UK graduate employers are generally clear about how their recruitment processes work, but far less consistent about the information candidates need to compare opportunities, according to a new transparency index from Debut.
The UK Graduate Scheme Transparency Index 2027 reviewed 29 employers on five basics: whether they publish their application stages, whether their 2027 intake is open, starting salary, a closing date and the required degree grade. The review drew only on employers' own careers pages, checked on 21 October 2026.
Only the Civil Service Fast Stream and NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme (GMTS) published all five items assessed. At the other end of the scale, the findings suggest candidates may have to begin an application without knowing key details around pay or when a programme will close.
Information on application stages and whether a 2027 intake is open was comparatively common: 26 of the 29 employers reviewed published both. Pay was more uneven. Fifteen listed a starting salary, while EY, Deloitte, PwC and KPMG did not publish one. Debut notes that EY's early-careers FAQ says salaries are not discussed before an offer is made.
“The index measures disclosure, not pay levels — it shows whether applicants can find the information they need, not what a salary figure is.”
Debut, UK Graduate Scheme Transparency Index 2027
Closing dates remain unclear
Closing dates were the rarest item assessed. Just 10 employers published one, with many instead using rolling recruitment and closing applications once roles are filled. That approach can create uncertainty for students and graduates attempting to manage multiple applications, particularly where there is no obvious indication of how quickly a programme may reach capacity.
The report places the UK below the level of disclosure that many applicants may expect when deciding where to apply. Although it does not compare salary levels, it points to the value of making the fundamentals easy to find: what the job pays, when candidates need to apply and what the process will involve.
What the findings mean for graduate recruiters
For employers, clearer information could help applicants self-select earlier and submit more informed applications. Publishing a genuine starting salary or range, a clear status for the relevant intake and an indicative deadline gives candidates a more realistic view of the opportunity before they invest time in a lengthy application process.
Debut's full index includes the employer-by-employer table, methodology and downloadable data. Read the UK Graduate Scheme Transparency Index 2027.
Methodology: Debut reviewed the official careers pages of 29 UK graduate employers on 21 October 2026. Each was scored on the publication of application stages, 2027 intake status, starting salary, closing date and degree-grade requirements. The index measures the availability of information, not salary levels or the quality of an employer's offer.
