Breaking into investment banking
Sunset behind Canary Wharf, seen from the Thames Barrier. Photograph: The wub, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
The usual route runs from a first-year spring week to a penultimate-year internship and a return offer. Each window opens months ahead, mostly in autumn.
The path runs spring week, internship, offer
The usual route has three steps: a spring week in your first year, a summer internship in your penultimate year, then an offer to return as a graduate analyst. Each window opens months ahead; the other sectors in the careers section keep their own clocks.
| Stage | Who it is for | When applications usually open | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring week | First-years; second-years on four-year courses | September and October of first year; some in July and August | Lancaster University Management School Careers |
| Summer internship | Penultimate-year students | Autumn, with deadlines later in the autumn or in January | LSE Department of Finance |
| Graduate analyst programme | Final-year students | Often August, closing as early as October | targetjobs |
| Assessments and offers | Shortlisted applicants | October to April | LSE Careers |
Not every bank follows the same order or dates, which is why the spring week calendar gives each bank’s own.
12 to 36 months: how long a UK graduate scheme typically lasts
More on joining the path laterLess on joining the path later
You can join the path at any stage. Missing a spring week closes nothing; it means your first application is for an internship, or for the graduate programme itself.
The programme at the end is a structured start, not a single job. LSE Careers says most schemes are open to graduates of any discipline, though numerical ability may be tested along the way.
Look upriver from the Thames Barrier at dusk and Canary Wharf is lit floor by floor. A graduate desk in one of those towers is often won long before graduation, in stages, through windows that open each autumn.
The first door opens in your first autumn
A spring week is a short insight programme in the Easter break of your first year, and the earliest way in. Applications open in September and October, some in summer.
Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-years can also apply.
On a master’s or past first year? Skip to the internship.
Read every row on the spring week calendar rather than assume one deadline fits all.
More on one bank's datesLess on one bank's dates
Piper Sandler’s London spring week shows how precise the wording can be: it is for the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029.
It opens applications at midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026, for a programme in April 2027, and says those who succeed may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship.
Other banks open far earlier. If you arrive in the UK in late September, their window may already be half gone.
The summer internship is the long interview
The internship is where a bank sees you work for weeks, not hours; at most banks it is paid and often leads to an offer.
during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme.
Missed the spring week? Aim here: none of the eligibility lines quoted here asks for one.
More on who may applyLess on who may apply
Who may apply is again set by year.
Goldman Sachs opens its summer analyst programme in EMEA to students on a bachelor’s or master’s degree in their penultimate or final year. The Barclays internship quoted above asks for students in their penultimate year, graduating in 2028.
LSE’s Department of Finance says internships at most investment banks are paid positions that in many cases lead to an offer of a full-time role. LSE Careers says internships can run from a few weeks to a year.
£60,000 median starting salary in investment banking at leading UK graduate employers
More on what happens after you applyLess on what happens after you apply
Prospects describes assessment centres as often the final stage of selection for large graduate recruiters, lasting from an afternoon to two days, with tasks such as case studies, group discussions, presentations and written tests.
LSE Careers puts assessments and offers for schemes and internships between October and April, so an early application can be interviewed before Christmas.
Once you are there, treat the summer as the interview it is. The work matters, and so do the questions you ask, how you take feedback and whether people would want you back on the team.
Apply early, on one page
Two habits matter more than polish: apply early, and fit your CV on one page. Some banks review applications as they arrive.
We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready.
More on the competitionLess on the competition
Barclays warns that its advert may close before the advertised date because of application volumes.
Graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October, according to targetjobs, ahead of most other sectors. A closing date is the last day to apply, not the day to aim for.
Employers in the Institute of Student Employers’ survey received 140 applications for every graduate vacancy. Early, careful applications are how you stay in the pile that gets read.
Graduate hiring at ISE member employers fell by 8% on the year before
Banks prefer CVs to be one page only.
