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This guide covers Barclays early-careers recruitment assessment in the United Kingdom, including internship, graduate and apprenticeship pathways described on official Barclays Early Careers materials. It focuses on the application, initial interactive assessments and assessment-centre stages published on the Barclays Internship and Graduate Application Process page.
It is not multi-bank Spring Week recruitment, not a universal banking assessment process, not investment advice, and not official Barclays training material. Experienced-hire vacancies and some apprenticeship or technical routes may use different stages. Confirm every stage, deadline and eligibility rule in current Barclays guidance and your invitation.
The practice questions below are original educational exercises with a banking and UK workplace flavour. They are not official Barclays, SHL or JobTestPrep items, and they do not reproduce confidential live assessments.
Key Takeaways
- Barclays Early Careers selection is employer-specific. Graduate, internship, apprenticeship and division-specific routes can differ.
- Official Early Careers guidance commonly describes an application, then two short interactive assessments about workplace performance and preferred ways of working, then an assessment centre if successful.
- Assessment centres are described as virtual or in person, often with two or three stages including a motivational interview. Technical programmes may add a skills assessment.
- Commercial SHL-style numerical, verbal, logical or SJT themes are third-party practice inventory unless your invitation confirms them.
- There is no useful universal public pass mark or question count for every Barclays programme.
- Third-party practice is optional familiarisation only. It cannot guarantee assessment success, conversion or employment.
Quick facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | Barclays |
| Scope of this guide | Early Careers internship, graduate and apprenticeship pathways |
| Published Early Careers arc | Application, initial interactive assessments, assessment centre if successful |
| Assessment centre note (official) | Virtual or in person; often two or three stages including a motivational interview |
| Common third-party practice themes | Numerical, verbal, logical or situational judgement drills (not confirmed universal Barclays stages) |
| Related but distinct routes | Spring Week (multi-bank insight); Banking Summer Internship (multi-bank) |
Graduate, internship and apprenticeship routes
| Route | What this guide covers | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| Internship / graduate | Application, interactive assessments and assessment centre described on official Early Careers process pages | That every division uses identical exercises |
| Apprenticeship | May share early-careers themes, but invitations can differ | That internship stage lists apply unchanged |
| Technical or skills-gated programmes | Official materials note that more technical programmes may add a skills assessment | That every candidate sits a coding or modelling screen |
| Experienced hire | Out of Early Careers default framing unless your vacancy says otherwise | That this guide maps every Barclays vacancy |
What Barclays publishes about Early Careers hiring
Start on Barclays Careers and the Internship and Graduate Application Process page. Official guidance currently describes:
- Application - Complete the application form on the careers site.
- Initial assessments - Two short interactive assessments about how you might perform at work and your preferred ways of working, usable on phone or tablet where the platform allows.
- Assessment centre - If successful, a virtual or in-person centre with two or three stages, including a motivational interview with a leadership-team member. Assessors may explore strengths, behaviours or technical skills required for the role.
Where possible, assessments may sit on a digital experience platform that also shares hints, tips and practice tests. Barclays publicly states that third-party AI tools are not permitted during interviews, including transcription bots and meeting assistants, and that unauthorised use can stop the interview and withdraw the application. Reasonable adjustments are encouraged through the application process.
Treat SHL-style numerical, verbal, deductive or Verify-style ability lists from commercial sites as third-party practice inventory, not as a confirmed universal Barclays syllabus, unless your invitation names that format.
Eligibility and ethics boundaries
This guide does not give legal, immigration, investment or personal eligibility advice. Right-to-work, location and qualification rules are controlled by the programme page and invitation. Do not invent guarantees of conversion from internship to graduate hire. Keep assessment integrity: do not share live screens, use unauthorised assistance or ask someone else to complete an assessment.
How to prepare
- Read official Barclays Early Careers guidance for your programme first.
- Complete any official practice materials on the assessment platform when offered.
- Practise timed banking-flavoured numeracy and careful True / False / Cannot Say reading only as skills drills.
- For judgement items, prioritise integrity, customer outcomes, conduct and proportionate escalation.
- Answer work-style or personality-style items honestly.
- Use paid PrepPacks only as supplemental drills after official guidance.
Optional third-party Barclays practice
Some links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
If you want additional timed drills after reading official Barclays Early Careers guidance, independent UK Barclays assessment practice can help candidates practise comparable SHL-style numerical, logical and situational formats.
JobTestPrep UK is an independent third-party preparation provider. It is not Barclays or an official recruitment administrator. Commercial PrepPack contents are optional familiarisation. They are not official Barclays materials, do not reproduce live assessment items, and should not be assumed to cover every graduate, internship, apprenticeship or division stream. Check the current UK price and access period on the product page before purchase. Preparation cannot guarantee a pass, assessment-centre invitation or job offer.
