By Andre Atallah, CEO of EP Advisory
UK Graduate Programme · nine sectors · April or September 2027
Rolling · 23 ads open on 18 Oct 2026Check your ad’s close dateThis cycle’s ads have closedRole not open? Your options
Short answer: Apply now. On 18 October 2026, none of WSP’s 23 UK graduate ads gave a close date. WSP may progress candidates before any close date.Apply now. WSP’s ads now give a close date, so check yours. WSP may progress candidates before it.This cycle’s WSP graduate ads have closed. WSP reviews as it goes, so apply early next season. You fill in one online form, with no CV. Then come an online assessment of about 35 to 40 minutes and an interview day or an interview with two team members. You hear within two weeks. Pay is not published.
Where are you now?
Independent guide. EP Advisory is not affiliated with WSP.
WSP’s UK Graduate Development Programme runs for two years. The 2027 intake has April and September start dates, by role.
This playbook covers all 23 UK graduate ads in WSP’s nine sectors, from Building Services to Real Estate. 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
Pick your stage and tick each step when done. Stages are WSP’s, checked 18 October 2026. Prep times are ours.
1. Apply: rolling, no close datecheck the close dateclosed this cycle
One online form, with no CV. Prep 1 to 2 days.
2. Online assessment: about 35 to 40 minutes
Cognitive, personality and situational judgement, in one assessment. Prep a few days.
3. Interview: a day, or 45 to 60 minutes
An interview day of up to 4 hours, or an interview with two team members. Prep about 1 week.
4. Outcome: within two weeks
WSP calls you with an offer, then sends a contract. Have your questions ready.
Your ticks save on this device.
02/10
The programme at a glance
A two-year programme in nine sectors, with support towards Chartered status. Where WSP is silent, we say so.
23 openClosed
UK graduate ads on 18 Oct 2026This cycle’s UK graduate ads
RollingIn the adRolling
No close date on any adClose date publishedWSP reviews as it goes
2 years
Graduate Development Programme
Apr or Sep
2027 start, by role
2:2
Minimum degree; some need a master’s
Not published
Salary
April or September 2027: 10 ads
Such as Building Services, Roads and Mining. Advisory warns “not all of our teams do recruit for April”.
September 2027 only: 12 ads
Such as Structures, Rail and Geotechnical. Energy Networks gives no start month, so ask.
Where these facts come from
- Programme. Every ad names a “two-year Graduate Development Programme”. Each ad gives its own start month, shown in the table under How to apply.
- Support. WSP’s graduates page says “Graduates working towards Chartered status will be financially supported and provided with a professional registration mentor.” Its programme overview video adds a people manager, a buddy and a cohort.
- Working pattern. The ads say you can “work from home two days a week”. Teams may differ, so check yours.
- Salary. No ad, sector page or video we checked gives a figure. For a yardstick, see salaries in the UK.
- Real Estate. The Real Estate Services ad is its own route. It runs two 12-month rotations towards the RICS APC, and it is “not seeking building or quantity surveying graduates”.
03/10
What WSP looks for
WSP looks for potential, not industry experience. Its recruiters name six things they want to see.
Genuine interest in WSP
“applications that show a genuine interest in WSP”
Knowing what WSP does
“candidates who show an understanding of what it is that we do”
Curious
“excited by the idea of solving problems, creating value for clients, and making a positive difference”
Open to learning
Show something you taught yourself, and what you did with it.
Adaptable
Show a time a plan changed, and how you kept going.
Ready to collaborate
“ready to collaborate with others”, in a team or a project group.
From WSP’s video Your recruitment journey starts here. The tips for rows 4 and 5 are ours. WSP also says “There is a huge myth that you need industry experience to secure a role with WSP … but that’s not the case.” School or university projects, part-time jobs, volunteering and societies all count.
Every ad asks for “at least a 2:2 in a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree”. Bridges, Rail, Planning Consultancy and Infrastructure Planning, and Planning Engagement take a master’s only.
04/10Stage 1 · Apply
How to apply
Apply early: no ad has a close date.Apply early: the ads now give a close date, so check yours.This cycle’s ads have closed. WSP’s rule, in every ad: “We review applications on a rolling basis and may progress candidates before the closing date, so we recommend applying as early as possible.”
