Graduates at HS2 FAQs

About the programme

Q: What graduate programmes are available?

• Project controls
• Engineering
• Commercial

Q: How long are rotations/placements? 

A: Typically, placements are 6 months to enable 4 placements over the 2-year period. Please note that as these rotational placements are aligned to each programme they may vary slightly. 

Q: What type of rotations/placements are there? 

A: These would be specific and aligned to your programme and the team you are working with. An example for Project Management would be rotations within areas such as Programme Controls including Project Controls and Delivery. Please note, as these rotational placements are aligned to each programme they may vary slightly. 

Q: Will travel be involved within the role? 

A: UK travel will be required as and when necessary, depending on your graduate scheme.   

Q: Can I apply for more than one graduate role? 

A: Yes, but please be mindful of any different entry criteria or location of roles. e.g. some roles require a specific degree of discipline. Only apply if you have a keen interest in that subject area. 

Q: I studied my degree X number of years ago, does this matter? 

A: No, we do not have a limit on the number of years ago you obtained your degree; we accept all applications. 

Q: I studied outside the UK. How do I know if my degree result is equivalent to a 2:2 

A: Please contact [email protected] with this query well in advance of the closing date on 22nd March 2026, and we can guide you. 

Q: Can I upload other documents as well as my CV? 

A: HS2 will not review any other application documents apart from your CV, so there is no need to upload a covering letter, portfolio of work or any other supporting documents. 

Q: Does HS2 offer sponsorship if I do not have the Right to Work in the UK? 

To be eligible to apply to the HS2 Graduate scheme for our September 2025 in-take, any applicant will need to already have the on-going Right to Work in the UK, that is not time-bound in any way. 

Please note, unfortunately due to the 2-year time-bound restrictions of the Post Study/Graduate Work visa, we are unable to accept any applicants who have this visa as this is an ongoing permanent role that will carry on beyond the initial 2-year graduate programme.

Due to the nature of our organisation, HS2 cannot sponsor any applications as we do not hold the required sponsorship license from the UK Home Office and candidates are not allowed to sponsor themselves. 

We appreciate the Right to Work question can be complex to understand, so if you are unsure of your Right to Work status in the UK, please email us at [email protected] and we will be happy to advise further. Please note, to enable HS2 to comply with UK Home Office policy, your Right to Work status will be checked early in the recruitment process. 

Q: Do you pay relocation costs? 

A: Unfortunately, we do not pay relocation costs. 

Q: When will I start and finish? 

A: The programme starts in September 2026, and it is our intention that the programme would finish in September 2028. 

 Q: What are the timelines for the campaign? 

A: The Applications window closes on 22nd March 2026. Once you submit your application, the first assessment will be an online blended assessment which will be sent to you once you have completed application has been reviewed. This consists of a variety of situational, numerical, and verbal questions, with a video interview at the end. The subsequent process will include an online assessment centre taking place throughout the months of April. Post assessment center, we will work as quickly as possible to issue offers to successful candidates first. For non-successful applicants, the outcome of your application will be available no later than the month of June. The start date of the HS2 Graduate Programme is September 2026. 

Q: What is the salary for the graduate roles? 
 

• London: Basic £26,871 + 15% Flexible allowance = £30,902  

• Birmingham: Basic £24,022 + 15% Flexible allowance = £27,625 

Q: What is the flexible allowance and how is it paid? 

A: The flexible allowance is an additional pot of money paid as part of your salary every month. It is fully pensionable, along with your basic salary. It gives you extra money to pay for other benefits, which are not part of our Core benefits package, e.g., private medical healthcare, dental plan, and additional holiday purchases. Core Benefits are provided to you free of charge, although some are taxable. The flexible fund enables you to choose benefits that best suit you and your family, but if you prefer not to choose any benefits, you can just take the cash equivalent. The Core Benefits include a Health Cash Plan, Life Assurance, Income Protection and Health Assessments (depending upon grade). More information on the benefits will be made available after the offer stage. 

Q: What are the entry requirements for the Graduate Programme? 

A: We require a minimum of 2:2 degrees unless stated otherwise, and HS2 will validate any UK results with the relevant institution to ensure the grades have been attained. HS2 will also validate any non-UK qualifications that are equivalent to UK grades. If the required grades have not been achieved, HS2 reserves the right to withdraw an offer. 

Q: How many hours a week will I be contracted to work? 

A: The contracted HS2 full-time working week is 36 hours (excluding breaks).
 

Q: Is the closing date flexible? 

A: To maintain consistency and fairness, we are unable to accept any applications or assessments after the closing deadlines. 
 

