Standard Bank — Banking & financial services

How to apply for the Standard Bank Graduate Programme

Standard Bank's graduate programmes feed into Africa's largest bank by assets. Here's the application step-by-step, the Odyssey assessment, the deadlines, and the alternatives if you're not a graduate yet.

Updated 17 May 2026 ·By GoCareers
Open Standard Bank graduate programmes
Careers portal
standardbank.com/sbg/careers
Job board
careers.smartrecruiters.com/standardbankgroup
HQ
30 Baker Street, Rosebank
Grad streams
CIB · PPB · BCC · Insurance · Specialist
2026 close date
31 May 2026
Fraud line
0800 222 050

Who Standard Bank hires into early careers

  • Graduate Programme: SA citizen, aged 18–30, completed or completing Honours/Master's by December 2026, 65%+ academic average, under 12–24 months professional experience
  • Internships/PluggedIn: SA citizen, 18–30, fluent English, computer literate, not currently employed more than 6 months and not concurrently studying
  • Bursaries: SA citizen, full-time enrolment at an accredited public university, 65%+ academic average
  • Learnerships: SA citizen, 18–30, Grade 12 (matric) or 3-year post-matric qualification (role-dependent), not employed permanently
  • Permanent roles: role-specific qualifications (e.g. RE5, FAIS credits, FSCA registration for advisory roles)

What you'll need

  • Updated CV
  • Full academic transcripts (latest)
  • Matric / Grade 12 certificate
  • South African ID
  • Highest qualification certificate (or proof of registration if still studying)
  • For bursaries: proof of household income and university acceptance letter

Step by step

  1. Pick your stream and check the deadline

    Standard Bank runs five graduate streams: CIB (Corporate & Investment Banking), PPB (Personal & Private Banking), BCC (Business & Commercial Banking), Insurance & Asset Management, and Specialist Functions. Each has its own application window — most 2026 streams close 30–31 May 2026.

  2. Register on SmartRecruiters

    Standard Bank's applicant tracking system is SmartRecruiters — not Workday (third-party sites get this wrong). Register a profile with email and password, or import from LinkedIn or Indeed.
    Tip: Create one profile and reuse it — duplicate accounts confuse recruiters and may cause your applications to bounce.

  3. Complete your profile and upload documents

    CV, full academic transcripts (latest year), matric certificate, and SA ID. Some streams require an additional motivation paragraph or short essay — read the role brief carefully.

  4. Apply and complete the pre-screening questionnaire

    Each stream has role-specific pre-screening questions on citizenship, age, qualification status and academic average. Be honest — these are auto-screened against the advert minimums.

  5. Pass the Odyssey online assessment

    If you meet minimums, you'll be invited to complete Odyssey — a timed cognitive and situational judgement assessment. Practice numerical, verbal and logical reasoning beforehand; many candidates underestimate the difficulty.

  6. Video interview, psychometrics, assessment centre

    Successful Odyssey candidates do a video panel interview, personality and aptitude tests, then an assessment centre or final business interview. Tech grads get an additional coding/technical task.
    Tip: Reported average time-to-hire is around 97 days. Don't apply to more than 2–3 streams — recruiters favour focused applications.

Graduate streams explained

Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB)
Sub-streams: Global Markets, Transaction Banking, Investment Banking, Finance, Risk/Credit, Data Science, Technology. Closing date for 2026 intakes typically 30 May 2026.
Personal & Private Banking (PPB)
Branch, contact centre, private banking, wealth management.
Business & Commercial Banking (BCC)
SME and commercial relationship management, business analytics.
Insurance & Asset Management
Includes the former Liberty roles now integrated into the Group.
Specialist Functions
HR, Legal, Risk, Audit, Marketing, Comms.

Duration: 18–36 months depending on stream. Base location: 30 Baker Street, Rosebank (with Simmonds Street as a secondary major site).

Standard Bank Software Engineering Graduate (Technology stream)

A separate stream within both Group Technology and CIB Technology. Specialisations: Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, Data Engineering, AI/ML, Quality Assurance, Cloud Engineering.

Tech stack referenced in 2026 ads: Java, Python, Angular, Go, C/C#/C++, Salesforce, Murex, Calypso, Docker, Terraform, Kubernetes, SQL.

Same 6-step process, but the assessment centre typically includes a coding/technical task in addition to Odyssey.

Standard Bank Bursaries

Run via StudyTrust. Fields supported: Actuarial Science, Quants/Statistics/Mathematics, Engineering (for banking), Computer Science / IT / Data Science, Commerce, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Behavioural Economics, Information Technology, Agriculture.

