Degree apprenticeship deadlines 2027: when every big programme opens

The single most common way people miss a degree apprenticeship isn't failing a test. It's finding out the programme closed last Tuesday. This page lists when the big 2027 programmes open, using data from Intake's Radar, which checks every programme on our list each night.

How to read this page

• Opened means the firm has announced or listed the date for the 2027 intake.
• Expected is our estimate, based on when the same programme opened last year.
• Dates move. Always confirm on the firm's careers page before you plan around them.

Last checked: 3 October 2026.

#When do degree apprenticeships open for 2027?

For a September 2027 start, applications open from early September 2026 and keep rolling out until spring 2027. Accounting and professional services firms tend to open first, investment banks and big tech follow through autumn, and some engineering and public sector programmes open in the new year.

Here's the shape of the season:

#2027 opening dates by firm

#Already open (dates listed by the firm)

Notice Barclays: a sixteen day window. If you'd checked in October, you'd have missed it completely. For the Big Four in detail, see PwC vs KPMG vs EY vs Deloitte, and for Goldman Sachs, our Goldman Sachs apprenticeship guide.

#Expected dates (based on last year)

Morgan Stanley, Sky, IBM, BT, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, GCHQ, Arup, EDF and most engineering and construction programmes haven't published 2027 dates yet. Radar checks them every night and alerts you the day they open.

#Why do apprenticeship deadlines close early?

Most large firms recruit on a rolling basis. They screen applications as they come in and move strong candidates through tests and interviews straight away. Once they have enough people for the assessment centres, they close, sometimes weeks before the date on the advert.

That means two things:

1. Applying in the first week gives you the most places to compete for.
2. The listed deadline is a maximum, not a promise. Treat it as "closes any time before this".

#How to never miss a deadline

• Shortlist before September. Know which 8 to 15 programmes you want before they open.
• Prepare your core answers in advance. "Why an apprenticeship" and your three best stories can be drafted in the summer, then tailored per firm.
• Practise the online test each firm uses. See our guide to apprenticeship online tests.
• Get alerts. Checking fifty careers pages by hand doesn't work. Intake's Radar watches them for you and messages you the day something opens.

#Frequently asked questions

#When do degree apprenticeships open for 2027?

Most open between September and December 2026 for a September 2027 start. Accountancy firms and some banks open first in September, more banks and tech firms follow in October and November, and some engineering and public sector programmes open between January and May 2027.

#What is the deadline for degree apprenticeships?

There's no single deadline. Each firm sets its own, and most recruit on a rolling basis, closing once they have enough applicants. Some windows are very short. Barclays listed a closing date sixteen days after opening for its 2027 programme.

#Are degree apprenticeship deadlines the same as UCAS?

No. UCAS deadlines only apply to university courses. Apprenticeships are applied for directly with each employer, on their own timeline, and many close well before the main UCAS deadline in January.

#Is it too late to apply for a 2027 degree apprenticeship?

Usually not. Plenty of programmes open later in the autumn, in winter or even in spring. Check which ones on your tracks are still open or haven't opened yet, and apply to new ones in their first week.

#How do I get alerts when apprenticeships open?

You can sign up to each firm's talent alerts individually, or use Intake, which tracks programmes across 27 tracks and 143 firms and alerts you the day each one opens.