Virtual interview (first stage for PhD Research Programme and only stage for PhD Internships)
PhD Research Programme and PhD Internship – the virtual interview should be structured as such:
- you will be asked to provide a five-minute summary of the research paper you submitted – please do not prepare any presentation slides for this
- the interviewers, who will have read the paper, will then ask follow-up questions; they may ask for clarification of your analysis, or ask you to discuss the policy implications, related literature or potential extensions
- you will also be asked about your motivation for applying to the Bank of England, drawing on your written answer in the application form
- finally, there will be time at the end of the interview for you to ask any questions
PhD Research Programme – If you pass the virtual interview, you will move on to the final assessed stage, which is a selection centre.
PhD Internship – If you pass the virtual interview, you will be offered an internship at the Bank.
Selection Centre – for PhD Research Programme applicants only
Selection centres take place virtually and in-person, depending on the hiring area. All assessed parts will be the same to ensure consistency.
The day will comprise various meetings with staff. It is not only an opportunity for us to find out about you but also for you to find out more about the Bank, our research and prospective colleagues. There will be assessed and non-assessed elements. The assessed elements are:
- technical interview – which will involve questions about your area of research as well as general economics and policy
- seminar – presenting your own research
The non-assessed elements include meetings with the recruiting divisions, Head of Divisions and a chance to meet with a member of our Research Hub, to discover more about how it works and how you could interact as a member of Bank staff.
Pre-employment checks
If we offer you a job, it will depend on:
- references
- security clearance
- identity checks
- criminal record checks
- credit checks
- proof of qualifications
- immigration clearance (where relevant)
You will also need to complete a medical questionnaire.
Please note, National Security Vetting (NSV) is required for all staff joining the Bank of England. This usually takes about three to four weeks after a job has been offered but can take much longer. During this time, we advise that you should not hand in your notice to your employer. If security clearance is not granted, we will have to retract our offer.
There are some geographical limitations to this:
- We cannot conduct NSV on any individual – be it a contractor or member of staff – if they have no UK footprint and have no intention of working from a UK jurisdiction (such as UK embassies and other UK ‘managed’ locations).
- NSV is required for all roles at the Bank. Please note there are occasions where the Bank must complete overseas checks to obtain assurances for security clearance – when someone has resided outside the UK within the last five years. There are certain countries where it is not possible for the Bank to complete the necessary checks to obtain the assurance needed for security clearance. In these situations, the Bank will be unable to employ you. It is important that applicants provide details of any residence outside the UK within the last five years. The list of countries where we are unable to obtain sufficient assurance changes from time to time, so please check with your Bank contact if you are invited to interview.
Information for non-British/Irish applicants
For our graduate programme, the Bank may be able to offer visa sponsorship in specific circumstances. Eligibility may be considered on a case-by-case basis and your individual circumstances may need to be considered.
For our internship and industrial placement programmes, non-British/Irish nationals are required to be currently studying at a UK university and hold a valid Student Route visa or have other leave to remain with appropriate working rights.
For our PhD internship, may be able to provide sponsorship if needed under the Government Authorised Exchange (Temporary Workers) scheme.
