GCHQ

GCHQ 2025 graduate opportunities

Company Company profile

At GCHQ, we unlock the complex world of communications to keep our nation safe. Collaborating closely with Britain’s other intelligence agencies, we safeguard Britain’s people, interests and businesses from various threats. Think terror plots, cyber-attacks and criminal threats.

It’s varied and meaningful work that you simply won’t find anywhere else.

Our mission -
The internet is a part of everybody’s lives. But while it benefits millions of people, it also increases the threats we all face.

Our Mission is to keep Britain safe. We bring intelligence and technology together to counter increasingly sophisticated threats. GCHQ intelligence helps keep our forces safe, prevents terrorism and crime and protects against cyber attack.

It takes all sorts of different people in different roles to help us to do that. Some are linguists; others are mathematicians. Some work in cryptography; others in project management. Some have PhDs, others have A-levels. Some of them have worked in this field before; others haven’t come close. Put simply, everyone here is different. What unites us is our dedication to providing intelligence, protecting information and informing relevant policy to keep UK society safe, secure and successful.

With your talent, we can flourish and protect the UK.

Please note that due to the sensitive nature of our work, applicants must be British citizens.

Case studies

  • Name: Classified
  • Role: Graduate Researcher
  • Joined: Classified
  • University: Classified
  • Degree: Classified

"Out of necessity, a lot of what we do goes unreported and unrecognised."

Description:

I was primarily attracted to GCHQ by the opportunity to continue researching and work with applications that matter in the real world.

There are plenty of training opportunities… and I’ve had the chance to learn an enormous amount, both in terms of technical skills, such as new programming languages… and broader skills, like learning to tailor my research to produce the best outcome for the business.

It’s been a steep learning curve… especially as I didn’t know a huge amount about the very technical side. You need to pick up technical skills… the subject expertise… and an understanding of how the business works, all at the same time… which can be a bit overwhelming. But fortunately, everyone’s very understanding and supportive.

The nature of the work means you have to keep an eye on what’s going on, too… But there’s a huge number of resources to help you… from news articles to formal training… or talking to experts around the department – and the world!

Everyone in my team and the department have been very friendly and encouraging… They’ve given me a lot of on-the-job training to supplement my formal training courses. And the buddy scheme means there’s always someone there to answer your stupid questions… which always helps when you’re new and trying to make a good impression! My managers have also been great at supporting other things I’ve got involved with, such as outreach and diversity activities.

I think the main thing you need as a graduate here is a willingness and ability to learn. However much of an expert you are, things move on so quickly that everyone has to keep learning and doing new things. But I think the thing that’s most impressed and surprised me is just how much we actually do! Out of necessity, a lot of what we do goes unreported and unrecognised… so it’s not until you join that you discover just how wide-ranging and important our work actually is.

Application procedure

Challenging projects, early responsibility, outstanding professional development and a series of unique experiences – that's what you can expect as a graduate at GCHQ. Some of our roles require a specific technical degree. Others, including our leadership development scheme for motivated individuals, welcome graduates from any discipline. Whatever your degree, we'll offer you a rewarding and challenging career in a supportive culture where you really can be yourself.

As a graduate, you're welcome to apply for any of our roles – check out our current vacancies (below) to see if any of them catch your eye.

FAQs

Do I need to be a British citizen to work for GCHQ?

Yes.