Google Software Engineer (London): Early Careers Routes

Software engineer · early careers and internships · London

No UK graduate scheme · checked 19 October 2026Missed a deadline? Your options

Short answer: Google runs no UK graduate software engineer scheme. On 19 October 2026, no London early-career software engineer ad was live. Google gives no next date. Students can apply for London 2027 internships, each with its own deadline. Graduates should watch Google’s job search at level Early for London. Expect the Google Hiring Assessment, a coding exercise if the role needs one, recruiter calls and an interview panel.

Where are you now?

1Getting ready 2Tests and coding 3Interviews 4Decision

Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with Google.

Google hires early-career software engineers in London through normal job ads, not a graduate scheme. Students have a separate route: Google’s London summer internships.

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

Google runs no UK graduate software engineer scheme. On 19 October 2026, no London early-career software engineer ad was live. Google gives no next date.

Google’s How we hire FAQ says a deadline, if a role has one, is “included in the job description”. Most roles take applications “on a rolling basis until the role has been filled”.

Do this now

Graduates: watch Google’s job search. Filter by London and the Early experience level. Job alerts need a free Google account.

Students: check the internship deadlines. Each London 2027 internship has its own.

Pick your three. Google lets you apply for “up to three jobs every 30 days”.

Search Google’s London Early roles and London internships. We did not sign in to check either.

Get ready now

Six things to finish before you apply. Each is from Google’s pages.

A one-page CV

Google’s student guide says “Aim for one page”. Recent graduates should “include school-related projects or coursework”.

Results in Google’s formula

“accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]”. Rewrite each CV line this way.

Your transcript in English

Intern ads ask for “a current unofficial or official transcript in English”. “PDFs preferred”.

Dates on your CV

Intern ads ask for your “expected graduation date (month and year), and availability for the internship”.

Code in a plain document

Google suggests you “practice coding on a whiteboard, in Google Docs, or over the phone”.

10 to 20 practice questions

“Write down 10-20 questions you think you’ll get and practice possible answers for each one.”

02/10

The routes at a glance

Your route depends on where you are now. Each one starts with a normal Google job ad.

None

UK graduate software scheme

London 2027 engineering internships

13 weeks

Minimum internship, summer 2027

3 in 30

Applications per 30 days

6-8 weeks

Typical process, says Google

Not shown

Pay in the London ads

Still a student: London 2027 internships

Each London engineering internship for summer 2027 has its own deadline. Latest first:

Internship	Who can apply	Google’s deadline
Software Engineering PhD Intern, 2027	PhD students in their penultimate or final year	Apply before 14 December 2026
Product Deployment Engineer BS/MS Intern 2027	Bachelor’s or Master’s students in a technical or quantitative field	Apply before 20 November 2026
Forward Deployed Engineering Intern, BS/MS, 2027	“Bachelor’s or Master’s”, say its minimum qualifications. Check the ad’s text, which also mentions a Master’s.	Apply before 13 November 2026
Software Engineering, Site Reliability Engineering BS/MS Intern, 2027	Bachelor’s or Master’s students in their penultimate or final year	Apply before 23 October 2026

From each ad, read on 19 October 2026. All four are for students in the EMEA region. Each asks for “a minimum of 13 weeks over the Summer 2027”.

Already graduated: Google’s Early job ads

Watch Google’s job search at the Early level for London. Google posts no graduate cohort or intake date for London.

Set the filters. Location London, UK. Experience level Early. Use Google’s job search.
Turn on job alerts. They need a free Google account.
Last cycle, for reference. Google posted one London “Software Engineer, Early Career, Campus” ad in 2025. The Wayback Machine saved it on 10 May and 9 July 2025. It gave no deadline.

Apprenticeship: not for graduates

Not for graduates. Google’s UK Software Engineering Apprenticeship is a 24-month Level 4 programme with Makers.

Whichever route you take, Google lets you apply for “up to three jobs every 30 days”. It recommends “narrowing your choices down to a few jobs that truly match your skills, experience, and interests”.

