Why EY is Turning Its Internships Into Yearlong Paid Residencies

She said the firm had been staring at the internship model before generative AI became the stated focus, and the technology has since been "a catalyst." "How organizations recruit, how they onboard the fully developed their people, how they assign work, performance management, all of that is changing," Carlier said. "And so we have to get people ready for that."

The residency will launch with assurance interns, who typically work the summer or winter before their senior year. Participants continue their college courses while working part-time for the firm during that final year.

EY's stated goal is for some residency graduates to enter at a more senior level than the traditional staff rung. New consultants usually start as staff. People who complete the program and secure a full-time offer would become analysts instead, a role Carlier said should let them take on responsibilities they otherwise might not have seen on day one. Full-time offers will include a pay bump tied to performance, business needs and how the entrants clear the program's criteria and assessments.

The application process does not really change: candidates apply, then take a skills assessment and an interview. During the residency EY says it will develop judgment, professional skepticism, critical thinking, collaboration and communication through training scenarios and real work for the firm's clients.

The pipeline is strong at the entry point. EY said it received more than 24,000 applications from CPA-recruiters candidates over the past year and sent out 2,400 internship offers. Applications from that pool were up 33% year over year as of between 2025 and 2026.

"An eight-week internship, it's a good experience, it's a great experience," Carlier said. The residency, she added, lets students keep doing EY work, build future-focused skills and get steady coaching before they step in full-time.