Time is almost up for graduates hoping to join Marks & Spencer in 2027. Five of the retailer's six graduate programmes close on Sunday 8 November 2026, leaving applicants one final weekend to apply.

The six two-year programmes cover Retail, Food Product Development, Food Commercial, Food Logistics, Fashion, Home and Beauty Online, and Fashion, Home and Beauty Supply Chain and Logistics. The Food Commercial route has already closed, having shut on 1 November. All of the schemes pay £34,000 and start in September 2027, and M&S says it closes vacancies on a rolling basis, so the published date is the latest possible deadline.

From shop floor to store manager

The Retail Graduate Programme is built around learning to run a store. Graduates start with a Customer Assistant immersion, working across every department to understand how a store operates, before stepping up to a Team Manager role. Around nine months in, they learn to manage an entire store as a Deputy Store Manager, and by the end of the programme they are expected to be running a store of their own.

Who can apply

Applicants can have a degree in any subject, as long as they will have graduated by the time the programme starts in September 2027. They must have the right to work in the UK for the full duration of the programme, and they can apply to only one programme per recruitment cycle, so choosing the best fit matters. Store locations span the UK.

How to apply

Applications go through the M&S Early Careers portal. Successful applicants face a two-stage online assessment, followed by an in-person assessment centre, with store-based roles also including a final interview in one of the company's stores. M&S says it will make reasonable adjustments for applicants who need them during the process.