. Applicants should be either in the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029. ... Applications open from midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026. ... The confirmed dates for Spring Week are April 2027. Read
  22. LSE Department of Finance: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) They are paid positions, and in many cases can lead to an offer of a full-time position by the employer. These are offered by most investment banks, strategy consulting firms, and other financial and tech institutions. The application process is similar to that for full time positions, although deadlines are usually later in the autumn or January Read
  23. Goldman Sachs: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The Summer Analyst role is for candidates currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters university degree and in their penultimate or final year of study. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Read
  24. KPMG UK: Assessment centre season 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
  25. University of Warwick: Degree results Postgraduate Taught Students (awards only), Friday 26th June 2026 ... Undergraduate Finalist students, Thursday 9th July 2026 Read
  26. University of Kent: Degree results Exam results for finalists and Year In students will be published throughout the day on KentVision, Monday 20 July. Read
  27. White & Case: Law vacation scheme applications We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with up to 25 participants in each intake. ... Spring vacation scheme 5 to 16 April 2027 Who can apply? penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students, and graduates from any discipline. When can I apply 24 September 2026 to 6 December 2026 Summer vacation scheme 28 June to 9 July 2027 Read
  28. Linklaters: Law vacation scheme applications Our Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are the best route to securing a Training Contract with us. ... Final Training Contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a Training Contract with a Partner and Managing Associate. ... Closing Date 03/12/2026 Read
  29. Greenberg Traurig: Training contract applications (direct) Apply: September to November 2026 ... Applications for our 2029 training contract are now open. To apply, please click here. Applications will close on Monday 30th November 2026 at 23:59. ... We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only. 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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