PwC vs Deloitte vs EY vs KPMG: Big 4 Graduate Schemes and Apprenticeships Compared

The Big 4 at a glance

PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG—known collectively as the Big 4—are the UK's largest professional services firms. Together they hire thousands of graduates, apprentices, and undergraduates every year across audit, tax, consulting, corporate finance, technology, and law.

While the qualifications you earn at the end (such as the ICAEW ACA in audit) are often identical, how you get in and how the programmes are structured vary significantly from firm to firm.

Service lines compared: Audit, Tax, Consulting, and Deals

All four firms do similar client work, but they group and name their divisions differently on their careers sites. Knowing the terminology stops you applying to the wrong stream.

Audit and Assurance

Every Big 4 firm has a huge audit intake—usually its largest single early-careers cohort. You examine companies' financial statements and internal controls while studying towards chartered accountancy (most commonly the ACA with ICAEW, or ICAS in Scotland).

• What each firm calls it: Audit at PwC and KPMG; Audit & Assurance at Deloitte; Assurance at EY.

Tax and Legal

You advise businesses and individuals on corporate tax, international tax, indirect tax (VAT), people and mobility, or R&D tax credits, often studying towards the ACA and/or the Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification. All four firms also have growing legal arms offering solicitor training contracts or legal apprenticeships alongside their tax practices.

• What each firm calls it: Tax and Legal Services at PwC; Tax (with Legal inside Tax) at Deloitte; Tax (including EY Law) at EY; Tax & Law at KPMG.

Consulting and Technology

Management consulting covers business transformation, operations, supply chain, people/HR, and risk; technology streams cover software engineering, data analytics, cyber security, cloud, and AI.

• What each firm calls it: Advisory and Consulting plus Technology and AI at PwC; Consulting and Advisory at Deloitte; Consulting at EY; Consulting and Technology & Engineering at KPMG.

Deals, Corporate Finance, and Strategy

This is where the Big 4 advise on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), valuations, restructuring, and commercial strategy. These streams have smaller intakes and are among the most competitive roles at each firm.

• What each firm calls it: Deals and Strategy (Strategy&) at PwC; Advisory (Financial Advisory) at Deloitte; Strategy and Transactions (EY-Parthenon) at EY; Deal Advisory (within Advisory/Consulting) at KPMG.

School leaver and degree apprenticeships compared

If you are applying in Year 13 (or after college) as an alternative to traditional university, all four firms let you qualify without student debt—but PwC's Flying Start works very differently from the standard apprenticeship model at Deloitte, EY, and KPMG.

PwC: Flying Start vs Entry Level Programmes

PwC splits its post-A-level routes in two:

• Accounting Flying Start (University + Paid Placements): A four-year degree at Newcastle, Manchester, Reading, or Queen Mary University of London. You apply through UCAS (not PwC's job board), live at university like a regular student, and complete one paid full-time placement term in PwC Audit each year. You finish with a degree, 85% of your ICAEW exams passed, and usually a graduate job offer to qualify a year after graduating. Note that you do pay university tuition fees (though some partner universities reduce them, and you earn a placement salary).
• Business Management Flying Start (Full-time Apprentice): A four-year degree apprenticeship with Ulster University Business School where you are a full-time PwC employee from day one, earning £28,900 with zero tuition fees.
• Entry Level Programmes: Full-time salaried roles in offices across the UK (London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Belfast, Bradford, East Midlands) working towards an apprenticeship or professional qualification (such as CIMA Level 4 in consulting) without attending university full-time.

Deloitte: BrightStart and Entry Level Apprenticeships

• BrightStart Apprenticeship: Deloitte's flagship school-leaver route (104 UCAS points). You join as a permanent, full-time salaried employee for 15 months to four years depending on the business area, earning professional qualifications with zero tuition fees. BrightStart is strictly for school/college leavers and is not open to graduates.
• Entry Level Apprenticeships: Open to candidates with five GCSEs (including grade 4/C in English Language and Maths), using a shorter, combined online assessment called OneStop.

EY: Business and Degree Apprenticeships

• You join an EY office full-time after three A-levels (or five Scottish Highers) and earn a salary while studying towards professional qualifications (such as the ACA in Assurance) or a degree apprenticeship, with all tuition funded by EY. Note that EY makes apprenticeship offers conditional on achieving the A-level grades predicted on your application form.

KPMG: Apprenticeships (Audit, Tax & Law, Tech, Consulting, Business Admin)

• Audit and Tax & Law: Around five years long, leading to the exact same professional qualifications (such as ACA) as KPMG's graduate scheme.
• Technology: A four-year degree apprenticeship leading to a BSc (Hons) in Digital and Technology Solutions (software, cyber, or cloud).
• Business Administration: A two-year apprenticeship within KPMG Business Services.

