Nomura: application stages, tests and practice

Stages in order

1. 1

   Online application

   OOfficial employer

   Apply on Nomura's careers website with an online form and your CV. The application may include motivation questions; a cover letter is not required. Nomura asks for Nomura-specific answers and says not to use AI to write a generic response. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so Nomura encourages applying early.

   Sources: [1] [2]

2. 2

   Online assessments (EMEA)

   OOfficial employer

   After you apply you receive an email invitation to the online assessments, which EMEA and AeJ use as part of the initial application. Nomura names AON as its testing provider and asks you to complete the assessments within five days of the invitation. Extra time is requested through the portal Help Centre. If your results miss the minimum requirements, you are told three days after the assessment. Nomura does not say which AON tests are used, how many items they have or how long they take on the pages read.

   Publisher: Aon (named by the employer or an employer-run portal)

   Sources: [1] [2]

3. 3

   First-round interview

   OOfficial employer

   First-round interviews are typically held over the phone with representatives from the business area you applied to, and tend to be with junior employees. Nomura tells you whether an interview is in person or virtual. The number and length of interviews are not published.

   Practise: Daily interview question

   Sources: [1] [2]

4. 4

   Final interview(s)

   OOfficial employer

   If you pass the first round you are invited to final interview(s), in person or virtually, with more senior members of the business. Interviews may contain competency and technical questions, and you should be ready to explain your interests and motivations. Nomura's interview tips say final rounds for Investment Banking and Global Markets involve a case study: you prepare an exercise from information given on arrival, with 45 to 60 minutes to read the data and compile notes, then make recommendations and answer questions on your rationale.

   Practise: Case study exercise practice, Daily interview question

   Sources: [1] [2] [3]

Final stage line-up

Assessment centre practice

Retakes and validity

Nomura accepts one application globally per recruitment cycle (academic year). If you are unsuccessful you cannot apply again in the same cycle; you can reapply in the next academic year and go through selection and assessment again. If the system failed to capture your assessment score, you may need to take the test again, and Nomura may ask for a supervised retest later in the process.

What we could not verify

• Which AON tests EMEA candidates take (prep sites report numerical, verbal and logical reasoning, situational judgement tests and a recorded video interview; Nomura's pages do not say)
• The number of first-round and final-round interviews and their lengths (prep and careers-advice sites give counts that Nomura does not confirm)
• Whether Insight and other short programmes follow the same four parts
• Whether the case study is presented to one interviewer or a panel, and whether any group exercise is used

Sources

1. Nomura Early Careers, Application Process Checked 2026-10-22
   Nomura's own page, read by fetching the page directly. Supports the four parts: online application with CV, online assessments (AeJ and EMEA only), first-round interviews usually by phone with the business area, and final interview(s) in person or virtual with competency and technical questions.
2. Nomura Early Careers, Applications FAQs Checked 2026-10-22
   Nomura's own FAQ. Supports AON as the testing provider, the five-day completion window, notice three days after the assessment if results miss the minimum, the extra time route through the portal Help Centre, possible retest if a score was not captured, possible supervised retest later, the ban on AI and third-party help, junior first-round and senior final-round interviewers, a case study in final rounds, motivation questions with no cover letter, and the one application per recruitment cycle rule.
3. Nomura Early Careers, Interview Tips Checked 2026-10-22
   Nomura's own page. Supports the PARLA method, the question types, the example interview questions used in the interview bank, and the final-round case study for Investment Banking and Global Markets (45 to 60 minutes to read data and compile notes, then recommendations).
4. Nomura Early Careers, Working at Nomura (What are we looking for?) Checked 2026-10-22
   Nomura's own page. Lists the qualities used for the interview bank rubric. Not used for any selection stage.

Common questions about Nomura

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