1
Pick a pathway
Your interest, degree and office
2
Check the ad
Degree rule and start month
3
Fill the form
Every question, no CV
4
Submit early
Screening: 2 to 4 weeks at peak
Form rules, screening and support
- The form. You tell WSP “about yourself, your studies, experiences, preferences, and why you are interested in joining WSP”. The ads say “Candidates must complete the application form in full, including all specific questions.”
- AI. Fine “to help refine your grammar or improve the clarity of something you have already written. However, please don’t use AI to write your answers for you.” WSP looks for “your authentic voice”.
- Screening. WSP checks you meet the criteria. It says “this can take two to four weeks during our busiest periods of October to March”.
- Near miss. “Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Should you have the right qualifications for our roles, apply and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities”.
- Support. “As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria”. Ask for adjustments when you apply.
From WSP’s video Submitting your application and the ads, 18 October 2026.
The 23 open ads: pick your sector and pathwayThis cycle’s 23 ads, by sector and pathway
Each sector page lists its pathways and links to the open ads. Start months differ by ad, so check yours.
From WSP’s sector pages and job board, read on 18 October 2026. Ads posted 22 September to 16 October 2026. On that day, no ad gave a close date.
UK offices named in each ad
- Building Services. London, Basingstoke, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Greater Manchester, Guildford, Birmingham, Cambridgeshire.
- Structures. London, Stockton-on-Tees, Leeds, Basingstoke, Belfast.
- Fire Engineering and Energy Solutions. Fire in London, Guildford, Bristol or Edinburgh. Energy Solutions in Leeds.
- Industry. Birmingham, Cardiff, Greater Manchester.
- Civil. Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Bristol, Exeter, Basingstoke, Guildford, Leeds, Truro, Derbyshire, London, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Wrexham.
- Roads. London, Cambridge, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Exeter, Plymouth.
- Rail. London, Manchester, Derby, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast.
- Intelligent Infrastructure. London, Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham, Guildford, Cardiff, Glasgow.
- Local Government and Liveable Places. Exeter, Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, Liverpool, London.
- Transport Planning and Mobility. Exeter, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Guildford, London, Manchester, Bristol.
- Planning Consultancy and Infrastructure Planning. Birmingham, Glasgow, Exeter, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool.
- Planning Engagement. Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, London, Cardiff.
- Planning and Development, Civil. Greater Manchester, Cardiff, Leeds, Basingstoke, Cambridgeshire, Birmingham, Guildford, Edinburgh, Liverpool.
- Environmental Management, Assessment and PM. Bristol, London, Reading, Guildford, Basingstoke, Cardiff, Leeds, Greater Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh.
- Geotechnical. Glasgow, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Hertford, London, Guildford, Southampton, Exeter.
- Ground and Water. Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow.
- Environmental Services. Manchester, Glasgow, London, Oxfordshire, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Bristol, Exeter. Air Quality in London, Harwell, Manchester or Glasgow. Acoustics in Manchester.
- Mining. London, Leeds.
- Water Asset Design. Belfast, Glasgow, Newcastle, London. Project Management also in Birmingham and Leeds.
- Sustainable Water Management. London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, Shrewsbury, Basingstoke, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Wrexham, Birmingham.
- Energy Networks. Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh.
- Advisory. Investment and Transactions in London or Manchester. Transformation and Digital in Birmingham, London or Manchester. Life Sciences PM in London.
- Real Estate Services. London, Birmingham.
Pathways not open on 18 October 2026
WSP says “If you don’t see an Apply Now link for a role, it means applications are not yet open for that opportunity.” These had no link that day.
- Property and Buildings. Vertical Transportation, Façade Engineering, Advanced Structural Analysis, Security Consulting, Digital Services, Architecture.
- Transport and Infrastructure. Signalling, Track, Telecoms, Cyber Security, Data Science and more, including the project and construction management pathways.
- Local Government. Project Management, Sustainability (Roads).
- Earth, Environment and Mining. Ground and Water Demolition and Decommissioning.
- Water. Strategic Advisory.
- Energy. Energy Thermal Transition, Renewable Power Generation, Energy Strategy Consulting, Power Systems Consulting, Power Generation and Gas.
- Advisory and Finance. Finance, whose ad was not listed. Life Sciences Digital Transformation, Sustainability Advisory.