For more on how Level 4, 6, and 7 apprenticeships work, read our degree apprenticeships deep dive and degree apprenticeship vs university comparison.

Graduate schemes and undergraduate internships

For university students and graduates, all four firms run a similar ladder of programmes:

1. Year 12 & First-Year Insight Programmes: Short 1-to-3-day tasters that often fast-track you to summer internship interviews.
   • PwC: Virtual Insight Programme and "New World. New Skills."
   • Deloitte: Spring into Deloitte (paid two-day undergrad insight), ASPIRE, and Career Shapers (Year 12).
   • EY: Discover EY (first-year undergrads in April), Career Starters (Year 12), and EY Foundation Smart Futures.
   • KPMG: Talent Insight programmes (Abilities, Black Heritage, and Social Mobility) and Year 13 work experience.
2. Summer Internships / Vacation Schemes (Penultimate Year): Paid 4-to-6-week placements over the summer before your final year. Perform well and you can leave with a confirmed graduate job offer before final year even begins. See our placements and internships guide.
3. Industrial Placements (Sandwich Year): Paid 12-month roles taken between your second and final year if your degree includes a year in industry.
4. Graduate Programmes: Two-to-three-and-a-half-year structured training contracts starting in August or September after graduation, combining client work with funded professional exam study.

Entry requirements: Who still asks for a 2:1?

Grade thresholds are one of the sharpest differences across the Big 4:

• PwC (No 2:1 required): Removed its 2:1 threshold in 2022. For graduate roles, you simply need to have passed (or be on track to pass) your undergraduate degree. Entry Level programmes usually ask for 112 UCAS points (96 for Tax) plus GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4+.
• EY (No 2:1 threshold, contextual assessment): Open to graduates with an honours degree in any subject, plus GCSE English Language and Maths at grade 4+ and three A-levels (or five Highers). Importantly, EY does not ignore your school grades: it weighs your A-level results alongside your online assessment scores and uses Rare's contextual recruitment system.
• Deloitte (2:1 required): Asks for a 2:1 or above (achieved or predicted) for its Graduate Programmes, Summer Vacation Schemes, and Industrial Placements, and 104 UCAS points from your top three A-levels for BrightStart.
• KPMG (Varies by vacancy): Requires an undergraduate degree for graduate schemes and A-levels + GCSE English and Maths for apprenticeships; check the individual role listing for exact grade criteria.

All four firms accept applications from any degree subject for the vast majority of Audit, Tax, and Consulting roles, and all four have formal processes to consider extenuating circumstances if illness or personal disruption affected your grades. For more on how this works, read do you really need a 2:1 for a graduate scheme?.

Application processes and assessments compared

None of the Big 4 rely on a traditional "CV and cover letter" screen. Instead, you move through structured online assessments, video responses, and a final assessment event.

Key assessment differences to watch out for

• Deloitte's form does not save progress: Have all your GCSE, A-level, and university module details in front of you before starting Step 1 at Deloitte.
• PwC's strict AI policy: PwC explicitly prohibits using AI tools or third-party help to draft or edit assessment answers and screens for AI-assisted responses, while Deloitte's Job Simulation includes scenarios that mention workplace AI tools (no prior AI knowledge needed).
• Values and frameworks: Each firm scores your situational judgement and interview answers against its own framework:

  • PwC: The PwC Professional (Trusted Leadership and Distinctive Outcomes).
  • Deloitte: Make an impact that matters (collaboration, curiosity, adaptability, quality).
  • EY: Shapers of the future (8 core skills including proactivity, curiosity, agility, and critical thinking).
  • KPMG: Five core values (Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better).

Application rules: Can you apply to all four?

Yes—you can apply to PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG at the same time. In fact, applying to three or four of them is the smartest way to maximise your chances in a competitive season, because your practice on psychometric tests and video interviews carries straight over from one firm to the next.

However, within each individual firm, you cannot hedge your bets by submitting multiple applications:

• PwC: Strictly one application per recruitment year. If you withdraw or are rejected for a 2027 role, you cannot apply again until the 2028 intake opens (the only exception is Accounting Flying Start, where you can apply to multiple partner universities via UCAS).
• EY: Only one active application at a time. If you are unsuccessful, you must wait six months before applying to another graduate or undergraduate role (or three months for an apprenticeship).
• Deloitte: Do not submit duplicate applications; offers are tied to the exact business area and office you select on day one.
• KPMG: You are assessed for the specific programme and office you apply to; switching usually means withdrawing and starting again from scratch.

