EY has opened applications for its 2027 apprenticeship programmes, offering school and college leavers a paid route into one of the UK's biggest professional services firms without going to university first.

The programmes start in September 2027 and are listed on EY's official UK early careers site, where applicants can search by programme and location. Roles are spread across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast.

Which programmes are open

The Audit Apprenticeship is a four-year programme in which apprentices work on client engagements while studying towards a qualification with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), or the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) in Scotland.

Other routes include a Tax Apprenticeship, a Business Apprenticeship, a three-year Degree Apprenticeship in Business Leadership and Management, and a four-year Digital and Technology Degree Apprenticeship in Technology Consulting, which leads to a BSc degree in Digital and Technology Solutions with BPP University. People Advisory Services apprenticeships are also listed.

Apprentices work on real client projects from the start, alongside teams in assurance, consulting, EY-Parthenon and tax, and spend around a fifth of their time on off-the-job learning.

Who can apply

Applicants should be in Year 13 or have recently finished school or college. The general requirement is at least a grade 4 or C at GCSE in English Language and Maths, plus three A Levels or equivalents such as BTEC Nationals.

EY does not set a minimum UCAS points requirement, and says offers depend on applicants achieving the A Level or Higher grades they predicted when they applied, which the firm checks on results day.

For degree and Level 4 apprenticeships, applicants generally need to have lived in the UK or European Economic Area for the three years before the start date. EY states that it cannot provide visa sponsorship for its apprenticeship programmes.

How applications work

There is no single fixed closing date. EY states on its careers site that, unless stated otherwise, applications close as soon as the set number of roles have been filled, and that roles may reopen during the season. Applicants are advised to apply early rather than wait.

The process starts with an online application, followed by an immersive online assessment. Shortlisted candidates are then invited to an EY Experience Day, with sessions running between November 2026 and April 2027.

Some roles have already closed: the Audit Apprenticeship for Northern Ireland, for example, is listed as closed, with applicants directed to join EY's talent community for updates. Candidates should check the status of their chosen programme and location on EY's careers site before applying.

How to apply

Applications are made through EY's UK student careers site, where each programme lists its locations, length, qualification and start date. No CV or cover letter is needed at the first stage; candidates create an account, choose a programme and location, and answer the application questions.