Applying to HK or London: which is less competitive?

Hi all, I'm trying to maximize my chances of getting into a BB... and here is some background about myself:

-non-target "international student" in the context of these countries -I don't need a visa for Hong Kong, I have residency/citizenship -Prior relevant internship experience from HSBC -decent grades -know Cantonese/English, not mandarin -definitely more social/outgoing personality compared to quant background lol

I was wondering which country should I focus on? A lot of BBs only accept one application now from candidates, so I'm trying to apply to whichever location would help me most. From what I found from coldcalling/networking with alumni, it seems like Hong Kong doesn't really require networking for internships? Hr seems to have a lot of power there for internships.

For more information, this is mainly for Markets/S&T, not IB. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

typed up a longer response yesterday but somehow it's gone... dunno about barclays. you should call them up and ask. i've been networking with alums in london/continental europe and was told there are two ways to approach london recruiting 1) study abroad for a year to show commitment to the region and pick up a european language and become fluent 2) start in NY and then lateral. most of them said they wouldn't sponsor a tier 5 (intern) visa for an internship that's only 2-3 months, but since you're applying to off-cycle that might be different. fwiw, HR in london seems to have bigger sway than in the states. what year are you in school? i go to school in the states and got interviews for positions in london

HK wouldn't be any less competitive than london or nyc. smaller summer intern class, overseas/local quota, school prestige (top targets in US/UK) seems to matter a lot. language requirement is a mixed bag. i spoke to firms that don't care about mandarin skills and firms that require you to be able to write memos/reports/presentations in chinese and speak fluent mandarin. did you get to speak to any dong gei ren? i've only spoken with american expats so maybe the perspective is different. pm if you wanna trade notes.

 

Fugiat aliquid dicta perspiciatis nulla ut. Sequi rerum consectetur nesciunt molestias deserunt et. Accusantium accusantium accusamus sed aut id. Ratione harum dolor tenetur quas. Assumenda voluptatem ratione rerum rerum sed. Dicta sed nihil corporis dolores. Quos quidem hic ea inventore.

Odit voluptas error et accusamus. Quo dolorem provident rerum rerum unde eligendi aliquam. Voluptates et vel iure nihil molestias. Iste odio ut illo dolor sequi molestiae. Quam et qui voluptate repellendus accusantium dolorem. Sunt quo quo dolores.

Vero maiores debitis porro possimus. Est laboriosam est sunt dicta. Enim officiis corporis voluptate temporibus et eos et. Voluptatem qui id et distinctio esse unde incidunt.

Sit tenetur quasi beatae labore perspiciatis. Eum ducimus itaque est rem quae est. Minus cumque sed nobis laborum aliquam. Enim et odio quae quibusdam debitis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
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...”