Assessment day

The Campus Cover Image

Congratulations on reaching the final stage of our admissions process: the assessment day.

We’re delighted to invite you to our Malmesbury campus for an interactive day of interviews, whilst also having the chance to look around and talk to current Undergraduate Engineers at the Dyson Institute.

You can find all the information you need for the assessment day below.

Assessment day preparation webinar

If you were unable to join us for a live session, you can watch a recording of the assessment day preparation webinar by clicking the link below. The password is: DysonI25! 

Watch now

Please do not share this recording. 

On the day

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      Arrival

      You can arrive from 09:30 for a prompt 10am start....

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      Welcome

      The day will start with a welcome presentation at 10:00.

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      Group activity

      Get to know each other and solve a Dyson problem (not assessed). ...

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      Behavioural or Technical interview (1)

      After the group activity, you'll have your first interview....

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      Behavioural or Technical interview (2)

      After your first interview, you'll have your second interview....

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      Lunch

      You'll tour our teaching spaces, before having lunch with our Undergraduate Engineers.

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      Guests return to Dyson Village

      At 14:00, your guests can return to campus and join us at the Dyson Village.

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      Dyson Village tour

      See the accommodation and facilities in Dyson Village.

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      Programme overview

      You'll return to the Roundhouse for a presentation overview of the programme.

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      Networking

      A final opportunity to ask any questions, with staff and students.

Arrival

When you arrive at our main gate, security will greet you. They'll have a list of arrivals for the day and will hand you a visitor pass. You'll say goodbye to your guest at this point and they can come back after lunch. Security will direct you to main reception. Once you arrive, one of the Dyson Institute staff will greet you and take you up to where you will be based for the morning. Here you will meet the Admissions Team and we’ll sign you in, collect your right to work documentation, and you will be given a name badge.

Welcome

Group activity

You’ll be split into small groups to complete a task. Your group will be sat around a table, set up to support working as a team. 

To begin you’ll be given time to read the brief individually before coming together to discuss what you have read and how you would go about completing the task. The group task will be non-assessed and based around a Dyson product, giving you an insight into what it’s like working as an Engineer at Dyson. 

Behavioural or Technical interview (1)

For the behavioural interview, you will meet two interviewers made up of Dyson HR and Dyson Institute staff. The interview is a strengths-based interview and this allows us to look for potential rather than experience. We’ll be focusing on your interests and motivation as well as what strengths you can bring to the role. We’ll be looking for you to demonstrate the attributes and behaviours outlined in our non-academic entry requirements in this interview. Make sure you brush up on these and think about how you could demonstrate these through your strengths.

A good way to prepare would be to write a list of your strengths and how you think they fit with our requirements and would help you to become a successful Undergraduate Engineer. If you struggle with this, ask a family member or friend what your strengths are as a starting point. Also have a think about your preferences, what do you like doing and what motivates you – for example, reflect on when you’ve had a really good day at school or college, or at a part-time job – what made it a good day? How would this fit into what we are looking for from our non-academic requirements.

Behavioural or Technical interview (2)

The technical interview is conducted by a Dyson engineer and a Dyson Institute academic. 

Whilst we don't expect you to have existing knowledge about everything you are asked about, we want to see how you apply what you do know to methodically work through the problems posed to you.

Lunch

Guests return to Dyson Village

Dyson Village tour

Programme overview

Networking

FAQs

Do I need to bring anything with me? 

  • If you have already completed your A-Levels (or equivalent), original certificates. 
  • Right to work document(s):  
    • British passport; or
    • Other passport with relevant visa; or
    • Full birth certificate (this must be the one that includes the details of at least one parent) together with your National Insurance letter.  

What should I wear? 

Our dress code is casual - both as a student and working at Dyson, so wear what you feel comfortable in. Our interviewers will be wearing jeans, skirts, chinos, t-shirts, casual shirts, jumpers, hoodys and on a very warm day we've even seen shorts. Our only no-go is anything with rude or offensive language / pictures. Please keep it respectful!

Getting here

Please arrive at the following address where security will greet you.

Dyson
Tetbury Hill
Malmesbury
SN16 0RP

When your guests return to campus after lunch, they should head to Dyson Village. 

Dyson Village
Tetbury Hill
Malmesbury
SN16 0FQ

 

 

For train arrival, Kemble is the nearest station to Dyson (15 minutes by car) however you will need to pre-arrange taxis and note this is an unstaffed station with no facilities outside the morning peak. There are limited accommodation options in this village. 

Swindon and Chippenham stations are on the main line from Bristol and London, with taxi ranks available outside (approx. 30-40 minutes from campus).

Pre-booked taxis from campus to stations for onwards travel is required. We may arrange shuttle taxis if demand requires. 

We will contribute to accommodation and travel expenses for assessment days. We will offer reimbursement (with proof of purchase) for:

• UK (exc. NI) applicants – up to £150
• Northern Irish and European applicants – up to £250
• International applications – up to £1000

We don't want a financial burden to be a barrier to joining us. If booking or paying upfront for travel and/or accommodation yourself would affect your ability to attend an event on campus, please contact the Recruitment and Admissions team, who will be happy to support. 

 

Expenses claim form and guidance