By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
Graduate Engineer Programme · Cambridge and other UK offices · 2027 intake
Not open yet · checked 18 October 2026Open · checked 18 October 2026This year’s ads have closed
Short answer: Applications are not open yet. Arm had no UK graduate ad when we checked on 18 October 2026. Its FAQ gives October 2026 as the UK opening month for interns and graduates.Applications are open. Arm had a UK graduate ad when we checked on 18 October 2026. Apply in the first days.This year’s UK graduate ads have closed. Arm’s UK page says roles open each autumn. Last cycle’s ads ran for 16 days, from 31 October to 16 November 2025. Arm reviewed them first come, first served. Register your interest now.Find the ad on Arm’s graduate job search.Register your interest for next year. Then expect a HireVue or phone interview, follow-up interviews and an offer.
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with Arm.
Arm’s UK graduate programme offers “Two-year programmes starting each September, with roles available in both software and hardware engineering”. Cambridge is “where Arm began”, and the UK teams also work in Manchester, Sheffield and Bristol.
This playbook gets you ready before the window opens, then takestakes you through each of Arm’s stages. For nearly 10 years, we’ve helped more than 5,000 professionals get hired. Want to know if your CV will pass screening in the UK? Check your CV for free: a score in 30 seconds, then a fix for each problem.
01/10
Your route to an offer
Applications are not open yet. Arm had no UK graduate ad on 18 October 2026.Applications are open. Arm had a UK graduate ad on 18 October 2026.This year’s UK graduate ads have closed. Use this page to prepare for next year.
Arm’s Emerging Talent FAQ, checked 18 October 2026, gives October 2026 as the UK opening month for interns and graduates. Its UK early careers page says roles “open in autumn (September/October) each year”.
Last cycle’s window: the 2026 intake, from Arm’s own ads
5 Sep 2025
Register-interest ad posted: “We will contact you when recruitment begins in October 2025.”
31 Oct 2025
Software and hardware graduate ads posted
16 Nov 2025
Both ads closed, 16 days later
2027 intake
Not open when we checked on 18 October 2026Open when we checked on 18 October 2026This year’s ads have closed
Dates from Arm’s software and hardware ads for the 2026 intake, saved by the Wayback Machine. The software ad said “we review them on a first come/first served basis”.
Do this now
Register your interest on Arm’s UK page. Arm says it will “notify you when the roles are open for applications”.Apply on Arm’s graduate job search. Last cycle, Arm reviewed applications first come, first served.Register your interest for next year. Arm says it will “notify you when the roles are open for applications”.
Be ready to apply in the first days.Apply in the first days. Last cycle’s ads closed after 16 days.
Register on Arm’s UK early careers page. Every careers.arm.com page also has a free “Get Job Alerts” form.
Get ready now
Six things to finish before the ads go up. Each comes from Arm’s own pages.
A two-page CV
Arm says “Keep it concise, ideally no more than two pages”. “Your academic and personal projects count as experience.”
One discipline
You may apply to several roles, but Arm asks you to “align with one core discipline”.
Your core tools
Arm’s UK page names Python, C++, Verilog or RTL for hardware, Linux, and Git.
Two projects you can explain
An Arm intern’s tip: “Be ready to talk in depth about your own projects whether they were successes or not.”
The 10x Mindset
Last cycle’s ads asked you to “reflect 10x in your work”. Read Arm’s two-line summary.
A recorded practice answer
The first interview is usually on HireVue. Record yourself once on your phone and watch it back.
Pick your stage and tick each step when done. Stages are from Arm’s pages, checked 18 October 2026. Prep times are ours.
1. Get ready and apply: not open on 18 October 2026open nowclosed this year
A CV and an online form, reviewed on a rolling basis. Prep 1 to 2 weeks, before the window opens.
2. HireVue or phone: 7 days to finish
A first interview on your motivations, interests and core technical skills. Prep 3 to 5 days.
3. Follow-up interviews: managers and teammates
Technical topics, problem solving and team fit. Prep about 1 week.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The programme at a glance
Two years, software or hardware, in one of four UK offices. Arm does not publish a salary figure on its current pages.
Oct 2026
UK opening month, per Arm’s FAQ
2 years
Starting each September
4 offices
Cambridge and 3 other UK cities
Any level
Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD
Competitive
Salary, reviewed twice a year
16 days
Last cycle’s window, autumn 2025
Where these facts come from
- Programme. “Our Graduate Program spans two years”. Graduates join “as permanent team members from the beginning” (FAQ).
