• 📅 Vacation Scheme Applications 2025–26

    Planning to apply for winter, spring or summer vacation schemes? Join our dedicated threads for support, deadlines, and discussion:

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Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025-26 (with rolling/non rolling checklist!)

Ram Sabaratnam

Ram Sabaratnam

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Sep 7, 2024
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Hey everyone,

Vacation Scheme application season is upon us! To make things easier for those of us preparing to apply, I have put together a list to track all the applications and their due dates for the Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes. I will keep this list updated! Please feel free to drop any suggestions to better utilise this thread. Good luck in your application and please keep us posted on your progress!

Here are the firms that have announced their application opening and closing dates for Winter, Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes 2025/26 so far:

(This list is dynamic and will be updated as firms release their application windows)

Winter Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

Opening DateClosing DateScheme DatesFirm NameRolling/Non-Rolling
1 August 202512 September 20258 Dec – 12 Dec 2025Sidley AustinRolling
4 August 202515 September 20251 Dec – 5 Dec 2025A&O ShearmanTBC
18 August 202512 September 2025 (noon)1 Dec – 5 Dec 2025AshurstNon-Rolling
1 September 2025TBC24 Nov – 5 Dec 2025Herbert Smith Freehills KramerNon-Rolling
1 September 202517 October 20251 Dec – 12 Dec 2025Jones DayRolling
4 September 202528 September 202524 Nov – 5 Dec 2025Paul, WeissNon-Rolling
10 September 202510 October 20251 Dec – 12 Dec 2025Hogan LovellsRolling

Spring Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

Opening DateClosing DateScheme DatesFirm NameRolling or Non-Rolling
11 August 20255 December 202513 Apr – 24 Apr 2026MacfarlanesRolling
1 September 202512 December 2025TBCBCLPTBC
1 September 202516 January 20257 Apr – 17 Apr 2026Gibson DunnRolling
1 September 2025TBC
13 Apr – 24 Apr 2026
Herbert Smith Freehills KramerNon-Rolling
1 September 202528 November 202517 Mar – 28 Mar 2026Jones DayRolling
1 September 20257 December 202513 Apr – 24 Apr 2026Latham & WatkinsNon-Rolling
1 September 20251 December 2025TBCSkaddenNon-Rolling
1 September 202531 October 202513 Apr – 17 Apr 2026Taylor WessingRolling
1 September 202510 December 2025 (mid-day)TBCWillkie Farr & GallagherNon-Rolling
4 September 20255 January 202613 Apr – 17 Apr 2026ForstersTBC
4 September 202521 December 202516 Mar – 27 Mar 2026Paul WeissNon-Rolling
15 September 20259 January 20267 Apr – 17 Apr 2026Sidley AustinRolling
1 October 2025TBC30 Mar – 3 Apr 2026MilbankNon-Rolling
1 October 202510 January 2026TBCTLTTBC
1 October 202514 January 2026TBCVinson & ElkinsTBC


Summer Vacation Scheme Deadlines 2025/26:​

Specific Dates Released​

Opening DateClosing DateScheme DatesFirm NameRolling/Non-Rolling
11 August 20255 December 202522 Jun – 3 Jul 2026MacfarlanesRolling
1 September 202512 December 2026 (noon)29 Jun – 17 Jul 2026AshurstNon-Rolling
1 September 202516 January 2026TBCBCLPTBC
1 September 202516 January 202622 Jun – 3 Jul 2026Gibson DunnRolling
1 September 2025TBCScheme 1: 8 Jun – 26 Jun 2026;
Scheme 2: 6 Jul – 24 Jul 2026		Herbert Smith Freehills KramerNon-Rolling
1 September 20259 January 202629 Jun – 10 Jul 2026Jones DayRolling
1 September 20257 December 202522 Jun – 3 Jul 2026Latham & WatkinsNon-Rolling
1 September 20255 November 2025 (noon)22 Jun – 3 Jul 2026Pinsent MasonsNon-Rolling
1 September 20251 December 2025TBCSkaddenNon-Rolling
1 September 20255 December 2025Scheme 1 (law students) 22 Jun – 10 Jul 2026;
Scheme 2 (law students) 13 – 31 Jul 2026;
Scheme 3 (non-law students) 1 – 18 Sept 2026		Slaughter and MayRolling
1 September 202528 November 20258 Jun – 19 Jun 2026Taylor WessingRolling
1 September 202510 December 2025 (mid-day)TBCWillkieNon-Rolling
4 September5 January 2026Scheme 1: 8 – 12 Jun 2026;
Scheme 2: 15 – 19 Jun 2026		ForstersTBC
4 September 202521 December 202529 Jun – 10 Jul 2026Paul, WeissNon-Rolling
15 September 202527 October 20256 Jul – 17 Jul 2026A&O ShearmanTBC
15 September 20256 January 2026Scheme 1: 22 Jun – 3 Jul 2026;
Scheme 2: 6 Jul – 17 Jul 2026		Sidley AustinRolling
30 September 202527 November 2025TBCFreshfieldsRolling
1 October 20252 January 2026TBCDebevoise & PlimptonTBC
1 October 2025TBC29 Jun – 10 Jul 2026MilbankNon-Rolling
1 October 202514 January 2026TBCVinson & ElkinsTBC
 
Last edited:
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sohanp

Standard Member
    • Apr 12, 2025
    6
    2
    Hi all, for an International Student (Not in UK), do firms generally sponsor applicants for their Vacation Schemes? I have a British law degree but from an overseas campus. I'd really appreciate any insight you can provide.
     
    Ram Sabaratnam

    Ram Sabaratnam

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    Premium Member
    Sep 7, 2024
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    sohanp said:
    Hi all, for an International Student (Not in UK), do firms generally sponsor applicants for their Vacation Schemes? I have a British law degree but from an overseas campus. I'd really appreciate any insight you can provide.
    Click to expand...

    Hiya @sohanp

    Firms generally do not sponsor visas for vacation schemes. In t all cases that I'm familiar with, sponsorship only happens once you’ve been offered a training contract, since that’s when firms can justify the longer-term visa application.

    If you don’t currently have the right to work in the UK, I’d recommend focusing your efforts on direct training contract applications rather than vac schemes. We will be publishing a list of direct training contract deadlines in the coming weeks. That said, it’s still worth checking individual firm websites in case there are exceptions, but in practice, most international applicants without any right to work in the UK take the direct TC route.
     
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