Big 4

PwC UK: application stages, tests and practice

PwC says its process runs from an online application to online assessments on the SHL platform, an on-demand video interview on the SHL platform, a virtual immersive assessment centre and, for graduates, job matching and a business assessment with a senior leader. Shorter routes stop earlier, as listed in PwC's FAQ.

Routes: Entry level, Flying Start, undergraduate (diversity programmes, summer internships, work placements) and graduate programmes. PwC's FAQ lists the stages for each route: diversity programmes end at the video interview; entry level, Flying Start, summer internships and undergraduate placements end at the assessment centre; the graduate route adds a business assessment. The job-matching step applies to the graduate programme only. Most Flying Start programmes apply through UCAS first, then follow the standard PwC process. Last verified 2026-10-22.

Stages in order

What do the confidence badges mean?

Vendor-published Stated in the test publisher's own document or practice site.
Academic From peer-reviewed research.
Official employer Stated on the employer's own page.
Near-official Near-official: an employer-run practice portal, or a vendor or employer-quoted press release naming the employer.
Candidate-reported Reported by candidates. Treat as likely but unconfirmed.
Third-party From prep sites, press or forums. Not confirmed by the employer or publisher.

Online application
Official employer
Choose a programme and apply online. PwC says it will check your academic results later in the process, and offers a chatbot for questions. Deadlines for each stage are in your invitation email, usually seven days from receiving the invite.
Sources: [1] [3] [6]
Online assessments (behavioural, then cognitive)
Official employer
Hosted on the SHL platform. Two parts: an untimed behavioural profile test about your natural behavioural preferences in a work setting, then a timed cognitive ability test including numerical, inductive and deductive reasoning. If invited, you can take practice tests before you start, and PwC's Employability Hub links to SHL's practice tests, naming numerical reasoning, inductive reasoning and behaviour based tests as the most relevant. You are contacted with the outcome within 48 hours.
Publisher: SHL (named by the employer or an employer-run portal)
Practise: SHL-style test practice, Numerical reasoning test practice, Logical and inductive reasoning test practice, Deductive reasoning test practice, Personality questionnaire practice
Sources: [1] [3] [4]
On-demand video interview
Official employer
Run virtually on the SHL platform. Questions appear on screen and you describe your experience. There is no interviewer: your answers are recorded and reviewed afterwards. PwC gives an expected duration of one hour, suggests allowing extra time to log in and test your tech, and gives you one week to complete it. PwC says it compares video interview responses and transcripts as part of its candidate conduct checks.
Publisher: SHL (named by the employer or an employer-run portal)
Practise: Video interview practice
Sources: [1] [6]
Virtual assessment centre
Official employer
PwC calls this a virtual immersive assessment centre, run by its assessors and typically held from November to April. You meet and work with up to five other candidates who applied for a range of PwC programmes, with a facilitator guiding you through the day. PwC says it assesses you against the core skills and attributes needed for success at PwC.
Practise: Assessment centre practice
Sources: [1] [3]
Job matching call (graduate programme only)
Official employer
Graduate candidates are matched to a business area and office using their performance across the assessment stages and the preferences given at the start. Matching happens between December and May. You schedule a call with a recruiter, who explains the matched area, the next stage and support resources, including feedback from earlier stages. PwC says preferences are considered but not guaranteed.
Sources: [1]
Business assessment (final interview, graduate route)
Official employer
An interview with a senior leader from the business area you are matched to, in person at your matched office, held from January to May. PwC says it is a chance to learn about the office and team and to explain why you want to join PwC. Offers follow once all business assessments for the role are complete.
Practise: Daily interview question
Sources: [1] [3]

Final stage line-up

Official employer

Virtual and run by PwC's assessors, typically between November and April. You work with up to five other candidates who applied for a range of programmes, supported by a facilitator. PwC's usable pages do not list the individual exercises or the length of the day. For graduates, a separate business assessment with a senior leader follows.

Assessment centre practice

Retakes and validity

PwC allows one application at a time for early careers roles and one application per intake year (the selection page says one application for 2026 programmes). If you are unsuccessful or withdraw, including before the online assessment, you wait to apply for programmes starting the following year. An offered or accepted role also counts as an application. No test re-sit or result validity rule is stated on the pages read.

