On average there are 52 job applications for every graduate position, an 11 per cent increase on last year, according to a new survey.
The High Fliers survey of 2012 graduates says many places have finished recruiting for the year, closing applications early.
Applications to the UK's leading employers have risen by a high 25 per cent since 2009.
The 11% rise in applications reflects the large numbers of graduates who failed to find employment after their degree in previous years.
The careers where competition for graduate jobs is toughest is banking and finance, where employers had at least 80 applicants per post.
However, some companies are increasing the number of graduates they recruit.
For example teacher-training organisation Teach First is taking on 1,000 graduates this year.
Managing director of High Fliers Research, Martin Birchall, says: ‘It's good news that Britain's best-known and most sought-after employers are defying the recession and have increased their graduate recruitment for the third year running.
'But university leavers from the 'class of 2012' are still facing considerable competition to land a good graduate job this summer.’
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Fierce competition for graduate jobs
By Natasha Wynarczyk - Wednesday 4 July 2012
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