EY 2028 skills assessment guide

For
2028 summer analysts
Sources
11 cited

Applied to EY for summer 2028? Every Early Careers application is followed by an online skills assessment from SHL. Try the tests below in the real format, all three sections on SHL's screens, then read what each asks, how long you have, how to answer and what comes next.

EY's skills assessment on SHL's player in Intervyo: the question in a yellow panel asking how often someone who knows you would say you do something, four answers from less often than others to much more often than others, and the progress strip with Previous.
EY's skills assessment has three sections, two untimed and one timed, typically takes 45 to 60 minutes and is due within 48 hours of the email.

Key facts

  • Assessment: An online assessment sent from talentcentral@shl.com, an SHL address. It asks about your preferences, skills and behaviors.1
  • Required: Completing the assessment is a required step for EY Early Careers roles, and your application is not complete until it is in.1,3
  • When: A personal link arrives by email after you submit, sent Monday to Friday in business hours. If nothing comes in 12 business hours, check spam, then email EY's support team.1,3
  • Deadline: Finish within 48 hours of the email. The 2025 version allowed 24 and warned that delays may hurt your candidacy, so start early and check your own email for this cycle's window.10,1
  • Time: Typically 45 to 60 minutes in all, with one timed section. The 2025 version was untimed and took most people about 20 minutes. One sitting is recommended.10,1
  • Parts: Two untimed sections, on your experiences and on which of three skills is most like you, and one timed section on how you approach problem solving.10,1
  • Retakes: You can take it once in its validity period, and the result applies to every role you apply for in that time. In 2025 it ran to Dec 31, 2025.1
  • Results: EY does not share results. The Early Careers team reviews your whole application, and the assessment score alone does not decide whether you progress.1

Generative AI tools are not allowed, the assessment is in English only, and you can take it on a phone. Some roles also add a prerecorded video.1,2

Try the tests

EY skills assessment0 of 3 demo parts done

EY's three parts on SHL's screens, as the app draws them: two untimed parts of 8 questions, then the timed reasoning part. Each one opens in its own window, with a read of your answers at the end.

Question

Your experiences

How often someone who knows you would say you do something, rated against other people.

8 questions · about 1 minute

Question

Most like you

Three statements, all strengths. Choose the one that describes you best.

8 questions · about 1 minute

Reasoning

The timed part. Join a sequence of codes, then work out the figures and set a pie chart, all by dragging and tapping.

2 questions · 3:00 on the clock

What the EY online assessment looks like

  1. The email

    After you apply, an email from talentcentral@shl.com brings your personal link; don't share or forward it. Links go out Monday to Friday in business hours. If one link arrives for a second application, click it anyway: if your result is still valid, the system says no further action is needed.1

  2. The clock starts with the email

    You have 48 hours from the email to finish, even if you applied right before a deadline; the 2025 version gave 24. So apply when you have the next two days free, and open the email the day it lands.10,1

  3. Part one: your experiences

    The first component asks about your experiences in settings like work, school, volunteering and activities, such as how often someone who knows you would say you manage your time well, answered on a four-step scale against other people.1

  4. Part two: which skill is most like you

    The second component shows three descriptions of skills, such as taking initiative, adapting when plans change and seeking feedback, and asks which is most like you. All three are strengths, so the choice is about which fits you best.1

  5. Part three: timed problem solving

    The third section is the timed one, on how you approach problems. Expect SHL's interactive format: you join sequences, set charts from figures and fill schedules by dragging and tapping rather than picking from a list. Questions you don't reach score nothing, so keep moving.10,11

  6. After you submit

    The Early Careers team then reviews your full application, weighing grades, skills, experience, business needs and your application answers alongside the assessment. Interviews follow for applications that progress, and some roles add a prerecorded video first.1,2,6

The assessment at a glance

Experiences Untimed
How often others would say you show a behavior, on a four-step scale.
Most like you Untimed
Three descriptions of skills; choose the one most like you.
Problem solving Timed
Interactive questions on how you approach problems, against the clock.
Whole sitting 45 to 60 min
Finish within 48 hours of the email.
Help Mon to Fri, 8am to 8pm ET
The assessment support team at 800-899-7451 (option 1, then option 3), or by form or chat at any time; accommodations through skillsassessment.support@ey.com.