So keep two versions: a one-page CV for banks and the standard UK CV for everyone else. If a form asks about your right to work, the guide to visa status on a UK CV shows how to state it in one line.
The guides to video interviews and assessment centres cover what follows.
More on CV length and the first siftLess on CV length and the first sift
On length, banks break the UK habit. Manchester’s careers service calls the two-page CV the most common style in the UK, but Oxford’s names investment banks as employers that expect one.
York’s careers service says applications are first sifted by online tests, video or phone interviews, mostly between December and February.
International master's students: the window opens before term
On a one-year master’s, the banking season starts before your course does.
most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November
You are a final-year student from day one, so apply for summer analyst programmes that take final-year master’s students, such as Goldman Sachs’, alongside graduate programmes.
The visa clock marks programmes that start after a Graduate visa would end.
More on the visa after your courseLess on the visa after your course
For a Graduate visa after the course, you apply from inside the UK before your Student visa ends, once your university has told the Home Office you have finished your course.
A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.If an offer comes before the course ends, you may switch from a Student visa to a Skilled Worker visa inside the UK once you have completed your course, or earlier if the job starts after your course has finished.
A degree-level student with a valid Skilled Worker application may start that job before the course ends.
Plan the year backwards from the day your course ends: the visa clock and the closing dates both count from there.
While you are still on your course, the internship calendar stays open to you too, wherever an employer’s year line includes final-year master’s students.
More on hiring after the deadlinesLess on hiring after the deadlines
York’s careers service says some schemes may reopen in May and June if they have unfilled vacancies.
LSE Careers says graduate jobs outside schemes are advertised throughout the year. Be candid with yourself about the calendar: the hunt does not end with the scheme deadlines.
A Graduate visa cannot be extended, but you may switch to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK. The salary rules are on gov.uk’s Skilled Worker visa pages (opens gov.uk), and the graduate pay league table sets starting salaries beside them.
Who hires graduate analysts in London
The Address Book below lists banks with London graduate programmes, each with its register line and check date.
The Season
- Graduate scheme applications From August 2026 to January 2027 Most open September or October, banks from August; many deadlines fall in November and December.
- Spring weeks and insight programmes September 2026 to January 2027 For first-years, and second-years on four-year courses; most applications fall in autumn, programmes run around Easter.
- Summer internship applications (summer 2027) From August 2026 to January 2027 For penultimate-year students; many review applications as they arrive and close early.
- Assessment centre season November 2026 to April 2027 First rounds follow deadlines; final assessment days run from November into spring.
- Graduate visa lengths A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.
Shortlist with the calendar, not with a ranking. Choose five banks whose programmes fit your year of study, note each closing date, and apply to the earliest first.
More on keeping the shortlistLess on keeping the shortlist
Use the Address Book as a starting list, not a verdict: a listing says nothing about any one application.
Banks that are not in it run London programmes too, and the same checks apply to every one of them: the programme page, the eligibility line and the closing date.
Keep one sheet for the shortlist, with five columns: bank, programme, who may apply, closing date and the day you applied. It turns scattered deadlines into one plan, and shows which application to write next.
If you are weighing banking against advice work, the consulting guide sets out how that sector hires, from the case interview to the Big 4’s assessment days.
Banks with London graduate programmes
-
Goldman Sachs Final-year students and graduates as new analysts Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked - J.P. Morgan Analysts in markets, banking and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
- Morgan Stanley Analysts in banking, trading, research and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
- Barclays Graduates in investment and corporate banking Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
-
HSBC Graduates in banking, wealth and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked - Citi Analysts in banking, markets and services Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
- UBS Graduates in wealth, finance, operations and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
Logos identify each employer. A listing here is a fact about the employer, not an endorsement, and implies no affiliation.
