The KPMG Embark Scholars is a multi-year, 8-week paid internship that features training and rotations within KPMG’s Audit, Tax, and Advisory practices. These rotations help participants determine which service line they are most interested in working in the following summer.

 

If you are planning to apply to the KPMG Embark Scholars program and want to know how to give yourself the best chance of getting in, then this article is for you.

 

In this comprehensive article, we’ll cover what is the KPMG Embark Scholars program, program requirements and deadlines, and tips for the application and interview.

 

What is the KPMG Embark Scholars Program?

 

KPMG Embark Scholars is a multi-year program that develops high performing students to becoming future KPMG leaders. It consists of an 8-week internship in which participants receive training and then rotate through KPMG’s Audit, Tax, and Advisory practices. The following summer, participants will intern in the practice area of their choice.

 

All KPMG Embark Scholars will be aligned to a supportive network that will ensure that they engage with KPMG colleagues across all practice areas in the firm.

 Additionally, participants will be placed in a virtual team to work collaboratively on an assigned capstone project throughout the course of the program.

 

Participants in the KPMG Embark Scholars program can expect to:

 

• Receive extensive, industry-leading professional development training

 

• Gain firsthand experience of what a career at KPMG looks like

 

• Build the skills and expertise necessary to succeed in professional services

 

• Identify their interests among the Audit, Tax, and Advisory practice areas

 

• Network with KPMG colleagues and other KPMG Embark Scholars

 

• Receive competitive compensation

 

Upon completing the KPMG Embark Scholars program, over 95% of participants receive a full-time job offer after graduation.

 

For further questions on the KPMG Embark Scholars program, you can email [email protected].

 

KPMG Embark Scholars Requirements

 

To apply to the KPMG Embark Scholars program, candidates must be pursuing a degree in accounting, taxation, finance, information technology, computer science, engineering, or management information systems from an accredited college or university.

 

Candidates must also have at least two years of education remaining prior to being eligible for full-time employment. This means that only freshmen and sophomore students may apply.

 

Additionally, candidates must be authorized to work in the US without need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. KPMG will not sponsor applicants for US work visa status for this opportunity.

 

The KPMG Embark Scholars program is targeted towards underrepresented racial and ethnic minority groups. These groups include Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander.

 

In addition to these requirements, the ideal KPMG Embark Scholars candidate should have:

 

• GPA of 3.0 or higher

 

• Effective communication, leadership, and time management skills

 

• Ability to work as a member of a team

 

• Ability to meet the firm’s business objectives

 

• High standards of professionalism

 

• Willingness to travel

 

KPMG Embark Scholars Deadline

 

The KPMG Embark Scholars application deadline is typically March 30. Applicants should check the KPMG Embark Scholars website to find the official deadline for the upcoming year.

 

Applications are reviewed year-round, on a rolling basis. Therefore, we highly recommend candidates to apply as early as possible to give themselves the best chance of getting accepted into the program.

 

KPMG Embark Scholars Application

 

The KPMG Embark Scholars application requires your contact information, resume, optional cover letter, unofficial transcripts, and educational information.  

 

Contact information

 

You’ll be asked to provide your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address.

 

Resume

 

The resume that you submit for the KPMG Embark Scholars program is the most important component of the application process. It’s important that you spend sufficient time crafting your resume so that it best highlights your qualities and accomplishments.

 

Application reviewers will spend most of their time looking at your resume when making decisions on who to interview.

 

Optional cover letter

 

Although the KPMG Embark Scholars program has a spot for you to submit a cover letter, it will most likely not be read. The majority of application decisions are made based on your resume.

 

However, if you are a borderline candidate, a well-written cover letter could push your application over the edge and help you get an interview. Given how competitive the KPMG Embark Scholars program is, we recommend all candidates to submit a personalized cover letter.

 

Unofficial transcript

 

You will also be required to submit an unofficial transcript to show the classes you have taken and your cumulative GPA. This does not need to be an official transcript that is directly sent from the school to KPMG. Instead, you can submit a PDF document that you downloaded from your school’s website.

 

Educational information

 

You will need to submit some basic educational information, such as the name of the school you are attending, your intended major or degree, your education start date, and your expected graduation date.

 

KPMG Embark Scholars Interview

 

There are typically three rounds of interviews for the KPMG Embark Scholars program. Interviews generally consist of resume questions, behavioral questions, and motivational questions.

 

Resume questions

 

Resume questions ask you to discuss your background, strengths, and weaknesses. These questions are asked to provide more detail about who you are, beyond what is listed on your resume.

 

Examples of common resume questions you could get asked include:

 

• Tell us about yourself

 

• What accomplishment are you most proud of? Why?

 

• What do you consider as your greatest strength?

 

• What do you consider as your greatest weakness?

 

• What is something that we should know about you?

 

Behavioral questions

 

Behavioral questions ask you to draw upon a time or experience in the past in which you demonstrated a particular quality or trait. For example, you may be asked common behavioral questions such as:

 

• Tell me about a time when you led a team

 

• Give an example of a time when you went above and beyond

 

• Tell me about a time when you failed

 

• Describe a problem that you solved using data

 

• Tell me about a time when you resolved conflict while working on a team

 

Motivational questions

 

KPMG asks motivational questions to assess your genuine passion for professional services and to see if you are actually interested in working at the firm.

