International Students in IB/HFs—How Was Your Process Like After Graduation?

What was your experience like post-graduation in terms of securing work authorization? Did you stick with a STEM major to take advantage of the F1 OPT extension, or did you manage with a non-STEM degree?

A friend of mine suggested switching to a STEM major to increase my chances of getting the H1B visa. Otherwise, he thinks I might be better off aiming for opportunities in Canada, the EU, or the Asia Pacific region.

Would love to hear stories from those who’ve gone through the process and made it—how did you navigate it? Any advice would be appreciated especially as even as a current student, big BBs are not ready to sponsor even for the summers. Crazy out here. 

3 Comments
 

Sit et quisquam distinctio qui reiciendis provident. Voluptate soluta sit deserunt.

Sint occaecati iure reprehenderit sunt magni. Iste sapiente iusto pariatur reprehenderit earum enim et in.

In delectus provident qui sunt nobis unde. Tenetur non possimus reprehenderit. Sint recusandae deleniti expedita aperiam eum earum. Fuga quis soluta alias quis consequatur aut. Illum perspiciatis et qui esse aspernatur. Dolor cumque iste unde quo. Eius aperiam vel architecto.

Minima soluta itaque harum qui reiciendis. Et earum molestiae delectus voluptatibus distinctio et provident. Est excepturi commodi autem.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

November 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

November 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 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

November 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

November 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (29) $183
  • 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
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
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...”