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

Yes. MBB firms reserve a portion of their graduate intake for direct applicants. The bar is higher — you need strong academics, compelling case interview performance, and clear motivation. But it is absolutely possible.

What is the career path in consulting?

At McKinsey: Business Analyst (2–3 years) → Associate → Engagement Manager → Partner. At BCG/Bain: Associate → Consultant → Project Leader → Partner. Many consultants leave after 2–3 years for industry, PE, or MBA.

What is the starting salary at MBB?

£55,000–£70,000 base salary at MBB in London, plus performance bonus (typically £5,000–£15,000). Total first-year compensation is £60,000–£85,000. Big 4 consulting pays £38,000–£50,000 base.

Updated March 2026

Complete Guide to Consulting Graduate Scheme Applications 2027

Everything a final year student needs to know — application strategy, the McKinsey Solve and BCG tests, case interview preparation, and what to expect in your first year as a consultant at McKinsey, BCG, Bain and other top firms.

Used by students applying to McKinsey, BCG, Bain and 20+ other 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 HireVue practiceFREE TOOL
9The interview rounds
10Firms and deadlines
11Frequently asked questions

Section 1

What a consulting graduate role is

A graduate role in consulting (called "Business Analyst" at McKinsey, "Associate" at BCG and Bain, or "Analyst/Consultant" at Big 4 firms) is a full-time position that starts after you finish university. You join a consulting team and work on client projects from day one, supported by formal training and mentorship.

At MBB firms, the graduate role typically lasts 2–3 years before promotion to the next level (engagement manager at McKinsey, project leader at BCG). The work involves analysing data, building presentations, interviewing stakeholders, and contributing to strategic recommendations for Fortune 500 clients.

Consulting graduate roles offer some of the strongest career acceleration available. After 2–3 years, consultants move into senior roles within the firm or exit to leadership positions in industry — corporate strategy, PE-backed companies, startups, or MBA programmes at top business schools.

Most graduate positions at MBB are filled by returning summer interns. Direct applications are more competitive but far from impossible — firms allocate a portion of their class for direct hires, particularly candidates with strong academic records or unique backgrounds.

Who can apply

Final year undergraduates or master's students graduating in 2027

Start date

August–October 2027

Starting salary

£55,000–£70,000 base at MBB (London); £38,000–£50,000 at Big 4

Programme length

2–3 years before promotion track

Acceptance rate (direct)

1–3% at MBB, 3–8% at Big 4

Exit opportunities

Corporate strategy, PE, VC, startups, MBA, or promotion within

Section 2

The 2027 consulting graduate scheme timeline

Graduate applications follow the same timeline as summer internships at most firms.

March – August 2026·Case interview preparation

Do 20–30 practice cases. Develop PEI/fit stories. Build commercial awareness. This preparation period is the single biggest determinant of success.

August – November 2026·Applications open

MBB and Big 4 firms open graduate applications alongside summer internship applications. Apply as early as possible.

September – December 2026·Online assessments

McKinsey Solve, BCG Online Case, Bain SOVA, or SHL tests for Big 4. Same formats as summer internship assessments.

October – February 2027·Interview rounds

Two rounds of case interviews. 4–6 cases total at MBB. Each includes PEI/fit and case components.

November – March 2027·Offers

Offers communicated within 1–2 weeks of final round.

August – October 2027·Start date

Training programme followed by first project staffing.

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:

Academic excellence remains critical. MBB firms screen heavily on grades and university.

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

Graduate cover letters should 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 MBB and between MBB/Big 4.

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

Check your CV before you apply

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

CV Analysis

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Section 5

McKinsey Solve, BCG Online Case and other assessments

Graduate online assessments are identical to summer internship tests.

McKinsey Solve

60–70 minutes

Providers: McKinsey proprietary

Ecosystem simulation game testing systems thinking and data-driven decisions.

BCG Online Case

45–60 minutes

Providers: BCG proprietary

Digital case study with data analysis and strategic questions.

Bain SOVA

40–60 minutes

Providers: Bain / SOVA

Aptitude and personality assessment.

SHL (Big 4)

25–40 minutes

Providers: SHL

Numerical and verbal reasoning for Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG consulting.

Preparation tips

Same preparation as for summer internship tests. If you took them before, refresh yourself with one practice run.

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

BCG Online Case: practise case frameworks before attempting it.

Section 6FREE TOOL

Practice a psychometric test

Consulting analytical tests require a different preparation approach than banking psychometrics. 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

Case interviews at the graduate level are identical in format to summer internship cases. You will face 4–6 case interviews across two rounds, each combining a PEI/fit section with a case.

The bar may be marginally higher for direct graduate applicants than for returning interns, as firms expect candidates to demonstrate readiness to start on client projects immediately.

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 — have stories with enough depth for 5–6 follow-up questions.

How firms score your answers

Problem structuring — Logical, MECE decomposition of the problem.

Analytical rigour — 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 HireVue question

Many consulting firms use video interviews for initial screening. Practising on camera develops the structured communication skills essential for case interviews.

HireVue Practice

Choose your firm

Your question

30s preparation 2 min recording Camera + mic

Practice firm-specific questions for McKinsey, BCG, Bain and more. Start free trial →

Section 9

The interview rounds

Consulting graduate interviews follow the same two-round structure as summer internship interviews.

First round — 2 case interviews

2 × 45 minutes

PEI/fit + case in each. Conducted by managers or engagement managers.

Second round — 2 case interviews

2 × 45 minutes

Harder cases with partners. Deeper probing on fit. Final decision round.

How to stand out during the week

Do 20–30 practice cases. This is the single most important preparation step.

Practice mental maths daily in the weeks before interviews.

Prepare 3–4 deep stories for PEI with enough detail for extensive follow-up questions.

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

Section 10

Graduate scheme deadlines by firm

Graduate applications follow the same cycle as summer internships at most consulting firms.

Firm	Programme	Opens
McKinsey	Business Analyst	August 2026	Get alerted
BCG	Associate	September 2026	Get alerted
Bain	Associate Consultant	September 2026	Get alerted
Oliver Wyman	Consultant	September 2026	Get alerted
LEK Consulting	Associate	October 2026	Get alerted
Deloitte	Analyst	September 2026	Get alerted
EY	Consultant	October 2026	Get alerted
Accenture	Analyst	October 2026	Get alerted