 

The KPMG Embark Scholars program has an extremely limited number of spots. Therefore, KPMG wants to ensure that the applicants that they accept will have a high likelihood of wanting to work at KPMG full-time after graduation.

 

There are two common motivational questions that you should prepare for:

 

• Why are you interested in professional services?

 

• Why do you want to work at KPMG?

 

Tips For Getting Into the KPMG Embark Scholars Program

 

1. Perfect your resume

 

Your resume is the single most important component that will determine whether or not you are extended an interview for the KPMG Embark Scholars program.

 

Therefore, you’ll want to dedicate at least a few days perfecting your resume while also getting feedback from peers, your school’s career center, or even consultants that you know.

 

Make sure to follow the tips below to perfect your resume.

 

• Keep your resume to one page only. If it is longer, you’ll need to make your resume more concise and less wordy

 

• Every bullet on your resume should start with a verb in the past tense to show that you have completed or achieved something

 

• Every bullet should have some kind of number or metric in them so that you can quantify your accomplishments and make them sound more impressive

 

• Your resume’s bullets should show a mix of quantitative skill accomplishments (e.g., analyzing data) and qualitative skill accomplishments (e.g., managing or working with others)

 

• Avoid using technical jargon, unfamiliar abbreviations or acronyms, and buzzwords with unclear meanings

 

• Your resume should prioritize showcasing your work experiences, particularly if you have worked at a brand name company

 

• Include personal interests at the end of the resume to give resume reviewers something interesting to read about

 

If you need professional help crafting the perfect resume that will land you interviews, check out our resume review and editing service.

 

2. Practice answering behavioral questions

 

If you receive a KPMG Embark Scholars interview, expect to be asked a few behavioral questions.

 

To answer behavioral or fit interview questions well, follow these guidelines:

 

• Prepare 6-8 different stories in advance that draw upon your professional and personal work experiences. This ensures that you have prepared answers and stories that you can draw upon no matter what behavioral question is asked

 

• Only select and share experiences that are the most impressive, impactful, or unique. You want to showcase the highlights of your experiences, not just any experience that is relevant

 

• Make sure that you the stories you prepare are collectively diverse. You’ll want to have at least one story that is relevant to leadership, teamwork, problem solving, resilience, integrity, decision making, communication, and interpersonal skills

 

• Structure your answer to help keep your answer clear and easy to follow. Most candidates use the STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result

 

• When giving your answer, cover the Situation and Task sections quickly and spend most of your time focusing on the Action and Result

 

If you want to learn how to answer 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours, check out our behavioral interview course.

 

3. Prepare your answer to “Why KPMG?” 

 

In addition to behavioral questions, you should expect to be asked “why KPMG?” at some point during your KPMG Embark Scholars interview.

 

There are a variety of different reasons you could give for why you’re interested in KPMG:

 

• KPMG works with an impressive roster of prestigious clients, working on solving their most important and difficult problems

 

• KPMG has ambitious, intelligent people that fosters a dynamic environment where ideas are constantly challenged and elevated

 

• KPMG has a strong commitment to professional development, including mentorship programs, peer-to-peer teaching, and professional training

 

• KPMG has a strong global presence, providing you with opportunities for international exposure and travel

 

• KPMG has a broad portfolio of professional service line offerings, giving you broad exposure to Audit, Tax, and Advisory

 

4. Be enthusiastic during your interviews

 

Interviewers love candidates that are passionate and enthusiastic about professional services and KPMG. This not only makes you more likable, but also helps the interviewer feel good about themselves.

 

Professional services is a fast-paced and highly demanding career. Interviewers take on a lot of responsibility and stress by balancing the demands of their full-time project with recruiting.

 

Therefore, if you walk into every interview with energy and a smile on your face, you have a great chance of making the interviewer’s day. Your energy and positivity can be infectious, brightening the interviewer’s mood and day.

 

Don’t underestimate the power of being enthusiastic. Use it to your advantage during your interviews to leave a positive and memorable impression.

 

Recommended Resources to Get Into the KPMG Embark Scholars Program

 

To give yourself the best chance to get into the highly competitive KPMG Embark Scholars program, look into the resources listed below.

 

You don’t have to prepare your application and prepare for interviews by yourself. Getting professional help can significantly increase your chances of getting into the program and giving yourself a head start on your career.

 

For help landing consulting interviews

 

• Resume Review & Editing: Transform your resume into one that will get you multiple consulting interviews

 

For help passing behavioral and fit interviews

 

• Behavioral & Fit Interview Course: Be prepared for 98% of behavioral and fit questions in just a few hours. We'll teach you exactly how to draft answers that will impress your interviewer.

 

For help passing case interviews (required to land consulting internships and job offers)

 

• Comprehensive Case Interview Course (our #1 recommendation): The only resource you need. Whether you have no business background, rusty math skills, or are short on time, this step-by-step course will transform you into a top 1% caser that lands multiple consulting offers.

 

• Hacking the Case Interview Book (available on Amazon): Perfect for beginners that are short on time. Transform yourself from a stressed-out case interview newbie to a confident intermediate in under a week. Some readers finish this book in a day and can already tackle tough cases.

 

• The Ultimate Case Interview Workbook (available on Amazon): Perfect for intermediates struggling with frameworks, case math, or generating business insights. No need to find a case partner – these drills, practice problems, and full-length cases can all be done by yourself.

 

• Case Interview Coaching: Personalized, one-on-one coaching with former consulting interviewers.