The EY Foundation is a charitable company registered in England and Wales and Scotland with registered charity number 1157154 and SC045076. It is also a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited
The Smart Futures programme has had a massive impact on me. You meet some amazing people along the way, you meet wonderful professionals and you also meet other young people who are in the same boat as you.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, we encourage you to apply for our Smart Futures programme. The process itself is straightforward and it will provide you with quality paid employability skills training, work experience and your own business mentor.
There are two main steps to the application process. The first is an online application form. The second is a short telephone interview.
Step 1 – Online application form
You will be asked to register with us, so you will need an email address to do this (please use your personal email address and not your school one if possible!)
The form itself is short with answers to choose from. You do not have to write lots about your experience or background. You will be asked to choose which programme you would like to apply for, so make sure you have read through the different options on the Smart Futures page and have chosen a programme in a location near you. You will be asked a bit about your background, including some information about your parents/guardians, but remember that most of our Smart Futures programmes do not depend on previous work experience, grades or qualifications.
Please note for places on our Smart Futures Business and Finance programme there are some qualification related criteria e.g. a C/equivalent grade in GCSE English Language, a C/equivalent in GCSE Maths and to be on track for 112 UCAS points with their top 3 A Levels/5 Highers. Candidates also need to have a strong interest in applying for a high level/degree apprenticeship at the end of school/college.
Step 2 - Telephone interview
If your initial application is successful, you will be asked to take part in a short telephone interview that will take up to 30 minutes.
The interviewer will ask questions about your experiences. You can take examples from your school or home life, as well as sharing your future aspirations. The call is designed to help us get to know your individual strengths and motivations for applying to the Smart Futures programme. We want to get to know you, so relax and be yourself.
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
STEM Futures |
North West (Manchester/Liverpool) |
27 October to 5 November 2025 |
Open |
Business & Technology |
Manchester |
24 November to 3 December 2025 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Technology |
Bradford |
16 February to 25 February 2026 |
Open |
Impactful Futures |
North West (Manchester / Liverpool) |
16 February to 25 February 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
North West (Manchester / Liverpool) |
7 April to 16 April 2026 |
Open |
Business & Technology |
North - Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bradford (Virtual) |
7 April to 16 April 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
STEM Futures |
North - Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bradford (Virtual) |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
North - Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bradford (Virtual) |
3 August to 12 August 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Impactful Futures |
Aberdeen |
13 October to 22 October 2025 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
Glasgow |
8 June to 17 June 2026 |
Open |
Business & Finance |
Edinburgh |
15 June to 24 June 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Technology |
London |
27 October to 5 November 2025 |
Open |
Business & Technology |
London |
1 December to 10 December 2025 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
London |
16 February to 25 February 2026 |
Open |
Impactful Futures |
London |
16 February to 25 February 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
London |
30 March to 10 April 2026 |
Open |
Business & Technology |
London |
30 March to 10 April 2026 |
Open |
Banking & Finance |
London |
30 March to 10 April 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Technology |
Reading |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Business & Technology |
Luton |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Tech Futures |
London |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Real Estate Futures |
London |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Data Driven Futures |
London |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
London |
27 July to 5 August 2026 |
Open |
Private Equity Futures |
London |
3 August to 12 August 2026 |
Open |
Business & Finance |
London |
10 August to 20 August 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Technology |
Birmingham |
1 December to 10 December 2025 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Impactful Futures |
Birmingham |
16 February to 25 February 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
STEM Futures |
Birmingham |
26 May to 29 May and 28 July to 31 July 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Finance |
Birmingham |
10 August to 20 August 2026 |
Open |
Programme |
Location |
Dates |
Application Status |
---|---|---|---|
Business & Technology |
National (live in either Sheffield, Wolverhampton, Crawley, Southampton, Bristol or Cambridge) |
26 May to 29 May and 27 July to 30 July 2026 |
Open |