Three ways into software engineering at Google in the UK. If you are still a student, apply for Google's summer internships in London; each ad has its own deadline. If you have already graduated, watch for normal job ads at level Early, which Google posts when a team has a role. The third route is a 24-month UK software apprenticeship with Makers, which is not for graduates. Whichever route you take, Google lets you apply for up to three jobs every 30 days. — Google’s three routes, by where you are now. Google runs no UK graduate scheme. (click to enlarge)

Where these facts come from

The search. Google’s London search at the Early level, read on 19 October 2026, showed no software engineer role. Searches for “new grad” and “graduate” in London returned none.
Deadlines. Google’s How we hire FAQ: “If a role has an application deadline, it will be included in the job description”.
Last cycle. The 2025 London ad, saved by the Wayback Machine. Google’s live link now shows “Job not found.”

03/10

What Google looks for

Google asks for coding in a common language and a grip on data structures. These are its own lines, from a 2027 intern ad and last cycle’s graduate ad.

A computer science degree, or equal

The 2025 London ad: “Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.”

One common language

The 2025 ad named “C, C++, Java, JavaScript, or Python”, “including but not limited to”.

Data structures or algorithms

The 2027 intern ad: experience with them “during coursework/projects, research, internships or practical experience”.

Preferred extras

The 2025 ad preferred “Unix/Linux environments, distributed systems, machine learning, information retrieval, and TCP/IP”.

Early-level work

Google’s Early level means “completing work as directed, and collaborating with teammates”.

How your mind works

“We want to understand how your mind works, how you interact with a team, and what your strengths are.”

From the 2027 software engineering intern ad and the 2025 London ad, saved by the Wayback Machine. The intern ad prefers C++, Java, Python or Go.

04/10Stage 1 · Apply

How to apply

Every route starts with an ad on Google’s careers site. Google says its process typically takes “roughly 6-8 weeks”.

Pick up to three

Jobs in any 30 days

Send your CV

One page; interns add a transcript

Assessments

Hiring Assessment; coding if needed

Recruiter calls

One or two, by phone or video

Documents and rules in the intern ads

Documents. “you will need an updated CV or resume and a current unofficial or official transcript in English.” “PDFs preferred”. Under “Degree Status”, select “Now attending” to upload the transcript.
Location. The software engineering ad “requires that you are located in the UK for the duration of the internship program”.
Team placement. “Our recruitment team will determine where you fit best based on your resume.”
Silence. “If you haven’t heard from us in three months about an application, we likely proceeded with other candidates”.
Cover letters. Google says “we don’t require them, so focus your time on crafting your resume” (How we hire).

Google's hiring process in five steps. Step 1: apply online with a one-page CV; intern ads also ask for a transcript. Step 2: the Google Hiring Assessment, which measures workstyle skills, plus a coding exercise if the role needs one. Step 3: one or two shorter recruiter calls on key skills and your preferences. Step 4: a panel of structured interviews, by video or in person. Step 5: the decision, when Google brings everything together and your recruiter calls. Google says the process typically takes roughly 6 to 8 weeks. — Google’s steps from its How we hire page. Not every role uses every step. (click to enlarge)

Your CV: do and don’t

“Cut page load time by 40%, measured in Lighthouse, by caching API calls in my team project”

Our example of Google’s X, Y and Z formula. A school project counts.

Don’t

“Responsible for backend development on a team project”

No result and no measure. Google asks what the outcome was and how you measured success.

Keep it to one page and lead with your projects. Our CV achievement examples show how to give each line a result. For layout, see what 30,000 successful CVs have in common. 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.

Keep track of every graduate scheme

Save Google and over 2,000 other UK schemes to one free calendar. See what closes next and what you have applied to.

Track my schemes free

Free account, no card.

Missed a deadline, or not selected? Your options

Another internship. Each London intern ad has its own deadline. Check the table for one that is still open.
Graduating soon. Watch Google’s London search at the Early level, and turn on a job alert.
Not selected. Google says “we ask for folks to wait at least a year” before reapplying for the same type of role. For internships, it recommends “waiting 6-12 months”.

05/10Stage 2 · Assessments

Google’s assessments

Google’s tests are its own. It names no outside test provider.

