McKinsey & Company - Student opportunities

We work with leading organizations across the private, public and social sectors. Our scale, scope, and knowledge allow us to address problems that no one else can. We have deep functional and industry expertise as well as breadth of geographical reach. We are passionate about taking on immense challenges that matter to our clients and, often, to the world.

We look for exceptional people with a variety of academic backgrounds from colleges and universities around the world. Whether you’re finishing your undergraduate degree or studying at the postgraduate level, a career at McKinsey is the best way to put your talents and knowledge to work. Search for your school to learn about our on-campus events, recruiting contacts, and important deadlines as well as the opportunities McKinsey offers for people with your academic background.

For candidates currently pursuing a degree, the typical duration and timing of internships at McKinsey is 10 weeks in the summer, though there may be opportunities to intern for fewer weeks or during the spring or fall. This timing varies around the world and based on the position as well as your current background.

Undergraduates

By joining McKinsey, you'll work with interesting colleagues, be part of a fast-growing firm, participate in meaningful work, and strengthen the skills you need to launch your career at McKinsey and beyond.

What roles are available?

Undergraduates typically join as business analysts or fellows as an integral part of our client service teams. Some stay for two or three years before attending a graduate school or leaving for further work experience; some stay on and move directly into a postgraduate school role.

Our roles include generalist consulting, practice consulting - focused on a specific function or industry (e.g., digital, operations, marketing & sales, etc.), and technology roles such as data scientists, software engineers, product managers, data engineers, designers, agile coaches, or digital marketers. 

How will you grow?

In your first two years or more, you’ll work in many industries and functions unless you've accepted a more specifically focused role. You’ll build business knowledge and perhaps find a field you’re inspired to pursue more deeply. You will likely have the opportunity to travel and will definitely work with talented people from different cultures and backgrounds. We invest heavily in support and training—more than $100 million per year—for all firm members. Programs run the gamut from our proprietary e-learning to office or practice-based sessions to our formal global training curriculum. Coaching and mentorship is an integral part of your development at McKinsey; peers will give you feedback and partners will help you grow and plan the next several years of your career.

MBA Candidates

McKinsey is a top destination for people with master's degrees in business administration. Typically, nearly half of our incoming consultants have MBAs, and we’re fully committed to finding top talent from business-school programs around the world.

What roles are available?

MBA graduates typically join us as associates, working either as generalists or practice consultants if they have an area they’d like to focus on, and increasingly they may join our analytics, digital, or other tech teams.

Our roles include generalist consulting, practice consulting - focused on a specific function or industry (e.g., digital, implementation, marketing & sales, operations) and technology roles such as data scientists, software engineers, product managers, data engineers, designers, agile coaches, or digital marketers. 

Advanced professional degree candidates

McKinsey was one of the first consulting firms to recognize the contributions of those without traditional business training, and actively recruit candidates with advanced professional degrees (APD). Today, nearly half our consultants have a doctorate, law, medical, or non-business master’s degree.

What roles are available?

APD candidates typically join us as associates or junior associate consultants (positions vary based on office and experience), or in more specialized positions in analytics, digital, or other technology sectors. Our roles include generalist consulting, practice consulting - focused on a specific function or industry (e.g., digital, implementation, operations), and technology roles such as data scientists, software engineers, product managers, data engineers, designers, agile coaches, or digital marketers. 

If you are pursuing a master’s degree and have earned an undergraduate degree fewer than four years ago, you will join as a business analyst if you pursue a consulting role. If you hold a bachelor’s degree and have at least four years of work experience, or completed or expect to complete your master's degree within four years of receiving your bachelor's degree, you will join as an associate.  For specialized roles, your tenure will vary by position.

APD candidates may also consider applying for an associate or business analyst internship position depending on their degree or work experience, usually for the summer prior to the penultimate year of their degree. Medical students, interns, and residents may apply up to two years in advance of completing their degree.

Most APDs apply for full-time positions during the summer or fall prior to the penultimate year of their degree to take part in interviews in the late summer or early fall. Timing may vary by region. We recommend checking your campus calendar for specific dates and deadlines. Hiring for specialized roles may happen through either campus interviews or a separate process, so please check with your recruiter for more details.

How will you grow?

Our commitment to development and support will help you confidently transition to the business world.  In fact, we’ve created a program called Business Essentials - a distinctive and immersive learning experience that equips all new client-facing colleagues with the foundational business capabilities they need to confidently and competently participate in team and client discussions from day one.

It is individualized to your background and experience, and will introduce you to a set of curated core business principles and their application within the McKinsey context and frameworks through a blend of on-line modules, virtual classroom sessions and an in-person capstone event.

What comes next?

There is not one path at McKinsey but many and your career path at McKinsey depends on your interests and goals. You may decide to specialize to build on the expertise you developed in graduate school or in your past career, or you may apply your skills in new areas and broaden your exposure. Whatever path you create for yourself, you'll continually be challenged to grow.

Many people grow their entire career at McKinsey and some stay for a while and move on. McKinsey alumni have gone on to create companies, start not-for-profits, run large businesses, and pursue their passions in the arts, among many other endeavors. The common thread is that they have McKinsey as their springboard and as their constant network.