Your guide to the Deloitte application process: from start to finish

This guide will walk you through each step of the Deloitte graduate recruitment journey - from the initial online application to the final assessment. By the end, you’ll know what to expect, how to prepare, and how to stand out. Deloitte offers a variety of ways into the firm as a graduate/early career student, with varying application deadlines. 

• Graduate Programme, Summer Vacation Scheme and Industrial Placements
• BrightStart Higher Apprenticeship Programme
• Entry Level Apprenticeship Programme
• Spring Into Deloitte Programme
• Career Shapers and ASPIRE Programmes

The Graduate Programme, Summer Vacation Scheme, and BrightStart Programme all have similar 5-step assessment processes. Entry Level Apprenticeships and other shorter work experiences processes combine steps 2 and 3 into one online assessment. 

What is the Deloitte Graduate Programme?

Deloitte’s Graduate Programme is a full-time, permanent position that gives you hands-on experience in the consulting sector. You’ll receive extensive training, a market-leading salary, and access to unique benefits like a £7000 interest-free loan. You may be based in various offices across the UK, or offshore, and you can find out more about the locations here.

Where could this programme take you?

• Audit and Assurance
• Business and Financial Advisory
• Cyber, Data and Digital
• Consulting
• Deloitte Legal
• Risk Advisory
• Actuarial
• Real Estate
• Tax Consulting
• Technology
• Enabling Functions

Before applying, take time to understand Deloitte’s purpose and values, which will feature heavily in every stage of the application and can be found here. These will be integral to helping you respond to the assessments in a way that aligns their priorities, as well as ensuring you are the best fit.

What are Deloitte’s values and purpose?

Deloitte’s stated purpose is to make an impact that matters - for their clients, their people, and society. 

Their five core values are: 

• Lead the way
• Serve with integrity
• Take care of each other
• Foster inclusion
• Collaborate for measurable impact

You’ll want to keep these in mind throughout the process - especially during assessments and interviews.

The Deloitte Graduate Application Process: 5 Key Stages

Deloitte’s application process has five stages. Some, like the initial online form and final outcome, are relatively straightforward. Others - like the immersive online assessment, job simulation, and final assessment - require in-depth preparation.  

1. Online Application
2. Immersive online assessment
3. Job simulation
4. Final stage assessment
5. Outcome

1. Online application

The first step will ask you basic questions about who you are, your education, and any work experience you may have. Make sure you use your personal email address and have your education qualifications (such as GCSEs and A levels) easily accessible. Typically, these graduate and work placement programmes will require at least a 2.1 or higher in your undergraduate degree or to have achieved 104 UCAS points in your top 3 A Levels. However, if you don’t quite meet the criteria, you are still encouraged to apply and explain your extenuating circumstances as you may still be considered. 

Tips:

• Take note that Deloitte allows one application per academic year (September-August), so take care to choose the one you are most interested in. If you apply to more than one, only your first application will be considered.
• Have your CV well-prepared, including highlighting academic qualifications and achievements, subjects relevant to Deloitte, and any involvement campus societies and extracurricular activities
• If you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations, you can contact the team to help you.
• Keep your candidate ID handy as you will use it throughout the application process.

2. Immersive online assessment

Once you submit and pass the first online application, the next step is the immersive online assessment, which introduces you to life at Deloitte and evaluates your problem-solving skills, values alignment, and professional instincts. 

It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and should be completed in one sitting. Expect scenarios where you’ll need to make decisions based on realistic workplace dilemmas. Afterwards, you’ll receive instant feedback on your strengths and abilities, and you will typically hear your result within two weeks. It’s challenging, but with proper preparation, you can set yourself up for success. 

What to expect:

• Situational Judgement Test: You’ll assess hypothetical workplace scenarios and rank how you’d respond and your preferred way of working. There are no right answers, but your responses are evaluated against Deloitte’s values and purpose.
• Cognitive assessments: These may include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, or even game-based tasks. 

Top tip from the Deloitte team: 

“When rank ordering your preferred responses to a situation, go with your gut instinct, don’t try to second guess what it is we might be looking for.”

How to prepare:

• Understand Deloitte’s values and apply them when ranking your responses
• Practice similar situational judgement tests and reasoning tests (many are available online)
• Stay calm and read each scenario carefully – don’t rush, but remember there is no ‘back’ button
• Use the Deloitte Candidate Zone, which offers guidance and support

3. Job Simulation

If you pass the immersive assessment, you’ll move on to the job simulation – a more in-depth, video-based test that mimics real work situations. After some practice questions, you will be provided with work-based case scenarios that require you to rank how you would respond in order of preference. This stage evaluates your analytical thinking, behavioural strengths, problem-solving and communication skills. This video is a good opportunity to show your competence and confidence, so answer clearly and make good eye contact.