Practice questions
Educational exercises only. Not official Barclays, SHL or JobTestPrep items.
Numerical reasoning (banking tables)
1. A retail branch records these monthly fee revenues:
| Product | Revenue |
|---|---|
| Current accounts | £45,000 |
| Savings products | £18,000 |
| Insurance referrals | £12,000 |
What percentage of the three-product total comes from current accounts?
A. 50% B. 55% C. 60% D. 65%
Correct answer: C
Total = £45,000 + £18,000 + £12,000 = £75,000. Share = 45,000 / 75,000 = 0.6 = 60%.
2. A corporate banking team reviews quarterly operating costs:
| Cost line | Q1 | Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| Premises | £120,000 | £132,000 |
| Technology | £80,000 | £76,000 |
| Training | £20,000 | £25,000 |
By how much did total costs rise from Q1 to Q2?
A. £11,000 B. £13,000 C. £15,000 D. £17,000
Correct answer: B
Q1 total = £120,000 + £80,000 + £20,000 = £220,000. Q2 total = £132,000 + £76,000 + £25,000 = £233,000. Rise = £13,000.
3. Mortgage enquiry volumes for four weeks are 210, 240, 225 and 265. What is the mean weekly volume?
A. 230 B. 235 C. 240 D. 245
Correct answer: B
Sum = 210 + 240 + 225 + 265 = 940. Mean = 940 / 4 = 235.
4. A fraud operations queue holds 360 cases. Team A closes cases in the ratio 5 : 4 with Team B. How many cases does Team A close if the whole queue is cleared in that ratio?
A. 160 B. 180 C. 200 D. 220
Correct answer: C
Parts = 5 + 4 = 9. One part = 360 / 9 = 40. Team A = 5 × 40 = 200.
5. Card interchange income rises from £2.5 million to £2.875 million. What is the percentage increase?
A. 12% B. 14% C. 15% D. 18%
Correct answer: C
Increase = £2.875m - £2.5m = £0.375m. Percentage = 0.375 / 2.5 = 0.15 = 15%.
6. An SME relationship manager compares three package prices:
| Package | Clients served | Total fee income |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 40 | £18,000 |
| Silver | 25 | £13,750 |
| Gold | 16 | £10,400 |
Which package has the highest fee income per client?
A. Bronze B. Silver C. Gold D. Bronze and Silver equal
Correct answer: C
Bronze: £18,000 / 40 = £450. Silver: £13,750 / 25 = £550. Gold: £10,400 / 16 = £650. Gold is highest.
7. A trainee processes 72 payments in 4.5 hours at a constant rate. How many payments would the trainee process in 6 hours at the same rate?
A. 90 B. 96 C. 102 D. 108
Correct answer: B
Rate = 72 / 4.5 = 16 payments per hour. In 6 hours: 16 × 6 = 96.
8. Branch cash holdings start the day at £84,000. Withdrawals total £31,500 and deposits total £22,750. What is the end-of-day holding before any vault transfer?
A. £74,250 B. £75,250 C. £76,250 D. £77,250
Correct answer: B
£84,000 - £31,500 + £22,750 = £75,250.
9. Overdraft interest charged across five customers averages £46. Four customers are charged £38, £41, £52 and £55. What is the fifth charge?
A. £42 B. £44 C. £46 D. £48
Correct answer: B
Total = 5 × £46 = £230. Sum of four = £38 + £41 + £52 + £55 = £186. Fifth = £230 - £186 = £44.
10. A green-finance grant of £90,000 is shared so Team Risk receives 30% and Team Coverage receives 45%. How much remains for Team Product?
A. £18,000 B. £22,500 C. £24,000 D. £27,000
Correct answer: B
Remaining share = 100% - 30% - 45% = 25%. Amount = 0.25 × £90,000 = £22,500.
11. Two regional desks report dispute volumes:
| Desk | Resolved | Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| North | 140 | 35 |
| South | 120 | 40 |
What is the North desk’s resolution rate (resolved as a percentage of resolved plus outstanding)?
A. 75% B. 78% C. 80% D. 85%
Correct answer: C
North total = 140 + 35 = 175. Rate = 140 / 175 = 0.8 = 80%.
12. A trade support invoice of £640 is settled early for a 5% discount. How much is paid after the discount?
A. £600 B. £608 C. £612 D. £620
Correct answer: B
Discount = 0.05 × £640 = £32. Amount paid = £640 - £32 = £608.
Verbal reasoning (True / False / Cannot Say)
For questions 13-20, choose True if the statement must follow from the passage, False if it contradicts the passage, or Cannot Say if the passage does not give enough information.
