summer internship chances and advice

School: Target Ivy (think Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth) Year: Sophomore Major: Financial Economics and Philosophy GPA: 3.85 ECs: couple of non-finance related ECs with leadership positions *no US citizenship or green card (I'm on the student F-1 Visa)

Looking for an internship this summer.

1) What are my chances at an internship with a top IB in the US? 2) How much does my non-US citizenship status hurt my chances?

I ask b/c I am considering giving up the internship search and job hunt in the USA altogether and focus my search to, for example, HK offices, which apparently do not require work authorization. (for HK offices, do I need to speak Mandarin?) The competition in the US seems very intense, and I have heard some incredibly discouraging things about getting hired as a non-US citizen/resident in NYC.

3) If I still have a decent chance at getting an internship here (or even being employed upon graduation), what are ways I can improve my candidacy?

3 Comments
 

I'll provide to answer to only what i know.

2) HK - Mandarin is almost necessary. If not, very very beneficial. Interviews can and will be conducted in Mandarin. HK offices love Target schools, but HK itself has a good supply of Target kids who can work just as hard and can speak mandarin. Not to mention connections are a big thing in HK.

Conclusion: HK is just as tough if not tougher. One thing working on your side? They're expanding, I spoke to a few of my banker friends in HK, almost every bank is hiring. Go for it nonetheless.

 
Best Response

Perspiciatis est dolor quis non sed ipsa et. Perferendis vel commodi minima dolor placeat molestias ut. Dignissimos saepe dolores laborum eum aliquid. Ex ad consequuntur odio atque et nam modi eveniet. Architecto rerum vel nisi veniam.

Ea a veritatis et voluptas animi voluptas qui nostrum. Quaerat aut quo mollitia corporis quisquam quia sunt. Nostrum ad consequatur repellendus. Accusantium velit neque a at quam non repudiandae beatae. Non omnis dolorem dolorum unde sed.

Career Advancement Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.9%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.9%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

September 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (53) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (15) $159
  • 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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
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...”