Marks and Spencer vs Sainsbury’s Graduate Scheme 2027: Which Should You Apply To?
Open Marks and Spencer closes 1 and 8 Nov 2026. Sainsbury’s: all nine tracks closed, 2027 dates not published. (… days left)
Official. Both checked on their own pages on 21 to 24 Oct 2026; comparison written 26 Oct 2026.
Marks and Spencer and Sainsbury’s are two of the biggest UK retail graduate employers, but only one is open. Marks and Spencer closes its programmes on 1 and 8 November 2026. Sainsbury’s has closed all nine FutureMaker tracks and has not published 2027 dates. This guide compares them from each employer’s own pages. Single-employer detail is in our Marks and Spencer graduate scheme guide and our Sainsbury’s graduate scheme guide.
Marks and Spencer vs Sainsbury’s graduate scheme 2027: side by side
| Factor | Marks and Spencer | Sainsbury’s FutureMaker | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Open; Food Commercial closes 1 Nov 2026, the other five programmes 8 Nov 2026; may close earlier | All nine tracks closed; 2027 opening date not published | Official / Not published |
| Programmes | Six: Retail, Food Product Development, Food Commercial, Food Logistics, Fashion Home and Beauty Online, Fashion Home and Beauty Supply Chain and Logistics | Nine tracks, including Support Functions, Data Science and Analytics, Food Technical, Design, Logistics and Fulfilment, Digital and three Argos tracks | Official |
| Length | Two years for the Food and Fashion, Home and Beauty programmes; Retail ends with you as a Store Manager | Two years, three 8-month rotations | Official |
| Pay | £34,000 on all six graduate programmes | Not published on the early careers page | Official / Not published |
| Start | September 2027 | Last intake opened 9 Jan 2026 for September 2026 starts | Official |
| Degree | Any degree, completed by September 2027; no minimum class stated | Depends on track: 2:2 in any subject (Support Functions, Argos Commercial); 2:2 in a STEM subject (Data Science); 2:2 in a digital design degree (Design) | Official |
| Stages | Online application, two-stage online assessment, in-person assessment centre, final store interview for store roles | Not published | Official / Not published |
| Apply to more than one | One programme per recruitment cycle | Not published | Official / Not published |
| Timing signal for next year | Not published | The Grocer reported 2027 recruitment opens in February | Reported |
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
| Marks and Spencer deadline | 1 Nov 2026 (Food Commercial) or 8 Nov 2026 (the other five) | Official |
| Sainsbury’s status | All nine tracks closed | Official |
| Marks and Spencer pay | £34,000 on six graduate programmes | Official |
| Sainsbury’s pay | Not shown on the early careers page | Not published |
| Sainsbury’s 2027 opening | Not announced; The Grocer reports February | Reported |
| Sainsbury’s application stages | Not published | Not published |
Evidence labels: Official = the employer’s own pages; Reported = press; Not published = no figure found. See our Transparency Index for how we score pay, dates and stages.
The biggest difference: you can apply to one right now
Marks and Spencer has six programmes open for September 2027, closing 1 and 8 November, and says vacancies close on a rolling basis, so apply early. Sainsbury’s has no open track. If you want a retail graduate scheme this autumn, Marks and Spencer is the live option; for Sainsbury’s, register your interest on its careers site so you hear when the window opens.
Marks and Spencer vs Sainsbury’s graduate scheme: pay
Marks and Spencer publishes £34,000 for all six graduate programmes. Sainsbury’s does not show a salary on its early careers page, so we cannot compare them. Check each track listing when applications open, and use our paycheck calculator to see take-home pay on £34,000.
Who can apply
Marks and Spencer asks for any degree completed by September 2027 and the right to work in the UK for the full programme, and states no minimum classification. Sainsbury’s sets requirements per track, mostly a 2:2, in a STEM subject for Data Science and a digital design degree for Design. Neither allows an unlimited number of applications: Marks and Spencer limits you to one programme per cycle.
What the pages do not tell you
Sainsbury’s does not publish its application stages or salary, and Marks and Spencer keeps its detailed assessment information behind a login. Treat any pass-mark or test claim from a third-party site as unverified. For general formats see our online tests guide.
Application stages compared
Marks and Spencer stage 1: online application
Apply through the Marks and Spencer Early Careers portal. One programme per recruitment cycle.
Marks and Spencer stage 2: two-stage online assessment
Described as a way to find out more about Marks and Spencer while it finds out more about you.
Marks and Spencer stage 3: in-person assessment centre
Invitations go to candidates who pass the online assessment.
Marks and Spencer stage 4: final store interview
For store-based roles, a final interview in one of the stores.
Sainsbury’s: register your interest
Register on the careers site so the opening email reaches you first.
Sainsbury’s: choose one track
Match your degree to the track requirements from the 2026 listings.
Sainsbury’s: application stages
Not published on the early careers page.
What a graduate says
“Absolutely go for it – you won’t regret it!”
Gregor Munro, Retail Leaders Graduate at Marks and Spencer. Source: Marks and Spencer Careers profile. One graduate’s account, published by Marks and Spencer.
We could not find a named graduate quote on Sainsbury’s own early careers page that we could verify, so there is none for that side rather than an invented one.
Checklist
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Marks and Spencer vs Sainsbury’s graduate scheme: which should you apply to?
If you want to apply this autumn, Marks and Spencer is the only one of the two with open programmes, and it publishes its pay at £34,000. Choose Sainsbury’s if its FutureMaker tracks, including data, design and Argos, fit your degree better, and plan for a 2027 window that The Grocer reports opens in February. The pages we checked do not say how Sainsbury’s assesses candidates. For other retail routes see the Aldi vs Lidl comparison, the assessment centre guide, all schemes on the graduate schemes hub, and closing dates in our deadlines calendar.
Marks and Spencer vs Sainsbury’s graduate scheme: FAQ
Which graduate scheme is open, Marks and Spencer or Sainsbury’s?
Marks and Spencer. Its programmes close on 1 and 8 November 2026. All nine Sainsbury’s FutureMaker tracks are closed.
Which pays more?
Marks and Spencer publishes £34,000. Sainsbury’s does not publish a salary on its early careers page.
Do I need a 2:1?
Neither scheme asks for a 2:1 on the pages we read. Marks and Spencer states no minimum classification; Sainsbury’s asks for a 2:2 on most tracks.
Can I apply to more than one programme?
Marks and Spencer allows one programme per cycle. Sainsbury’s does not say on the pages we read.
When does Sainsbury’s open for 2027?
Sainsbury’s has not published a date. The Grocer reported that 2027 recruitment opens in February. Register your interest to hear first.
How long are the schemes?
Sainsbury’s FutureMaker is two years with three 8-month rotations. Marks and Spencer’s Food and Fashion, Home and Beauty programmes are two years.
