Spring weeks 2027: what they are, and when to apply
If you're a first or second year and you've never heard of a spring week — you're not behind, but this is worth five minutes. Here's what they are, why the deadlines sneak up in autumn, and how to think about them sector by sector.
What is a spring week?
A spring week is a short placement — usually three to five days — that an employer runs over the spring for first and second year students. You spend the time meeting teams, sitting in on real work, and getting a feel for the industry. It's deliberately open to people with no prior experience: the whole point is to introduce you early.
It matters far more than "a few days off lectures" suggests. A spring week is the on-ramp to the rest of the early-careers pipeline. Do one well, and you're often fast-tracked toward a summer internship in your penultimate year — and that internship is itself the main route to a graduate job offer. Starting this early is one of the biggest advantages you can give yourself.
Spring week vs insight day vs first-year internship
- Insight day — a shorter introduction, often a single day and sometimes online. Great for a first look.
- Spring week — several days, deeper, usually in person over the Easter break.
- First-year internship — a longer paid internship (a few weeks) that some employers open to first and second years, before the main penultimate-year cycle.
The bit that catches everyone out: deadlines are in autumn
The event happens in spring — but the applications open in September and close over the autumn, months earlier. Some close as early as October; many are rolling, meaning the employer reviews applications as they arrive and shuts the moment places fill up.
So the single most useful thing you can do is apply early. People who wait until they "feel ready" in the new year usually find half the deadlines have already gone.
Roughly how the year runs
- September – October Applications open. Get your CV sorted and start submitting — especially anything marked "rolling".
- October – January Deadlines close (rolling ones first). Online tests and interviews happen alongside.
- February – March Assessment centres and final offers.
- March – April The spring weeks themselves, over the Easter period.
- The summer after Strong performers are often fast-tracked toward a summer internship — then a graduate offer.
Who can apply?
Spring weeks are aimed at first years (on a three-year degree) and the first or second year of a four-year course. Some employers open early programmes to any non-final-year student. Eligibility is the thing most people get wrong — so rather than guess, pick your exact year and let the roles filter themselves.
Spring weeks by sector
Not every field runs spring weeks, and the ones that do run them differently. Here's the shape of it in the sectors with the most structured, calendared programmes — with a link straight to what's currently open to your year.
Finance & accounting
The most spring weeks, and the earliest deadlines. Investment banks, asset managers and professional-services firms run structured spring/insight weeks across divisions (markets, IB, asset management, audit). Many are rolling from September, and competition is high — apply first, polish later.
See finance spring weeks open to you →Law
Look for "vacation schemes" and first-year schemes. Commercial law firms run open days and spring/first-year schemes that feed into later vacation schemes and training contracts. Deadlines vary — some fixed, some rolling — and early engagement counts.
See law schemes open to you →Consulting & business
Fewer, but growing fast. Management consultancies run spring insight and immersion weeks, plus first-year discovery programmes — often with a focus on getting a diverse early pipeline. Places are limited, so watch the dates.
See consulting spring weeks open to you →Technology & software
Early insight programmes and spring internships. Big tech, fintech and product companies run first-year insight programmes, spring internships and "explore" schemes across engineering, data and product. Some are cohort-based; some run rolling.
See tech early programmes open to you →Engineering
Insight days and early-talent schemes. Engineering firms (mechanical, civil, electrical, aerospace and more) run insight days and early programmes, often tied to their summer placement and graduate pipelines. Timing is more varied, so check each one.
See engineering insight days open to you →Healthcare, teaching and clinical psychology work differently — they run through single national systems rather than spring weeks. If that's you, we point you to the right one from the home page.
Frequently asked questions
Are spring weeks paid?
It varies. Many are paid or cover travel and accommodation, especially in finance and law; others are unpaid but expenses-covered. Each listing states what's offered.
How many should I apply to?
As many as you can write a genuine application for. They're competitive, so a wider net helps — but a rushed, generic application is worse than a smaller number of tailored ones. Prioritise rolling deadlines.
I'm a second year — is it too late?
No. Spring weeks are aimed at first and second years, and a spring week in second year still sets you up for a penultimate-year summer internship. Filter to "Year 2" to see what's open to you.
Do I need experience?
No — that's the point of them. Spring weeks exist precisely to introduce students with no prior experience to an industry. If a role demands experience, it isn't a spring week, and you won't see it under your year.
See the spring weeks open to your year
Pick your field and your year, and Signal Staffing shows only what you're actually eligible for — with the deadline on every card. Free, no account, no noise.
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