You do not need a finance or computing degree, and you do not need a family connection to banking. We assess how you think, and we say below exactly how.
Three ways in
Different entry points for different starting positions. None of them is the lesser route, and people move between them.
| Route | For | Length | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate programme | Final-year students and recent graduates. | 24 months | A permanent role in one of the areas you rotated through. |
| Summer internship | Penultimate-year students. | 8 to 10 weeks | A graduate offer for strong performers. |
| Apprenticeship | School leavers and career changers, no degree required. | 18 to 36 months | A permanent role plus a recognised qualification. |
The apprenticeship is not a back door
Apprentices sit in the same teams doing the same work, with study time protected. Several of our strongest people came in this way.
What the two years look like
Months 1–2: foundations
How a bank actually works: payments, lending, risk, financial crime, and why the controls exist. Plus time on the support desk, which every new joiner does.
Months 3–8: first rotation
Embedded in a team doing real work with real accountability. You will not be shadowing.
Months 9–14: second rotation
A deliberately different area, so you see the institution from another angle.
Months 15–20: third rotation
Usually the area you are leaning towards, with a scoped project you own.
Months 21–24: landing
Placement into a permanent team, agreed between you and the areas that want you.
- A mentor from outside your rotation for the full two years.
- A buddy from the previous cohort, for the questions you would rather not ask a manager.
- Study support towards a relevant professional qualification, with time to study.
- The same salary review cycle as everyone else. Being on a programme does not park your pay.
What we actually assess
We do not screen on university, degree subject or grade classification. Here is what the stages measure instead.
- Reasoning
- Can you take an unfamiliar problem, break it down, and explain your thinking? Getting to the answer matters less than showing the route.
- Curiosity
- Have you looked into what we do? A candidate who read the help centre and has an opinion about it stands out immediately.
- Communication
- Can you explain something complicated to someone who does not share your background? Most banking work is this.
- Judgement under uncertainty
- A scenario exercise with no clean answer. We are watching how you weigh things and what you ask for.
- Integrity
- Working with other people’s money requires it. We ask about it directly rather than hoping.
Applying
Application
A short form and your CV. Two or three sentences on why this, not a page of adjectives.
Online exercise
Reasoning and situational judgement, around 45 minutes. Practice material is sent when you are invited.
Recorded interview
A few questions in your own time. You can re-record; we would rather see your considered answer.
Assessment day
A group exercise, an individual task and two conversations. Held in person where possible, and travel is reimbursed.
Offer
Within two weeks of the assessment day, with feedback either way.
The group exercise
We are not looking for whoever talks most. Bringing a quiet person into the discussion scores better than dominating it, and every year some candidates learn that too late.
Adjustments and access
- Tell us what adjustments you need at any stage. We make them without asking for evidence or an explanation.
- Extra time, alternative formats, a quiet room and interpreter support are all routine requests.
- Travel to an assessment day is reimbursed, and we say so up front so cost is not a barrier.
- If a caring responsibility or a health matter affects your availability, tell us and we will work around it.
Documents you may also need
Working Here
What the days actually look like: how teams are organised, how decisions get made, where people work from, and who tends to do well here.
CareersExperienced Hires
Joining us mid-career: which teams hire, what each interview stage actually assesses, how long it takes, and how offers are made.
CareersCandidate & Employee Privacy Notice
What personal data we collect when you apply or work here, why we hold it, how long we keep it, who sees it, and the rights you have over it.
This document was last updated on 1 August 2026. We publish the current version here at all times; superseded versions are available on request.
If anything on this page is unclear, write to us and we will explain it.