Finance employers (particularly the Wall Street banks) began summer 2026­­­ internship recruiting in the fall semester. Below is some of the information we currently have available, and we recommend reviewing our Summer 2026 Internships in Finance Webinar for additional details.

Application Timelines

Many finance employers are already accepting applications for Summer 2026. Although many firms accept applications on a rolling basis, we recommend submitting your applications as soon as possible. If you are interested in a summer internship with any of these organizations, we recommend that you:

• Check employer websites and submit applications to opportunities that interest you.
• Subscribe to employer email lists and/or “register” on their websites.
• Reach out to recruiters as needed for up-to-date posting and deadline information.
• Review the Summer 2026 Internships in Finance Webinar for MCS advice for preparing and additional details.
• Prepare your application materials so you are ready to submit your materials in a timely manner.

Application Prep

• Have your resume or cover letter reviewed by an MCS advisor during drop-ins Monday-Friday from 1-4pm. See the “Talk to an Advisor” portion of our website for more information.
• See the MCS resume & cover letter page for resources, including MCS resume templates.
• Utilize MCS Firsthand Advisors to request a resume review from an alum with related experience.
• Check out a recent blog post by an MCS PAF with some finance reading recommendations.

Interview Prep

Pre-recorded video interviews are a common first-round process for finance employers. In addition to planning for the application timeline, interested students should prepare for video interviews.

MCS has several tools to help you prepare:

• Vault Guides available through the Firsthand Advisors Platform
• Big Interview (especially good practice for HireVue/pre-recorded interviews)
• MCS Firsthand Advisors
• See more resources on the MCS interview page.

Offers

It is typical for employers to ask candidates to reply to an offer in a 2-week decision window. MCS encourages employers to extend additional flexibility for summer 2026 offers. If you receive an offer and would like more time than is initially extended to you to decide, we recommend reaching out to request a phone conversation to ask for more time. MCS is happy to advise on this process and advocate on students’ behalf on a case by case basis. Note that offer requests usually take time to resolve, so make sure you reach out to us and/or your employer as soon as possible.

• Offer Help: Students can email (recruiting@fas.harvard.edu) for assistance in scheduling an appointment for a time-sensitive offer issue.
• MCS Offer Resources
  • 2024 Managing Offers Webinar

For updates as well as tips to prepare for the recruiting process, be sure to update your Email Preferences. Under “Build Career Skills”, select “Engage with Employers” to join the Recruiting and Employer email list.