Why Deadlines Are the #1 Reason Graduates Miss Graduate Schemes
Every year, thousands of UK Computer Science graduates lose access to their target graduate schemes for one reason: they didn't realise the application window had already closed. Graduate scheme deadlines in the UK tech sector are not clustered neatly in spring. The most competitive schemes open in August and close in October or November - while many graduates are still in their final year thinking they have time.
This page tracks every major UK tech graduate scheme deadline in one place, updated as new information becomes available. Bookmark it now and check back regularly - deadlines shift, and some close early when they fill. For context on which schemes are worth prioritising, see our full guide to the top 15 UK tech graduate schemes.
How to Use This Tracker
Schemes are grouped by closing window. "Rolling" means no fixed deadline - they review applications as they arrive and close when the cohort is full. Apply as early as possible to rolling schemes; waiting for a deadline that doesn't exist is a common mistake.
Status key: Open - applications are currently being accepted. Closed - this cycle has ended, watch for next year. Rolling - open until filled.
Closes August - September 2026 (Apply Now)
| Company | Role Type | Deadline | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldman Sachs Technology Analyst | Software Engineering | Rolling (fills fast - apply by Aug) | £65,000-£75,000 | London |
| Google STEP / Early Careers | SWE / Product | Rolling (apply August) | £70,000-£90,000+ | London |
| Jane Street (SWE + Trading) | SWE / Quant | Rolling (closes very fast) | £90,000-£130,000+ | London |
| Optiver Graduate Programme | SWE / Trading / Research | Rolling (apply September) | £80,000-£120,000+ | London / Amsterdam |
Closes October 2026
| Company | Role Type | Deadline | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon SDE Graduate | Software Engineering | Mid-October | £55,000-£70,000 + RSUs | London / Edinburgh |
| JP Morgan Technology Analyst | SWE / Data / Cyber | October | £55,000-£65,000 | London / Edinburgh |
| Morgan Stanley Technology Analyst | Software Engineering | October | £55,000-£65,000 | London |
| Palantir Forward Deployed Engineer | SWE / Deployment | Rolling (October typical) | £65,000-£85,000 | London |
| Barclays Technology Graduate | SWE / Data / Cyber | Mid-October | £42,000-£48,000 | London / Knutsford / Glasgow |
| Arm Graduate Programme | CPU / Compiler / SWE | October | £40,000-£52,000 | Cambridge |
| Bloomberg Engineering | Software Engineering | Rolling | £65,000-£80,000 | London |
| Citadel / Citadel Securities | SWE / Quant | October | £80,000-£110,000+ | London |
Closes November 2026
| Company | Role Type | Deadline | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft UK Explore / SWE | Software Engineering | November | £55,000-£65,000 + RSUs | London |
| GCHQ Graduate Development | Cyber / Data / SWE | November | £32,000-£38,000 | Cheltenham / London |
| Deloitte Technology Graduate | Tech Consulting / SWE | November | £32,000-£38,000 | UK-wide |
| Rolls-Royce Digital Technology | Software / Data / Embedded | November | £31,000-£36,000 | Derby / Bristol |
| Accenture Technology Graduate | Tech Consulting | Rolling (November typical) | £28,000-£33,000 | UK-wide |
| NatWest Group Technology | SWE / Data / Cyber | November | £30,000-£36,000 | Edinburgh / London |
Closes December 2026 - January 2027
| Company | Role Type | Deadline | Salary | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BT Technology Graduate Scheme | SWE / Network / Cyber | December | £30,000-£36,000 | UK-wide |
| IBM Graduate Scheme | SWE / Cloud / Consulting | Rolling | £28,000-£34,000 | UK-wide |
| Capgemini Technology Graduate | SWE / Cloud / Data | Rolling | £28,000-£34,000 | UK-wide |
| Ocado Technology Graduate | SWE / Robotics / Data | January | £38,000-£50,000 | Hatfield / London |
| Airbus UK Digital Graduate | Software / Embedded / Data | January | £32,000-£40,000 | Bristol / Filton |
| Hargreaves Lansdown Technology | SWE / Data | Rolling | £32,000-£42,000 | Bristol |
Rolling / Spring Deadlines (Apply When Ready)
| Company | Role Type | Notes | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monzo | SWE / Data / Cyber | Rolling - no scheme structure | £45,000-£60,000 |
| Wise | SWE / Data | Rolling | £45,000-£60,000 |
| Revolut | SWE / Data / Compliance Tech | Rolling | £45,000-£60,000 |
| Checkout.com | SWE / Platform | Rolling | £45,000-£60,000 |
| AutoTrader UK | SWE / Data | Rolling | £38,000-£50,000 |
| Skyscanner | SWE / Data | Rolling | £35,000-£48,000 |
The Critical Deadline Mistake to Avoid
Many graduate scheme listings say "applications close 31st January" but add in small print "we review on a rolling basis and may close early." This is not a formality - Goldman Sachs Technology, JP Morgan, and Amazon regularly fill their graduate cohorts weeks or months before the stated deadline. The listed deadline is the absolute latest you can apply, not a target date.
Rule of thumb: Apply within the first two weeks of a scheme opening. For Tier 1 schemes (Goldman, Google, Jane Street), apply within the first week.
Prepare Before the Deadline Arrives
Submitting early means nothing if your application isn't ready. Make sure you have:
- A tailored, ATS-optimised CV - see our graduate CV template guide
- Technical interview preparation underway - see our 30-day coding interview prep plan
- Behavioural examples prepared using the STAR method - see our STAR method guide for tech graduates
- Company-specific preparation using GradSignal's interview playbooks
Set up free job alerts on GradSignal to be notified the moment new graduate scheme listings go live - so you're never the graduate who missed the window by two weeks.