This week
- Work out which stage your year of study puts you in
- Shortlist five banks and read each programme page's eligibility line
- Cut your CV to one page for bank applications
- Note closing dates from the spring week calendar or the internship calendar
- Send your first application before the end of October
Sources
- GOV.UK: When to apply for a Graduate visa You must apply before your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa expires. Checked
- GOV.UK: Switching from a Student visa to Skilled Worker inside the UK If you’re currently in the UK on a Student visa, you must also meet one of the following requirements: Checked
- GOV.UK: Starting a sponsored job before the course ends ST 26.6. A Student who makes a valid application for permission to stay under the Skilled Worker, or Graduate route, may start employment in a full-time permanent vacancy either up to 3 months prior to the course completion date (for the Skilled Worker route) or once they have successfully completed their course of study (for the Graduate route), provided all of the following apply: Checked
- GOV.UK: Switching from a Graduate visa to Skilled Worker You cannot extend your Graduate visa. However, you may be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa. Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or before 31 December 2026) 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or after 1 January 2027) 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length after a PhD or other doctorate If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Checked
- LSE Careers, London School of Economics: The graduate job market (LSE Careers) Typically lasting 12 to 36 months, the majority are open to graduates from any degree discipline, though certain core requirements such as numerical ability might be required and tested during the recruitment process. Read
- High Fliers Research: The Graduate Market in 2026 Chart 9 Graduate Salaries at the UK's Top Employers in 2026, by Sector or Industry. Median starting salaries. Investment banking: £60,000. Source, The Graduate Market in 2026 Read
- Institute of Student Employers: Apprenticeships rise as graduate vacancies drop 8% (Student Recruitment Survey 2025 launch, 15 October 2025) Go back two decades to 2002/3, and employers received an average of 38 applications per graduate vacancy. By 2022/3 that figure had more than doubled to 86 per vacancy and for the last two years has been at 140 per vacancy. Competition for roles in retail, FMCG and tourism were the highest at 290 applications for every graduate role. Read
- Institute of Student Employers: 5 trends you need to know from ISE's Recruitment Survey 2025 (22 October 2025) Graduate hiring has fallen by 8% year-on-year, yet school and college leaver hiring increased by 8%. Read
- Lancaster University Management School Careers: Investment banking spring weeks They generally take place during the Easter break in your first spring term. They, therefore, require applications in September and October in your first year at university! Note: Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-year students can also apply. ... Some schemes will open in July and August! Read
- Piper Sandler: Early Careers, London For those that are successful on the Spring Week programme, you may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship. Applicants should be either in the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029. ... Applications open from midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026. ... The confirmed dates for Spring Week are April 2027. Read
- Goldman Sachs: 2027 Summer Analyst Programme (EMEA) The Summer Analyst role is for candidates currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters university degree and in their penultimate or final year of study. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Read
- Barclays: 2027 Marketing Analyst Summer Internship Programme London The closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Please note that this vacancy may close ahead of the advertised date due to application volumes, and we therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible. ... To be considered for this opportunity, you must be in your penultimate year of university. You must be graduating in 2028. ... Please also note that, during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme. Read
- LSE Department of Finance: Careers advice (MSc Finance and Economics offer holders) They are paid positions, and in many cases can lead to an offer of a full-time position by the employer. These are offered by most investment banks, strategy consulting firms, and other financial and tech institutions. The application process is similar to that for full time positions, although deadlines are usually later in the autumn or JanuaryPrepare early: most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November (your course begins in early September).Banks prefer CVs to be one page only. Read
- targetjobs: When to apply for graduate jobs Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October. ... Applications for graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October.Those recruiters who set deadlines in November and December typically hold first-round interviews and assessments in January and February. Assessment centres are usually held in March and April and job offers made in April, May and June. Read