Salaries, qualifications, and culture

Starting pay

None of the Big 4 publish a full national salary table on their graduate pages, as pay varies by office (London vs regional) and service line (Strategy and Deals pay more than Audit and Tax). As a benchmark across the Big 4:

• Graduate schemes (Audit and Tax): Typically £30,000 to £35,000 in year one, with London at the top end and Consulting/Deals reaching higher.
• School-leaver and degree apprenticeships: Typically £22,000 to £29,000 depending on location and route (for example, PwC publishes £28,900 from day one for its Ulster Business Management Flying Start apprenticeship).
• Notable extras: Deloitte offers graduate joiners access to a £7,000 interest-free loan; KPMG gives apprentices six days of volunteering leave per year.

Exam pressure and busy season

Across all four firms, the biggest cultural reality in Audit, Assurance, and Tax is the combination of client work and professional exams:

• Your firm pays for your tuition with providers like BPP or Kaplan and gives you paid study leave, but passing ACA, ICAS, or CTA exams requires serious evening and weekend revision. Repeated exam failures can end your training contract at any of the Big 4.
• Between January and April ("busy season" in Audit), hours increase as December year-end accounts are signed off.
• In return, progression is rapid and predictable: once you qualify after three years (for graduates) or four to five years (for apprentices), your salary steps up sharply and your CV opens doors across industry, banking, and corporate finance.

How to choose between PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG

If you are deciding where to focus your energy first:

1. Check your grades first: If you have (or expect) a 2:2 at university, focus on PwC and EY (and check specific KPMG vacancies), as Deloitte requires a 2:1 for graduate schemes. If you are a school leaver with 104 UCAS points (around BCC), Deloitte's BrightStart is open to you, whereas PwC's Entry Level programmes typically ask for 112 UCAS points (96 for Tax).
2. For school leavers—campus life vs full-time salary: If you want the traditional university campus experience with summers off and Big 4 placements built in, PwC's Accounting Flying Start is unique. If you want a full-time salary from day one and zero tuition debt, look at Deloitte BrightStart, EY Apprenticeships, KPMG Apprenticeships, or PwC's Entry Level / Ulster Flying Start routes.
3. Match your assessment style: If you prefer an entirely virtual assessment centre before a final 1-to-1 office interview, PwC fits well. If you prefer preparing a researched topic in advance to discuss in person, Deloitte's final stage gives you that structure.
4. Compare office locations: All four have major hubs in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Belfast, but smaller regional offices (such as Cambridge, Reading, Cardiff, Newcastle, or Bradford) offer different streams at each firm.

FAQ

• Can I apply to all four Big 4 firms in the same year?↓

  Can I apply to all four Big 4 firms in the same year?

  Yes. PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG are separate competitors, so applying to all four in the same autumn cycle is completely fine and very common. Just make sure you tailor your motivational answers and values preparation to each firm rather than mixing them up.

• Which Big 4 firm is the hardest to get into?↓

  Which Big 4 firm is the hardest to get into?

  All four receive tens of thousands of applications for a few thousand places, making their overall acceptance rates broadly similar (typically single-digit percentages). Competition depends far more on the service line and office you pick: Strategy/Deals in London is vastly more competitive than Audit in a regional office at all four firms.

• Do I need an accounting, finance, or maths degree for the Big 4?↓

  Do I need an accounting, finance, or maths degree for the Big 4?

  No. At all four firms, the vast majority of Audit, Tax, and Consulting graduate schemes accept any degree subject—from history and languages to engineering and biology—and teach you the technical accounting and business content from scratch.

• When do Big 4 graduate schemes and apprenticeships open for 2027?↓

  When do Big 4 graduate schemes and apprenticeships open for 2027?

  All four firms open their main autumn recruitment windows in September and October 2026 for programmes starting in autumn 2027. Because they all recruit on a rolling basis, popular roles and locations can close as early as October or November once full.

• Is the ACA qualification the same whichever Big 4 firm I join?↓

  Is the ACA qualification the same whichever Big 4 firm I join?

  Yes. The ACA is awarded by the ICAEW (or CA by ICAS in Scotland), not by the individual firm. Once you qualify as a Chartered Accountant at PwC, Deloitte, EY, or KPMG, your qualification carries the same weight across the job market.

• Can I switch from Audit to Consulting or Deals once I join?↓

  Can I switch from Audit to Consulting or Deals once I join?

  Moving between service lines during your training contract is difficult at all four firms because your study contract and headcount budget belong to the team that hired you. It is much easier to move into Deals, Corporate Finance, or Consulting after you finish your three-year ACA qualification, or to apply directly to your preferred stream from the start.

Ready to apply?

Dive deeper into each firm's specific programmes, values, and assessment stages in our dedicated employer guides:

• PwC Early Careers Guide — View live PwC roles
• Deloitte Early Careers Guide — View live Deloitte roles
• EY Early Careers Guide — View live EY roles
• KPMG Early Careers Guide — View live KPMG roles

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