GoRizzume

ICO Graduate Scheme 2027

Based in Manchester.

NoICO Graduate Scheme

No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico graduate scheme for international students who need a visa. The eligibility list rules out sponsorship in plain terms.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Not published
Opportunity
graduate scheme
Pay
Not disclosed on the early careers page
2027 cycle
Applications for the September 2026 intake closed on 15 March 2026, no later intake date published as of 1 October 2026
Confidence
high

Information Commissioner's Office ICO Graduate Scheme: at a glance

The ICO graduate scheme is a two-year programme of four six-month rotations across ICO directorates, including regulatory policy, a strategy and support function and regulatory delivery. Graduates join on a permanent contract. The ICO also offers a 12-month sandwich placement with Manchester Metropolitan University. Source

Duration
Two years, four six-month rotations“Our two-year graduate scheme will enable you to gain hands-on experience across a wide range of teams and projects.”Source
Start date
September 2026Source
Who can apply
2:2 degree or on track for one, in any discipline; right to work in the UK without sponsorship“You should have, or be on track to achieve, at least a 2:2 degree in any discipline”Source
Locations
Manchester“we move to our new office in Manchester city centre in September 2026”Source
Degree requirement
At least a 2:2 in any discipline“You should have, or be on track to achieve, at least a 2:2 degree in any discipline”Source

How Information Commissioner's Office recruits

September 2026 intake (applications closed 15 March 2026); no 2027 intake published. 3 stages, from Information Commissioner's Office's own careers pages, checked 2026-10-03. Test providers are named only where Information Commissioner's Office names them.

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

  1. Application

    Application form

    CV and application questions submitted on Workday.

    “Application: Submit your CV and complete application questions on Workday.”
    Source

  2. Online interview

    Other stage

    A short online interview of 15 to 20 minutes. The page does not say whether it is live or recorded.

    • about 20 minutes
    “Online interview : A short 15-20 minute interview.”
    Source

  3. Assessment centre

    Assessment centre

    Assessment centre with a presentation, a group exercise and an interview.

    “Assessment centre : Includes a presentation, group exercise, and interview.”
    Source

Every programme and stage at Information Commissioner's Office

“You must have the Right to Work in the UK without requiring sponsorship.”
Information Commissioner's Office, from its own careers pages
The catch: No salary is published for the scheme, so the pay cannot be checked against any visa threshold even in principle.
Information Commissioner's Office early careersVerify on gov.ukSee the licence record

Applying to Information Commissioner's Office? Check your CV first.

Most graduate applications are filtered by an ATS before a human ever sees them. GoRizzume Pro scores your CV against the job description and shows you what to fix.

Try Pro free for 7 days

£0 today, then Pro is £14.99/month from day 8Card needed.We email you the day before you pay.Cancel anytime in Settings, Billing.

What Information Commissioner's Office publishes about this programme

Checked against Information Commissioner's Office'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: published
  • Degree requirement: published
  • Recruitment stages: published

More early careers programmes at Information Commissioner's Office

Sources

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

Common questions

Does Information Commissioner's Office sponsor visas for its ico graduate scheme?

No. Information Commissioner's Office does not sponsor its ico graduate scheme for international students who need a visa. The Information Commissioner's Office launched a graduate scheme for 2026, its first, with a September start and four six month rotations across regulatory policy, a strategy and support function, and regulatory delivery. Graduates join on a permanent contract rather than a fixed term one. The academic bar is low by graduate scheme standards, a 2:2 in any discipline or being on track for one. Selection runs through a Workday application, a 15 to 20 minute online interview and an assessment centre with a presentation, group exercise and interview. The eligibility list rules out sponsorship in plain terms. The ICO moves to a new Manchester city centre office in September 2026.

What is the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme?

The ICO graduate scheme is a two-year programme of four six-month rotations across ICO directorates, including regulatory policy, a strategy and support function and regulatory delivery. Graduates join on a permanent contract. The ICO also offers a 12-month sandwich placement with Manchester Metropolitan University.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme is not published clearly enough to judge against the threshold.

What is the catch international students miss with Information Commissioner's Office?

No salary is published for the scheme, so the pay cannot be checked against any visa threshold even in principle.

When do applications open for the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme?

Applications for the September 2026 intake closed on 15 March 2026, no later intake date published as of 1 October 2026. Checked on 2026-10-01 against Information Commissioner's Office's own site.

How long is the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme?

Two years, four six-month rotations, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

When does the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme start?

September 2026, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

Who can apply for the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme?

2:2 degree or on track for one, in any discipline; right to work in the UK without sponsorship, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

Where is the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme based?

Manchester, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

What degree do you need for the Information Commissioner's Office ico graduate scheme?

At least a 2:2 in any discipline, according to Information Commissioner's Office's own careers information.

How should I confirm Information Commissioner's Office's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Information Commissioner's Office'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

Other public sector schemes

Before you apply

Check your CV against UK applicant tracking systems, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you. GoRizzume Pro and Premium start with a 7-day free trial on monthly billing.

Try Pro free for 7 days
See what each plan includesSee all graduate schemes

Pro: £0 today, then £14.99/month. Card needed, we email you the day before, cancel anytime.

Other public sector schemes we track

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.