- LSE Careers: Looking ahead: careers and professional development (offer holder presentation, 4 June 2025) Recruitment Timeframes August to January Graduate schemes open, some fixed date, some rolling Formal internship schemes open including parliamentary internships October to April Assessments & offers Traineeship applications June to September Internships, grad schemes begin Smaller organisations in public and private sector hire throughout the year Read
- University of Oxford Careers Service: CVs Some employers (e.g. investment banks) expect just one page, so check beforehand Read
- University of Manchester Careers Service: Step 1: Creating your CV The 2 page reverse chronological CV is the most common style of CV for the UK and is suitable for most situations. Read
- University of York Careers and Placements: Recruitment time frames May to June: Some schemes may re-open if they have unfilled vacancies. ... Schemes with the "Big Four" professional services companies are likely to close by December/JanuarySeptember to December: The peak time to apply for graduate schemes. ... December to February: Initial sifting of applications by online tests, video or phone interviews. Some schemes are still open. Some operate a rolling recruitment process, assessing applications in batches. It is best to apply as soon as possible as they may close when they have enough good applicants Read
- LSE Careers: Graduate job market Internships can vary from a few weeks to a year, and they are often used by large companies to identify candidates for permanent roles.You will also find there is more flexibility on when to apply for graduate jobs; opportunities will tend to be advertised throughout the year, recruitment will often take place closer to the time of hire Read
- Prospects (Jisc): Assessment centres Hosted over anything from an afternoon to two days, assessment centres are often the final stage of the selection process for large graduate recruiters. ... You will work both individually and as part of a group on a variety of exercises, including: case studies, group discussions, in-tray exercises, presentations, psychometric tests, role play, social events, written tests. Read
- Deloitte UK: Early Careers Application We have lots of roles available within different business areas at Deloitte, with different opening and closing dates for applications, depending on the programmes and locations. However, we do close applications early when we get a very high volume of submissions, so we recommend applying as early as possible. Read
- targetjobs: Graduate scheme applications Many employers set application deadlines in November and December. ... Some employers do not set a deadline and keep their graduate programmes ‘open’ all year or have ‘ongoing recruitment’, but they still expect to receive most of their applications by Christmas. Read
- KPMG UK: Assessment centre season The dates of our Launch Pad events can be found below: Tuesday 17th November 2026: London Oval ... Wednesday 5th May 2027: Leeds New Dock Hall ... If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days! Read
- University of Warwick: Degree results Postgraduate Taught Students (awards only), Friday 26th June 2026 ... Undergraduate Finalist students, Thursday 9th July 2026 Read
- University of Kent: Degree results Exam results for finalists and Year In students will be published throughout the day on KentVision, Monday 20 July. Read
- White & Case: Law vacation scheme applications We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with up to 25 participants in each intake. ... Spring vacation scheme 5 to 16 April 2027 Who can apply? penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students, and graduates from any discipline. When can I apply 24 September 2026 to 6 December 2026 Summer vacation scheme 28 June to 9 July 2027 Read
- Linklaters: Law vacation scheme applications Our Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are the best route to securing a Training Contract with us. ... Final Training Contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a Training Contract with a Partner and Managing Associate. ... Closing Date 03/12/2026 Read
- Greenberg Traurig: Training contract applications (direct) Apply: September to November 2026 ... Applications for our 2029 training contract are now open. To apply, please click here. Applications will close on Monday 30th November 2026 at 23:59. ... We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only. Read
This page is about the UK job hunt and is not immigration advice. For your own situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or an immigration solicitor, and check the current rules on gov.uk.
Change log
- First published.
Read next
- Spring weeks 2027Spring weeks 2027 Insight programmes for first-years, with eligibility in the banks' words
- Breaking into consulting Strategy houses, the Big 4 and specialists, and the case interview
- CareersGraduate pay, against the visa bar Starting salaries by sector, beside the Skilled Worker thresholds
Pictures on this page
- Leadenhall Market, City of London, early morning Photograph: Pierre Blaché, Wikimedia Commons, CC0, cropped
- Canary Wharf from Limehouse at blue hour, June Photograph: King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
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