- Offices. “Can I apply to multiple locations in the UK? Yes, you can” (UK page). Last cycle’s software and hardware ads listed Cambridge, Manchester and Sheffield.
- Entry. “You must hold, or be on track to complete, a degree by the start of your program.” Arm states no degree class (graduates page).
- Pay. “Start with a competitive salary”, and “compensation is reviewed twice a year”. One off-cycle Cambridge graduate ad in June 2026 gave “a starting salary of £47,000 (Bachelor level) or £48,000 (Master level)” (June 2026 ad, Wayback). Compare salaries in the UK.
03/10
What Arm looks for
Arm’s graduates page says what each interview looks for. Have one example ready for each line.
You “move at pace”
Show it by: a project you finished to a tight deadline.
You “challenge skilfully”
Show it by: a time you questioned a design and gave a better option.
You “take ownership”
Show it by: a fix or feature you saw through to the end.
You “navigate ambiguity”
Show it by: a problem with no clear brief, and how you framed it.
You “build connections”
Show it by: a team project where you helped others do their best work.
You “keep pushing boundaries”
Show it by: something you taught yourself beyond your course.
The first four come from Arm’s first-interview line on its graduates page. The last two come from its final-interview line. Arm’s 10x Mindset sums it up as “High Challenge. High Support.” and “One Arm. One Vision.”
The tools Arm names, by role
- Python. “Used across software, ML, tooling, and automation roles”.
- C++. “Key for hardware/software interface, embedded systems, and modelling”.
- Verilog or RTL. “Important for hardware design and verification roles”.
- Linux and Git. Linux is “Essential for systems-level work”.
Tools from Arm’s UK early careers page, checked 18 October 2026.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Applications are not open yet. Arm’s FAQ gives October 2026 for UK graduate roles.Applications are open. Arm had a UK graduate ad when we checked on 18 October 2026.This year’s UK graduate ads have closed. Arm’s UK page says roles open each autumn.
When the ads go up, apply in the first days.Apply in the first days. Last cycle’s software ad said “We encourage early applications as we review them on a first come/first served basis.”
1
Register interest
On Arm’s UK page, now
2
Pick a discipline
Software or hardware
3
Apply online
Your CV, through Arm’s portal
4
Review
By real people, on a rolling basis
Deadlines, review and the rules on applying
- Deadline. “Certain roles may have specific deadlines. Please refer to the bottom of the job description for precise details” (FAQ).
- Rolling review. “applications are reviewed on a rolling basis” (UK page). Last cycle’s software ad aimed to review each one “no later than two weeks after received”.
- Several roles. “you may apply to multiple positions”, but “align with one core discipline”. At interview “you will be expected to articulate your interest in the particular role, opportunity, and discipline.”
- Groups. In last cycle’s ads you could pick a group, such as Central Engineering, or “opt-in” to all of them.
- Re-apply. “Yes, you are welcome to re-apply.” Deferral requests “are considered on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed.”
Your CV: do and don’t
Do
“Wrote a C++ cache simulator for my dissertation and cut test runtime by 40%”
Name the tool, the project and the result. Arm says projects “count as experience”.
Don’t
“Familiar with many programming languages”
A list with no project behind it. Arm asks you to “show us by explaining it”.
Arm’s CV tips ask for two pages at most, tailored to the role. Our CV achievement examples show how to turn a task into a result. Getting ready to apply for jobs in the UK? Check your CV for free: see it the way a recruiter does, then fix each problem.
Save Arm and over 2,000 other UK schemes to one free calendar. See what closes next and what you have applied to.
Track my schemes freeFree account, no card.
Missed the window, or not selected? Your options
- Still a student? Arm’s UK internships are for students “returning to your course”. The Engineering Pathways internship offers “3, 6 and 12-month opportunities”. Its ad says applications close on 31 October 2026.That ad has closed. Its deadline was set for 31 October 2026.
- Intern to graduate. That ad offers “the opportunity to be considered for future Graduate positions (subject to performance)”. Arm’s internships do not offer visa sponsorship.
- Off-cycle roles. Arm posted a single Cambridge graduate role in June 2026. So check the graduate job search through the year.
- Re-apply. Arm’s FAQ says “Yes, you are welcome to re-apply.” Its UK page says roles open each autumn.
