Can a European break in??

I'm a Spanish Economics student (from a non-target uni ofc) that is going to study in University of California his last year of undergrad (will choose between Berkeley, UCLA or UCSD). My questions are two, simple and clear:

-How hard is it for me to break in the US Finance Industry ?(HF,IB,PE), getting an internship or a job at the end of the course?

-Shall i do or push a different strategy given that i have a different profile with the cons and pros implied? (speak Spanish and French for example)

Need all the monkey help a wannabe-monkey can get!!!

17 Comments
 

Oh you are right - I started at my UC as a Freshman. But we can work with study abroad, at least being in the US can make OP very competitive for the Spanish market. Especially if you are at Berkeley. 

 

Yoo thanks for replying and glad it worked great for you! How can i PM you tho? (idk how it works with your user being Anonymous)

Como podemos hacer para hablar? Ya que te pediría consejo sobre alguna duda.

Muchas gracias por ayudar a un compatriota español!!

 

Is this a study abroad program or are you graduating from UC? If you are just doing an exchange program, you are not eligible for the automatic visa you get for going to school in the US.

Without this visa, the H1B odds are like 30% or something super low, so no one will hire you when you would very likely be rejected for a visa. It'd be different if you were actually a student/graduating from the UC as you would have an automatic visa after graduation.

I would try to land a job in the EU where you don't have visa issues - ideally at a BB and you can easily transfer after a few years.

 

It's an exchange program for the last year, so yeah i have it rough for the working visa, but is there any way or chance that i can get an internship? (via applying, Investing Clubs internships...)

The thing is that EU is a shithole when it comes to IB compared to the US honestly. At least that's what it is like in Spain.

 
Most Helpful

Honestly, the US system is much more structured than any European one. Specially the Spanish

The US is quite strict on the path to break in. Target school, GPA, spring week (maybe), SA, FT. It is quite hard statistically speaking to diverge from it

In the Spanish system you enter mostly through offcycles, whose main requirement is relevant experience. As such, you will see kids from complete non targets and meh grades break in eventually (the age factor is quite shocking, I have seen interns in their late 20s-early 30s). 

Given how you are on a study abroad, it will be as impossible as it can get due to immigration requirements. Only a US student on an F1 who is getting a STEM program has a decent position as they get 3 years to try for an H1B.

As such, I recommend you use this time to prepare a “plan” so you can be competitive for an offcycle when you graduate. 

Source: spanish myself who has worked in both the US/Spain

 

Thanks for replying man! When you say an off-cycle, you mean in Europe/Spain right? Also could i PM you in case i have any doubt? Thanks for helping a fellow spaniard!

 

Pariatur vel possimus vitae qui ut beatae dolor. Nihil eaque expedita fugit maiores. Reiciendis voluptas omnis quia repudiandae rerum id atque sunt. Expedita soluta porro asperiores et reiciendis.

Dolorem et illum impedit voluptas sit consectetur vitae. Blanditiis deserunt in eius adipisci omnis. Unde corporis repudiandae dolor et voluptatem. Aut et numquam vero ut eaque provident perspiciatis.

Hic maxime provident aut ad harum molestiae. Rerum consequuntur officia voluptatibus accusantium. Maiores ipsa incidunt sed temporibus enim. Esse impedit tempora temporibus voluptate autem voluptate in quas. Voluptatem modi quo aut soluta eum reprehenderit.

Aliquam aut repudiandae eum ducimus libero voluptate. Est libero qui porro saepe corporis. Commodi facilis molestiae aut et eaque at et. Laborum rerum quia similique.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
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...”