TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[JasmineM9]

We are ALL IN for this TC in 2026 🥳🤞

 

[FutureTrainee100]

still nothing from White & Case post application while so many people have progressed past that, should i just assume pfo?

Is this for the WVS?

 

[FutureTrainee100]

Hey I just want to say I'm in the same position as you. 5 Acs last year. no offer. doing all the right things from top uni to grades to research, extras.... it feels so hard. But know you're not alone.

Thank youu, we are all in this together🫡

 

[lawberri3]

i had two minor typos in my freshfields application. am i cooked ?

 

[Lawlawland]

Does anyone here know any WhatsApp community for trainee contracts/vac scheme application support?

 

[user55998384]

has anyone heard from a&o for summer vs after the test/VI stage?

 

[Emmanuel J]

Does anyone know the video interview (VI) questions for the second stage of the Freshfields application?

If so, feel free to DM me

 

[llblawstudent]

Does anyone know if Freshfields actually reads your app before completing stage 2? Because I was discussing my work experience section with someone and they said they put their extra curriculars in? I only just realised how stupid of me it was not to, but I’m really stressing if this is gonna be a material issue or not? Or because I’ve got to stage 2 is it okay?

 

[Andrei Radu]

i had two minor typos in my freshfields application. am i cooked ?

You should definitely not assume an instant rejection - some of my applications that got all the way to a VS/TC offers had several typos.

 

[RJ Ruban]

Does anyone know if Freshfields actually reads your app before completing stage 2? Because I was discussing my work experience section with someone and they said they put their extra curriculars in? I only just realised how stupid of me it was not to, but I’m really stressing if this is gonna be a material issue or not? Or because I’ve got to stage 2 is it okay?

I think they have cause they screen your application and then send the first stage so I’m assuming they must have

 

[Andrei Radu]

I’m in my second cycle and I’m honestly shaken.

Last year I applied to 7 firms and got through the application stage at all of them (some rejections came after the VI / written exercises). I made it to 3 ACs, but I was rejected post-AC every time.

I spent the past year fixing the exact things I thought sunk me — I drilled interviews weekly, I read the FT daily, listened to the FT News Briefing, read All You Need to Know About the City, and I genuinely feel like I understand the market now. I’m far more fluent talking through deals, current trends, and events.

So far this year I’ve applied to 3 winter schemes — 3 straight rejections at the application stage. I don’t understand how it’s gone backwards.

I feel like I’ve done everything you’re “supposed” to do. I graduated with a first from an RG university and ranked in the top 5% of my cohort while working multiple jobs. I published research and was invited to present at Harvard. I sat on committees for multiple societies. I took a chance and moved to London to make this career work. I couldn’t get a paralegal role, so I’m in retail.
I don’t know anyone here (only moved to the UK to go to uni) and then to London to get a TC and build a life. I feel so stupid and SO defeated.

Right now it feels like I’m free-falling and I genuinely dont know what to do.

I’m not looking for sympathy I just need clarity. Is this normal? Are firms just this cut-throat this year? Is it algorithmic screening? Is it the market? What do I do????

Hi @FutureTrainee100 I empathise with you and I know how disappointed and disheartened you must be feeling right now, having been in a somewhat similar position. As a fellow international student, I also completely "moved life" here and made a substantial investment in education in hopes of pursuing a successful career in commercial law. At the end of my first application cycle, I ended up with no progressions past the application stage. After also getting very strong academic results, my second cycle started off quite similar to yours, and I was also increasingly feeling like I had to come to terms with the fact that I may simply not be "good enough" or the "right type" for this career. Nonetheless, I persisted and ended up finishing the cycle with 3 TC and 4 VS offers from elite US/MC firms.

My story is also not at all a unique one or full of empty words of motivation - there are many people who have experienced a similar progression. A good friend of mine who I was guiding through the process last year was feeling like he was facing a similar problem, starting their 3rd application cycle worse than the previous two ones with several straight rejections. Of his first 10-15 applications they heard back from, only 2-3 were progressions, which was significantly bellow their prior rate. I advised them to persist, and within the space of a month or so they had several AC invites, while by the end of the cycle they received 7 VS offers.