The sections, length and window are EY's current FAQ terms; the help line is from its 2025 FAQ. Read your own assessment email for this cycle's window and length.10,1

Before you open the link

  • Apply when you can give the next 48 hours some room: that is the window to finish.
  • Watch for an email from talentcentral@shl.com, and check spam after 12 business hours.
  • Allow an hour of quiet time and plan one sitting: the timed section won't wait for you.
  • A laptop is easiest, though EY allows a phone.
  • Close AI tools: EY does not allow generative AI on the assessment.
  • Have a real picture of yourself at work, school or a club before you start.

The sections, one by one

EY says the assessment is designed to understand your experiences, work style and approach to problem solving, and published two sample questions "similar to the types of questions asked" for the untimed sections.10,1

  • Experience ratings: How often others would say you do something, from "less often than others" to "much more often than others".
  • Most like you: Three skill descriptions, and you pick the one that fits you best.
  • Timed problem solving: Sequences, charts and schedules you answer by dragging and tapping, against the clock.
  • Settings: Answers can draw on work, school, volunteer work or extracurricular activities.

Here is each section as it appears in Intervyo, on SHL's player as EY uses it. The two untimed ones put the question in a yellow panel with your answers beside it and have no right answers; the timed one has a clock in the bar and a right answer to every question.10,1

1.Your experiencesUntimed

EY skills assessment part one in Intervyo: how often someone who knows you well would say you do something, with four answers from less often than others to much more often than others.

Questions about your experiences at work, school, volunteering or activities, such as how often someone who knows you well would say you manage your time effectively. You answer on a four-step scale against other people, from less often than others to much more often than others.1

What it measures: How you tend to work, set against the skills and behaviors EY looks for.

How to answer it well

  1. 1Picture a specific person, a manager, tutor or teammate, and answer as they would.
  2. 2Use the full scale. "About as often as others" on everything says little about you.
  3. 3Draw on any setting: a part-time job, a club or a group project all count.

2.Most like youUntimed

EY skills assessment part two in Intervyo: which statement describes you best, with three statements about skills to choose from.

Three descriptions of skills, such as taking initiative, adapting when plans change and seeking feedback, and you choose the one most like you. All three are strengths, so the choice is about which fits you best.1

What it measures: Which strengths come first for you when you have to choose between good things.

How to answer it well

  1. 1Pick the one you would back with a real example, not the one that sounds best.
  2. 2Don't look for a pattern to game. Statements come back in different company, and a consistent picture reads best.
  3. 3Keep a steady pace here and save your time for the timed section that follows.

3.Timed problem solving8 questions in 12 min

EY skills assessment timed section in Intervyo: join the remaining labels in order to complete the sequence, with codes in circles, three links drawn, the clock in the bar and 3 of 8 at the foot.

The timed section, on how you approach problems. You answer by working with each question directly: join codes in order to complete a sequence, drag a pie chart's slices to the shares the figures give, or fill a schedule. There are no options to pick from. The section is 8 questions in 12 minutes, about 90 seconds each, mixing sequences, pie and bar charts, shape patterns and schedules.10,11

What it measures: How you analyze information and solve problems against the clock.

How to answer it well

  1. 1Read every figure before you touch the chart: work the numbers out on paper, then set it once.
  2. 2On a sequence, test one rule on the links already drawn before you join the rest.
  3. 3Don't stall on one question. Ones you don't reach score nothing, and you can't go back.

