LSE MSc Finance: will a lack of finance internships hurt my application?
Hi everyone,
I’m planning to apply to the MSc Finance at LSE for the September 2028 intake and would appreciate some advice. Although I’m aiming for a career in consulting, academically I’ve always been most drawn to finance, and quantitative subjects are one of my strengths.
My profile:
- Grades: around 1.1 on the German scale (roughly a 3.9 GPA equivalent)
- References: Two academic references from professors who are LSE alumni themselves
- GMAT: planning to take it in August 2027
- Experience: a Big 4 consulting internship and an internship at a small German management consultancy
My concern: I don’t have any finance-related internship, and I won’t have one before I apply in September 2027, because, as I mentioned, my long-term goal is consulting rather than a pure finance career
My questions:
- Is the lack of finance experience a real weakness, or even a reason for rejection?
- Do you have any other tips for the application, such as when to apply (early rounds vs. later) or the GMAT score to aim for?
Thanks a lot!
As for disadvantage for getting into the MSc? Maybe only slightly but not really. Your biggest disadvantage will be the lack of experience when you apply for jobs. Coming from a Uk/EU student currently in Germany and going back to the UK. I specifically chose to do a masters in Germany because of a lack of internships and the ability to do them here, which is something I would never have been able to do had I done my masters at the LSE.
I know the LSE is a big brand and extremely renowned, but know that German recruitment is snobbier and more name brand focussed than the UK. The UK in the last few years has moved away from networking on old boys networks when it comes to early careers. A very strong CV does better in Germany than it does in London. The LSE is not a guarantee to finding a good well paid (very rare in London) job. It will help you back in Germany (if they can get past ur lack of internships), but career wise a MSc at the LSE is a very expensive ticket to a meal you might not get fed at. I’m sorry to say. Career wise you also have the disadvantage of being German. I don’t mean visa wise, but it’s common unofficial knowledge that many banks run recruitment separate for German/italian/french students due to their having a lot more experience than Brits. If the firms you apply for do this, you will be placed in the German bucket, where the LSE won’t save you against a Mannheim/WHU/FS student with 3 internships. Bear that in mind before you fully commit
Hey, thanks for the honest message! I’ll definitely have more internships by the time I start the programme in September 2028 (Roland Berger and Horváth are currently in my pipeline). However, they’ll most likely take place after I submit my applications next year, which is why I won’t be able to include them on my CV at that point :). Do you have any information on the GMAT Focus score LSE expects? Is it as high as Oxford’s, at around 700?
As for GMAT. The higher the better. But if you want consulting - why a MSc in Finance? Vastly different skill sets, and if you’re already landing decent internships why not just convert one and start working. Experience trumps academics 9/10. And I mean you clearly seem set to do it, and if you have the cash to spend and don’t mind coming back to Germany in the most likely case, be my guest, but just be aware a MSc at the LSE is no guarantee of a grad job in London at that your salary will be lower than the cost of your masters for the first 2 years. If that’s ok go for it - just know the realities of the UK job market
Fair point! Thank you for your insights!
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