Q: How do I request an adjustment for any stage of the assessment process.
 

As an inclusive employer, HS2 wants to see every candidate performing their best with regards to any support or adjustments required during the recruitment process. The HR Resourcing team captures any adjustments or support required within your application. Please note that any answer you provide is not visible to hiring managers and will only be discussed with hiring managers if it is appropriate. At the point in time in the recruitment cycle, we are required to make the adjustment. 

If you require an adjustment, please select “yes” on the application question and provide a brief outline of the adjustment. The HR Resourcing team will use this information to implement the relevant adjustment/s at the relevant part of the process. If the HR Resourcing team has any queries on the information you have provided, they will contact you directly. 

If you apply for more than one vacancy, you will need to register the adjustment against each vacancy. If you have any queries on this, or you wish to discuss in detail, please contact [email protected] 

Q If I’ve applied before during a previous HS2 Graduate Campaign, can I apply again? 

A: Yes. We know your skills are always developing and our requirements can change. We’ll be happy for you to apply for any role your skills fit, and you have a real interest in the subject area, even if you have applied before. 

Q: I have had a technical problem when applying, or a technical problem with my application? 

A: Please contact us on [email protected] well before the deadline for the application. As we have the application process open for several weeks, please do your best not to leave this to the last minute to flag an issue. 

Q: How do I know that you have received my application? 

A: You will receive an email confirming receipt when you submit your online application. 

If you do not receive this confirmation, please check your junk mail. Please keep a copy of this acknowledgement email.  

Q: What additional support is there on the Graduate Programme? 

A: Each graduate will receive support from a variety of sources, including: 

• Line Manager 

• Placement Managers 

• A mentor and buddy 

• An Early Careers lead  

Q: What training will I receive? 

A: You will receive training from subject matter experts within your business area and will also attend a quarterly learning day. Learning days focus on core business skills such as emotional intelligence, effective decision making, team building, and resilience. Depending on the programme you are on, there may also be some additional learning required. 

Q: Will there be an induction? 

A: Yes, there will be an induction held in September 2026 

Assessment stage

Q: What happens if I do not complete the online blended assessment, i.e. the first stage of the application process? 

A: The online blended assessment that we ask you to complete is integral to the application process. If it is not submitted by the required submission date, we will unfortunately have to assume you have withdrawn your interest in the programme. Thus, we ask you to complete the assessment well in advance of the closing date. 

Q: I cannot make my interview on the date given. Can I request a different date? 

A: We cannot always provide alternative interview dates because of time constraints, but we will be as flexible as we can.

Q: Will the interview(s)be face to face?

A: No, the interview/assessment center will be taking place virtually using an online platform. 

Q: Can I get feedback on my application if I do not make it to the interview stage? 

A: Unfortunately, due to the high number of applications, we are not able to give feedback to people who do not reach the interview stage. 

Q: Can I get feedback on my interview if I don’t get an offer? 

A: Yes, we are committed to helping you improve and develop, and we will provide feedback on key competencies to anyone who has an interview with us. 

Offer stage

Q: How soon can I expect any outcome after the assessment center? 

A: Our aspirations are to conclude the decision-making process as soon as possible after the assessment center. Given the number of candidates that we assess, this can take some time. We are aiming to make a verbal offer no later than 4 weeks after we conclude the assessment process.  

Q: Is my offer conditional? 

A: Yes, it is conditional on a few things – meeting the entry requirements as specified, satisfying eligibility criteria for working in the UK and completing all the on-boarding checks. The on-boarding checks include a check with the institution you graduated from, a basic Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) Criminal Record check, a financial check, and relevant references that can cover the last 3-year period. 

Q: Can I defer my offer if I’ve decided to take a gap year?

A: There is a lot of planning work that goes into shaping our graduate intake, so unfortunately, we cannot support any deferred applications. 

Q: What happens between accepting my offer and starting the programme? 

A: When you accept an offer, we will commence the pre-employment checks, and we will keep you up to date with progress. We will run a “Welcome Day” in summer 2026 which is a fantastic way to get to know all your new graduate colleagues and start to build a great network. We will also keep you on top of the things that are happening at HS2 with monthly updates.

The future beyond the graduate programme

Q: What happens after the Graduate Programme? 

A: Where possible, we aim to retain our graduates after the programme finishes. We will take into consideration multiple factors when determining this, including but not limited to; passing the course/apprenticeship, performance, behavior, feedback.

Q: Can’t find an answer to your question? 

A: Please contact HS2 Jobs on [email protected]