Breaking into London IB / US Mega-Fund PE from Germany without a UK Target University – Realistic Paths?

Hi everyone,

I'm a German student trying to figure out the most realistic route into investment banking, with New York as my ultimate career goal. London is primarily a means to an end for me: a gateway to the US and other international financial centres, rather than somewhere I necessarily want to settle long-term.

I'd particularly appreciate advice from Europeans from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland who have navigated a similar path without attending a traditional target university.

My background

I have a German Abitur with a final grade of 1.6, which I understand roughly translates to AAB at A-level, although equivalencies vary by university. This makes admission to traditional UK targets such as LSE, Oxford, Cambridge, Warwick, and potentially UCL difficult.

St. Gallen would be an attractive option, but the cost is prohibitive for me. Bocconi is another possibility, although I'm concerned that my grades from earlier years of secondary school could affect my application.

Realistically, my main university options in Germany would be Goethe University Frankfurt (my preferred choice), the University of Mannheim, and potentially WHU, although the latter is more of a long shot.

I'm aware that some candidates from German universities manage to break into London IB directly after their bachelor's. However, from what I've seen, these candidates often have unusually strong profiles, including one or two relevant internships even before starting university and exceptionally strong school grades, sometimes around 0.7–1.0 in the German grading system.

My 1.6 Abitur is certainly respectable, but it is not in that category. Based on my current understanding, I would struggle to secure spring weeks at banks such as Citi, Bank of America, or Barclays with my school grades, which could make building an early internship track record considerably more difficult. I'm happy to be corrected if this assumption is wrong, but I'd like advice based on my actual starting point rather than exceptional success stories.

My long-term goal: New York, with London as the stepping stone

My ultimate goal is to work in New York, ideally in investment banking or, eventually, at a top private equity fund. I see London as the most attractive potential stepping stone because of its concentration of global banks, elite boutiques, and leading PE funds, as well as the international mobility it can offer.

In particular, I want to keep several routes open:

• IB → New York: Join a global bank in London and pursue an internal transfer to its New York office.
• IB → PE → New York: Join a leading PE fund after approximately 1–2 years in IB, then potentially transfer from its London office to New York.
• Other international opportunities: Depending on the bank, role, and available opportunities, potentially move to financial centres such as Dubai, Doha, or Singapore.

I'm aware that these moves are far from guaranteed and depend on performance, hiring needs, visa requirements, and the specific firm. Nevertheless, I value the optionality that London can provide. In my view, Frankfurt does not offer the same breadth of international opportunities, particularly if New York is the ultimate objective.

I'd also appreciate being corrected if experienced bankers believe I'm overestimating London's advantages or underestimating alternative routes from Germany.

My main questions

1. University choice: Would you recommend studying at Goethe University Frankfurt, Mannheim, or potentially WHU, or attending a less selective UK university? Which options offer the most credible route into London IB recruiting?
2. Recruiting strategy: Given my Abitur grade, how would you approach spring weeks, summer internships, off-cycle internships, and networking? Can a strong university GPA and relevant experience compensate for weaker school grades?
3. Alternative entry routes: Would starting at a German bank and lateraling to London be viable, or would that add too much time and uncertainty?
4. Choosing the right platform: If international mobility is my priority, would you favour a global bank with strong internal transfer opportunities, an elite boutique, or maximizing my chances of entering PE as early as possible? Which route would best position me for a future move to New York?
5. Bachelor's vs. master's / gap year: If I complete a three-year bachelor's at one of these universities, would it make more sense to spend a gap year completing relevant internships and strengthening my CV, or pursue a one- to 1.5-year master's at a prestigious institution such as HEC Paris, LSE, or London Business School? Would the stronger brand name and recruiting access justify the additional time, or could a strong internship record achieve a similar outcome more efficiently?
6. Experiences from DACH candidates: Has anyone from Germany, Austria, or Switzerland successfully broken into London IB without attending LSE, Oxbridge, Warwick, UCL, HSG, or Bocconi? Ideally, I'd love to hear from people who started with a similar school-leaving grade and didn't already have exceptional internships before university. What did your actual path look like, and what would you do differently today?

My priority is to reach London IB within approximately 4–4.5 years from starting university. Five years would be something I'd prefer to avoid if possible.

I'm not looking for reassurance that everything is possible. I'd much rather hear realistic assessments, including unconventional routes, potential dead ends, and mistakes to avoid.

Thanks in advance for any advice, especially from people who have actually made the transition from a German university to London and, ideally, subsequently to New York.