EY Tax Consulting Challenge

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Are you ready to drive your career forward

Dedicated to celebrating excellence, EY employs over 65,000 tax professionals in over 152 countries.

In a rapidly changing business and tax environment, our tax professionals combine agility, diverse thought, tax technical depth and the power of technology and analytics to provide exceptional client service.

Whatever direction your future career takes, getting exposure to tax through the EY Tax Consulting Challenge (TCC) is a fantastic way to kick it off. This Challenge offers you the chance to:

  • Start making the contacts who’ll drive your career forward
  • Learn about the worldwide career opportunities in tax
  • Discover how a leading-class professional services organisation uses tax advice to give its global clients the edge

Competition Stages

The competition is split into three stages. Throughout, we will be looking for evidence of problem-solving skills, commercial awareness and critical thinking – as well as the practical skills that will distinguish you in the competition.

Applications are now closed for 2023.

Stage 1 – Entry and Regional Final

Firstly, we will challenge you to answer a few short questions about why you are applying, where your interests lie, a little about yourself as well as a question about the business environment.

If your entry is successful, you will be invited to participate in the Regional Finals. You will participate in individual and group activities, including a case study, and will present to our EY judges.

Do well in stage 1 and you will become a regional winner, rewarded with a paid internship in EY Tax and a trip to Sydney to compete in the Oceania Final.

In the event that the Oceania Final is unable to proceed face-to-face the format of the competition may need to be adapted to be conducted in a virtual setting. Applicants will receive updated communication closer to the time. 

Stage 2 – Oceania Final

In the second stage, you will participate in individual and group activities to continue your journey of learning more about Tax. The Oceania winner will receive a future graduate position, as well as a cash prize of $5,000 and will represent Oceania in the Young Tax Professional of the Year global competition.

Stage 3 – Global Competition

Taking place in 2024, the successful Oceania winner will work closely with other finalists from across the world. You will first compete in various activities virtually against other finalists, with the top finalists being invited to compete at the Global final to take place overseas (location to be confirmed). At the Global competition, finalists will be challenged with individual and group activities in front of EY leaders, clients, and academia.

*In the event that the Global competition is unable to proceed face-to-face then the competition will be conducted in a virtual setting.

Eligibility

The EY Tax Consulting Challenge is open to students residing in Australia or New Zealand who hold citizenship or permanent residency in the country they reside in. Entrants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree at university and due to complete their studies between 2024 and 2026.

Check here for terms and conditions.

How to enter

  • How it works

    To enter the competition, you are required to complete the entry form and upload a current CV and your most recent academic transcript. Eligible students will then be sent an email containing a link to complete the competition questions via our entry platform, powered by HireVue. You will respond to the questions via HireVue with written or video responses.

    1. What has motivated you to apply for the EY Tax Consulting Challenge? What was it about EY that sparked your interest? (written response, up to 300 words)

    2. We would love to get to know you a little better. Tell us something about yourself that your CV doesn’t? (video response, up to 2 minutes)

    3. The use of Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to expand across different sectors. One critical aspect of any economic system is taxation, and it is not immune to the potential effects of AI. In light of this, we would like to hear your perspectives on how AI might impact taxation and what implications it could have in this field? (written response, up to 300 words)

  • Competition questions

    1. What has motivated you to apply for the EY Tax Consulting Challenge? What was it about EY that sparked your interest? (written response, up to 300 words)

    2. We would love to get to know you a little better. Tell us something about yourself that your CV doesn’t? (video response, up to 2 minutes)

    3. The use of Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to expand across different sectors. One critical aspect of any economic system is taxation, and it is not immune to the potential effects of AI. In light of this, we would like to hear your perspectives on how AI might impact taxation and what implications it could have in this field? (written response, up to 300 words)

  • Top tips

    • Once you have completed the entry form, eligible application will be sent an invitation to respond to the case question via HireVue. You will only be able to enter the HireVue platform once (but don’t worry, once you’re in there, you will have multiple opportunities to submit your response). So, we suggest you prepare your response (either prepare your written response or prepare a ‘script’ for your video response) prior to accessing HireVue.
    • Ensure you have good internet connection before you get started
    • You can access the competition portal via smartphone, PC or tablet
    • If you have any questions or need help, please email eytaxconsultingchallenge@au.ey.com

What can I win

  • Regional winners

    Regional winners will receive a paid Tax internship in their local EY office and progress to the Oceania Final.