Your form: do and don’t
Do
“I chose Sustainable Water Management after my dissertation mapped flood risk on my local river”
WSP wants “a genuine interest in WSP”. Tie your answer to your pathway and a real moment.
Don’t
“I am passionate about joining a world-leading engineering consultancy”
It could fit any firm. WSP also asks you not to “use AI to write your answers for you”.
WSP takes no CV: “We don’t use CVs as part of our application process”. Your form draws on the same facts, and hiring teams use it “throughout the recruitment process”. Write each experience as a result, as in our CV achievement examples. 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 WSP 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.
Your role not open, or not selected? Your options
- Role not open yet. Check your sector page again. WSP says “vacancies may be released at different times throughout the year”.
- Near miss on the criteria. WSP invites you to apply anyway, so it “can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities”.
- More than one role. WSP publishes no limit on how many roles you can apply for. Pick ones that truly fit your degree.
- Still a student? WSP’s placements are for current students. WSP says it will close them on 31 December 2026, or earlier “if we receive a high volume of applications”.This cycle’s placements have closed. WSP had set 31 December 2026 as the closing date.
05/10Stage 2 · Online assessment
The online assessment
If your form passes screening, WSP sends one online assessment. A “third-party partner” sends the link.
35 to 40 min
Around 40, or around 35, says WSP
3 parts
Cognitive, personality, situational
Aon
Whose prep page WSP links
“It isn’t a test of industry knowledge or academic ability, and there are no answers we expect you to perform or guess.” WSP’s tips: answer honestly, somewhere quiet, with a strong internet connection, and “don’t overthink it” (Submitting your application). The graduates page says around 40 minutes.
The three parts, in plain words
Cognitive assessment
A reasoning test. WSP says the assessment shows “how you approach information” and “make decisions”.
Your moves
- Try Aon’s free numerical and verbal samples to learn the format.
- Read every instruction screen. Aon says its tests start with an untimed introduction.
- Keep moving. Aon says its tests are usually timed after the introduction.
Personality questionnaire
Statements about how you like to work. WSP wants to know “what your work and preferences are”.
Your moves
- Answer as you are. WSP says “We simply want you to answer honestly.”
- Don’t try to guess the right profile. There are no answers WSP expects you to guess.
Situational judgement test
Work scenarios with possible responses. WSP says it shows how you “respond to different situations”.
Your moves
- Picture yourself in your first year at WSP, with a manager and a team.
- Favour answers that help the team and the client, and that you would really do.
- Re-read WSP’s six traits above before you start.
What Aon says about its tests in general
- Start. A short untimed introduction with examples.
- Timing. Usually a time limit after that. Personality questionnaires are usually untimed.
- No pausing. You cannot pause a test once you start it.
- Window. You usually have several days to finish.
From Aon’s Prepare for your online assessment page, which WSP links. These are Aon’s general rules, not WSP’s.
The rules: allowed and asked not to
Allowed
- AI to polish grammar or clarity on your form
- A quiet place and a strong connection
- Asking for adjustments when you apply
Asked not to
- AI writing your answers
- Guessing what WSP wants to hear
- Outside help in the test
From WSP’s videos and ads. The last rule is Aon’s: it warns that cheating may lead to a retest at interview.
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 Aon, the test company WSP links
- Prepare for your online assessmentAon · linked from WSP’s graduates page · no account neededWhat to expect from Aon tests in general: timing, pausing and the honesty rules. WSP does not say which Aon tests it uses.Free
- Practice tasks: numerical reasoningAon · PDF, 12 pages · no account neededFive practice questions with worked answers. Aon’s general sample; WSP does not say this exact test is used.Free
- Practice tasks: verbal reasoningAon · PDF, 12 pages · no account neededFive practice questions with worked answers. Aon’s general sample; WSP does not say this exact test is used.Free
From the employer
- Submitting your applicationWSP UK and Ireland on YouTube · Oct 2026 · 3 minWSP’s own words on the form, the AI rule and the assessment, with its tips for the day.Free
Skip paid practice packs sold as WSP tests. WSP names no Aon test, so a pack may drill the wrong one.
Next: see how other employers use reasoning and personality tests in our guide to psychometric and logic tests, and our tips for psychometric tests.
