ℹ️ We update these consulting application deadlines as soon as we hear about them! But the consulting firms only announce deadlines a couple of months in advance. Last year's deadlines can give you an idea of what this year's deadlines may be. But always check with the firms' recruiters.
Consulting Application Deadlines for Roles in the U.S.
Full-Time Consulting Application Deadlines for Recruits from Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
| FIRM | Deadline(s) | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG | June 28, 2023 | U.S. | BCG Case Interview |
| Why BCG? | |||
| Bain | June 25, 2023, September 10, 2023 | U.S. | Bain Case Interview |
| The Bain Experience Interview | |||
| McKinsey | July 14, 2023 | U.S. | McKinsey Case Interview |
| The McKinsey Personal Experience Interview |
Summer Internship Consulting Application Deadlines for Recruits from Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
| Firm | Deadline(s) | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG | April 3, 2023, June 28, 2023*, September 13, 2023 | U.S. | BCG Internships |
| Bain | June 25, 2023, September 10, 2023 | U.S. | Consulting Internship: How to Get One & What to Expect |
| McKinsey | August 30, 2023 | U.S. | Consulting Internship: How to Get One & What to Expect |
Full-Time Consulting Application Deadlines for Recruits from MBA Programs
| Firm | Deadline(s) | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG | September 6, 2022 | U.S. | BCG Case Interview |
| Why BCG? | |||
| Bain | September 8, 2022 | U.S. | Bain Case Interview |
| The Bain Experience Interview | |||
| McKinsey | TBD | U.S. | McKinsey Case Interview |
Summer Internship Consulting Application Deadlines for Recruits from MBA Programs
| Firm | Deadline(s) | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG | November 10-29, 2022 | Target schools & MBA programs | BCG Internships |
| Bain | November 15, 2022 | Tuck, Wharton, Yale SOM | Consulting Internship: How to Get One & What to Expect |
| November 29, 2022 | all other U.S. MBA programs | ||
| McKinsey | November 14, 2022 | Cornell Johnson, Darden, Fuqua, Kenan-Flagler, Ross, Sloan, Tuck, Wharton, Yale SOM | Consulting Internship: How to Get One & What to Expect |
| November 30, 2022 | all other U.S. MBA programs |
Consulting Application Deadlines for Recruits from Ph.D., J.D., M.D., & Postdoc Programs
| Firm | Deadline | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG | July 31, 2023 | U.S. | The Bridge to BCG Consulting Workshop for Ph.D & Advanced Degree Candidates |
| Bain | June 12, 2022 | U.S. | Transitioning to Consulting from a Ph.D. or Other Advanced Degree Program |
| McKinsey | June 15, 2022 | U.S. |
Consulting Application Deadlines for Immersive Workshops for Recruits from Ph.D. Programs
| Firm | Deadline | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge to BCG | February 28, 2023 | U.S. | The Bridge to BCG Consulting Workshop for Ph.D & Advanced Degree Candidates |
| Bain ADvantage | March 1, 2023 | U.S. | Transitioning to Consulting from a Ph.D. or Other Advanced Degree Program |
| McKinsey Insight | February 28, 2023 | U.S. | The McKinsey Insight Program |
Consulting Application Deadlines for Programs for Traditionally Underrepresented Groups
| Firm | Deadline | Region | Read this for more information |
|---|---|---|---|
| BCG Growing Future Leaders Program | TBD | U.S. | BCG Internships |
| Bain BASE Scholar (MBA) | May 8th, 2022 | U.S. | Bain BASE Scholar Internship |
| Bain BEL Program (undergrad) | February 28, 2022 | U.S. | Bain BEL Program |
| McKinsey Sophomore Summer Business Analyst | September 29, 2023 | U.S. | McKinsey Sophomore Summer Business Analyst Program |
| Sophomore Consulting Internships |
Table of Contents
When to Start Applying to Consulting Jobs
The 2023 update on when to apply for consulting jobs is EARLY! We are seeing deadlines for Bain, BCG, and McKinsey that are as early as 2022, which was 1-2 months earlier than in prior years.
Not all the deadlines are out yet, but we recommend you begin crafting your Consulting Resumes and Cover Letters NOW so you are not caught with too little time!
Check back here. We’ll continue updating deadlines as we hear about them.
It’s also a good idea to frequently visit the websites of firms you’re interested it. Be ready to apply earlier rather than later.
Top consulting firms try to wrap up recruiting early to ensure they’ve secured the best talent. Firms won’t wait or hold spots just for the sake of finding people later and they typically won’t open up more spots until later in the year (or at all). Later interview dates can be more competitive.
When To Apply for Full-Time Consulting Roles
Undergraduate students should apply in the summer before their senior year.
Master’s (non-MBA students with ~3 years of work experience or less) should apply in the summer before the final year of their program.
MBAs completing a traditional 2-year program should apply in the summer before their final year.
Students in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs should apply in the summer of their final year.
When To Apply for Consulting Summer Internships?
Undergraduate students should apply in their junior year, or in their senior year and are planning to enter a 1-year master’s. Students should apply when they have at least one semester to one year left of school following the summer that they would intern in.