Sample questions and how to answer them

EY sample: most like you"Which statement describes you best? "I often take initiative without needing direction." "I adapt quickly when plans change unexpectedly." "I often seek feedback to improve my performance.""1,4
  1. 1Read all three. Each is a strength EY values, so none is a trap.
  2. 2Think of the last time a group project or job got hard. Which of the three did you actually do?
  3. 3Pick that one, even if another sounds more impressive.
  4. 4Hold the same honest picture of yourself through the rest of the assessment.

Tip: EY recruits on mindset as much as skill set, so a clear, consistent profile is worth more than any single choice.

EY sample: experience rating"If we were to ask someone who knows you well, how often would they say you manage your time effectively? Less often than others, about as often as others, somewhat more often than others, or much more often than others."1
  1. 1Name the person: a manager, a coach, a project partner. Answer as they would.
  2. 2Compare yourself with people around you, which is what the scale asks.
  3. 3Avoid putting "much more often" on everything. Pick the top only where you can back it with an example.
  4. 4Draw on school or activities if you haven't had a job yet.

Tip: The scale is relative to others, so honest middle answers are normal. A wall of top ratings tells EY less about you.

Practice item (Intervyo)"Intervyo practice item in the same format: which statement describes you best? "I double-check numbers before I share them." "I explain complex ideas simply." "I stay calm when a deadline moves up.""1,5
  1. 1This is our own practice item, written to match EY's published format; it is not an EY question.
  2. 2Picture a concrete moment for each statement: a spreadsheet, a presentation, a rushed deadline.
  3. 3Choose the one that came most naturally, not the one you worked hardest at.
  4. 4Move on at a steady pace. This section is untimed, but overthinking makes answers less like you.

Tip: If you could tell an interviewer a short story behind your choice, it is likely the honest one: EY's interviews that follow are behavioral.

Practice for EY with Intervyo

Start free to practice EY questions and track when it opens. Go deeper on EY with the pack, or cover every firm you apply to with the Season Pass.

Free

Try it and track EY

$0no card

Sign up free
  • An online assessment in the real format
  • 2 HireVue-style questions, scored
  • A resume review and a cover letter
  • The tracker, with alerts for 5 companies

EY Pack

Every EY stage

$89one payment

Get the pack
  • 80 online assessment runs and 50 technical questions
  • 50 EY video interview questions, scored
  • 12 live AI mock interviews
  • 15 resume reviews and 45 cover letters
  • The EY process map and 10 research briefs

Premium, $149 adds the final round simulator.

Season Pass

Save 63%

Every company you apply to

$16.58a month

Get the Season Pass
  • 150 online assessment runs a month
  • 130 HireVue-style questions a month, every company
  • 20 live AI mock interviews a month
  • 5 final round simulations a month
  • 30 resume reviews and 90 cover letters a month

$199 a year, or $44.99 monthly. Cancel any time.

How long to hear back after the online assessment

The assessment comes soon after you apply, and EY's response times after it vary: each application is processed on its own.1,2

  1. Sep 22, 2026 (summer 2027)

    Consulting and EY-Parthenon

    Last day EY expected to accept applications, two weeks after the roles posted on Sep 8, 2026.2,3

  2. Oct 2025

    Capital Equipment intern, Atlanta

    A HireVue and a skills test first, then a final round of one technical and two behavioral interviews; 1 to 2 months in all.6

  3. Jan 2025

    Summer Associate, FSO, New York

    Recruiter contact, then a HireVue and a partner screen, then a final round of four 30-minute interviews.7

In the 2025 version, if no email came within 12 business hours, the reasons were an earlier result still being valid or a status update already sent; otherwise EY asked you to email skillsassessment.support@ey.com.1

Best guessIf two weeks pass after you submit the assessment with no word, check your application status and spam folder. EY says its response times vary, so a short note to a recruiter you have met is reasonable after that.