05/10Stage 2 · First interview
The HireVue interview
Stage 2 is a HireVue video interview or a phone call. Arm says it covers “your motivations, interests and core technical skills”.
7 days
To finish, at a time that suits you
About 1 hour
To set aside, though it may be shorter
Any number
Of re-attempts on a video answer
From Digital interviews at Arm: “you’ll be asked some questions by our hiring team and either record a response using your webcam or type an answer”. “If you’re not happy with your answer to a video question, you can re-attempt it as many times as you like.” “All applications are reviewed by real people.”
Step through the HireVue
HireVue video interview: 7 days to finish
Welcome and device check
Read how many questions there are, how long it takes and the due date, then let the page check your camera and microphone. Employers set their own version, so yours may differ.
Practise first
Answer a practice question in Practice Mode, then watch it back to check you can be seen and heard before you start the real interview.
Read the question while prep time runs
Read the question while the prep timer runs down, and click Start Recording when you are ready or wait for the timer to end.
Record your answer
After a 3-second countdown your answer records while the response timer runs, and you click Done Answering to finish early.
The end
When you finish you see Interview Received, and if you were cut off you can resume from your last unanswered question.
Your moves
- Use the practice question to check light, sound and framing.
- Use the prep time Arm gives to pick one example, not to write a script.
- Re-record a video answer if you stumble. Arm allows it.
Our own simplified drawings of the video screens, not screenshots. Timers and retry counts on them are examples, not Arm’s settings. Arm lets you re-attempt a video answer as many times as you like.
Typed answers, the technical assessment and Arm’s tips
- Typed answers. Some questions may ask you to type instead of record. Our drawings do not show these.
- Technical assessment. “Depending on the role you apply for, we may also ask you to complete a short technical assessment.” Arm names no format or platform.
- Prep time. “You’ll be given a good amount of time to prepare your answer after each question”.
- Show, don’t tell. “don’t tell us you know something, but rather show us by explaining it”.
The rules: what you can use
Allowed
- Pen and paper
- The practice question
- Re-recording a video answer
- AI to prepare, in intern ads
Not allowed
- AI to complete assessment tasks
- Answers that are not your own thinking
Pen and paper and re-records are from Arm’s digital interviews page. The AI lines are from Arm’s 2026-27 UK intern ads: “you may not use AI to complete assigned tasks as part of any assessments.” Arm has not yet published this for graduate ads.
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 18 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From the employer
- Digital interviews at ArmArm careers · checked 18 Oct 2026 · no account neededArm’s own guide to this stage: seven days, a practice question and re-records on video answers.Free
From HireVue
- Get set up for HireVueHireVue candidate FAQ · updated Jul 2025 · no account neededCheck your device, browser and connection first.Free
Read and practise
- Video interview tipsProspects · June 2025 · no account neededA UK graduate careers guide to recorded interviews: light, framing and timing.Free
- HDLBits Verilog practiceFree practice site · no account needed to readFor hardware applicants. Small circuit exercises, checked by simulation. Arm lists Verilog and RTL for hardware roles.Free
Skip paid “Arm HireVue” question packs. Arm publishes its own guide and a practice question, and packs can only guess at Arm’s questions.
Next: turn your projects into clear spoken answers with our guide on how to pass a job interview.
06/10Stage 3 · Follow-up interviews
Follow-up interviews
Stage 3 is “More in-depth conversations with hiring managers and potential teammates”. They cover “technical topics, problem-solving approaches and team fit”.
Arm’s hiring process page says these rounds “potentially delve deeper into technical elements relevant to the role”. You also meet “others who started where you did”. Arm does not publish the number of rounds, their length or whether they are on site.
How to answer: think aloud, then show
A technical question
An Arm intern’s tip on Arm’s UK page: “practice vocalising your thought process and how you’d approach a new problem.”
Clarify
Repeat the problem and ask one question.
Think aloud
Say each option before you pick one.
Work it
Sketch the approach on paper, step by step.
Check
Test it on a simple case and name a limit.
A team-fit question
Use STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Arm wants to see “how you build connections” and “contribute to extraordinary teams”.
Situation
The project, the team and the stakes.
Task
What was yours to do.
Action
What you did, not the team.
Result
What changed, and what you learned.
Follow-ups to rehearse
Why did you choose that approach?What would you change now?What went wrong?Why this discipline?
