Can I get a graduate consulting role without a summer internship?

Yes. Direct applications remain an important route into consulting roles. The process may be competitive, but candidates with strong academics, compelling case interview performance, and clear motivation can succeed.

What is the career path in consulting?

Career paths vary by firm and office. At McKinsey, the typical progression starts at Business Analyst. At Bain London, it starts at Associate Consultant. Many consultants progress within the firm, while others move into industry, further study or other opportunities after a few years.

What is the starting salary in consulting?

Compensation varies by firm, office and role. Firms do not always publish exact graduate salaries. Check graduate salary surveys for indicative ranges, but treat specific numbers with caution as they change year to year.

2027 Applications

Complete Guide to Consulting Graduate Scheme Applications 2027

Everything you need to know about consulting graduate applications: application strategy, firm-specific assessments, case interview preparation, and what to expect in an entry-level consulting role.

Built for students applying to McKinsey, BCG, Bain and other leading consulting firms

In this guide

1What a consulting graduate role is
2The 2027 consulting graduate scheme timeline
3The application
4Free CV checkerFREE TOOL
5Online tests
6Free psychometric practiceFREE TOOL
7The case interview: the centrepiece of consulting recruitment
8Free video interview practiceFREE TOOL
9The interview rounds
10Firms and deadlines
11Frequently asked questions

Section 1

What a consulting graduate role is

Entry-level consulting titles vary by firm and office. For example, McKinsey uses Business Analyst, while Bain uses Associate Consultant in London. You typically join a consulting team and work on client projects from day one, supported by formal training and mentorship.

The work often involves analysing data, developing recommendations, preparing client materials and contributing to problem-solving for organisations. Career progression varies by firm, office and performance.

Consulting experience can lead to progression within the firm or opportunities in other industries, but paths vary considerably. McKinsey says many colleagues stay for a few years before graduate school or other opportunities.

Internships are an important pathway into full-time consulting roles at many firms. Direct applications remain an important route into consulting roles as well.

Who can apply

Eligibility varies by firm and office. Many entry-level consulting roles are open to final-year undergraduates and some postgraduate students

Start date

Start dates vary by firm and programme

Compensation

Varies by firm, office and role

Career progression

Timing varies by firm and performance

Competitiveness

Direct graduate consulting roles are highly competitive

Exit opportunities

Corporate strategy, private equity, startups, MBA programmes, or promotion within the firm

Section 2

The 2027 consulting graduate scheme timeline

Graduate-role timelines vary by firm and office. Always check each official careers site for current deadlines.

July - October 2026·Case interview preparation

Practice case interviews extensively. Develop PEI/fit stories. Build commercial awareness. This preparation period is one of the biggest determinants of success.

Varies by firm·Applications open

Application windows vary by firm, so always check each official careers site. Follow each firm's stated deadline and application process carefully.

After applying·Online assessments

Assessment formats vary by firm and may include problem-solving tests, online assessments and interviews. McKinsey uses Solve in its recruiting process. Other firms use their own assessment methods.

Interview period·Case interviews

Interview structures vary by firm, but candidates often face multiple case interviews across more than one round.

After interviews·Offers

Offer timing varies by firm.

Varies by firm·Start date

Many firms provide training and onboarding before or alongside initial project work.

Section 3

How to apply for a consulting graduate role

Your CV

Graduate-level consulting CVs should demonstrate the same qualities as intern-level but with more substance:

Strong academic performance is often important in consulting applications.

Prior consulting or analytical experience: internships, spring programmes, case competition wins, consulting society projects.

Leadership with measurable impact. Every bullet point should answer: what did you do, and what was the result?

Technical skills: data analysis, Excel modelling, any quantitative tools relevant to your field.

Cover letter

Some firms use written motivation questions or application forms rather than traditional cover letters. Where a written response is required, show depth of understanding:

Why consulting and why now? If you are a direct applicant, explain what draws you to the profession based on your experiences.

Why this firm? Differentiate meaningfully between firms.

Why you? Connect your strongest evidence to the consulting skill set: structured thinking, communication, leadership.

Application questions

Graduate application questions test deeper commercial and problem-solving ability:

Business problem: "How would you advise a company facing [specific challenge]?" Show structured thinking.