Passage A (questions 13-15)
Barclays Northbridge Branch policy states that identity must be verified before any cash withdrawal above £1,000. Staff may accept a passport or photocard driving licence. If the customer cannot produce acceptable photo ID, the withdrawal must be declined and the customer offered an appointment to return with documents. Escalation to the branch manager is required if the customer becomes verbally abusive.
13. Staff may process a £1,200 cash withdrawal without seeing photo ID if the customer is well known to the branch.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: B
The policy requires identity verification before withdrawals above £1,000 and does not carve out an exception for familiar customers.
14. A passport is an acceptable form of photo ID for a large cash withdrawal under this policy.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: A
The passage states that staff may accept a passport or photocard driving licence.
15. The branch manager must approve every cash withdrawal above £1,000.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: C
Escalation is mentioned only when a customer becomes verbally abusive. The passage does not say manager approval is needed for every large withdrawal.
Passage B (questions 16-18)
A UK ring-fencing training note says that retail deposits of ordinary personal customers are booked in the ring-fenced bank. Wholesale investment-banking activities for institutional clients sit outside the ring fence. Colleagues must not give investment advice unless they hold the required permissions. The note does not list every permitted product.
16. Retail deposits of ordinary personal customers are booked in the ring-fenced bank according to the note.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: A
This is stated directly in the first sentence of the passage.
17. Colleagues without the required permissions may still give investment advice if a client asks during a branch visit.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: B
The passage states that colleagues must not give investment advice unless they hold the required permissions.
18. Equity derivatives for institutional clients are outside the ring fence.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: C
Wholesale investment-banking activities for institutional clients sit outside the ring fence, but the passage does not specifically mention equity derivatives.
Passage C (questions 19-20)
Complaints policy excerpt: Acknowledge a written customer complaint within 2 working days. Aim to issue a final response within 8 weeks. If a full investigation will take longer, send a holding update explaining the delay. Record every complaint on the central register the same day it is received.
19. Every written complaint must receive a final response within 2 working days.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: B
Two working days is the acknowledgement timescale. The final-response aim is within 8 weeks.
20. Complaints received by telephone fall under a different acknowledgement rule.
A. True B. False C. Cannot Say
Correct answer: C
The excerpt addresses written complaints and same-day registration of every complaint, but it does not state a separate telephone acknowledgement rule.
Deductive and logical reasoning
21. Rule: If a payment is flagged high risk, it must be reviewed by Compliance before release. Payment 4481 was released without a Compliance review. Which conclusion follows?
A. Payment 4481 was not flagged high risk. B. Payment 4481 was flagged high risk. C. Compliance reviewed Payment 4481 after release. D. The rule does not apply to Payment 4481.
Correct answer: A
If the rule was followed, release without a Compliance review means the payment was not flagged high risk.
22. All Relationship Directors completed conduct training. Sam is a Relationship Director. Which conclusion must be true?
A. Sam completed conduct training. B. Only Relationship Directors completed conduct training. C. Sam completed the training before anyone else. D. Sam manages retail branches.
Correct answer: A
A statement that applies to all members of a group applies to each individual in that group.
23. Constraints for a rota: Priya works Monday or Tuesday, but not both. If Omar works Tuesday, Priya works Monday. Omar works Tuesday. When does Priya work?
A. Monday only B. Tuesday only C. Both days D. Neither day
Correct answer: A
Omar on Tuesday forces Priya onto Monday. Priya cannot work both days, so she works Monday only.
24. In a sequence of authorisation codes, each term is the previous term plus 7. The third term is 41. What is the sixth term?
A. 55 B. 59 C. 62 D. 69
Correct answer: C
From term 3 to term 6 is three steps of +7: 41 + 21 = 62.
25. Premises: No unverified vendor can receive payment. Vendor Q received payment. Which conclusion follows?
A. Vendor Q is verified. B. Vendor Q is unverified. C. Vendor Q is a preferred supplier. D. Vendor Q was paid late.
Correct answer: A
If unverified vendors cannot be paid, a paid vendor must be verified.
26. Four analysts - Lea, Mo, Nina and Owen - sit in a row of four desks. Owen sits at the far right. Mo sits immediately left of Nina. Lea is not at either end. Who sits immediately left of Owen?
A. Lea B. Mo C. Nina D. Cannot be determined
Correct answer: A
Owen is in position 4. The Mo-Nina block can occupy positions 1-2 or 2-3. Lea cannot sit at an end, so she cannot sit in position 1. That eliminates Mo-Nina in positions 2-3 (which would force Lea into position 1). The only valid order is Mo, Nina, Lea, Owen. Immediately left of Owen is Lea.
Situational judgement (Most / Least effective)
Educational scenarios only. Choose the Most effective and Least effective response. Preferred answers favour integrity, customer service, risk and fair conduct. They do not claim to mirror Barclays’ live scoring keys.
