The vacation scheme (test)
Show what you can do on deals that matter from the beginning
Our two-week vacation scheme is a great opportunity to demonstrate your talents and the first step towards securing a training contract.
The vacation scheme (test)
Our two-week vacation scheme is a great opportunity to demonstrate your talents and the first step towards securing a training contract.
We run four vacation schemes each year. So you can choose which one works best for you.
Applications will open 15 July 2026.
2 November – 13 November 2026
(Application deadline: 27 August)
30 November – 11 December 2026
(Application deadline: 13 September)
5 April – 16 April 2027
(Application deadline: 20 December)
14 June – 25 June 2027
(Application deadline: 20 December)
From your first day, you will be sitting within a practice group, getting involved in live work alongside associates and partners. Perform well during your time on the scheme, and a training contract offer will follow.
What we pay students on our vacation scheme
Number of schemes we run
Duration of each scheme
Minimum degree requirement (gained or predicted)
Minimum A-level requirement (or equivalent)
Our associates and partners are the best in the business. Hear what brought them to Simpson Thacher, what keeps them here and what they are looking for in the next generation of private equity lawyers.
Alongside your work, you will take part in private equity workshops, practice group sessions, skills training, associate panels and social events. By the end of the two weeks, you will have a thorough understanding of what life as a Simpson Thacher trainee entails.
From day one, you will be researching, analysing, drafting – the same work our associates do. You will also receive detailed feedback throughout, so you always know where you stand.
Like every vacation scheme student, you will be paired with a mentor before the scheme begins – someone invested in your success, who can answer your questions, offer you advice and help you make the most of every opportunity from the moment you arrive.
We are interested in people who are smart, hardworking and genuinely excited by the world of private equity.
Beyond that, the qualities that matter most to us are, intellectual curiosity, attention to detail and the ability to communicate clearly – in writing and in person.
You do not have to be studying Law, or go to a particular university. What matters is how you think, how you work and how much you want to be here.
Take some time to find out more about what life at Simpson Thacher really looks like – from the benefits and support on offer to the ways we are working to make the firm accessible to talented people from every background.
