Guides / City guides / New York
Break into investment banking in New York.
New York recruits earlier than anywhere else. Junior-year internships fill more than a year before they start, so sophomores are already in the race.
The New York recruiting clock.
US banks hire summer analysts from juniors, but recruit them in sophomore year.
- Freshman to early sophomore
Early insight programmes
Banks run early-insight and diversity programmes for first- and second-years. Citi’s Early ID programme closed on 23 October 2026, and Morgan Stanley’s Early Insights sessions ran in November 2026.
What to do: Join your finance club, build a target list and start networking now.
- September–November, sophomore year
Boutiques open first
Some boutiques open junior-summer roles over a year ahead. Evercore opened its 2028 US summer analyst roles in early September 2026, with a 15 November deadline.
What to do: Have your technicals and a polished one-page CV ready by the start of sophomore autumn.
- December–February
The crunch
Most applications for summer 2028 land in December 2026 and January 2027. J.P. Morgan’s portal was expected to open in December 2026, and Morgan Stanley’s from 1 January.
What to do: Apply in the first days a portal opens. With rolling review, early applicants get the early superdays.
- January–April
Interviews and superdays
Online assessments and video interviews lead to superdays, sometimes within two weeks of applying at firms that review on a rolling basis.
What to do: Run full mock superdays every week from December.
- Junior summer
The 10-week internship
Around ten weeks on live deals. Banks fill most of their full-time analyst classes from their summer interns.
What to do: Treat it as a ten-week interview: accuracy, attitude and good questions.
- Senior year
Return offers and late hiring
Return offers usually go out at the end of the summer. Middle-market and regional banks keep hiring into senior year.
What to do: No offer yet? Target middle-market banks, which recruit later and less predictably.
Dates are from the 2026–27 cycle for summer 2028 and move each year.
Ways in.
Fast-track programmes
Some banks run sophomore programmes that lead straight to interviews. William Blair’s Fast Track closed on 18 October 2026.
Summer analyst internship
The main route to a full-time analyst offer at most banks.
Middle-market banks
Firms like Houlihan Lokey, William Blair and Baird hire later and give real deal exposure.
Lateral hire or MBA
Join from another analyst role or a Big 4 team, or come in as an associate after an MBA.
Who hires in New York.
US candidates usually apply to 40 or more firms across all three tiers.
| Tier | Examples | Why apply |
|---|---|---|
| Bulge brackets | Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citi, Wells Fargo, Barclays, UBS, Deutsche Bank | The biggest classes and the widest choice of teams. |
| Elite boutiques | Evercore, Lazard, Centerview, PJT Partners, Moelis, Perella Weinberg, Guggenheim | Pure advisory work and small classes, often recruiting earliest. |
| Middle market | Jefferies, Houlihan Lokey, William Blair, Harris Williams, Baird, Piper Sandler, Lincoln International, RBC | Later timelines, strong training and real responsibility. |
A New York quirk: some banks cap your applications. Evercore allowed two per candidate in the 2028 cycle, so pick your groups carefully.
Are you New York-ready?
Tick what you’ve done. Be honest: interviewers will find out.
The New York selection process.
- Online application, often reviewed on a rolling basis.
- Online assessment or recorded video interview, such as HireVue.
- First-round interview, by phone or video, with technical and fit questions.
- Superday: several back-to-back interviews in one day, with an offer often within days.
Visas and work rights.
Most international graduates work on OPT for 12 months, plus a 24-month STEM extension if their degree is STEM-designated.
H-1B rules are in flux in 2026. A $100,000 fee introduced in September 2025 was vacated by a federal court in June 2026, and DHS proposed a new fee of $103,265 per cap-subject petition in August 2026. Ask each bank whether it sponsors before you apply.
Test yourself: New York
Questions from the Mandate app. Try each before you open it.
What is distinctive about New York recruiting timelines?
They start very early, over a year ahead. Early networking matters as much as the application itself.
In New York, most full-time analyst hires come from…
Return offers to summer interns. The junior summer internship is the main gateway.
Which body regulates US securities markets?
The SEC. FINRA oversees broker-dealers under SEC supervision.
New York’s two main stock exchanges are…
The NYSE and Nasdaq. Together they list most of the world’s largest companies.
Get ready before applications open.
Mandate covers the US clock, US GAAP accounting, video interviews and superdays, with unlimited AI mock interviews.