Master’s (non-MBA students with ~3 years of work experience or less) completing a 2-year program should apply in the first year of their program. Students should apply when they have at least one semester to one year left of school following the summer that they would intern in.
MBAs completing a traditional 2-year program should apply in the winter of the first year of their program (November deadlines).
Students in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs (JDs/MDs or Master’s student with more than~3 year of work experience) should apply in the winter of their penultimate year for the full 10-week summer internship. If you are looking to apply to the shorter (1-week, 3-day, 1-day internships), you should apply in the spring (typically March/April) of their penultimate year (just a few months before the full-time deadlines hit in the summer (typically July).
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McKinsey Application Deadlines
McKinsey Application Deadline for Full-Time Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
McKinsey’s application deadline for undergraduate & master’s students applying for a full-time Business Analyst (BA) role is July 15th, 2023.
Refer to your university recruiting center to confirm these dates. You can contact the recruiter at the office(s) you plan to apply to if you attend a non-target school.
McKinsey Application Deadline for Summer Internships – Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
McKinsey is offering 2 application deadlines for undergraduate & master’s students who are applying for a Summer Business Analyst Intern (SBA) roles. The first deadline is July 7th and the second is August 11th, 2022.
When should you apply? It’s best to apply at the earliest deadline you are ready for, but don’t rush if your application is not complete or as compelling as you can make it.
Refer to your university recruiting center to confirm these dates. You can contact the recruiter at the office(s) you plan to apply to if you attend a non-target school.
McKinsey Application Deadline – Full-Time MBA Program Recruits
The consulting application deadline for MBA students who are applying for an Associate role depends on the school you are attending. Generally, deadlines fall in September, but refer to your university page to confirm exact dates.
If your school does not list a date (not a target school), the consulting application deadline for MBAs who are applying for a full-time Associate role was in mid-September 2022 for start dates in 2023.
McKinsey Application Deadline – Summer Internships for MBA Program Recruits
The consulting application deadline for MBA students who are applying for a Summer Associate (SA) role depends on the school you are attending. Generally, deadlines fall in November, but refer to your university page to confirm exact dates.
If your school does not list a date (not a target school), the consulting application deadline for MBA students who are applying for a Summer Associate Intern role was on November 14th, 2022. We don’t have the 2023 deadlines yet, but will update them here when we do.
McKinsey Application Deadline – Full-Time Roles for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs
The consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree candidates who are applying for a full-time Associate is June 15th, 2022.
McKinsey Application Deadline – Summer Internships for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs
We don’t have the consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree candidates applying for Summer Associate Intern for 2023 deadlines yet, but will update them here when we do. They should be in November.
This is for the full 10-week summer internship. However, most spots are for MBA students and most Ph.D.s apply for the shorter summer internships (1-week, 3-day, 1-day) and the application deadlines are typically in the spring (March/April). These deadlines are typically posted in the new year.
Bain & Company Consulting Application Deadlines
Bain Full-Time Undergraduate & Master’s Programs Application Deadlines
Bain is offering 2 deadlines for undergraduate & master’s students who are applying for a full-time Associate Consultant (AC) role. These dates are June 25th, & September 10th, 2023.
Which should you apply to? Bain encourages applicants to apply when they feel ready to complete the application and says they plan to hire a significant number of applicants in each round.
We suggest you confirm that these dates are the same as those on your university page. This deadline says it is for all schools, including non-target schools. You can email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
To find out if you’re ready to apply, book a FREE strategy session with one of our former Bain, BCG, and McKinsey recruiters.
Bain Summer Internship Deadline for Recruits in Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
The consulting application deadlines for undergraduate & master’s students who are applying for an Associate Consultant Intern (ACI) role are June 25th, & September 10th, 2023.
Which should you apply to? Bain encourages applicants to apply when they feel ready to complete the application and says they plan to hire a significant number of applicants in each round.
We suggest you check your university page to confirm this date. You can also email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
Bain Full-Time Application Deadline for Recruits in MBA Programs
The consulting application deadline for MBA students who are applying for a Consultant (CON) role depends on the school you are attending. Generally, deadlines fall in September, but refer to your university page to confirm exact dates.
If you cannot find a deadline for your school, it is typically in September and it can sometimes vary by office. Please email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
Bain Summer Internship Application Deadlines for Recruits in MBA Programs
The consulting application deadline for MBA students who are applying for a Summer Associate (SA) role was November 15, 2022. We don’t have the 2023 deadlines yet, but will update them here when we do.
Please note some schools have different deadlines so it’s important to search for your school on the firm page to confirm.
Bain Full-Time Application Deadline for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs
The consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree students who are applying for a Consultant role is June 12th, 2022.
Bain Summer Internship Application Deadlines for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs
We don’t have the consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree students applying for a Summer Associate (SA) role. Look out for a November deadline in 2023. We’ll update this page with the deadline when we have it.
The full 10-week summer internship spots are mostly for MBA students. Most PhDs apply for the shorter summer internships (1-week, 3-day, 1-day) and this is typically in the spring. More information will be posted on this page.
