Grant Thornton Graduate Scheme 2027: Audit, Tax and Advisory, How to Apply
Grant Thornton is a UK audit, tax and advisory firm, and its graduate programme is a three-year route to a fully funded accountancy qualification. This guide uses Grant Thornton’s own careers pages and says plainly what the firm does not publish, such as salary, closing dates and the exact selection stages.
Checked on Grant Thornton’s careers site, 3 November 2026: the firm says it is now open for applications for its 2027 graduate and apprentice programmes.
Grant Thornton graduate programme at a glance
| Item | What we found | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Programme | Graduate programme in Audit, Tax or Advisory | Official |
| Status | Open for 2027 graduate and apprentice programmes (checked 3 Nov 2026) | Official |
| Length | Three years, studying alongside working | Official |
| Qualifications | ACA, CTA and CA, fully funded by the firm | Official |
| Entry requirements | Flexible; no specific degree subject required | Official |
| Support | Named Partner sponsor, client exposure, secondments across the global network | Official |
| Closing date | Not published on the programme page | Not published |
| Salary | Not published on the programme page; check the live vacancy for your office | Not published |
Source for the Official rows: Grant Thornton graduate programme page.
Who can apply
Grant Thornton says it takes a flexible approach to entry requirements and does not ask for certain degrees to have been studied. It considers your degree alongside your strengths, motivations and potential. That makes it open to non-accountancy graduates, including languages and humanities. The firm’s own trainee stories include a graduate who studied modern languages and one who spent the start of her career as a music and primary school teacher before joining as a tax associate. The firm does not state a minimum degree classification on this page, so check the live vacancy.
Grant Thornton routes in: which one fits you
Grant Thornton lists several early careers routes. Open each tab for what the firm says and what to check on its official page before you apply.
Choose a route
The graduate programme is a three-year programme with professional training funded, including ACA, CTA or CA. Entry is flexible and the firm does not ask for a particular degree subject. Each trainee has a named Partner sponsor, and secondments are part of the offer. As of 3 November 2026 the firm shows it as open for 2027.
The apprenticeship route is also shown as open for 2027 on the firm’s early careers pages. Check the official page for the qualification, entry requirements and pay, because Debut has not verified those details.
Work experience is listed as an early careers route. Dates, eligibility and number of places change by year, so use the official page for current details.
Career change is listed as a route for people who already work elsewhere. Check the official page to see how it differs from the graduate programme.
Route names are taken from Grant Thornton’s early careers pages read on 3 November 2026. Salary and closing date are not published on the pages we could read.
Programme structure: Audit, Tax and Advisory
You join in Audit, Tax or Advisory and study for your professional qualification alongside client work. Grant Thornton describes the pathway as built to take you “all the way to Partner”, with a named Partner sponsor from day one, work with senior leaders early and international secondments. Support continues after you qualify as part of one connected cohort.
Qualifications named on the page are ACA, CTA and CA, supported and fully funded by the firm. Which one you study depends on your service line. The page does not give the exam timetable, so ask at interview.
How to apply
Applications are made through Grant Thornton’s careers site: choose the graduate programme listing for your service line and office. Grant Thornton says it will make reasonable adjustments to any stage of recruitment, for example adapting the application form or interview; to request one, email [email protected]. The firm’s page does not publish a closing date, so apply early rather than waiting. Third-party guides report an online assessment and an experience day, but Grant Thornton does not list the stages on its programme page, so treat that as reported, not confirmed.
Start from the Grant Thornton early careers page.
Grant Thornton graduate salary
Grant Thornton’s programme page does not publish a starting salary, and third-party sources disagree, with reported figures ranging from the mid-£30,000s to £40,000 for London. We do not quote a figure as fact. Check the salary on the live vacancy for your office, then use our paycheck calculator to see take-home pay.
How to prepare
- Read the programme page and the trainee stories so you can explain why Audit, Tax or Advisory.
- Practise numerical tests with our numerical reasoning guide.
- Prepare examples from study, work or activities that show motivation and potential, since Grant Thornton says it weighs those alongside your degree.
- Use our assessment centre guide for exercises and interview habits.
Trainee stories on Grant Thornton’s site
Grant Thornton publishes trainee stories from Julia, Parris, Alison, Michael, Lauren, Kerry, Oliver and Chelsey. Read them on the firm’s own early careers site to see how real trainees describe the work. Debut has not quoted any of them word for word here, so we cannot attribute a direct quote to a named person on this page. Each story is one person’s account, not a guarantee of your experience.
How Grant Thornton compares
If you are weighing professional services routes, compare with PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and RSM. Compare entry requirements, qualification route and the live salary for your office rather than relying on headline numbers.
How to prepare for a Grant Thornton application
Grant Thornton does not publish its assessment stages on the pages we could read, so this section is Debut guidance and not an account of the firm’s process. Start from what the firm does say: entry is flexible, no particular degree subject is needed, and the programme funds ACA, CTA or CA study alongside work. That means your application should show why you want an accountancy-based career, not a particular subject.
Most large accountancy firms use some mix of online tests, a video or phone interview and an assessment centre, so it is sensible to practise each. Our guides on numerical reasoning tests and psychometric tests cover the test side, and the graduate assessment centre guide covers group exercises and presentations. For a worked example of a firm-specific process, see our KPMG Launch Pad guide and EY experience day guide. Treat them as examples of the format, not as a description of Grant Thornton.
- Prepare two or three examples of teamwork, a deadline you met and a time you handled a mistake.
- Be ready to explain why accountancy and why this firm, using something specific from its early careers pages.
- Read the trainee stories on the firm’s site before an interview so your questions are informed.
Adjustments and accessibility
Grant Thornton gives [email protected] as the contact for candidates who need adjustments. If you have a disability, a health condition or another need that could affect an online test or an interview, contact the team early rather than on the day. Ask what the adjustment process is and how much notice they need.
How Grant Thornton compares with other accountancy schemes
Debut cannot give a salary comparison because Grant Thornton does not publish a salary on the programme page we read. What can be compared from published facts is the structure: a three-year programme, funded ACA, CTA or CA, a named Partner sponsor and secondments. When you compare firms, ask each one the same questions: which qualification is funded, how long the programme runs, how much study leave you get and what the starting salary is for your office. Use our graduate scheme hub and the deadlines calendar to line up applications so you do not miss other firms while waiting on one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grant Thornton open for 2027 graduate applications?
Yes. On 3 November 2026 Grant Thornton’s careers site said it was open for applications for its 2027 graduate and apprentice programmes. It does not publish a closing date, so apply as early as you can.
Do I need an accounting degree?
No. Grant Thornton says it does not ask for certain degrees to have been studied and considers your degree alongside your strengths, motivations and potential.
How long is the Grant Thornton graduate programme?
Three years, studying alongside working.
Which qualifications will I study?
Grant Thornton names ACA, CTA and CA, fully funded by the firm.
What is the Grant Thornton graduate salary?
The programme page does not publish it. Check the live vacancy for your office.
Can I ask for adjustments in the application process?
Yes. Grant Thornton says it will make reasonable adjustments at any stage; contact [email protected].
