Sky vs BT Graduate Scheme 2027: Which Should You Apply To?
Open Sky Digital Graduate Programme closes 15 Nov 2026 (reported). BT 2026 intake closed; 2027 dates not published. (… days left)
Sky checked 24 Oct 2026, BT checked 18 Oct 2026; comparison written 26 Oct 2026.
Sky and BT are the two biggest UK media and telecoms graduate employers with a two-year, rotational scheme. Sky is open now. BT is closed and has not published its 2027 dates. This guide compares them from each employer’s own pages and labels what is reported. Single-employer detail is in our Sky graduate scheme guide and our BT graduate scheme guide.
Sky vs BT graduate scheme 2027: side by side
| Factor | Sky (Digital Graduate Programme) | BT (Software Engineering, Transformation and Delivery) | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Open; closes 15 Nov 2026, may close earlier but not before 1 Nov | 2026 intake closed; 2027 dates not published | Reported / Not published |
| Length and structure | Two years, three 8-month rotations | Two years, typically three 8-month placements | Official |
| Pay | £36,000 plus benefits | £35,500 technical roles and £32,500 business roles (BT pack); adverts reported £33,500 for business tracks | Reported (Sky) / Official and reported (BT) |
| Degree | Any subject; final-year, postgraduate or graduated | 2:2 or higher; some roles need a STEM or technology degree | Official |
| Location | Osterley (West London) for Digital | Belfast, London (Software Engineering), Glasgow (Transformation and Delivery) | Official |
| CV | Not stated | Not required | Official / Not published |
| Online stage | Two online assessments after applying; Sky asks you not to use AI | Untimed online assessment: five text questions and one recorded video question, 5 days to complete | Official |
| Final stage | In-person assessment centre; date not published | Assessment event of 3 to 4 hours at your chosen location: group discussion and interview, plus a technical test for some roles | Official / Not published |
| Apply to more than one | One programme per year | One application only | Official |
| Visa sponsorship | Not offered for Digital | None reported for early careers roles | Official (Sky) / Reported (BT) |
Evidence: Official means taken from the employer’s own pages; Reported means a third-party copy of an employer listing; Not published means we found no figure.
At a glance: what each employer states
| Sky closing date | 15 Nov 2026; may close earlier but not before 1 Nov | Reported |
| BT 2027 opening date | BT has not published it on the pages we read | Not published |
| Sky Digital pay | £36,000 plus benefits | Reported |
| BT pay | £35,500 technical, £32,500 business (BT candidate pack) | Official |
| Sky assessment centre date | Not published | Not published |
| BT 2027 salary | Not published | Not published |
Evidence labels: Official = the employer’s own pages; Reported = a third-party copy of an employer listing; Not published = no figure found. See our Transparency Index for how we score pay, dates and stages.
The biggest difference: one is open, one is not
Sky is accepting applications for its Digital Graduate Programme until 15 November 2026 at the latest, and Sky says it may close earlier. BT has closed its 2026 intake and has not published 2027 dates. If you want to apply this autumn, Sky is the live option; for BT, register for updates and check its early careers page from December, because its 2026 adverts closed between February and April.
Sky vs BT graduate scheme: pay
Sky’s Digital listing shows £36,000 plus benefits, reported from a third-party listing. BT’s own candidate pack lists £35,500 for technical roles and £32,500 for business roles. Business-track adverts reported £33,500. BT has not published a 2027 figure, so treat these as last cycle’s numbers. Use our paycheck calculator to compare take-home pay.
Who can apply
Sky Digital takes any degree subject, whether you are in your final year, doing a postgraduate degree or have graduated, and does not offer visa sponsorship. BT asks for a 2:2 or higher, with technology or STEM degrees for Software Engineering and any subject for Transformation and Delivery, and adverts report no sponsorship for early careers roles. Both require the right to work in the UK for the whole programme.
How they assess you
Sky sends two online assessments after you apply and asks you to complete them without AI, then runs an in-person assessment centre. BT has no CV, a text and video online assessment, a screening call and an on-site event, and its candidate pack warns that the text assessment checks for AI-generated answers. For general formats see our online tests guide.
Application stages compared
Sky stage 1: apply online
Enter your details and degree. After you submit, Sky emails a link to the digital assessments, so check your junk folder.
Sky stage 2: two online assessments
They cover how you think, what motivates you and how you might fit the programme. There is a practice round first.
Sky stage 3: in-person assessment centre
Tasks on problem solving and teamwork. The 2027 date is not published.
BT stage 1: online application
About 20 minutes. No CV. Upload right-to-work and qualification documents.
BT stage 2: untimed online assessment
Five text questions and one recorded video question, 5 days to complete, about 30 minutes.
BT stage 3: screening call
A short call to confirm right to work and qualifications.
BT stage 4: assessment event
3 to 4 hours: group discussion, a competency interview and a technical test for some roles.
BT stage 5: decision
BT aims to tell you within 2 weeks of the final stage and gives all applicants feedback.
What a graduate says
“The programme has given me real responsibility early on.”
Rachel Formstone, Finance Graduate at Sky. Source: Gradcracker profile. One person’s account of the Finance programme, not the Digital one.
“…to network, be bold and put calls in people’s diaries.”
Charlotte Moir, who joined BT’s Project Management Graduate Scheme in September 2020. Source: BT Group, The insider’s view. One person’s account of an earlier programme.
Checklist
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Sky vs BT graduate scheme: which should you apply to?
If you want to apply now, Sky is the only one of the two that is open, with a rotation through trading, merchandising, experimentation and product development in West London. Choose BT if you want software engineering or transformation and delivery work and can wait for its 2027 window, which on the pattern of 2026 may open in the new year, though BT has not published a date. Both limit you to one application. For more routes see our BT vs Airbus comparison, the assessment centre guide, all schemes on the graduate schemes hub, and closing dates in our deadlines calendar.
Sky vs BT graduate scheme: FAQ
Is the Sky or BT graduate scheme open?
Sky’s Digital Graduate Programme is open and closes on 15 November 2026 at the latest. BT’s 2026 intake is closed and its 2027 dates are not published.
Which pays more, Sky or BT?
Sky Digital is reported at £36,000. BT’s candidate pack lists £35,500 for technical roles and £32,500 for business roles. BT has not published 2027 pay.
Do I need a specific degree?
Sky Digital takes any subject. BT asks for a 2:2 or higher, with a technology degree for Software Engineering.
Do Sky and BT sponsor visas?
Sky says it does not offer sponsorship for the Digital programme. BT adverts report no sponsorship for early careers roles. Confirm on the live advert.
Do I need a CV?
BT does not ask for one. Sky’s pages we read do not say.
Can I use AI in the assessments?
Sky asks candidates not to use AI while completing its assessments, and BT’s candidate pack says its text assessment checks for copied or AI-generated answers.