27. A customer asks you to backdate a fee refund “off the system” so it appears in last month’s statement for a tax form. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Quietly edit the system note if the amount is small. B. Explain that refunds must follow recorded processes and offer a correct refund route. C. Promise the backdate to keep the customer happy, then decide later. D. Tell the customer that everyone does this in busy weeks.
Most effective: B Least effective: A
B protects conduct and still helps the customer through a legitimate route. A asks you to falsify records, which is the poorest choice for integrity and risk.
28. You notice a colleague processing their family member’s loan application without dual control. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Ignore it because family discounts are common in retail. B. Joke about it in the team chat. C. Raise the conflict-of-interest concern through the proper internal channel promptly. D. Confront the colleague loudly on the banking floor.
Most effective: C Least effective: A
C addresses conduct risk through the right channel. A leaves a clear control issue unchallenged.
29. During a group case exercise, one teammate dominates and dismisses quieter members’ credit-risk points. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Interrupt aggressively and take over the presentation. B. Stay silent to avoid conflict even if a key risk is missed. C. Invite the quieter members to share the missed risk points and summarise them into the group answer. D. Side with the loudest person so the group looks united.
Most effective: C Least effective: B
C improves team quality and risk coverage. B sacrifices accuracy to avoid discomfort.
30. A vulnerable customer appears confused about a complex product you are not authorised to advise on. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Give informal advice anyway so they leave quickly. B. Pause the sale, check vulnerability guidance, and escalate or book an appropriately authorised colleague. C. Push the product because today’s target is behind. D. Ask them to decide immediately before the offer expires.
Most effective: B Least effective: C
B prioritises customer outcomes and permissions. C puts sales pressure above suitability and care.
31. You are under time pressure and realise you submitted yesterday’s liquidity figure with a clear arithmetic error. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Leave it and hope nobody notices. B. Correct the figure, notify the relevant stakeholders, and document the correction. C. Change only your personal working copy and leave the shared pack uncorrected. D. Blame a colleague in the distribution email.
Most effective: B Least effective: A
B fixes the risk openly. A hides a known error that could affect decisions.
32. A friend asks you to look up a non-public account balance for someone else “just this once”. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Explain that you cannot access or share account information without proper authority and refuse. B. Share the balance but ask them not to tell anyone. C. Hint at the approximate balance without confirming the exact figure. D. Access the account out of curiosity first, then decide.
Most effective: A Least effective: B
A protects confidentiality. B is a clear data and conduct breach.
33. In a motivational interview, you are asked about a time you challenged poor practice. Your strongest real example is minor. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Invent a dramatic whistleblowing story. B. Use the true example, explain your actions clearly, and show what you learned. C. Say you never challenge anyone because you are a team player. D. Claim you led a bank-wide remediation with no detail.
Most effective: B Least effective: A
B is honest and evidence-based. A invents experience and creates integrity risk.
34. Two equally valid process options remain in a case study pack, but you personally prefer one. What is Most / Least effective?
A. Present only your preferred option and hide the alternative. B. State both options, note trade-offs with evidence from the pack, and recommend one with reasons. C. Refuse to choose so nobody can criticise you. D. Attack the other option without using the data provided.
Most effective: B Least effective: A
B shows analysis and transparency. A withholds material options assessors expect you to weigh.
Official resources
- Barclays Careers
- Barclays Early Careers
- Barclays Internship and Graduate Application Process
- Barclays Careers FAQs
Related guides
- UK Assessment Tests
- Spring Week Assessment
- Banking Summer Internship
- SHL Assessment Test
- Situational Judgment Test
FAQ
Does every Barclays role use the same online tests?
No. Live campaigns control the provider mix and stages. Official Early Careers materials currently emphasise interactive assessments plus a later assessment centre. Commercial SHL-style lists are orientation only unless your invitation confirms them.
What does the Barclays assessment centre involve?
Official Early Careers guidance describes a virtual or in-person centre with two or three stages, including a motivational interview. Prepare from your invitation rather than from a single generic checklist.
Are third-party AI tools allowed in Barclays interviews?
Barclays publicly states that third-party AI tools are not permitted during interviews, including transcription bots and meeting assistants. Unauthorised use can stop the interview and withdraw the application.
Should I treat Spring Week or Summer Internship guides as Barclays process maps?
No. Those guides cover multi-bank insight and internship themes. Use them for contrast, then return to Barclays invitations for Barclays stages.
Are there official public pass marks?
No useful universal figures for every Barclays programme. Do not treat forum cut scores as authoritative.
Next steps
Confirm your programme page, complete any official practice, then use optional third-party drills only if you still want more timed practice.