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Forsters Training Contract

Applications close 4 January 2027. Pays £47,000 to £50,000 a year depending on role.

Yes, with conditionsTraining Contract

Yes. Forsters sponsors its training contract for eligible international graduates. Forsters takes twelve trainees a year across a two-year, six-seat training contract, and most trainees are recruited via the vacation scheme. Its FAQ is explicit that sponsorship is available for the training contract but not the vacation scheme, subject to UK Home Office eligibility, and candidates are told to flag their need for sponsorship on the application form.

Sponsors grads?
Sponsors
Pay vs threshold
Clears the threshold
Opportunity
training contract
Pay
First-year trainees £47,000, second-year £50,000, newly qualified £88,000 (as of September 2025, reviewed annually)
2027 cycle
Applications open 3 September 2026 and close 4 January 2027
Confidence
high

Forsters Training Contract: at a glance

Forsters takes twelve trainees a year onto a two-year training contract made up of six four-month seats, usually including Commercial Real Estate, Trusts, Tax and Estates and at least one contentious seat. In the final seat trainees return to the department they will qualify into, giving eight months' experience there before qualification. Trainees draft documents, carry out legal research and work on client matters, supported by a supervisor, a mentor and a trainee buddy. Most trainees join through the vacation schemes, though candidates can apply directly for the training contract. Source

Duration
2 years (six four-month seats)“we welcome twelve trainees each year onto our two-year training contract”Source
Who can apply
Law students from their penultimate year, non-law students from their final year, and graduates of any subject including career changers“The earliest we can accept an application from law students in their penultimate year.”Source
Starting pay
First-year trainees £47,000; second-year trainees £50,000 (as of September 2025)Source
Degree requirement
A 2:1 or higher (achieved or expected), plus a minimum of ABB at A level“Candidates should have gained, or expect to gain, a 2:1 or higher degree classification.”Source

How Forsters recruits

Direct training contract (applications 3 September 2026 to 4 January 2027). 4 stages, from Forsters's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-03. Test providers are named only where Forsters names them.

  1. Online application form

    Application form

    Online application form, reviewed after the deadline. Blind first-round interviews and contextual (REALrating) data are used.

    “After completing the online application form and self-recorded video interview, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment day.”
    Source

  2. Video interview

    Recorded video interview

    Self-recorded video interview after the application form is reviewed. Platform, questions and timings not published.

    “After completing the online application form and self-recorded video interview, shortlisted candidates will be invited to an assessment day.”
    SourceHow to prepare for a one-way video interview

  3. Assessment day (February)

    Assessment centre

    Assessment day in February. Components not published.

    “All assessment days will take place in February and final interviews for direct applicants will take place in either April or June, alongside the vacation schemes.”
    Source

  4. Final interview (April or June)

    Final interview

    Final interview in April or June for direct applicants. The interview panel draws on about 45 senior associates, counsel and partners.

    “Candidates who are successful at assessment day will receive either a vacation scheme offer or, if applying directly for a training contract, an invitation to a final interview.”
    Source

Every programme and stage at Forsters

“We can offer visa sponsorship for training contracts, but not for vacation schemes. Due to government requirements, we can only consider visa sponsorship for training contracts.”
Forsters, from its own careers pages
The catch: Applicants who cannot attend the vacation scheme because their visa does not permit work during the scheme dates can still apply directly for a training contract on the same deadline, where sponsorship may be available.
Forsters early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

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What Forsters publishes about this programme

Checked against Forsters's own careers pages on 2026-10-01. 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: not published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Forsters

Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-23. Application dates last checked 2026-10-01. How we check programme verdicts

Common questions

Does Forsters sponsor visas for its training contract?

Yes. Forsters sponsors its training contract for eligible international graduates. Forsters takes twelve trainees a year across a two-year, six-seat training contract, and most trainees are recruited via the vacation scheme. Its FAQ is explicit that sponsorship is available for the training contract but not the vacation scheme, subject to UK Home Office eligibility, and candidates are told to flag their need for sponsorship on the application form.

What is the Forsters training contract?

Forsters takes twelve trainees a year onto a two-year training contract made up of six four-month seats, usually including Commercial Real Estate, Trusts, Tax and Estates and at least one contentious seat. In the final seat trainees return to the department they will qualify into, giving eight months' experience there before qualification. Trainees draft documents, carry out legal research and work on client matters, supported by a supervisor, a mentor and a trainee buddy. Most trainees join through the vacation schemes, though candidates can apply directly for the training contract.

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 Forsters?

Applicants who cannot attend the vacation scheme because their visa does not permit work during the scheme dates can still apply directly for a training contract on the same deadline, where sponsorship may be available.

When do applications open for the Forsters training contract?

Applications open 3 September 2026 and close 4 January 2027. Checked on 2026-10-01 against Forsters's own site.

How long is the Forsters training contract?

2 years (six four-month seats), according to Forsters's own careers information.

Who can apply for the Forsters training contract?

Law students from their penultimate year, non-law students from their final year, and graduates of any subject including career changers, according to Forsters's own careers information.

What does the Forsters training contract pay?

First-year trainees £47,000; second-year trainees £50,000 (as of September 2025), according to Forsters's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Forsters training contract?

A 2:1 or higher (achieved or expected), plus a minimum of ABB at A level, according to Forsters's own careers information.

How should I confirm Forsters's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Forsters'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.