A guide to graduate schemes at the UK’s major defence employers for the 2027 intake, covering pay, programme length, when applications open, and how security clearance fits the process.
UK defence graduate schemes typically start on £30,000 to £35,000 and run for one to four years, with BAE Systems, Babcock, Leonardo, MBDA, Thales UK and QinetiQ the largest recruiters. Most 2027 intakes open for applications in autumn 2026, several are not open yet, and none of them require security clearance to apply.
How much do defence graduate schemes pay?
Starting salaries sit in the low to mid £30,000s, and the exact figure depends on the employer, discipline and any joining bonus on top. Babcock currently advertises the highest base pay among the major primes, and QinetiQ is the only one of the six that doesn’t publish an official graduate salary. The comparison below has the detail, employer by employer.
Which employers run graduate schemes, and how do they compare?
Six employers account for most defence graduate hiring in the UK. BAE Systems runs the largest scheme by volume and recruits across engineering, technology and business services. Thales UK and QinetiQ both recruit into engineering-heavy programmes tied to specific sites, while Leonardo and MBDA run smaller, more structured cohorts with fixed rotations.
| Employer | 2026 graduate salary | Programme length | Main UK locations | 2027 applications (as of Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAE Systems | £34,000 + £2,000 welcome payment | Non-rotational, length varies by area | Barrow-in-Furness, Preston, Glasgow and other sites | Main window opens from early September |
| Babcock | From £35,000 | Two to four years, rotational placements | Plymouth, Bristol, Rosyth, HM Naval Base Clyde | Not yet open; register interest for 2027 |
| Leonardo | £34,000 + £1,000 joining bonus + £1,000 on completion | Two years | Edinburgh, Luton, Yeovil, Basildon | Not yet advertised; check Leonardo’s early careers page |
| MBDA | £31,500 + £3,000 joining bonus | Multi-year, rotational | Stevenage, Bristol, Bolton | Closed for 2026; register interest for 2027 |
| Thales UK | £32,000 engineering / £30,000 business | Engineering: four years, rotational | 16 UK sites including Crawley, Reading, Belfast and Glasgow | Not yet advertised; check Thales’s graduate portal |
| QinetiQ | Around £27,500–£28,000 (third-party estimate) | Two years | Farnborough, Malvern, Boscombe Down | Not yet advertised; check QinetiQ’s early careers page |
Salaries are employer-published starting figures current to August 2026, except QinetiQ’s, which is a Glassdoor-submitted estimate since the employer does not publish its own. Confirm against the live advert before applying: figures, bonuses and opening dates are reconfirmed at the start of every cycle.
When do 2027 graduate scheme applications open?
Most defence graduate schemes open in the autumn, roughly a year ahead of the start date, and popular programmes close early once places fill. As of August 2026, MBDA and Babcock have both already closed their 2026 cohorts and are asking candidates to register interest for 2027, and BAE Systems’ main recruitment window has historically opened at the start of September.
Treat any specific date as indicative rather than fixed. Employers usually confirm their opening date only a few weeks ahead, so the reliable approach is to register for alerts directly with each employer rather than working from a calendar someone else has published.
Do you need security clearance to apply?
No. Every major graduate scheme sponsors clearance itself, so the sequence is apply, get an offer, then go through vetting, not the other way round. Most roles start at BPSS level, with SC sponsored later if the role requires it, and a small number of the most sensitive programmes carry nationality or residency conditions (Leonardo, for example, asks that most SC-eligible candidates have at least five years of continuous UK residency).
If your background is more complicated (a change of nationality, time spent living abroad, a criminal record), that doesn’t rule you out on its own, but it’s worth understanding how the process works before you apply. See do you need security clearance to work in defence? for the full picture.
What does the application process actually involve?
The exact steps vary by employer, but the shape is broadly the same everywhere: an online application, then online assessments (often gamified, sometimes video-based), then an assessment centre or final interview. BAE Systems uses a virtual assessment with gamified challenges and video questions ahead of a face-to-face or virtual interview, while MBDA runs a pre-join event before the programme starts so candidates can meet their team ahead of day one.
Expect the process, from first application to offer, to take anywhere from six weeks to a few months. Roles regularly close earlier than the advertised deadline once a programme has enough strong applicants, so early application matters more than a perfect one.
How is a graduate scheme different from an apprenticeship?
A graduate scheme assumes you already have a degree and typically runs for one to two years, or up to four for some rotational engineering programmes. A degree apprenticeship lets you earn a salary while studying for a degree the employer pays for, usually over three to six years. Both routes are employer-sponsored and both can lead to a permanent role, so the choice mostly comes down to whether you’d rather finish your degree first or combine study with paid work from day one. Apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships are covered in full, employer by employer, in our guide to defence apprenticeships.
Where to go next
For a step-by-step walkthrough of the wider application process, see our guide on how to get a job in the UK defence industry. To see what’s live right now, browse graduate and entry-level roles.