  • Oceania winners

    The overall Oceania winner, in addition to the prize internship, will receive a cash prize of $5,000, a future graduate position in Tax and will represent Oceania at the global competition and have the opportunity to progress to the final global event in early 2024. The 2nd place winner will receive a cash prize of $2,500 and 3rd place winner a cash prize of $1,000.

    *In the event that the global competition is unable to proceed face-to-face, then the competition will be conducted in a virtual setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year (YTPY) Award?

    The YTPY Award was created by EY to reward and encourage the next generation of tax professionals.

    YTPY is an innovative program that seeks to reward and encourage the next generation of tax professionals.

    The award honours the contributions of promising students and graduates, and serves to:

    • Reaffirm the growing importance of tax knowledge in the world of business and finance among university students and graduates
    • Promote the emergence of young talented professionals in the field of tax, thus fostering interest for the tax profession and a future career in this field
    • Demonstrate to leaders of business, the tax profession and tax administrations globally that investment in future tax talent is essential

  • What is the difference between the EY Tax Consulting Challenge (TCC) and the YTPY competition?

    The EY Tax Consulting Challenge is the local (Oceania) competition. The YTPY Awards refers to the international competition.

  • What is the difference between the local and the international competition?

    Participants in each country compete for the country’s national YTPY Award. Each country winner is then eligible to join other country winners during the International final in early 2024 to compete for the World WTPY Award.

  • When did the program start?

    The YTPY program started in 2011 and involved nine countries. The program was first launched in Australia in 2015. In 2018, New Zealand joined Australia in the Oceania local competition.

  • How many countries are involved?

    In 2021, students and graduates representing over 40 countries.

  • What kind of guidance are the participants given to prepare for the international competition?

    Each country winner will have an EY tax professional to act as a local coach, providing insight on tax technical and approaches to case analysis and presentation. At the international event, EY senior tax professionals will be present to provide individualised guidance and feedback.

The competition opened my eyes to the range of opportunities available in the tax profession.

Nicholas Tan

2022 Oceania winner

 

Previous winners

  • 2022 winners

    In 2022, Nicholas Tan from the University of Western Australia was named the Oceania winner of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge at an awards ceremony in Sydney.

    Congratulations to the following winners:

    • Jack Shanahan, University of Sydney (2nd place)
    • Emma McDonnell, University of Auckland (3rd place)

    What was the highlight of the EY Oceania Tax Consulting Challenge for you?

    Being able to meet like-minded students from around Australia and New Zealand who share the same passion for learning and collaboration as I do.

    What advice would you give those planning to participate in the competition?

    Prepare your slide deck/presentation in advance, remember to always keep a macro-perspective on the case study you are given and do research on tax-specific information pertinent to the case.

    Did participating in the EY Oceania Tax Consulting Challenge change your perception of Tax? If so, how?

    Participating in the Tax Consulting Challenge opened my eyes to the diverse range of opportunities available in the tax space, through being able to talk to EY professionals in both my local office and the Sydney office. It showed to me how even more ‘traditional’ areas of finance like tax are incorporating fintech and high-level data analytics and solutions into their daily work.

  • 2021 winners

    In 2021, Oceania selected an internal candidate to represent Oceania at the YTPY global final. Congratulations to Ben Gordon who was selected.

    In his words

    What was the highlight of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge for you?

    My highlight was working with a range of people from different countries and cultures around the world, each offering their own unique perspectives throughout the competition.

    What advice would you give to those planning to participate in the competition?

    There are so many opportunities to learn from EY leaders and guest speakers, so make the most out of the experience by actively participating in the sessions and be willing to ask questions.

    How did you find the support you received prior to participating in the global final?

    I had the chance to meet ‘one-on-one’ with various EY leaders who supported me throughout the global final, allowing me to build lasting relationships and expand my network within EY. 