Coverage: tuition, textbooks, laptop, accommodation, meals, medical aid, monthly living allowance, transport (4 bus tickets/year).

2026 window: 1 May 2025 – 30 September 2025 (closed). The next window opens around May 2026 for the 2027 intake — verify on studytrust.org.za/standardbank/.

BANKSETA learnerships at Standard Bank

Standard Bank runs SAQA-accredited, BANKSETA-aligned learnerships as an alternative entry route for matriculants.

  • Personal & Private Banking (18 months)
  • Business & Commercial Banking
  • CIB Operations
  • Group Compliance (12 months)
  • Insurance (12 months)
  • Internal Audit (24 months)
  • Technology: System Support (18m), Feature Analyst (18m), Data Science (24m), Data Analytics (18m), Software Engineering (18m)

Minimum entry: Grade 12 (matric) for entry-level streams; post-matric qualification for technical ones. Stipend aligns with the National Minimum Wage Act.

Apply via the SmartRecruiters portal — search for "Learnership" or "Universal Banker Learnership".

Common reasons applications are rejected

  • Missing the deadline window — most grad streams close end of May for the following-year intake
  • Failing Odyssey — the cognitive and situational components are tougher than candidates expect
  • Sub-65% average — automatic filter on most early-career streams
  • Incomplete transcripts (must cover all completed years)
  • Applying to too many streams — pick the best fit
  • Poor video interview prep — use STAR-format competency answers, know Standard Bank's strategy
  • Citizenship or age failure — non-SA citizens and applicants over 30 are filtered at pre-screen

Standard Bank job scams

Standard Bank has issued multiple public warnings about fake job adverts. Common scam patterns:

  • WhatsApp or Telegram groups offering "Standard Bank teller" or "remote agent" jobs with high pay
  • Facebook or Instagram ads requesting upfront "training", "uniform", or "police clearance" fees
  • Fake offer letters using the SBG logo asking for ID copies, bank details, or OTPs
  • Bogus emails from gmail.com or outlook.com addresses pretending to be HR

How to verify:

  • Standard Bank never charges any fee to apply, interview, or be hired
  • All legitimate jobs appear on standardbank.com/sbg/standard-bank-group/careers or careers.smartrecruiters.com/standardbankgroup
  • Official recruiter emails come from @standardbank.co.za or @standardbank.com domains

Standard Bank contact details

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for the Standard Bank Graduate Programme?
Go to standardbank.com/sbg/standard-bank-group/careers/early-careers/graduate-programmes, click into the stream you're interested in, register on SmartRecruiters, complete your profile, and apply before the deadline (most streams close 30–31 May).
What qualifications do I need for the Standard Bank graduate programme?
An Honours or Master's degree (completed or completing by December of the application year), 65%+ academic average, SA citizen, aged 18–30, under 12–24 months professional experience.
When do Standard Bank graduate programme applications close?
Most 2026 streams (CIB main, Transaction Banking, PPB, BCC, Insurance, Specialist Functions) close 30–31 May 2026. CIB Technology and some specialist sub-streams close 30 May. Always check the live advert for the specific role.
How much does Standard Bank pay graduates?
Standard Bank doesn't publish official graduate salaries. Glassdoor self-reported data suggests around R439k per year base and R393k–R520k total comp — treat these as estimates.
What is the Standard Bank Odyssey assessment?
Odyssey is Standard Bank's timed online assessment combining cognitive (numerical, verbal, logical) and situational judgement tests. It's the first hurdle after meeting minimum criteria. Practice with aptitude tests before sitting it.
Does Standard Bank offer bursaries?
Yes — administered by StudyTrust. Fields include Actuarial Science, Quants, Engineering, Computer Science, Commerce, Accounting, Finance and Economics. The 2026 window has closed; the next window opens around May 2026 for the 2027 intake.
What learnerships are available at Standard Bank?
BANKSETA-aligned learnerships in PPB, BCC, CIB Operations, Compliance, Insurance, Internal Audit, and several Technology streams (System Support, Feature Analyst, Data Science, Data Analytics, Software Engineering). Most require Grade 12 minimum.
Can I apply to Standard Bank with just a matric certificate?
Yes — through the BANKSETA learnership routes. Universal Banker, PPB and BCC learnerships accept matriculants. Graduate streams require an Honours or Master's degree.
How long does Standard Bank take to respond to applications?
Reported average time-to-hire is around 97 days, including Odyssey, video interview, psychometrics and assessment centre. Shortlisted candidates are typically contacted within 2–3 weeks of applying.

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Last updated 17 May 2026. We review and refresh this guide regularly — if something here is out of date, let us know.