Workstyle

What the Hiring Assessment measures

Coding

An exercise, if the role needs one

Not stated

Format and length

“Before moving into interviews, you may be asked to take the Google Hiring Assessment, designed to measure workstyle skills required for success in a role with us.” Some roles add “additional role-related assessments, like a coding exercise” (How we hire). Google does not publish the format, length or number of questions.

One chance per coding sample

“Please complete the coding sample before the deadline; otherwise we won’t be able to send another coding sample for 6 months.”

No scores shared

“we don’t release the results of coding samples.”

Maybe a survey

Interns “may receive a follow-up survey”, depending on roles and regions.

Maybe a small project

“Depending on the type of role”, Google may ask for “writing or code samples” before interviews.

The coding sample, survey and results lines are from Google’s internship FAQs. The project line is from How we hire.

Allowed and not allowed

Allowed

Accommodations, such as extended time or breaks
Coding in the language of your choice, unless the role needs another
A notebook and pen in interviews
Asking clarifying questions

Not allowed

AI tools during your interviews
Google Search during your interviews
Answers from friends or the internet
A late coding sample: no new one for 6 months

From How we hire, Google’s interview tips, its internship FAQs and its technical interview video.

Go further: the best outside help

Our own picks, checked on 19 Oct 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.

From the employer

How we hireGoogle · read the steps and the FAQ · no account neededGoogle’s own words on each hiring step.Free
How to solve a Google coding interview questionLife at Google on YouTube · Feb 2025 · 26 minGooglers run a mock coding interview in a shared document.Free

Learn and practise

Introduction to Algorithms (6.006)MIT OpenCourseWare · no account neededLectures and problem sets on data structures, graphs and Big O.Free
NeetCode roadmapNeetCode · free account only to track progressCoding problems by topic, with free video solutions.Free
CSES Problem SetCSES · free account to submitAlgorithm problems, easy to hard, with an online judge.Free
Interview Preparation KitHackerRank · free accountProblems sorted by topic: arrays, hash maps, trees, graphs and recursion.Free

Skip paid packs that claim to copy the Hiring Assessment. Google does not publish its format.

Next: see how other employers use reasoning and personality tests in our guide to psychometric and logic tests.

06/10Stage 3 · Interviews

Google’s interviews

Recruiter calls come first, then a panel of interviews. Google says the panel is “either over video or in person”.

Recruiter calls

“one or two shorter conversations over phone or video with your recruiter”, on key skills and your preferences.

A panel with set rubrics

“a rotating cast of Googlers”. “Every candidate is assessed using clear rubrics.”

Interns: mostly remote

Google’s internship FAQs say “almost all interviews are conducted virtually or over the phone”.

Code in a shared document

Google’s technical video: “You won’t be working out of IDE or compiler”.

No brainteasers

Google asks “role-related, open-ended questions”. “Remember, no brainteasers.”

No AI tools

“AI tools are not permitted to be used during your interviews.”

From How we hire, the interview tips and Google’s technical interview video. Google says it has “reintroduced in-person interviews for some roles”. The number of rounds for London early-career roles is not published.

Google's two kinds of interview question side by side. In the coding interview you write code in a shared document, with no IDE or compiler, on topics such as data structures and Big O, and you are expected to test your code. In the non-technical interview, questions are along the lines of tell me about a time, Google suggests the STAR method, the themes include ambiguity, teamwork and leadership, and you should bring your own questions. In every interview, AI tools are not permitted, and Google says it asks no brainteasers. — The two halves of a Google panel. The number of rounds is not published. (click to enlarge)

How to answer: code and STAR

For coding questions, Google’s technical video sets out four steps.

Clarify

Ask questions and check assumptions

Talk it through

Explain your thinking as you go

Improve

Refine your first solution

Test

Edge cases and unit tests

“Jumping immediately into presenting a brute force solution will be less well-received than trying to take time to compose a more efficient solution.” Also: “Be mindful of your pace because we do factor that into our evaluation.”

For the other questions, Google suggests STAR. Its version says Activity, not Action.