The same intern adds: “They’re there to support you, not catch you out.” See also the toughest interview questions.
Practise: questions built from Arm’s words
Motivation questions
Arm publishes no interview questions. We turned its own words into practice questions.
Why Arm
Why do you want to join Arm’s graduate programme?
What they’re testing: your “motivations, interests”, as Arm’s FAQ puts it.
Show a strong answer
- One specific reason from Arm’s work, in your own words.
- One thing you have done that links to it.
- What you want to learn in two years.
Why this role
Why this role, and why software (or hardware)?
What they’re testing: that you can “articulate your interest in the particular role, opportunity, and discipline”.
Show a strong answer
- Name the discipline and the moment you chose it.
- Link one course module or project to the role.
- Keep it to one discipline, as Arm asks.
Which group
Which part of Arm would you most like to work in?
What they’re testing: your interests. Last cycle’s ads let you pick a group, such as Central Engineering, or opt in to all.
Show a strong answer
- Name one group from the ad and what it does.
- Say why your skills fit it.
- Say you are open to others, if you opted in to all.
The real you
Tell us about yourself.
What they’re testing: Arm’s recruiters say “it’s really important that we see the real authentic you”.
Show a strong answer
- Your degree and one technical interest, in one line.
- One project or job that shows it.
- Why that leads you to Arm now.
Project questions
Each question comes from Arm’s pages or its intern’s tips. The wording is ours.
A project
Walk us through a project you are proud of.
What they’re testing: whether you can “talk in depth about your own projects”.
Show a strong answer
- The goal and your part in one line.
- One hard technical choice, and why you made it.
- The result, with a number if you have one.
A failure
Tell us about a project that did not work.
What they’re testing: the intern’s tip covers projects “whether they were successes or not”.
Show a strong answer
- What you expected and what happened.
- How you found the cause.
- What you do differently now.
A new problem
How would you approach a problem you have never seen?
What they’re testing: “how you think, and how you approach problem-solving”.
Show a strong answer
- Clarify the goal and the limits.
- Think aloud through two options.
- Pick one, test it and say what you would check next.
Your tools
Which tools and languages have you used, and what did you build?
What they’re testing: your “core technical skills”. Arm’s UK page names Python, C++, Verilog, Linux and Git.
Show a strong answer
- Two tools you know well, not a long list.
- One thing you built with each.
- Explain one detail, so you show rather than tell.
10x and team questions
Each question comes from a trait on Arm’s graduates page. The wording is ours.
Ownership
Tell us about a time you took charge of something with no clear brief.
What they’re testing: “how you take ownership and navigate ambiguity to get results”.
Show a strong answer
- What was unclear at the start.
- How you framed the problem and chose a first step.
- The result, and who used it.
Challenge
Tell us about a time you disagreed with a plan.
What they’re testing: whether you “challenge skilfully”. Arm’s culture line is “High Challenge. High Support.”
Show a strong answer
- The plan and your concern, with evidence.
- How you raised it with respect.
- What the team decided, and your part after.
Pace
Tell us about a time you had to deliver fast.
What they’re testing: whether you “move at pace” while keeping quality.
Show a strong answer
- The deadline and why it mattered.
- What you cut, and what you kept.
- The result, on time or not.
Teamwork
Tell us about a team project where you helped others succeed.
What they’re testing: how you “build connections, contribute to extraordinary teams”.
Show a strong answer
- The team and the goal.
- One thing you did for someone else.
- How it changed the result.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two stories for each line Arm names, plus two projects.
| Theme | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Moving at pace | ||
| Challenging skilfully | ||
| Ownership and ambiguity | ||
| Building connections | ||
| A project that worked | ||
| A project that did not |
Go further: the best outside help
Our own picks, checked on 18 October 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.
From the employer
- Arm’s hiring processArm careers · checked 18 Oct 2026 · no account neededArm’s own steps, from the first round to meeting the team and people who joined as graduates.Free
- The 10x MindsetArm careers · checked 18 Oct 2026 · no account neededArm’s culture in two lines. The final round looks at how you work together as “One Arm”.Free
- Arm Learning PathsArm Developer Hub · no account needed to readHands-on Arm tutorials. Finish one and you have a fresh project to explain in your technical interview.Free
- Hiring tips from Arm’s Emerging Talent TeamArm on YouTube · Mar 2026 · 1 minArm’s recruiters on what they want to see: the real you, relaxed and comfortable.Free
Read
- CV tips for graduate applicationsArm careers · checked 18 Oct 2026 · no account neededInterviewers ask about your CV. Arm’s own advice: two pages, tailored, with your projects.Free
- The STAR methodNational Careers Service · no account neededA UK government guide to STAR answers, for the team-fit questions.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Offer
Your offer and first year
After the follow-ups comes “a formal offer outlining your role, compensation and benefits”. Your recruiter guides you through each stage.
