Break into NYC from Europe

Hi everyone,

I’m currently doing a Master in Finance at a top European business school and would like to get some perspective on my chances to break into investment banking in New York.

A bit of background:

• American citizenship (so no visa issues).
• Previous internship in structured finance at a top French bank (BNP, SocGen, etc.).
• Starting an internship in a small private credit firm in New York this January to start building a network on the ground.
• Targeting Summer 2027 for banking, ideally in DCM, structured finance, or private credit — but open to other areas on the debt side.

One concern I have is that while my school is considered a super-target in Europe, I’m not sure HR/recruiters in the US will recognise it the same way.

I’d love to hear from people who have either made the transition from Europe to New York or seen others do it. How realistic is this path? Beyond networking, what would you suggest I focus on in the next two years to maximise my chances?

Any advice on positioning myself (both from a recruiting and networking standpoint) would be super helpful.

Thanks a lot