BGC Consulting Application Deadlines
BCG Full-Time Application Deadlines for Recruits in Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
The consulting application deadline for undergraduate & master’s students who are applying for a full-time Associate role are June 28, 2023.
Which deadline should you apply to? We recommend that you apply to the earliest deadline that you’re ready for. Don’t apply early if you application is not complete or as compelling as you can make it.
This deadline applies if you do not attend a target school. If BCG conducts interviews on campus at your school, we suggest you check with your career office for a deadline specific to your school. You can also email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
BCG Summer Internship Application Deadline for Recruits in Undergraduate & Master’s Programs
The BCG Summer Associate Internship application deadlines are April 3, 2023, June 28th, 2023* & September 13, 2023. *BCG is encouraging recruits to apply to the June 28th deadline.
BCG said it’s okay to apply anytime you feel prepared, but our guidance is to apply to the earliest deadline you can. BCG’s strategy is to hit their hiring targets as early as possible, so interview spots in the later dates will be more competitive.
This deadline applies if you do not attend a target school. If BCG conducts interviews on campus at your school, we suggest you check with your career office for a deadline specific to your school. You can also email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
To find out if you’re ready to apply, book a FREE strategy session with one of our former Bain, BCG, and McKinsey recruiters.
BCG Full-Time Application Deadline for MBA Recruits
The consulting application deadline for MBAs who are applying for a full-time Consultant role depends on the school you are attending. Generally, deadlines fall in August-September, but refer to your university page to confirm exact dates.
BCG Summer Internship Application Deadline for MBA Recruits
The consulting application deadline for MBAs who are applying for a Consultant Summer Internship role depends on the school you’re attending. We’ve seen deadlines in mid-late November for specific schools. Refer to your university page to confirm exact dates. We don’t have the 2023 deadline for non-target schools yet, but will update it here when we do.
BCG Empower Application Deadline for Pre-matriculation MBA Students
The application deadline for pre-matriculation MBA students who would like to take part in the BCG Empower program is June 22nd, 2023.
BCG Full-Time Application Deadline for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advanced Degree Programs
The consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree students applying for a full-time Consultant role depends on the school you are attending. The deadline is July 31st, 2023.
This deadline applies if you do not attend a target school. If BCG conducts interviews on campus at your school, we suggest you check with your career office for a deadline specific to your school. You can also email the firm recruiter in the office(s) you plan on applying to in order to confirm the deadline.
BCG Summer Internship Application Deadline for Recruits in Ph.D. & Advance Degree Programs
The consulting application deadline for Ph.D. & Advanced Degree students applying for a Consultant Summer Internship role depends on the school you are attending. Generally, deadlines fall in November-December, but refer to your university page to confirm exact dates. This is for the full 10-week summer internship. However, most spots are for MBA students and most PhDs apply for the shorter summer internships (1-week, 3-day, 1-day) and the application deadlines are typically in the spring (March/April). These deadlines are typically posted in the new year.
McKinsey, Bain and BCG (MBB) Application Deadlines for Experienced Hires
While a large majority of recruiting for McKinsey, Bain, and BCG happens directly from campus, firms are doing more and more experienced hiring each year.
Experienced hiring varies by firm, role and office, so it is important to confirm with the appropriate recruiter that you are applying for a role where they are actively hiring in that location.
The best times to apply as an experienced hire are July/August and in the new year. We typically see a spike in experienced hire recruiting in January. Experienced hire recruiting is done when there is a need for talent, so networking is a great way to find out if you are applying at the right time. Needs will vary by firm and office.
Additionally, Bain sometimes has another application deadline for experienced hires for the Consultant level role (post-MBA, PhD or over 4 years of relevant work experience) in January. If this is happening, it will be posted on their firm website. This occasionally happens in the spring instead and it only happens when there is a need. This January or Spring deadline does not apply to Bain’s Associate Consultant (AC) level role (undergraduates, Master’s (non-MBA), or experienced hires with less than 4 years of work experience)
All of this being said, the need for experienced hires can change quickly, so candidates should check with a recruiter first before applying to an office since not all offices at all firms will add experienced hires every year. It is done when needed. The majority of experienced professional hiring happens for more specialized roles so it is great to look out for other non-generalist roles as well if you have a specialized background (e.g. digital, healthcare, private equity, technology, etc.)
What to Do If You Miss the Consulting Application Deadlines
If you missed the application deadlines for MBB firms, you should be open and excited to apply to firms outside of just McKinsey, Bain, BCG, and some of the other larger Tier 2s. Please see this list of firms for more context. The deadlines for Tier 2 firms are usually around the same time as MBB or a little bit after.
Some boutique firms conduct hiring on a rolling basis, and continue to review applications throughout the year.
Some of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 firms will occasionally have openings after the Fall, but it will depend on if a specific office has a hiring need and numbers tend to be smaller. Networking will folks at the firms can be a great way to know when there is an opening. The MBB firms do keep their application “open” all year round, but remember, that doesn’t always mean they are actively reviewing applications.
The good news is, we have worked with many folks who have missed application deadlines and still land offers from smaller firms and then go on to make a lateral transition to a larger consulting firm. While it isn’t the straightest and fastest path into an MBB, don’t give up if you have missed the deadlines!
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