06/10Stage 3 · Interview
Your WSP interview
After a full review, WSP invites its shortlist to one of two interview formats. WSP says “We favor face-to-face interviews and interview days where possible.”
The wait before
The review takes “around 2 to 4 weeks or even longer”.
Virtual if you need it
“If you’re unable to travel to an office for your interview, we can arrange this virtually.”
A technical assessment
Possible in both formats, depending on the role. WSP does not publish its content.
An open conversation
Questions are “usually linked to your application, studies, and experiences”.
From WSP’s videos After you’ve applied, The interview experience and How to ace your interview, all from October 2026.
How to answer: WSP’s STAR method
WSP says “try using the STAR method”, so you “give a clear, focused answer that directly responds to the question”.
S
Situation
T
The task
What you needed to complete
A
The action
What you did yourself
R
The result
Draw examples from
Your studiesWork experienceVolunteeringHobbies, travel or societies
WSP’s tips: “listen carefully to what is being asked, and try not to move away from the question”. At the end, ask about “the role, their team, WSP, or the early careers program”. See also our guides on how to pass a job interview and the toughest interview questions.
Practise: questions in WSP’s three styles
Competency questions
WSP says to prepare examples of “times where you’ve worked well in a team, overcome a challenge, shown initiative, or solved a problem”. We turned each one into a question.
Teamwork
Tell us about a time you worked well in a team.
What they’re testing: being “ready to collaborate with others”.
Show a strong answer
- Name the team’s goal and your own part in it.
- Show one thing you did that helped others do theirs.
- End with the result and what the team achieved.
Challenge
Describe a challenge you overcame.
What they’re testing: being adaptable when plans go wrong.
Show a strong answer
- Pick a real setback, such as a failed test or a lost team member.
- Say what you changed, step by step.
- Say what you would do the same way next time.
Initiative
Give an example of when you showed initiative.
What they’re testing: drive without being asked.
Show a strong answer
- Show what you spotted that others missed.
- Say why you acted, and who you told.
- Give the result, with a number if you have one.
Problem solving
Tell us about a problem you solved.
What they’re testing: being curious and “solving problems”.
Show a strong answer
- A project or dissertation problem works well for an engineering role.
- Walk through how you tested options.
- Keep to the question, as WSP asks.
Strengths questions
WSP asks strength-based questions but publishes none. These are our own, built from the traits WSP names.
Learning
What do you enjoy learning, and how do you go about it?
Show a strong answer
- Name something you learned outside your course.
- Show why you enjoyed it.
Change
How do you feel when plans change at short notice?
Show a strong answer
- Be honest about how you feel.
- Back it with one short example of what you did next.
Your role
What role do you usually take in a group?
Show a strong answer
- Name it, such as planner or checker.
- Say what the group gains from it.
Motivation
What makes a good day for you?
Show a strong answer
- Link it to the work your pathway does.
- WSP says “don’t try to guess what you think we want to hear”.
Motivation and technical questions
Our own questions, built from WSP’s form and its technical questions. WSP does not publish its technical content, so revise your degree’s basics.
Why WSP
Why do you want to join WSP?
Show a strong answer
- Name a WSP project or team from your sector page.
- Link it to something you have done or studied.
Your pathway
Why this team and pathway?
Show a strong answer
- Use the pathway words from WSP’s sector page.
- Say what you hope to learn in your two years.
Technical
Talk us through a project from your degree.
Show a strong answer
- Give the brief, your method and one decision you made.
- Be ready for follow-up questions on the theory behind it.
Your questions
Do you have any questions for us?
Show a strong answer
- WSP invites questions about the role, the team and the programme.
- Ask what a graduate’s first project usually looks like.