Motivation with evidence: "What experience has confirmed your interest in consulting?" Reference specific projects or interactions.

Industry insight: "What trend will most impact [industry] over the next 5 years?" Show commercial awareness and analytical thinking.

Section 4FREE TOOL

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Consulting firms screen CVs for academic excellence, leadership, and analytical capability. Check yours below.

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Section 5

Firm-specific assessments

Graduate-role assessments may be similar to internship assessments, but formats vary by firm and role.

McKinsey Solve

Varies

Providers: McKinsey proprietary

McKinsey Solve uses game-based problem-solving tasks rather than a standard multiple-choice format. The exact format and duration can vary.

BCG assessments

Varies

Providers: BCG

BCG may use interviews and other assessment formats depending on the programme and role.

Bain assessments

Varies

Providers: Bain

Bain's assessment process may include interviews and other evaluation stages depending on the role.

Other online assessments

Varies by firm

Providers: Various providers

Other firms may use their own online assessments, interviews or additional evaluation stages depending on the role.

Preparation tips

If you took assessments for an internship, refresh yourself with one practice run before the graduate application.

McKinsey Solve rewards systematic thinking. Take time to understand the data before acting.

Check the firm's instructions carefully for what to expect.

Section 6FREE TOOL

Practice a psychometric test

Some consulting assessments differ from banking-style psychometrics, while others use similar test formats. Familiarise yourself with the format below.

Psychometric Tests

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10 questions per test. Timed. Instant results with explanations. No signup required.

Practice the full suite of psychometric and analytical tests inside Intervyo, free for 3 days. Start free trial →

Section 7

The case interview: the centrepiece of consulting recruitment

Graduate-level case interviews are often similar to internship case interviews, but the exact format varies by firm. Candidates may face multiple case interviews across more than one round.

Graduate applicants may be expected to show strong readiness for client work. McKinsey is known for detailed behavioural probing (PEI) in addition to case work.

Common question types

Profitability

Revenue vs cost analysis of a declining business. Structure, hypothesise, test with data, recommend.

Market entry

Whether and how a client should enter a new market. Assess attractiveness, competition, capability, and approach.

Pricing and growth

How to price a new product or grow a stagnant business. Value-based analysis with market context.

Market sizing

Estimate the size of a market or the demand for a product. Show structured decomposition and clear assumptions.

PEI / fit

Deep-dive into your leadership, teamwork, and impact stories. McKinsey probes extensively, so have stories with enough depth for several follow-up questions.

How firms score your answers

Structure: logical decomposition of the problem.

Analysis: accurate calculations, sound data interpretation.

Communication: clear, concise narration of your thinking process.

Business judgement: commercially sensible hypotheses and recommendations.

Composure: handling curveballs without losing structure.

Section 8FREE TOOL

Practice a video interview question

Some firms may use video interviews or other screening stages before live interviews. Practising on camera develops the structured communication skills essential for case interviews. Try one question below.

HireVue Practice

Choose your firm

Your question

30s preparation 2 min recording Camera + mic

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Section 9

The interview rounds

Consulting interview structures vary by firm, but candidates often face multiple rounds with case and fit components. Candidates may face several case interviews across the process, sometimes with more senior interviewers in later rounds.

First round

Varies

Typically includes case interviews with fit or behavioural questions. Interviewers may be managers or similar-level consultants.

Second round

Varies

Often includes more challenging cases, sometimes with ambiguous data. May be conducted by partners or senior leaders. Deeper probing on fit.

How to stand out during the week

Practice as many cases as you can. This is the single most important preparation step.

Practice mental maths daily in the weeks before interviews.

Prepare several deep stories for PEI with enough detail for extensive follow-up questions.

At the graduate level, interviewers may expect slightly more commercial maturity. Show you understand how businesses work.

Section 10

Typical graduate-role windows by firm

Application timing varies by firm and office. Always check the official careers site for current deadlines.

Firm	Programme	Opens
McKinsey	Business Analyst	Check current UK careers pages for role-specific deadlines	Get alerted
BCG	Entry-level consulting	Roles vary by office. Check the UK careers page	Get alerted
Bain	Associate Consultant	Check Bain London recruiting pages for current timing	Get alerted
Deloitte	Graduate consulting roles	Timing varies by programme. Check Deloitte Early Careers	Get alerted

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

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