Now, besides wanting to inspire you not to lose heart and to keep pushing forward, I mentioned these stories because I wanted to give you two concrete pieces of advice, which I think could end up having a substantial impact on your chances of securing a TC:

1. Firstly, you should submit many more high-quality applications: an AC progression rate of 3/7 is incredibly high, so the quality of your writing does not seem to be an issue. Nonetheless, in my opinion 7 applications is without any doubt too few to make given how competitive this job market is, even if you are a very qualified candidate. While it may end up working out for some, I would advise you not to go with the "quality over quantity" approach if you want to minimise the impact of luck and maximise success chances. Both me and the friend I mentioned were rejected in 15+ application during our incredibly successful cycles even though we made sure that the writing and research for every firm was high quality. Had we only applied to 7-10 firms, it could have easily been the case we would have ended the cycle with no VSs/TCs. I have written a significantly longer guide elaborating on the cost and benefits of the "numbers game" vs "quality over quantity" approaches and explained what I think is the ideal application strategy, which is to submit as many high quality (albeit perhaps somewhat imperfect) applications as possible (which should result in 15-20 on the lower end) - I would highly encourage you to take a look here.
2. Secondly, you may want to refresh your approach to AC preparation: while this is not an issue that you should be very concerned about right now, and while it is possible to have just been unlucky with your 3 prior ACs, my guess is that if there is any part of the application process for which you could improve quality-wise, it is this stage. I would highly encourage you to take a look at the Complete Competency Interview Preparation Guide I wrote here, as it explains in detail the step-by-step approach I took which was successful 4/4 times I implemented it.

 

[1stCycleApplicant]

I’m in my second cycle and I’m honestly shaken.

Last year I applied to 7 firms and got through the application stage at all of them (some rejections came after the VI / written exercises). I made it to 3 ACs, but I was rejected post-AC every time.

I spent the past year fixing the exact things I thought sunk me — I drilled interviews weekly, I read the FT daily, listened to the FT News Briefing, read All You Need to Know About the City, and I genuinely feel like I understand the market now. I’m far more fluent talking through deals, current trends, and events.

So far this year I’ve applied to 3 winter schemes — 3 straight rejections at the application stage. I don’t understand how it’s gone backwards.

I feel like I’ve done everything you’re “supposed” to do. I graduated with a first from an RG university and ranked in the top 5% of my cohort while working multiple jobs. I published research and was invited to present at Harvard. I sat on committees for multiple societies. I took a chance and moved to London to make this career work. I couldn’t get a paralegal role, so I’m in retail.
I don’t know anyone here (only moved to the UK to go to uni) and then to London to get a TC and build a life. I feel so stupid and SO defeated.

Right now it feels like I’m free-falling and I genuinely dont know what to do.

I’m not looking for sympathy I just need clarity. Is this normal? Are firms just this cut-throat this year? Is it algorithmic screening? Is it the market? What do I do????

If it’s clarity you’re after, I’m afraid we’re all stepping through the same foggy tide of vacation scheme and training contract applications, where clarity truly is a rare current. Many of us, if not all, have asked ourselves “wtf are firms looking for?” Yet, I hope 2 things should, ironically, become clear here for you:

(I) Don’t be disheartened by the rejections. They are often random and out of your control. As Andrei revealed, him and his friend were rejected numerous times before receiving an eye-watering amount of success. If you were to isolate their first few rejections you would assume they weren’t great candidates. Clearly that wasn’t the case for them, and it isn’t the case for you. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

(ii) The issue with my first point is that it might imply that you have a lack of agency within the application process. That is certainly not the case. Having seen your background, both academically and professionally, the question you should ask yourself is not if you get a TC, but rather, when! Yet, again echoing Andrei’s advice, aim to make far more quality applications. People often create a false dichotomy for applications; one must choose either quality or quantity. That is just not the case. Rather than 7 applications, strive to make 15, if not more! Another reason I prefer this strategy is because, not only does it give you a better chance statistically (playing the numbers game), it also removes any sense of ‘what if.’ By that I mean, if unsuccessful during the cycle, beating yourself up by asking “what if I sent those extra few applications?” So, even if it means a few extra late nights, I’d say it’s worth it. Hell, if you get a TC at a US/MC firm, this is nothing in comparison haha.

Overall I would reiterate that a few rejections don’t define you, nor do they act as any sort of early-trajectory-predictions for the rest of the cycle.
I’m looking forward to seeing you post WHEN you get a VS/TC. Best of luck!