What happens after the online assessment

  1. Online application

    A resume and transcript, with no more than two applications in six months; each application is processed on its own.2,3

  2. Skills assessmentYou are here

    This page. An SHL assessment sent by email after you apply: three sections, one timed, typically 45 to 60 minutes, finished within 48 hours, one attempt.10,1

  3. Recorded video, some roles

    Some roles add a prerecorded video interview, where you record answers to questions sent in advance. It was a HireVue in the New York FSO and Atlanta reports.2,5,6,7

  4. First interviews

    One or more phone, video or in-person conversations, mostly behavioral. EY-Parthenon mixes behavioral and case interviews, and other teams may add case study interviews.5,2,8

  5. Final interview

    EY's last round, often ending with a partner: four 30-minute interviews in New York FSO, and one technical and two behavioral interviews in Atlanta, straight after the video and test.7,6

  6. Offer

    A decision usually comes quickly after the final interview.9

Skills assessment vs recorded video

Both can come before any live interview. The assessment reads how you describe yourself; the video asks you to show it in your own words.

Who gets it

Skills assessment

Every Early Careers applicant.1

Recorded video (some roles)

Some roles, by business need.2

Format

Skills assessment

Two untimed sections on your experiences and skills, and one timed problem-solving section.10,1

Recorded video (some roles)

You record answers to questions sent in advance.5

Platform

Skills assessment

SHL.1

Recorded video (some roles)

HireVue in the New York FSO and Atlanta Capital Equipment reports.6,7

How to prepare

Skills assessment

No preparation needed, in EY's words.1

Recorded video (some roles)

10 to 15 stories you can adapt, practiced out loud.5

2028 summer analyst status

For summer 2027, Consulting and EY-Parthenon roles posted on Sep 8, 2026 and EY expected to accept applications through Sep 22, so expect summer 2028 roles, and their assessment emails, around September 2027. For Accounting and Tax, EY names January 2027 as the next opening.2,3

FAQ

Does EY have an online assessment?

Yes. Every EY Early Careers application is followed by a skills assessment, sent by SHL from talentcentral@shl.com. Your application is not complete until it is in.1,3

How long is the EY skills assessment?

Typically 45 to 60 minutes. Two of its three sections are untimed and one is timed. The 2025 version was untimed and most people finished in about 20 minutes.10,1

How long do you have to complete it?

48 hours from the assessment email. The 2025 version asked for 24 and said delays may hurt your candidacy. Your own email gives this cycle's window.10,1

What questions are on the EY assessment?

Three kinds: questions about your experiences, such as how often someone who knows you would say you manage your time well; sets of three skill descriptions where you pick the one most like you; and a timed section of interactive problem solving.1,10,11

Can you retake the EY skills assessment?

No. You take it once in its validity period, and the result is used for every EY role you apply to in that time. In 2025 that period ran to Dec 31, 2025.1

Do you get your EY assessment results?

No, results are not shared. The Early Careers team looks at your whole application, including grades, skills, experience and your application answers, so the score alone does not decide your progress.1

Online assessment at other firms

Sources

Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 8, 2026.

  1. 1EY, via the Wayback Machine: Early Careers skills assessment, frequently asked questions (archived Sep 30, 2025)
  2. 2EY: Early Careers application timelines and guidance
  3. 3Extern: EY Internship 2027-2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply · prep site
  4. 4EY: What we look for
  5. 5EY: Interview tips
  6. 6Candidate report on a public forum: Capital Equipment intern interview, Atlanta (Oct 2025)
  7. 7Candidate report on a public forum: Summer Associate, FSO interview, New York (Jan 2025)
  8. 8EY: EY-Parthenon Strategy: Associate Program
  9. 9EY: Application and interview information
  10. 10CasingLab: EY-Parthenon aptitude tests: EY Early Careers Skills Assessment (US) · prep site
  11. 11Record of a full EY SHL skills assessment sitting (Oct 6, 2026)

Intervyo isn't affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by EY. Formats change between cycles and divisions, so always follow the instructions in your own invite.