Situation

Where you were

Task

The goal you worked toward

Activity

Your steps and your role

Result

The outcome, with data

Be ready to talk about

AmbiguityConflictInfluencing teammatesLeading without the titleData on your impact

From Google’s interview tips. Google asks you to “come prepared with questions” too. See also our guides on how to pass a job interview and the toughest interview questions.

Practise: Google’s published questions

How you work: questions

Cards 1 to 5 are from Google’s interview tips page. Card 6 is from its student guide. The strong answers are our own advice.

Conflict

“How would you address a conflict with someone you work with?”

What they’re testing: how you “work with peers and global cross-functional teams”.

Show a strong answer

Pick one real disagreement, in a team project or a job.
Say what you did to understand the other view, then what you agreed.

Influence

“What strategies might you use to influence teammates?”

What they’re testing: how you bring people with you without forcing them.

Show a strong answer

Name one time you changed a team’s plan.
Show the evidence you used, such as test results or user feedback.

Collaboration

“What examples do you have of a time when you drove collaboration?”

What they’re testing: Google says it has “a collaborative culture”.

Show a strong answer

Choose a time you got people working together who were not before.
Explain the first step you took, such as a shared plan or a weekly check-in.
Give a measured result, in Google’s X, Y and Z form.

Ambiguity

“How do you deal with ambiguous situations and problems?”

What they’re testing: how you decide “when you have no visibility of the total picture”.

Show a strong answer

Describe a task with unclear goals or missing data.
Say which questions you asked and what you assumed.

Growth

“How do you push yourself to grow outside your comfort zone?”

What they’re testing: Google adds, “Specific examples here are great.”

Show a strong answer

Pick one skill you lacked, such as a new language or public speaking.
Say what you did to learn it, and how long it took.

Challenge

“What challenges have you faced at school or at work and how did you overcome them?”

What they’re testing: how you solve problems under pressure.

Show a strong answer

Choose a real setback, such as a failed build before a deadline.
Walk through your steps in STAR order.

Coding: questions

Cards 1 and 2 are from Google’s technical interview video. Card 3 is the mock question in its coding video, in our words. Card 4 is ours, built on a topic the technical video names.

Testing

“How would you unit test the code you write?”

What they’re testing: Google expects you to know “how to test your code and how to come up with corner and edge cases”.

Show a strong answer

Name the normal cases first, then the edge cases.
Say what each test checks and what result you expect.

Test cases

“What interesting inputs or test cases can you think of?”

What they’re testing: whether you look for the inputs that break code.

Show a strong answer

Try empty input, one item, very large input and repeated values.
Add negative numbers or invalid input where they apply.

Google’s mock

A grid marks each plot of a farm as good or bad land. Find the largest square made only of good land.

What they’re testing: clarifying first, then improving a first idea.

Show a strong answer

Ask about grid size, empty grids and what to return.
Describe the simple approach out loud, with its cost.
Improve it: each cell’s best square can build on its neighbours’ answers.
Test with an all-bad grid and a one-cell grid.

Complexity

What are the time and space costs of your solution, and can you improve them?

What they’re testing: how you “assess and improve the space and time complexity of an algorithm”.

Show a strong answer

State the cost in Big O for time and for memory.
Name the slow part of your code.
Suggest one change, such as a hash map, and its new cost.

Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy

Two STAR stories for each theme in Google’s interview tips.

Theme	Story 1	Story 2
Ambiguity
Growth outside your comfort zone
Conflict with someone you work with
Influencing teammates
Driving collaboration
Leading without the title

Go further: the best outside help

Our own picks, checked on 19 Oct 2026. We are not linked to any of these sites and earn nothing from them.

From the employer

Interviewing at GoogleGoogle · no account neededSTAR, the question themes and the no-AI rule.Free
Applying to GoogleGoogle · student guide · no account neededA student checklist: the CV, the transcript and how to practise coding.Free

Watch

How to prepare for Google’s technical interview questionsLife at Google on YouTube · Feb 2025 · 8 minWhat coding interviewers look for, and which topics to revise.Free
How to prepare for Google’s non-technical interview questionsLife at Google on YouTube · Feb 2025 · 3 minBehavioural questions and how to set up for a video interview.Free

Practise with a person

Pramp, now on AcedPeer mock interviews · free accountLive mock coding and behavioural interviews with another candidate. Its page says it is “still free”.Free

Skip paid lists that claim to hold real Google interview questions. Google publishes its own themes.

