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
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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.
Why should I apply for the Smart Futures programme?
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.
What will I need to apply?
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
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.
Please note: all programmes are now closed for applications.
If you have an existing application and would like to access your portal, please use the following link: Candidate Login
We hope to open applications for our 2025/26 academic year programmes by September 2025.
