padgrad is a free career platform for UK graduates. It matches jobs to your degree, generates AI-powered CV checks and cover letters, and sends daily personalised job digests matched to your field of study.

Yes. You get 10 free credits on sign-up to use on AI CV checks and cover letters. All other tools — job matching, budgeting, application tracking, rejection logging — are free with no credit card required.

How does the AI CV Checker work?

Upload your CV and paste a job description. The AI analyses your CV against the role requirements, gives you an ATS compatibility score out of 100, and tells you exactly what keywords and formatting changes to make — helping you pass automated screening systems used by UK graduate recruiters.

How many jobs should I apply for as a graduate?

UK graduates typically need to send between 20 and 50 applications to land a role, with top graduate schemes receiving an average of 58 applications per vacancy. Focus on quality over quantity — tailor each CV and cover letter to the role rather than spamming the same application everywhere.

How long does it take to get a graduate job in the UK?

Most UK graduates take between 3 and 6 months to land their first graduate role, though it varies by sector. Consulting, tech, and investment banking tend to have faster hiring cycles. The civil service fast stream and larger graduate schemes can take 4-6 months from application to offer.

What is the average graduate salary in the UK for 2026?

The median graduate salary in the UK for 2026 is around £28,000-£32,000 depending on sector. Investment banking, law, and tech pay the highest (£35,000+), while public sector and charity roles typically start lower (£24,000-£27,000). Regional salaries average 10-20% lower outside London.

How do I write a graduate CV with no work experience?

Focus on transferable skills from your degree — research projects, group assignments, presentations, and coursework. Include volunteering, society memberships, part-time jobs, and any placements or internships. Use Padgrad's CV Builder to structure your CV for ATS systems, then run it through the AI CV Checker to see how it scores.

How are jobs matched to my degree on padgrad?

We scrape thousands of UK graduate jobs daily and match them to over 300 specific degree fields. Whether you studied Biology, Law, Engineering, Psychology, or History — we only show you roles that fit your subject area and send them straight to your daily digest.

Do graduate schemes pay well?

Graduate schemes in the UK typically pay between £25,000 and £35,000 in the first year, with some industries paying significantly more. Law firms and investment banks often start at £45,000-£55,000. Most schemes also offer benefits like bonuses, pension contributions, and professional qualification sponsorship.

How many applications does it take to get a graduate job?

Research from High Fliers shows the UK's top employers receive an average of 58 applications per graduate vacancy. Most successful graduates send 20-40 tailored applications before receiving an offer. Track every application using Padgrad's Application Tracker to spot which types of roles you progress furthest in.

Can I apply for graduate jobs before I graduate?

Yes — most large graduate schemes open applications in September and October for roles starting the following September, so you should apply in your final year. Smaller companies and direct-entry roles tend to hire closer to the start date. Padgrad's daily job digest includes both graduate schemes and entry-level roles you can apply for straight away.

What should a graduate CV include?

A strong graduate CV should include: your degree with predicted or achieved grade, relevant modules and dissertation topic, transferable skills (research, teamwork, communication), part-time work or volunteering, technical skills and software proficiency, and a personal profile. Most recruiters spend under 10 seconds scanning a CV — use Padgrad's AI CV Checker to make sure yours passes the six-second test.

The State of the UK Graduate Job Market in 2026: What the Data Really Says

FT, Bloomberg, and Adzuna data paint a stark picture for the class of 2026. Graduate vacancies are down 34.9% — here's what it means for your job search.

The class of 2026 is walking into the toughest graduate job market in years. The numbers are stark, and pretending otherwise doesn't help anyone.

The Financial Times reports that big graduate employers have been cutting hiring for two consecutive years running. Bloomberg calls it the worst spring for new graduates since the pandemic. And Adzuna's data shows graduate vacancies have fallen by more than a third compared to last year. This isn't scare-mongering — it's the reality every UK grad is navigating right now.

TL;DR — The Key Numbers

Graduate job vacancies fell 34.9% year-on-year, hitting the lowest level since 2018 (Adzuna/The Times, May 2026)
Some sectors saw a 45% drop in graduate-specific postings (Adzuna, Feb 2026)
Top employers receive 58 applications per graduate role on average (High Fliers, 2026)
Youth unemployment in the UK is at its highest in over a decade (Bloomberg, Apr 2026)
Consulting, tech, and investment banking bucked the trend — hiring actually increased in these sectors (High Fliers, 2026)

What the Data Actually Says

Let's cut through the headlines and look at what's really happening across the UK graduate market.