  • 2020 winners

    In September 2020 Joshua Mok from the University of Sydney was named the Oceania winner of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge at a virtual awards ceremony.

    Congratulations to the following winners:

    • VIC: Anastasia Nikitaras, Monash University (3rd equal) and Janet Chhean, Monash University
    • QLD: Jahan Patel, University of Queensland (3rd equal) and Ellie Conroy, University of Queensland
    • NSW: Chloe Coorey, University of Sydney (2nd place)
    • WA: Ashley Yao, University of Western Australia
    • New Zealand: Sharon Xu, University of Auckland

    In his words

    "Coming in top 3 for this year's EY YTPY challenge has been a truly humbling experience. I have learnt so much from my peers and mentors and I will be cherishing these relationships for the years to come." – Joshua Mok, Oceania winner of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge 

    What was the highlight of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge for you?

    My highlight of the EY Tax Consulting Challenge was being connected with an EY professional while preparing for the competition. My calls with Sarah Stephenson were insightful and I was really able to get a better grasp of the tax industry and the challenges it was facing. After the competition, we also connected in person, meeting in the EY Sydney office for quick coffee catch-ups during my internship experience.

    Did participating in the EY Tax Consulting Challenge change your perception of Tax? How?

    The EY Tax Consulting Challenge opened up my mind on the international dimension of tax. Beyond tax compliance or tax controversy in a domestic realm, there is a whole new world relating to tax obligation of multinational companies and how conflicts of the taxing rights of two states would be resolved. As such, tax isn't necessarily geographically limiting, just look out for the right opportunities! 

    What advice would you give to those planning to participate in the competition?

    If you're planning to participate in the competition, I would recommend being proactive with your research! Read broadly and engage meaningfully with any readings, podcasts, or videos you come across on tax. To this extent, the competition is really a learning opportunity, and don't lose sight of this as you become immersed in the atmosphere of the competition! 

  • 2019 winners

    In May 2019, University of Auckland student, Joyeeta Bhakta, took out first prize at the EY Oceania Tax Consulting Challenge. Joyeeta then travelled to Amsterdam to represent Oceania at the 2019 EY Young Tax Professional and took out 3rd prize.

    Congratulations to the other EY Oceania Tax Consulting Challenge finalists:

    • ACT: Jeremy Soh - The Australian National University
    • NZ: Joyeeta Bhakta - The University of Auckland
    • NSW: Michael Luu - University of Sydney
    • NSW: Matthew Thrush - University of Sydney
    • QLD: Spandan Das - The University of Queensland
    • VIC: Jillian Chan - The University of Melbourne
    • WA: Lachlan Rogers Uff - The University of Western Australia

    In her words

    What was the highlight of the Tax Consulting Challenge for you?

    The biggest highlight has been the people. I was lucky enough to meet some of the team in EY Auckland and EY Melbourne. It was fantastic hearing from professionals at all levels - from graduate to partner and in between. It was particularly interesting hearing about the variety of backgrounds in tax, some taking very non-traditional paths towards tax. It was also great to see people genuinely excited for the work they do. Interacting with EY professionals in New Zealand and Australia has been a real treat - it is exciting to see such a fantastic and cohesive culture on both sides of the Tasman.

    Has participating in the competition changed your perception of Tax?
    If so, how?

    The Tax Consulting Challenge has completely changed my perception of Tax. I knew very little about careers in tax, and I had a very traditional perception of the profession. From the case study to the insightful conversations - I was blown away by how increasingly dynamic, intricate and inter-related the world of tax is. From trends in taxation to global trends such as digitalisation and big data - right now is a fascinating time and I am very thankful for how much I have learned.

    Would you encourage other students to enter the Tax Consulting Challenge?
    If so, why?

    I would wholeheartedly encourage other students to enter. University gives us a strong foundation on the basics, but some things you just cannot learn in class. Opportunities like the Tax Consulting Challenge provide invaluable insight into what the industry really looks like and where it is going. Best of all, you get to hear it from those who are driving the future!

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