07/10Stage 4 · Decision

Decision and offer

After the panel, Google reviews everything together. It says “we take into account a number of perspectives to reach a decision”.

One review

“we’ll bring everything together from your application and interviews to review.”

Several weeks, maybe

“it may be several weeks before your recruiter can share an outcome decision.”

The offer call

If you are chosen, “your recruiter will reach out to you with an offer”.

Interns: matching later

“Role/project matching happens after interviews”.

Pay

Google publishes no London figure in these ads. Its internship FAQs say “all Google internships are paid.”

If not selected

How we hire: “wait at least a year” for the same type of role. Internship FAQs: “waiting 6-12 months”.

From How we hire, the interview tips and the internship FAQs, read on 19 October 2026. For a sense of UK pay, see our guide to salaries in the UK.

08/10

Visa sponsorship

Our reading: interns need their own right to work in the UK. Graduates should check the visa line in any future ad.

Each London 2027 intern ad says: “Individuals applying for this position will not be eligible for immigration sponsorship.” Checked 19 October 2026. Google states no position for graduate software engineer roles in London, as no such ad was live.

The Graduate visa and right to work

Graduate visa. It 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). PhD graduates get “3 years”.
Internships. Google says “Visa requirements differ across our internships.” The job description “will usually provide insight”.
Right to work. See how to prove your right to work.

Need sponsorship? See our guides to UK companies that sponsor visas, staying in the UK after studying and jobs in the UK for foreigners. This is general information, so check GOV.UK.

09/10

Key takeaways

Before you apply

Google runs no UK graduate software engineer scheme. On 19 October 2026, no London early-career software engineer ad was live. Google gives no next date.
Students can apply for London 2027 internships, each with its own deadline.
Graduates should watch Google’s job search at the Early level for London, with a job alert.
Choose your three applications per 30 days with care.
Expect Google’s assessment, maybe coding, recruiter calls and a panel.
Practise coding in a plain document: no IDE, no AI tools.

Never miss a deadline

When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save Google once and the reminder is set.

Set my reminders free

Free account, no card.

10/10

Frequently asked questions

Does Google have a graduate software engineer scheme in the UK?

No. Google runs no UK graduate software engineer scheme. It hires early-career engineers through normal job ads at level Early, when a team has a role. On 19 October 2026, no London early-career software engineer ad was live.

When do Google’s London early-career software engineer roles open?

Google gives no date. It says a deadline, if a role has one, is included in the job description. Most roles take applications on a rolling basis until the role has been filled. Last cycle, one London Software Engineer, Early Career, Campus ad was online in May and July 2025.

Which Google internships can students apply for in London?

Google lists London internships for summer 2027, each with its own deadline. The Software Engineering PhD internship closes before 14 December 2026. Product Deployment Engineer closes before 20 November 2026. Forward Deployed Engineering closes before 13 November 2026. Software Engineering and Site Reliability Engineering closes before 23 October 2026.

What tests does Google use for software engineers?

Google uses its own Google Hiring Assessment, which measures workstyle skills. Some roles add a coding exercise. Google does not publish the format or length. For internships, miss the coding sample deadline and Google cannot send another for 6 months.

What happens in a Google software engineer interview?

First come one or two shorter calls with a recruiter. Then a panel of interviews, by video or in person. You write code in a shared document with no IDE or compiler. Google says it asks no brainteasers, and AI tools are not permitted.

How many Google jobs can I apply for?

Up to three jobs every 30 days. If you are not selected, Google typically asks you to wait at least a year before reapplying for the same type of role. For internships, it recommends waiting 6 to 12 months.

Does Google sponsor visas for London software engineer roles?

Our reading: not for the London 2027 internships. Each ad says applicants will not be eligible for immigration sponsorship. Google states no position for graduate roles, as no London early-career software engineer ad was live. Check the visa line in any future ad.