European target for consulting

Hi everyone, I’m currently a bachelor student at a Non-target in Europe. I’d like to pursuit a career in consulting. Therefore I’d like to know the best/target school in Europe for my purpose. Thanks everyone who will respond in advance.

12 Comments
 

Can recommend HEC Paris MiM programme if you can hack a 2-3 year programme, or Strategic Management / International Finance if you would prefer just 1 year.

Lot of my peers placed comfortably into MBB / strong consultancies across Europe, mostly into the offices in their home countries.

 

Following is from what I know for London. 

Firstly, while there is a continental target presence (HEC, Bocconi, INSEAD, etc.) it's definitely less prominent than for finance. There's also more differentiation between targets. So for finance, you have six standard UK universities that are targeted by every bank (Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial, UCL, Warwick) and there isn't much between them in terms of placement, with the slight exception of some EB groups still being Oxbridge dominated. Whereas for MBB, it's much more tiered. Oxbridge makes up 40-50% of most analyst classes (less than it used to be), LSE/Imperial about a quarter, other good UK unis (UCL, Warwick, Durham, Edinburgh mostly) about 20% and then the final 10%ish from foreign (continental and U.S.) universities. This varies a little by which MBB specifically - BCG's official campus recruiting leak a few years ago only had four targets (Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE - no UCL), McKinsey seems to treat UCL on a more similar level to Imperial and LSE (but note that Warwick is nowhere near as strong for consulting placement as it is for finance), and I would generally say that Bain has more Oxbridge people and less LSE/Imperial. That BCG leak suggested they would automatically screen out anyone not at those four target universities unless they had a first, for what it's worth.

Tier 2 is blurry but the four targets above plus UCL, Warwick, Durham and Edinburgh will likely stand you in good stead. If we're talking less selective firms, including Big 4 consulting, any top 10-15 UK university (aforementioned universities plus some of Bristol, KCL, Manchester, Exeter, St Andrews, Nottingham, Leeds, Bath as a rough, unordered, and not entirely accurate or exhaustive list) will give you a reasonable chance of getting through initial screening providing you have decent academics and some relevant experience. 

Do note, however, that target status matters less than finance once you actually get an interview - most of whether you get the job comes down to case performance. Also, referrals do exist (although can be difficult to get for London) and can help you break in from a semi/non-target. 

 

Unless you are from the UK, they are seen as a joke by mainland EU except for Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, and Kings. Warwick doesn't count. 

Your targets will depend on your home country. In DACH: Mannheim, LMU, TUM, WHU, HSG, and WUWien, although Goethe, HHL, Uni Berlin, Köln, Münster, and Bayreuth also place. 

Benelux: Rotterdam, Maastricht, UvA, TU Delft, and KU Leuven

France: Insead and HEC

Spain/Portugal: ESADE, Catolica, Nova

Italy: Bocconi

Nordics: CBS, Lund, BI Norway

Also, the CEMS program is well regarded

 

Non minus quos pariatur ab consequuntur. Nemo et quia repellendus voluptatem vero aut sequi. Quasi aut quia molestiae. Voluptatem recusandae quae voluptatem consequatur facilis amet dolorem.

Ut ex sit aspernatur libero doloremque. Reprehenderit praesentium quia eaque quasi sapiente deserunt est. Quam quos eaque qui officiis. Quas enim maxime esse et omnis reiciendis. Dolores qui nihil ut unde molestias sed eos.

In nisi qui ipsa non. Maiores qui ipsa eum et. Deleniti enim provident laboriosam aut sapiente. Soluta voluptas debitis aliquid soluta molestiae facere. Ea velit distinctio fugit eveniet. Sapiente fugit qui excepturi ut aut deleniti. Consequuntur placeat aut doloremque exercitationem.

Repudiandae ut sed qui eligendi. Ipsa enim tempore molestiae quo vel. Impedit quia rerum blanditiis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Consulting

  • Boston Consulting Group 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 99.0%
  • McKinsey and Co 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Consulting

  • Cornerstone Research 99.5%
  • Bain & Company 99.0%
  • Boston Consulting Group 98.4%
  • McKinsey and Co 97.9%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Consulting

  • Bain & Company 99.5%
  • Boston Consulting Group 99.0%
  • McKinsey and Co 98.4%
  • Oliver Wyman 97.9%
  • LEK Consulting 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Consulting

  • Partner (4) $361
  • Principal (30) $294
  • Director/MD (58) $274
  • Vice President (53) $247
  • Engagement Manager (113) $232
  • Manager (170) $173
  • 2nd Year Associate (185) $142
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (116) $135
  • Senior Consultant (354) $132
  • Consultant (642) $122
  • 1st Year Associate (576) $121
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (164) $121
  • NA (16) $114
  • Engineer (6) $114
  • 2nd Year Analyst (390) $104
  • Associate Consultant (176) $101
  • 1st Year Analyst (1163) $90
  • Intern/Summer Associate (208) $83
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (631) $68
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”