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FCA Graduate Programme 2027

Pays £33,600 to £37,000 a year depending on location.

Only some tracksFCA Graduate Programme (Regulatory, People & Change and other early careers streams)

Only in part. Financial Conduct Authority sponsors its fca graduate programme for some tracks or offices, not all. The FCA's early careers page requires candidates to have permission to work in the UK for the whole programme and states plainly that it cannot offer sponsorship where a role does not meet Home Office eligibility requirements.

Sponsors grads?
Some tracks
Pay vs threshold
Clears the threshold
Opportunity
graduate scheme
Pay
£37,000 in London, £33,600 in Leeds or Edinburgh
2027 cycle
Applications are open now (timeline says they open in early October, no year printed), no closing date published; online assessments and assessment centres run November to March, and successful candidates join in September (no year printed)
Confidence
high

Financial Conduct Authority FCA Graduate Programme: at a glance

The FCA graduate schemes run as structured rotations in which graduates build practical experience and professional knowledge alongside experts in financial regulation, with dedicated learning, mentoring and professional development. Source

Start date
SeptemberSource
Who can apply
A 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, with strong analytical and communication skills“To apply for our graduate schemes you will need: A 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in any discipline. Strong analytical and communication skills.”Source
Locations
London, Leeds, Edinburgh“Graduates start on: £37,000 in London. £33,600 in Leeds and Edinburgh.”Source
Starting pay
£37,000 in London and £33,600 in Leeds and Edinburgh (salaries may vary depending on the programme)Source
Degree requirement
2:1 (or equivalent) in any discipline; some schemes may require specific degree subjectsSource

How Financial Conduct Authority recruits

Graduate schemes: applications open early October, assessments November to March, start September (2027 intake implied). 4 stages, from Financial Conduct Authority's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-03. Test providers are named only where Financial Conduct Authority names them.

Applications may close early once places are filled, so apply well before any published deadline. Source

  1. Submit application form

    Application form

    Application form checking minimum requirements, with education and work experience details.

    “During this initial stage, we’ll confirm whether you meet the minimum requirements for our programme. We’ll ask you to give details of your education and any previous work experience you may have had.”
    Source

  2. Online tests: stage 1

    Online tests, Cappfinity

    Online strengths-based assessment; practice in the FCA Candidate Preparation Zone (Cappfinity). Data literacy is assessed in the process.

    “If your initial application meets our requirements, we’ll ask you to complete an online strengths-based assessment.”
    Source

  3. Online test: job insight assessment

    Immersive assessment, Cappfinity

    Immersive online assessment including video-based questions, testing understanding of the FCA as a regulator and its values.

    “If successful in the first-stage test, you’ll be invited to complete an immersive online assessment, which includes video-based questions. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the FCA and its role as a regulator.”
    Source

  4. Assessment centre

    Assessment centre

    Half-day assessment centre with three exercises: group exercise, analysis exercise and strengths-based interview. January to March for graduates.

    “Our assessment centres last half a day and consist of 3 exercises. You’ll take part in: - a group exercise - an analysis exercise - a strengths-based interview”
    Source

Every programme and stage at Financial Conduct Authority

“As required by law, we cannot offer sponsorship where the role does not meet the Home Office eligibility requirements.”
Financial Conduct Authority, from its own careers pages
The catch: Sponsorship is assessed per role against Home Office rules rather than guaranteed for the whole graduate intake, so which team and location you are placed in can decide whether sponsorship is possible.
Financial Conduct Authority early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

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What Financial Conduct Authority publishes about this programme

Checked against Financial Conduct Authority's own careers pages on 2026-10-24. Anything not published is worth asking the early careers team before you apply.

  • Visa sponsorship policy: published
  • Application dates: published
  • Programme description: published
  • Duration and start date: published
  • Who can apply: published
  • Pay: published
  • Locations: published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Financial Conduct Authority

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-23. Application dates last checked 2026-10-24. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does Financial Conduct Authority sponsor visas for its fca graduate programme?

Only in part. Financial Conduct Authority sponsors its fca graduate programme for some tracks or offices, not all. The FCA's early careers page requires candidates to have permission to work in the UK for the whole programme and states plainly that it cannot offer sponsorship where a role does not meet Home Office eligibility requirements. Graduate and internship applications open in early October, with assessment centres running January to March and starts in September. Pay is £37,000 in London and £33,600 in Leeds or Edinburgh.

What is the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme?

The FCA graduate schemes run as structured rotations in which graduates build practical experience and professional knowledge alongside experts in financial regulation, with dedicated learning, mentoring and professional development.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme clears the Skilled Worker salary threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with Financial Conduct Authority?

Sponsorship is assessed per role against Home Office rules rather than guaranteed for the whole graduate intake, so which team and location you are placed in can decide whether sponsorship is possible.

When do applications open for the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme?

Applications are open now (timeline says they open in early October, no year printed), no closing date published; online assessments and assessment centres run November to March, and successful candidates join in September (no year printed). Checked on 2026-10-24 against Financial Conduct Authority's own site.

When does the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme start?

September, according to Financial Conduct Authority's own careers information.

Who can apply for the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme?

A 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in any discipline, with strong analytical and communication skills, according to Financial Conduct Authority's own careers information.

Where is the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme based?

London, Leeds, Edinburgh, according to Financial Conduct Authority's own careers information.

What does the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme pay?

£37,000 in London and £33,600 in Leeds and Edinburgh (salaries may vary depending on the programme), according to Financial Conduct Authority's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Financial Conduct Authority fca graduate programme?

2:1 (or equivalent) in any discipline; some schemes may require specific degree subjects, according to Financial Conduct Authority's own careers information.

How should I confirm Financial Conduct Authority's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Financial Conduct Authority's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Related guides

All visa and sponsorship guides

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Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. How we check this data.