TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2026-27

[Swiss_Toni]

Please excuse the copy-and-paste (last year's vac scheme thread is now closed) but I have a follow-up question to this:

I am fortunate to have been offered a training contract and have 4 weeks to respond with my decision. However, in 5 weeks' time, I have an interview for a vacation scheme with a firm that I feel would be a better fit, and the vacation scheme wouldn't start until a few weeks after that. So this firm's training contract offers could be about 3 months away. So I don't feel that asking for such a long extension to my TC decision deadline is viable.

I understand it is pretty common to renege on training contract acceptances - if I were to be offered the vacation scheme and it led to a TC at the other firm, in this case, I would not have received any money from the initial firm, and I wouldn't have strung them along for that long.

My question is about the upcoming vacation scheme interview. When they ask, how did your vacation scheme at firm X go? Naturally, it's good to say it went well and led to me being offered a TC from that firm. Makes you look like a competitive candidate. But what do you say when they ask how you plan to respond to the offer? Saying I've accepted it, but I will breach the contract and renege if I get an offer from your firm, doesn't sound great, does it? Or would they not care? Nor does lying and saying I've declined it, or lying and making out I've negotiated an unrealistic and unbelievably long period to accept/decline the TC offer... Any tips appreciated, thanks!

In my upcoming vac scheme interview, if I am asked specifically what the outcome of my vac scheme with firm X was, I will obviously say the truth: I was offered a training contract.

However, if I am just asked generally how my vac scheme at firm X went, do you think I should volunteer that I have been offered a training contract? Benefit is it makes you look like a strong candidate; the negatives are potentially opening up questions around decision timelines, and that some firms don't allow (or don't like) people with training contracts to do vac schemes. Could disclosing my training contract actually harm my chances of getting the vac scheme?

Thanks!

@Jaysen @Abbie Whitlock

 

[Jaysen]

Please excuse the copy-and-paste (last year's vac scheme thread is now closed) but I have a follow-up question to this:



In my upcoming vac scheme interview, if I am asked specifically what the outcome of my vac scheme with firm X was, I will obviously say the truth: I was offered a training contract.

However, if I am just asked generally how my vac scheme at firm X went, do you think I should volunteer that I have been offered a training contract? Benefit is it makes you look like a strong candidate; the negatives are potentially opening up questions around decision timelines, and that some firms don't allow (or don't like) people with training contracts to do vac schemes. Could disclosing my training contract actually harm my chances of getting the vac scheme?

Thanks!

@Jaysen @Abbie Whitlock

It's a great question. Personally, I'd lean towards mentioning it. I think the benefits of showing how strong a candidate you are outweighs the risks of further questions.