EY Assessment Centre Guide 2027
Full-day Assessment Day at EY's offices with group exercise, case study, and manager/partner interview. 3 stages. Everything you need to know to prepare.
Prepare for EYFree for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime
Format
What the EY assessment centre looks like
Arrival & Briefing
15-20 minutesGraduate recruitment
Welcome at EY's offices. Overview of the day, networking with current graduates.
Group Exercise
30-45 minutes2-3 assessors
Collaborative case study or business scenario. Work as a team to analyse information and present recommendations. EY explicitly tests for collaboration — don't dominate.
Case Study / Presentation
45-60 minutesAssessed separately
Individual case study with presentation to assessors. Tests analytical thinking, communication clarity, and commercial awareness.
Manager/Partner Interview
30-45 minutes1 Senior Manager or Partner
In-depth interview covering your CV, motivation, and values alignment with EY. Strengths-based and competency questions.
Prep plan
48-hour preparation plan
148 hours before
Research EY's recent work, publications, and strategy. Know their service lines and current priorities.
Learn EY's values — they explicitly assess against them. Be ready to weave them into your answers naturally.
Prepare 5 STAR-format examples covering collaboration, problem-solving, leadership, adaptability, and client focus.
Practise group exercise skills — build on others' ideas, propose frameworks, summarise clearly.
If applying to audit/tax: understand current regulatory or accounting changes. If consulting: know their digital transformation work.
224 hours before
Check the Financial Times for business news affecting EY's clients.
Prepare 3-4 questions for the partner/manager interview.
Review your anchor stories — time yourself to keep answers concise.
Plan your outfit and arrival. Business formal is standard for Big 4 assessment centres.
Get 8 hours of sleep — group exercises require high energy and clear thinking.
3Morning of
Review EY's values one final time.
Scan morning headlines for relevant business news.
Arrive 15 minutes early. Be friendly with other candidates — collaboration is explicitly tested.
Remember: the group exercise rewards collaboration, not competition. Build on others' ideas.
Questions
EY assessment centre questions by round
Different interviewers ask different types of questions. Know what to expect at each level.
- 1Group exercise: solve a business challenge.
- 2Case study: analyse a client scenario.
- 3What current issue most affects EY's clients?
- 4How would you approach a problem in ESG reporting?
Technicals
EY technical questions
- 1Group exercise: solve a business challenge.
- 2Case study: analyse a client scenario.
- 3What current issue most affects EY's clients?
- 4How would you approach a problem in ESG reporting?
- 5What do you know about EY's current strategy and priorities?
- 6How does EY's approach to technology consulting and ESG advisory differ from competitors?
- 7What regulatory or accounting change is most affecting EY's clients right now?
- 8Walk me through how you would approach an audit of a mid-sized UK retailer.
- 9What role does technology play in the future of professional services?
- 10Why EY over Deloitte?
Evaluation
What EY interviewers evaluate
Purpose alignment
EY's purpose is "building a better working world." Show you care about impact, not just career progression.
Strengths alignment
EY assesses natural strengths. Know what you're good at and what energises you.
Innovation mindset
EY invests heavily in technology and AI. Show awareness of how tech is transforming professional services.
Inclusive leadership
Diversity and inclusion are central. Show you value different perspectives.
Commercial awareness
Know EY's clients and the challenges they face — ESG, digital transformation, regulation.
Curiosity
EY values people who ask good questions and seek to understand deeply.
Avoid
Common mistakes at EY assessment centres
Trying to dominate the group exercise. EY explicitly rewards collaboration. Build on others' points and summarise for the group.
Not knowing EY's values. They assess against their values framework — know them and demonstrate them naturally.
Being too generic in the partner interview. Reference specific service lines, recent work, or firm initiatives.
Ignoring other candidates. The social elements (lunch, breaks) are part of the assessment. Be friendly and engaged throughout.
Under-preparing for the case study or written exercise. Practise structuring analysis under time pressure.
Not having questions prepared. "No questions" signals lack of genuine interest.
Practise EY assessment centre questions
Intervyo's assessment centre practice simulates real EY interviews. Record your answers on camera and get AI-scored feedback across behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness questions — the same types you'll face on the day.
Try assessment centre practiceFree for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime
FAQ
EY assessment centre FAQs
Be ready for every round
AI-scored practice with EY questions. Behavioural, technical, and commercial awareness — all scored with detailed feedback. Free for 3 days.
Prepare for EYFree for 3 days · No card charged until trial ends · Cancel anytime