Advice on next steps - UK SA 26
Target UK 2nd Year here, grad '26. Failed to land IBD SA for 2025, thankfully ended up with an offer in restructuring consulting at an accountancy firm. To provide more context I'm an international student and did a couple of springs but the bank I did my IBD spring at seemingly converted nobody. Considering I will be a final year while applying to summers next cycle, and would be a graduate by the time the actual internships would begin (June 2026) I wanted to hear some advice from those who've been through the struggle. I made it to an IBD AC at an EB in this cycle but that was about it, didn't have much luck with other IBD applications. Any strategies/tips to land the internship next year would be greatly appreciated. Thanking you in advance.
Apply to Masters (Oxford MFE should be easy for you if you are in oxford), as international student myself, i understand the extra struggle (i don't speak any european language). Recruiting is indeed a lot of luck so all you can do is increase the base number and hope for the best.
Do plan on applying for M.Phil in economics at Ox/LSE EME since I don't want to entirely shut out the prospect of a career in academia. Is there any way to indicate that on my SA applications for 2026 since I wouldn't have an acceptance until by the months the recruitment cycle is over?
to answer your question:
For your studies, DON‘T put on your CV that you're in your final year, as this will kick you out of the process at many banks. It's not uncommon to complete a Bachelor's degree in 3.5-4 years at public universities in Europe, so just put December 2026 or June 2027
Thank you for your comment. Just wanted to ask how exactly this would work since there's no option to extend my course, that would imply I'm falsifying information on my CV wouldn't it? And surely the bank would find out that I've actually graduated at some point or the other.
this is unethical advice but if ur at oxbridge u can try and rusticate so u graduate a year later and get another shot at SA
I echo what the comment above said, either do a masters or extend your year by one on your CV. Recruitment in the UK is pretty random so there is a big element of luck to it rather than merit until you've passed some screening rounds unfortunately.
Start prepping for thne gmat as soon as 2nd year exams are done. Oxford MFE/HEC Paris MiF are the way to go
Also, I’ve seen your post on Reddit and here with your cv. Took me 10 mins to find out who you are. Remove the Reddit posts for anonymity
Hi mate, I am in the same boat and only have a boutique no-name internship lined up as of now. Quite puzzled as to what to do especially for applications next year. I am thinking of just putting June 2027 Grad date in the portals but keep June 2026 on CV PDF and write intended Msc Finance. Does anyone know the optimal strategy for this?
First off, congrats on securing the restructuring consulting offer—it's a solid experience that will definitely strengthen your profile for next cycle. Given that you’ll be a graduate when the internships begin, I’d suggest targeting off-cycle internships and considering firms that are more flexible with final-year applicants (some EBs and MMs are open to this). Also, leveraging networking will be key—reconnect with contacts from your springs and try to get warm referrals for next year. Since you made it to an AC at an EB, you're clearly competitive, so refining your application strategy and interview prep (especially technicals and deal experience discussions) could help push you over the line. Would also recommend keeping an eye on lateral analyst roles in case direct hiring opportunities arise closer to graduation. Wishing you the best—happy to chat more if you’d like!
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