UBS video interview 2025: the technology graduate questions and how to answer them

In the 2025 UBS technology graduate video interview, software engineering applicants were asked five kinds of question: a major financial event this year that interested them, the languages and tools they know with examples, what clean code means to them, the role they'd applied for and their relevant skills, and a couple of straightforward situational questions. UBS doesn't allow retakes, so you get one recording per question. Below: how the stage works, how to answer each question, and a free drill. For the general format, see our HireVue interview guide.

• The technology interview mixes motivation, technical self-description and commercial awareness.
• Technical questions are about how you work (clean code, tools you've used), not live coding.
• One financial event, understood well, beats a list of headlines.
• You can't re-record, so practise with a timer until finishing on time is automatic.

How the UBS application works for technology graduates

1. Online application with your CV.
2. Online assessments, sent automatically after you apply and due within seven days. UBS lists a Culture Match assessment (realistic work scenarios to see how you fit its culture and values), cognitive tests (numerical, verbal and logical reasoning) and, for technology roles, a coding challenge in a live coding environment. UBS says there are no retakes.
3. Pre-recorded video interview, covered below.
4. Final assessment: a series of interviews with people from the business.

UBS limits how many programmes you can apply to: in the UK, one programme per academic year (plus one in the rest of EMEA, excluding Switzerland). Pick the role carefully.

The 2025 technology video interview questions, and how to answer them

1. "Tell us one major financial event this year that you found interesting"

This is a commercial awareness question, and it's where technology candidates often struggle most. You don't need to be a markets expert. You need one event you can explain clearly and link to a bank. Strong choices for a technology applicant connect the event to systems: a payments outage, a move to faster settlement, a regulatory change that needs new reporting, or a bank integration after a merger.

2. "What languages and tools do you know? Give examples"

The trap is reading out your CV's skills section. Pick the ones you know best and give each a project and a result. Include one team tool (Git, a testing framework, CI) because it shows you can work in a real codebase.

3. "What is clean code to you?"

There's no single right answer, but a vague one is easy to spot. Give a definition, the principles you actually apply, and one example of improving your own code.

4. "What role have you applied for, and what relevant skills do you bring?"

Show you know what the job involves day to day: building and maintaining software that the bank's businesses rely on. Back each skill you mention with something you've built. Avoid generic claims like "I'm passionate about technology" without a project behind them.

5. The "easy" situational questions

Applicants described these as straightforward: classic competency questions such as a tight deadline, working in a team or a challenge you overcame. Easy questions still need structure. Use STAR, keep the setup short and finish on the result. forge's UBS question bank also includes "a time you worked with little guidance", "a time you had to adjust quickly to new priorities" and "explain something complex to someone with little background". Prepare a story for each.

Other UBS video interview questions to prepare

From forge's UBS question bank. These cover all programmes, technology included:

• Tell me about yourself / walk me through your CV.
• Why UBS? What differentiates UBS from other banks?
• Why this programme, division or desk?
• Tell me about a recent UBS deal or piece of financial news that interested you.
• Tell me about two companies that, in your opinion, should merge, and why.
• What are the main challenges facing the IT department or this business area? (technology roles)
• Tell us something that isn't on your CV.
• Is there anything else you would like to add?

UBS's rules: no retakes, no AI

UBS's AI policy is strict. Your video interview answers "must be your own", and using AI to generate them is "strictly prohibited". Recording or transcribing interviews with AI tools isn't allowed either. Breaking these rules can get you removed from the process or lose you an offer, even after you've started. You can use AI to help prepare your CV, as long as the content is genuinely yours.

A 5-day plan for the UBS technology video interview

1. Day 1: pick your financial event and research it properly. Write five bullet points: what, when, why it matters, link to UBS, your view.
2. Day 2: write your languages-and-tools answer and your clean-code answer, each with one project example.
3. Day 3: write "why UBS", "why this role" and three STAR stories (deadline, teamwork, a challenge).
4. Day 4: record every answer with the drill above. Watch them back and fix one thing each.
5. Day 5: use UBS's practice interviews to check your setup, then record the real one when you're sharp.

Related guides

• The most common HireVue questions (646 analysed)
• HireVue sample answers
• How HireVue scores your interview
• HireVue interview guide: format and preparation
• Assessment guides by employer

Source notes

The five 2025 technology questions were reported to forge by applicants to UBS's technology graduate programme. The application stages, seven-day deadline, retake rule, practice interviews and application limits come from UBS's How we hire and early careers FAQ pages, and the video-interview retake rule from its pre-recorded video interview support page. AI rules come from UBS's AI usage policy. UBS may change its process for each intake. forge is independent and not affiliated with UBS or HireVue.

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