Tesco Graduate Scheme 2027: Open Until 22 December 2026, Pay and How to Apply
Tesco runs several graduate schemes for the 2027 intake rather than one programme. The ones Debut checked on the official Tesco careers site are the Retail Graduate Scheme, the Product – Home and Clothing Graduate Scheme, the Technology – Programme Management Graduate Scheme and the Finance, Insight and Commercial Analysis Graduate Scheme at Booker, part of the Tesco Group.
This page follows the listings on careers.tesco.com, checked on 30 October 2026. Each row points to the listing it comes from. Where something is not stated on the listing, we say so instead of guessing.
Tesco graduate scheme 2027 at a glance
| Scheme | Length and location | Salary | Entry requirement | Apply by | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Graduate Scheme | Three years; nationwide; stores, distribution centre or customer fulfilment centre, plus a head-office project | £33,500 | Predicted or achieved 2:2 | 22 Dec 2026 | Tesco listing |
| Product – Home and Clothing Graduate Scheme | Two years; Welwyn Garden City; buying and merchandising rotations | £33,000 | Not stated as a degree class on the listing | 22 Dec 2026 | Tesco listing |
| Technology – Programme Management Graduate Scheme | Two years; Welwyn Garden City | £40,000 | Not stated as a degree class on the listing | 22 Dec 2026 | Tesco listing |
| Finance, Insight and Commercial Analysis (Booker) | Rotational; Eccles or Wellingborough | £33,000 | On track for a 2:2 or equivalent in a relevant discipline | 22 Dec 2026 | Tesco listing |
All four listings give 6 September 2027 as the programme start date. Tesco also lists other graduate schemes, for example in technology (IMS Technology) and tech product and programme management. We have not read those listings in full, so check the Tesco job search for the current list.
When does the Tesco graduate scheme open and close
The four listings above show an apply-by date of 22 December 2026. Tesco’s careers site describes each role as temporary and links to the application portal on tescoearlycareers.groupgti.com. A third-party advice site, EP Advisory, reports that Tesco may close a scheme early once it has enough applications; this is not stated on the listings, so treat it as a reason to apply early rather than a rule.
Tesco Retail Graduate Scheme: what Tesco says
Tesco describes a three-year programme that places you in small Express stores through to large Extra stores, plus a distribution centre or customer fulfilment centre, and a head-office project. You first work in departments to learn routines and processes, then take on your first leadership responsibility with a mentor. By the end of the programme the aim is that you have the skills to become a store manager.
Tesco warns that to get breadth of experience you might need to relocate after six months and again after your first year. It asks for a predicted or achieved 2:2 degree and describes the people it wants as curious in thinking and brave in application.
Product, technology and finance schemes
- Product – Home and Clothing: Tesco calls it new for 2026. You rotate across buying and merchandising teams, create product ranges, work with Tesco’s clothing brand F&F, and manage supplier relationships. The listing says an interest in fashion and retail helps and that you will learn the numbers side.
- Technology – Programme Management: you work with multiple teams across Technology and the business, helping projects meet strategic goals, handle plans and risks and monitor progress with software engineers and product managers, and use tools such as JIRA or Aha. The listing says no project management experience is needed yet.
- Finance, Insight and Commercial Analysis (Booker): rotations as a Commercial Analyst and as a Foodservice or Retail Analyst, analysing trends, supporting budgeting and forecasting, and building dashboards and reports.
Pay and benefits
Salaries are on the listings: £33,500 for Retail, £33,000 for Product and for Finance at Booker, and £40,000 for Technology – Programme Management. The Tesco-branded listings list the same colleague benefits:
- Annual bonus scheme of up to 10% of base salary.
- 25 days holiday plus a personal day, plus bank holidays.
- Maternity and adoption leave of 26 weeks after one year’s service at full pay, and 6 weeks of fully paid paternity leave.
- A free 24/7 virtual GP service and an Employee Assistance Programme for you and your family.
- A working pattern of about 60% of the week at office locations or local sites and the rest remotely, as stated in the Tesco listings.
The Booker finance listing names its own benefits instead: colleague discounts across Booker and Tesco, share schemes, a matched pension, life assurance and wellbeing support. Pension terms for the Tesco-branded schemes are not stated on the listings we read.
How to apply for the Tesco graduate scheme
Choose the scheme on the Tesco listing and use its Apply button, which goes to the Tesco early careers portal. The listings do not detail the selection stages, so we cannot give you an official list of tests and interviews. When the portal shows your stages, prepare with our general guides: see the Graduate Scheme hub and our guides to numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests and video interviews.
Match your examples to the values Tesco names on the listing: customers at the centre, leadership, curiosity, and a commercial mindset. If you have no retail experience, the difference between work experience, internships and volunteering and how to answer the weakness question may help you structure examples.
How Tesco compares with other graduate schemes
Salaries on the Tesco listings sit in a £33,000 to £40,000 range. For other retail and consumer routes see our Lidl graduate scheme guide, and for other 2027 intakes see the graduate scheme deadlines calendar.
Before you apply to Tesco
0 of 4 confirmed. Tick each point that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Tesco graduate scheme open for 2027?
Yes, according to Tesco’s careers site on 30 October 2026: the Retail, Product – Home and Clothing, Technology – Programme Management and Booker Finance schemes list an apply-by date of 22 December 2026 and a start date of 6 September 2027.
What is the Tesco graduate scheme salary?
The listings state £33,500 for the Retail Graduate Scheme, £33,000 for Product – Home and Clothing and for Finance, Insight and Commercial Analysis, and £40,000 for Technology – Programme Management.
What degree do I need for the Tesco graduate scheme?
The Retail Graduate Scheme asks for a predicted or achieved 2:2. The Booker finance scheme asks for a 2:2 or equivalent in a relevant discipline. The Product and Technology listings do not state a degree class.
How long is the Tesco Retail Graduate Scheme?
Three years, with placements in stores, a distribution centre or customer fulfilment centre, and a head-office project. You may need to relocate.
What is the Tesco graduate scheme application process?
Apply through the Apply button on the Tesco listing. The listings do not set out the selection stages, so check the portal after you apply.
Sources
- Tesco Careers: Retail Graduate Scheme
- Tesco Careers: Product – Home and Clothing Graduate Scheme
- Tesco Careers: Technology – Programme Management Graduate Scheme
- Tesco Careers: Graduate Scheme – Finance, Insight and Commercial Analysis (Booker)
- Tesco Careers: job search
- EP Advisory: Tesco Graduate Scheme application process (third party)
Back to the Graduate Scheme hub. Checked against the official Tesco listings on 30 October 2026. Listings and dates can change, so confirm on the Tesco careers site before applying.