Your story bank: a worksheet to print or copy
Two STAR stories for each theme WSP names.
| Theme | Story 1 | Story 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Working well in a team | ||
| Overcoming a challenge | ||
| Showing initiative | ||
| Solving a problem | ||
| Learning something new | ||
| Why WSP and this pathway |
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
- How to ace your interviewWSP UK and Ireland on YouTube · Oct 2026 · 2 minWSP’s question types, its STAR advice and what to ask at the end.Free
- The interview experienceWSP UK and Ireland on YouTube · Oct 2026 · 2 minThe interview day, the two-person interview and the technical assessment, in WSP’s words.Free
- Your WSP sector pageWSP · nine sectors, linked from the graduates page · no account neededEach pathway’s work, degrees and offices. The raw material for your why this team answer.Free
From GOV.UK
- The STAR methodNational Careers Service · no account neededA plain guide to Situation, Task, Action and Result, with three worked answers.Free
07/10Stage 4 · Outcome
Your outcome and offer
The interview is the last stage before an offer. WSP says its recruitment team “will contact you within two weeks to confirm the final outcome”.
An offer by phone
WSP calls first, then sends a written contract. “If you are offered a role, a contract will be issued for the intake you will be joining.”
Pay: not published
No ad, sector page or video gives a figure. Ask at offer stage.
Support towards Chartered status
Financial support and “a professional registration mentor”.
Hybrid working
The ads say you can “work from home two days a week”.
From WSP’s graduates page and its video Your outcome and next steps, 18 October 2026. WSP’s last tip: “Our biggest piece of advice is to be yourself.”
Key dates: 2027 intake
22 Sep 2026
First UK graduate ads posted
16 Oct 2026
Latest ad posted, for Mining
18 Oct 2026
23 ads were open, none with a close date
18 Oct 2026
23 ads were open, none with a close date
Oct 2026 to Mar 2027
WSP’s busiest screening months
Apr 2027
April starters join, in roles that offer itApril starters joined, in roles that offered it
Sep 2027
September starters joinSeptember starters joined
08/10
Visa sponsorship
Our reading: if you would need a visa, ask WSP before you apply. WSP’s graduate pages, ads and videos say nothing about visa sponsorship or the right to work.
The Graduate visa
- 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). The programme runs two years.
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 you apply
- No WSP graduate ad has a close date, and WSP may progress candidates early, so apply now.WSP’s graduate ads now give a close date, and WSP may progress candidates early, so apply now.This cycle’s WSP graduate ads have closed. WSP reviews as it goes, so apply early next season.
- WSP takes no CV. Your form carries your story through every stage.
- Most ads take a 2:2, but Bridges, Rail and two planning roles need a master’s.
- The online assessment takes about 35 to 40 minutes and tests no industry knowledge.
- The interview is a day of up to 4 hours or 45 to 60 minutes with two team members.
- Pay is not published and visas are not mentioned, so ask WSP.
When a scheme gives a close date, we email you a few days before it closes. Save WSP once and the reminder is set.
Set my reminders freeFree account, no card.
10/10
Frequently asked questions
When does the WSP graduate programme close?
On 18 October 2026, none of WSP’s 23 UK graduate ads gave a close date. WSP reviews applications on a rolling basis and may progress candidates before the closing date, so apply as early as you can.WSP’s graduate ads now give a close date, so check yours. WSP may progress candidates before it, so apply as early as you can.This cycle’s WSP graduate ads have closed. WSP reviews applications on a rolling basis, so apply early next season.
Do I need a CV to apply to WSP?
No. WSP says it does not use CVs. You fill in one online form about yourself, your studies, your experience, your preferences and why you want to join. The hiring teams use that form throughout the process.
What degree do I need for the WSP graduate programme?
At least a 2:2 in a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree. Bridges, Rail, Planning Consultancy and Infrastructure Planning, and Planning Engagement ask for a master’s. Each ad links to its sector page for the degrees it accepts.
How long is the WSP online assessment?
About 35 to 40 minutes. WSP’s graduates page says around 40 and its own video says around 35. It has a cognitive assessment, a personality questionnaire and a situational judgement test. WSP links to Aon’s preparation page but does not say which Aon tests it uses.
What is the WSP graduate interview like?
Either an interview day of up to 4 hours or an interview with two team members of about 45 minutes to an hour. Some roles add a technical assessment. WSP asks competency, strength and technical questions and suggests the STAR method.
How much does the WSP graduate programme pay?
WSP does not publish a graduate salary. No ad, sector page or video we checked on 18 October 2026 gives a figure. Ask the recruitment team at offer stage.
Does WSP sponsor visas for graduates?
WSP’s graduate pages and ads say nothing about visa sponsorship or the right to work. Our reading: if you would need a visa, ask WSP before you apply.
