Investment banking online tests, bank by bank

Which banks use HireVue, game-based assessments or numerical tests, what each stage measures, and how to prepare for Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan and others. 7 min readUpdated 11 November 2026By the Prepper team

Before you meet a banker, most banks put you through one or more online stages. They differ more than candidates expect, so preparing for "the online test" in general wastes time. This guide groups the banks by the kind of screen they use.

The three kinds of screen

Recorded video interviews. You get a question on screen, around 30 seconds to think and one to three minutes to answer. No human is on the other side.
Game-based assessments. Short tasks that measure attention, memory, risk appetite and how you decide under time pressure.
Numerical and situational tests. Charts and tables with multiple-choice questions, sometimes paired with workplace scenarios.

Who uses what

Goldman Sachs starts with a HireVue video interview, followed by a superday of several 30-minute interviews. Prepare a "why Goldman" answer that names a specific group and a deal.
J.P. Morgan uses game-style tasks together with a recorded video interview for campus hiring. Some groups add a short deal discussion at the superday.
Barclays runs numerical and situational tests before interviews in London, then an assessment centre with a group exercise for graduate roles.
UBS opens with a video interview and puts weight on motivation and market awareness.
Deutsche Bank and Rothschild & Co both use assessment centres in London; Rothschild adds numerical tests early in the graduate process.
Morgan Stanley and Bank of America lean on structured fit and competency questions in first rounds, with technicals at the standard question-bank level.
Evercore, Lazard, PJT, Centerview and Moelis rely less on online tests and more on interviews, which is why their technical questions go deeper.

How to prepare for each kind

Video interviews. Write bullet answers for the eight or so questions that always appear: why banking, why this bank, a deal you followed, a time you worked in a team, a failure, your strengths. Record yourself twice. Look at the camera, not the screen, and finish five seconds early instead of being cut off.

Games. You cannot revise for them, but you can avoid losing marks. Do them rested, on a laptop with a mouse, with notifications off. Read each instruction screen fully, since the instructions are part of the test.

Numerical tests. The maths is simple; the time is not. Practise percentage change, ratios and reading the right row of a table quickly. Use the on-screen calculator rules you will actually have.

After the screen

Passing the online stage only earns the interview. From there the process is technicals plus fit, covered in the investment banking interview guide and the technical questions guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does every investment bank use HireVue?
No. Recorded video interviews are common at large banks for campus hiring, but boutiques often go straight to phone or in-person interviews.
Can you fail a game-based assessment?
There is no pass mark you can see, but banks use the results alongside your CV to decide who moves forward, so treat it as a real stage.
How long do I get to answer a recorded video question?
Usually around 30 seconds of thinking time and one to three minutes to answer, with one attempt per question.

Does every investment bank use HireVue?

No. Recorded video interviews are common at large banks for campus hiring, but boutiques often go straight to phone or in-person interviews.

Can you fail a game-based assessment?

There is no pass mark you can see, but banks use the results alongside your CV to decide who moves forward, so treat it as a real stage.

How long do I get to answer a recorded video question?

Usually around 30 seconds of thinking time and one to three minutes to answer, with one attempt per question.