It is timed and typically lasts around 40 minutes, and comprises of:

• Multiple-choice reasoning questions based on client information
• Several video-recorded questions, where you’ll speak directly to your camera for between 30 seconds and 2 minutes
• Written responses, such as writing a report summary
• An email task

Again, you’ll receive feedback on your strengths and abilities, and results are usually shared within four weeks.

What is the Deloitte job simulation really like?

• A realistic business scenario or case study (e.g. advising a client on a tech strategy and identifying risks), where you may be asked to analyse the situation, consider possible solutions, and recommend a course of action
• A mix of multiple choice, video, and written responses
• Opportunities to demonstrate your understanding of Deloitte’s work and your communication style

How to prepare:

• Practice speaking on camera: Record yourself answering practice questions to get comfortable.
• Prepare examples from university, work, or extracurriculars using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
• Revisit Deloitte’s workstreams and case studies to understand what kind of challenges you might encounter
• Ensure a quiet, well-lit space with a charged device and stable internet
• Dress-smartly – even though it’s a virtual assessment, first impressions still count.
• Practice the assessment beforehand – you can find more information in the Candidate Zone

4. Final stage assessment

Congrats! If you’ve made it to the final stage assessment, you will be selected to do the final stage assessment. This is your last chance to impress – and to see if Deloitte is the right fit for you. Afterwards, you will receive personalised feedback for your continued development. If you reach this point, Deloitte already sees you as a strong candidate. The final stage, alongside other candidates, consists of:

• A two-way discussion (around 30 minutes) about your prepared topic, during which the assessor will ask you questions
• A skills and motivation interview (around 50 minutes) exploring how your strengths and interests align with the key qualities at Deloitte.

The topic discussion:

You’ll be asked to prepare and discuss a topic in advance. It will be based off four options that will be provided to you beforehand. This is your chance to show off your analytical thinking, presentation skills, and how well you engage in discussion.

The interview: 

This is where you’ll face a variety of Deloitte interview questions, including:

• Competency-based questions to give an insight into the skills you have demonstrated in the past.
• Motivational questions (e.g. “What motivates you about joining Deloitte?”). This is a form of strengths-based interview questions to help Deloitte’s recruiters to understand what drives you and what interests you about Deloitte and the role you have applied for.
• Scenario-based questions (e.g. “How would you approach a client with limited digital literacy?”). This is another type of another type of strengths-based questions, asking you to consider what you think you would do in hypothetical work-based situations.
• Questions about you to help the recruiters get to know what’s important to you, how you like to work and whether this aligns with Deloitte’s values.
• Topical questions to give an insight into your thoughts and ideas relating to topics that present issues for Deloitte, society or both.

For more information about questions you're likely to be asked at a Deloitte interview, make sure to read our article written specifically about Deloitte interview questions.

How to prepare?

• Brush up on Deloitte’s recent projects and news – look for case studies on their website.
• Practice for the case study interview questions by breaking down problems and reading up on basic business strategy concepts
• Prepare thoughtful questions for Deloitte interviews, such as asking about team culture, training, or progression.
• Use the STAR method to prepare structured answers for competency questions.
• Practice under timed conditions and review your responses.

What to wear?

• Deloitte advises applicants to dress smartly and “when in doubt, overdress”. While they acknowledge workplace dress codes are evolving, business formal (suit or equivalent) is still recommended for interviews, even virtual ones.

5. Outcome

After your final interview, you will receive your outcome. Regardless of whether you are successful or not, Deloitte provides feedback and access to further learning resources via the Candidate Zone. 

If you are successful – congratulations! You’ll be contacted with onboarding details and given your official start date for your journey at Deloitte. If you’re unsuccessful, you are welcome to apply again in the next academic year. 

Final tips to succeed in the Deloitte Graduate Application:

• Apply early – programmes may close early once filled
• You can only apply once per year, so choose the application that best suits your skills and interests
• Immerse yourself in Deloitte’s values and purpose – these are core at every stage
• Prepare using resources like the Deloitte Candidate Zone, practice tests, and mock interviews
• Stay calm, be yourself, and don’t overthink – it’s as much about values as it is about skills

By understanding each stage of the Deloitte application – from immersive assessments to final interviews – you’re already on the path to success. 

Applying to other graduate finance opportunities? Make sure to check our guides on common PwC interview questions and how to answer them and on the BDO application process. Still haven't decided? Browse our accounting graduate jobs and finance graduate jobs