Vacancies Have Collapsed

According to Adzuna, graduate-specific job postings fell to just 10,667 in March 2026 — a 34.9% decline compared to the same period last year. The Financial Times confirmed that this marks the lowest number of graduate vacancies since records began in 2018. Some months saw even steeper drops: February 2026 recorded a 45% year-on-year collapse in graduate-specific roles.

Employers are holding off on hiring, and many are turning to AI tools to handle tasks that would have gone to junior staff. The Times reported in May 2026 that AI adoption is a major factor behind the drop-off, with companies finding they need fewer entry-level bodies to do the same work.

But Applications Are Through the Roof

Here's the cruel maths: fewer jobs + more graduates = brutal competition. High Fliers' 2026 Graduate Market Report found that the UK's top employers now receive an average of 58 applications for every graduate vacancy. That's up from 39 just two years ago.

Bloomberg described the situation as "the worst jobs market in years" for English graduates, noting that youth unemployment has climbed to levels not seen since the early 2010s. The New York Times called this recruiting cycle "the grimmest for new graduates since the pandemic" — and in some ways, it's worse, because there's no furlough scheme and no mass hiring bounce-back on the horizon.

The Sectors That Are Actually Hiring

It's not all doom and gloom. The High Fliers 2026 report identified three sectors where graduate hiring actually increased:

Consulting — the biggest growth area, with firms like McKinsey, BCG, and Deloitte expanding their intake
Technology — despite big tech layoffs in 2024-25, UK tech firms are still competing for talent
Investment banking — Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and Barclays maintained or grew their graduate cohorts

Public sector graduate schemes (civil service fast stream, NHS graduate scheme) have also held steady, offering a more stable — if less lucrative — path.

What This Means for Your Job Search

If you're applying to 58 other people for every role, your application needs to stand out. Here's what the data suggests works:

1. Your CV Has to Be Brutally Efficient

With 58:1 ratios, recruiters spend seconds per CV. Yours needs to pass the six-second scan test. Use Padgrad's AI CV Checker to see how your CV holds up against what recruiters actually look for — it scores your layout, keyword density, and relevance in seconds. Pair it with the CV Builder to rebuild from scratch if your current version isn't cutting it.

2. Tailor Every Single Application

Generic applications don't work in a market this tight. The Application Tracker helps you manage multiple applications without losing track of which version went where — so you're not sending the same generic cover letter to different firms and hoping for the best.

3. Track Your Rejections (Seriously)

When you're facing 58:1 odds, rejection isn't personal — it's statistical. But if you're getting further in one type of application than another, that's useful data. Use the Rejection Log to spot patterns: are you getting interviews but failing at assessment centres? Getting CV-filtered out of consulting roles but progressing in tech? That tells you where to focus.

4. Cover Letters Matter More Than Ever

When competition is high, a generic covering paragraph won't cut it. The AI Cover Letter tool helps you generate tailored letters that speak directly to the role and company — because in a market with 58:1 ratios, the extra five minutes of effort can be the difference between "read" and "rejected".

The Bottom Line

The UK graduate market in 2026 is objectively harder than it's been in years. The data from the FT, Bloomberg, Adzuna, and High Fliers all points in the same direction: fewer vacancies, more applicants, longer search times.

But here's the thing the headlines don't tell you — the graduates who land roles aren't luckier. They're more organised. They tailor relentlessly. They track their progress. They treat the job search like a process, not a lottery.

Padgrad was built for exactly this market: to give UK graduates the tools to compete when the odds are stacked against them. Sign up for free — you get 10 free credits to start, and every tool is designed to make your applications sharper, faster, and more likely to land.

The market is tough. Your strategy doesn't have to be.

One Sector That Is Growing: Green Jobs

While most graduate sectors are cutting back, green jobs are growing at twice the rate of overall hiring. From renewable energy to ESG consulting, sustainability roles offer competitive salaries and strong demand. Read our full guide to green graduate jobs UK 2026 for salaries, sectors, and how to get started.

For a closer look, read our Graduate Job Competition UK 2026: 140 Apps Per Vacancy.