Experienced recruitment
General recruitment typically involves two or three interviews, approximately an hour each, online or in person. Some senior roles include psychometric testing.
Source: Arup — Recruitment process
The Arup assessment process, explained
UK and Ireland graduate recruitment covers behaviors, logical reasoning and critical thinking; the assessment supplier is not publicly identified.
By the Game Assessment Prep research teamUpdated September 17, 2026How we research
The Arup hiring process at a glance
- 1Application — Submit your CV and role-specific answers.
- 2Testing — Behaviors, logical reasoning and critical thinking.Assessment details
- 3Review — Recruiter and hiring-manager review.
- 4Interview — 90-minute virtual panel: case study and competencies.Prepare for later stages
- 5Outcome — Successful candidates receive an offer.
What to expect in the Arup assessment
A named reasoning category does not identify a particular game interface. Select familiarization only after checking the instructions supplied with your assessment.
Good to know: Do not buy an assumed game lineup based on the employer name alone. Practice results cannot establish an employer pass mark or your probability of selection.
Which Arup roles and programs does this guide cover?
Start with the specific discipline you want to enter. A structural engineering candidate and an advisory candidate can both benefit from clear reasoning, but should choose different technical examples. Keep the vacancy beside your preparation notes and connect each requested skill to something you have actually done.
This guide separates published recruitment facts from suggested exercises. The exercises below are original preparation ideas, not leaked questions, a scoring model or a prediction of your individual interview. Use them to make your thinking easier to explain.
How does the Arup assessment work?
Application integrity
Official sourceArup asks applicants to refrain from AI writing assistance during its application process.
Adjustments
Official sourceArup invites candidates to request support or reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
Source: Arup — Recruitment process
What happens in the Arup hiring process?
Using the graduate sequence
The linked graduate page is the process reference for this guide.
- 1Preparation suggestion: record the purpose of each upcoming stage in your own checklist.
- 2Preparation suggestion: keep your application examples consistent with what you can explain independently.
Experienced candidates need a separate plan
The general process differs from graduate recruitment.
- 1Check the interview plan for the selected vacancy.
- 2Prepare two project walkthroughs: one demonstrating technical judgment, another showing collaboration.
- 3For each, explain the constraints, your decisions, the result and what you would improve. These are suggested exercises.
Source: Arup — Recruitment process
When is the Arup assessment?
Keep the application closing date, assessment expiry and interview appointment in separate calendar entries. An intake label should not become an assumed deadline.
| Cycle | Application dates | Likely assessment window | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate vacancies | Check the selected vacancy | Use your invitation | Official source Some graduate roles are reviewed on a rolling basis and may close when filled. |
How to prepare for the Arup assessment process
Prepare in short, purposeful sessions. Pick one weakness, practice it carefully and write down what changed. Increasing the number of practice attempts without reviewing mistakes is less useful than understanding why an approach failed.
1. Check whether a conclusion really follows
Write a brief fictional statement about a project, then separate what is stated from what you are assuming. For example, a trial reducing average waiting time does not by itself establish that every user benefited. Explain which extra data would let you test that claim. Practice giving the narrowest defensible conclusion before discussing possible interpretations. This is a general reasoning exercise, not an Arup test item.
2. Make a pattern rule explicit
When practicing logical problems, describe the rule before selecting an answer. Check whether it explains every relevant example and whether a second rule could fit. After an error, identify whether you missed a condition, misread a symbol or applied the rule inconsistently. Try a small set accurately before introducing time pressure, and stop to review when mistakes begin repeating.
3. Build a case recommendation
Invent a small campus improvement project with two possible designs and a limited budget. Compare both options using the same criteria, such as accessibility, cost, disruption and maintenance. State your assumptions, recommend one option and explain the information that could change your choice. Practice presenting that reasoning in three minutes, then answering a challenge without becoming defensive. This is an original exercise, not a published case.
4. Explain your individual contribution
Choose a university, volunteering or work project with a clear problem. Write four headings: context, responsibility, actions and result. Separate what the group achieved from what you personally decided or delivered. Be ready to explain one unsuccessful approach and how you adapted. A modest example with concrete evidence is easier to assess than a large project described only in general terms.
5. Translate technical detail for a listener
Explain one technical concept first to a specialist and then to someone outside your discipline. Keep the underlying reasoning consistent while changing vocabulary and detail. Use a sketch only if it helps the explanation. Ask yourself which assumption is most important, how you would check it and what the practical consequence would be if it proved wrong. Finish with the decision your explanation supports.
6. Make motivation specific
List the work you want to learn, the experiences that led to that interest and the contribution you could make initially. Research a relevant project independently and prepare one thoughtful question about its challenges. Avoid copying promotional language into your own account. A useful answer links your interests to real choices you have made and acknowledges what you still need to learn.
Arup assessment FAQ
Should I practice numerical questions?
Choose practice that matches your invitation. General arithmetic can support a case discussion, but do not substitute an assumed test format for the instructions you receive.
How should I answer a question I cannot solve?
Explain the useful facts you have, identify the missing information and describe a reasonable next step. Avoid presenting an unsupported guess as a conclusion.
Which assessment provider should I prepare for?
The reviewed current graduate guidance does not name one. Identify the supplier and module in your invitation before selecting provider-specific practice.
How should I prepare for a case study?
Compare options against the same criteria, make your assumptions explicit and explain what evidence could change your recommendation. The preparation exercise above is independently authored.
Sources and references
The sources below support this guide. Claim labels distinguish official information, candidate reports, and research inferences.
- UK and Ireland graduate programme
Arup · Accessed
- Recruitment process
Arup · Accessed
Game Assessment Prep is independent and is not affiliated with Arup or its assessment providers. Employer processes can change by program, role, country, and recruiting cycle. Follow your invitation over this guide. This guide was reviewed on . Claims are labeled by evidence strength. How we research and label claims.
4,700+ candidates from MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Yale and 100+ universities have run 68,000+ practice sessions here · median +25% score improvement by the fifth attempt · 84% of 6,000+ game ratings say “Great”.