What we could not verify

The online assessment taking about 1 hour 30 minutes overall is unconfirmed (only on PwC assessment support pages that could not be read properly).
A non-assessed 'Bringing our values to life' activity before the online assessment is unconfirmed.
The behavioural assessment lasting about 20 minutes and a Reskilling Potential section of seven questions in about four minutes are unconfirmed.
The cognitive test being an interactive drag-and-drop test of 24 questions in 36 minutes is unconfirmed, as are item numbers and time limits for each reasoning type.
The video interview lasting about 45 minutes is unconfirmed; the April 2026 selection process capture gives an expected duration of one hour.
Video interview preparation time and answer length per question are unconfirmed.
The assessment centre lasting about 4.5 hours and running on the TopScore platform is unconfirmed.
The assessment centre including a one hour group exercise, a one hour written exercise and a one hour individual interview is unconfirmed.
A PwC statement that it does not use AI to assess candidate performance in Early Careers selection is unconfirmed (not on the captures read).
The 20 minute live interview with a member of the student recruitment team at the assessment centre is unconfirmed (only on an older PwC page outside the 12 month window).
Motivational and scenario-based video questions with timed responses are unconfirmed (only on older PwC pages outside the 12 month window).
Whether the business assessment can ever be virtual is unconfirmed; the April 2026 capture says it is in person at the matched office.
The June 2026 FAQ lists the graduate stages without the job matching call, while the April 2026 selection process page includes it for graduates; the newer FAQ is followed for the stage list and the call is kept from the selection page.
The April 2026 selection process page does not limit the business assessment to graduates, but the newer June 2026 FAQ lists it only for the graduate route, so it is shown as graduate only.
A separate process for the Virtual Insight Programme and other insight or spring routes is unconfirmed (the pages read do not describe one).
Any Arctic Shores involvement is unconfirmed (only a 2019 vendor press claim; not found on PwC pages).
Test result validity or retake rules are unconfirmed.

Sources

PwC early careers: assessment and selection process (archived) Checked 2026-10-22
Internet Archive capture of 16 April 2026: http://web.archive.org/web/20260416073719/https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/applying/assessment-selection-process.html The live page blocks automated reading, so it was read from this capture only. Supports: apply online (chatbot, academics checked later), online assessment hosted in the SHL platform (untimed behavioural profile test, then timed cognitive assessment including numerical, inductive and deductive reasoning; outcome within 48 hours), on-demand video interview via the SHL platform (expected duration one hour, one week to complete, recorded and reviewed afterwards), virtual immersive assessment centre run by assessors with up to five other candidates and a facilitator (typically November to April), job matching for graduates (December to May, recruiter call, preferences not guaranteed), business assessment with a senior leader in person at the matched office (January to May). One application at a time, one for 2026 programmes, wait for 2027 if unsuccessful or withdrawn. Flying Start via UCAS.
PwC early careers: hints and tips Checked 2026-10-22. Page could not be read at the time
Not read: the live page blocks automated reading and no usable archive capture was used. Not cited by any stage.
PwC early careers: FAQs (archived) Checked 2026-10-22
Internet Archive capture of 14 June 2026: http://web.archive.org/web/20260614201538/https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/applying/frequently-asked-questions.html The live page blocks automated reading, so it was read from this capture only. Supports: stage lists per route (graduate: application, online assessment, video interview, assessment centre, business assessment; entry level, Flying Start, summer internships and undergraduate placements end at the assessment centre; diversity programmes end at the video interview), practice tests available once invited to the online assessment, a link to the Employability Hub, completion deadlines usually seven days from each invite, one application at a time and per intake year, reapplying in the next intake year, offered roles count as applications.
PwC Employability Hub (archived) Checked 2026-10-22
Internet Archive capture of 14 June 2026: http://web.archive.org/web/20260614204345/https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/employability-hub.html The live page blocks automated reading, so it was read from this capture only. Supports: 'Practice tests' entry linking to SHL's practice tests page (shl.com/shldirect/en/practice-tests/), saying 'The tests most relevant for PwC are numerical reasoning, inductive reasoning and behaviour based.' Also e-learns on applications and assessments, interviews and assessment centres.
PwC early careers: video interview Checked 2026-10-22. Page could not be read at the time
Not read: the live page blocks automated reading and no usable archive capture was used. Not cited by any stage.
PwC early careers: applying and FAQs (archived) Checked 2026-10-22
Internet Archive capture of 12 May 2026: http://web.archive.org/web/20260512115217/https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early-careers/applying.html The live page blocks automated reading, so it was read from this capture only. Hub page. Supports: rolling deadlines, typically seven days from each invite; candidate professional conduct checks (comparing video interview responses, identical transcripts, duplicate accounts).
PwC early careers: assessment support, graduate Checked 2026-10-22. Page could not be read at the time
not readable without getting round bot protection; no archive capture since 2025-10-22
PwC early careers: assessment support, undergraduate Checked 2026-10-22. Page could not be read at the time
not readable without getting round bot protection; no archive capture since 2025-10-22
PwC early careers: assessment support, entry level Checked 2026-10-22. Page could not be read at the time
not readable without getting round bot protection; no archive capture since 2025-10-22

Common questions about PwC UK

What are the stages of the PwC UK application process?

As we could verify, the stages are: Online application, then Online assessments (behavioural, then cognitive), then On-demand video interview, then Virtual assessment centre, then Job matching call (graduate programme only), then Business assessment (final interview, graduate route). The page says which of these are stated by PwC UK itself and which are only reported by candidates. Check your own invitation, because processes change every cycle.

Which test publisher does PwC UK use?

SHL (named by PwC UK or an employer-run portal). Publishers change, so confirm with your invitation.

What is the final stage of the PwC UK process?

Can I practise for PwC UK here?

Yes. Each stage links to the matching free practice, with real timings, an untimed mode and a learn mode. The practice is independent, uses original questions and is not affiliated with PwC UK or any test publisher.

Independent practice. Not affiliated with or endorsed by PwC UK and SHL.

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