The last meeting
“You’ll meet potential teammates and leaders who work together to deliver as One Arm.”
The offer
“a formal offer outlining your role, compensation and benefits.”
The contract
“During peak periods, it may take up to 48 hours for your contract to be sent following verbal acceptance.”
Background check
Arm’s FAQ names “the HireRight portal” for this step.
Your first year
A tailored induction and “an exciting 3-day event held in the UK”, the Graduate conference. Pay is “reviewed twice a year”.
From Arm’s FAQ and graduates page, 18 October 2026. Last cycle’s software ad added mid-year and year-end reviews and “Grad-teach-Grads”.
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Arm says it can sponsor graduates who meet the visa rules. Its internships do not offer sponsorship.
Arm’s FAQ, checked 18 October 2026: “If you don’t currently hold the right to work in the UK, Arm is authorised to sponsor individuals.” The 2026 intake ads said: “If we make you an offer and you do not have the right to work in the UK, we will sponsor you, provided that you meet the criteria for the UK Skilled Worker Visa.” The intern ads say “we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.”
Our reading: Arm says it can sponsor graduates. Confirm it for your role when the ads open.Confirm it for your role in the ad.Confirm it for your role in next year’s ads. For reference, a Graduate visa lasts “2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026” and “18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027” (GOV.UK).
Need sponsorship? See our guides to UK companies that sponsor visas and staying in the UK after studying. This is general information, so check GOV.UK.
09/10
Key takeaways
Before the window opensKey points
- Arm’s FAQ gives October 2026 for UK graduate applications, so register your interest now.UK graduate applications are open, so apply in the first days.This year’s UK graduate ads have closed, so register your interest for next year.
- Last cycle’s ads were open for 16 days, from 31 October to 16 November 2025.
- Arm reviewed last cycle’s applications first come, first served, so apply in the first days.
- Choose one discipline, software or hardware, and keep your CV to two pages.
- The first interview is HireVue or a phone call, with seven days and re-attempts on video answers.
- The follow-up interviews go deep on your projects, so practise thinking aloud.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save Arm once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
When do Arm UK graduate applications open?
Arm’s FAQ gives October 2026 as the UK opening month for interns and graduates. Arm had no UK graduate ad open when we checked on 18 October 2026.Arm had a UK graduate ad open when we checked on 18 October 2026.This year’s UK graduate ads have closed. Last cycle’s ads went live on 31 October 2025.
How long are Arm graduate applications open?
Last cycle’s software and hardware ads closed on 16 November 2025, 16 days after they went up. Arm reviewed them on a first come, first served basis, so apply in the first days.
How long is the Arm graduate programme, and where is it?
It is a two-year programme starting each September, in software or hardware engineering. Arm’s UK teams are in Cambridge, Manchester, Sheffield and Bristol, and you can apply to more than one UK location.
How much does the Arm graduate programme pay?
Arm’s current pages say you start with a competitive salary, and pay is reviewed twice a year. One off-cycle Cambridge graduate ad in June 2026 gave £47,000 at Bachelor level or £48,000 at Master level.
What is the Arm HireVue interview?
It is the first interview, unless you get a phone call instead. You have seven days to finish it and can record or type answers. Arm says you can re-attempt a video answer as many times as you like. Some roles add a short technical assessment.
Does Arm sponsor visas for graduates?
Arm’s FAQ says it is authorised to sponsor individuals who meet the visa rules. Its 2026 intake ads offered Skilled Worker sponsorship to graduates. Its internships do not offer sponsorship. Confirm it for your role when the ads open.Confirm it for your role in the ad.Confirm it for your role in next year’s ads.
How do I get ready for Arm graduate applications?
Register your interest on Arm’s UK early careers page so it can tell you when roles open. Then cut your CV to two pages, choose software or hardware, and practise explaining your projects out loud.Cut your CV to two pages and choose software or hardware. Then apply in the first days on Arm’s graduate job search, and practise explaining your projects out loud.
