How many case interviews should I practise before applying?

Aim for 20–30 practice cases. This is not an exaggeration — candidates who reach second round at MBB have typically done this many or more.

Do I need a business degree for consulting?

No. Consulting firms recruit from all disciplines. MBB firms especially value diverse academic backgrounds — engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and humanities graduates all succeed. What matters is your ability to think structurally and communicate clearly.

What is the salary for a consulting summer intern?

MBB firms pay £55,000–£65,000 pro rata for summer interns. Big 4 consulting practices pay £40,000–£50,000 pro rata. Both are well above average graduate salaries.

What is the conversion rate from intern to full-time?

80–90% at MBB, 75–85% at Big 4 consulting. The expectation is that most interns receive offers.

Updated March 2026

Complete Guide to Consulting Summer Internship Applications 2027

Everything a penultimate year student needs to know — application strategy, the McKinsey Solve, case interview preparation, and how to convert your internship into a full-time offer at McKinsey, BCG, Bain and other top firms.

Used by students applying to McKinsey, BCG, Bain and 20+ other consulting firms

In this guide

1What a consulting summer internship is
2The 2027 consulting summer internship timeline
3The application
4Free CV checkerFREE TOOL
5Online tests
6Free psychometric practiceFREE TOOL
7The case interview — how to prepare and what to expect
8Free HireVue practiceFREE TOOL
9The interview rounds — what to expect
10Firms and deadlines
11Frequently asked questions

Section 1

What a consulting summer internship is

A consulting summer internship is a 6–10 week paid placement at a consulting firm, typically aimed at penultimate year undergraduates. At McKinsey, BCG and Bain (MBB), it is the primary route into a full-time role — the vast majority of their associate intake comes through the summer programme.

During the internship you will work on live client projects alongside a team of consultants. At MBB firms, interns are typically staffed on one or two projects and are expected to contribute meaningful analysis, attend client meetings, and present findings. The experience is designed to feel as close to the actual job as possible.

Conversion rates from summer internship to full-time offer at MBB are typically 80–90%. The internship is an extended assessment — if you perform well, you will receive an offer. At Big 4 consulting practices, conversion rates are similarly high.

Competition is intense. McKinsey receives approximately 10,000 applications for 200–300 summer internship positions in the UK. BCG and Bain see similar ratios. The case interview is the primary differentiator — candidates who have practised cases extensively have a significant advantage.

Who can apply

Penultimate year undergraduates

Duration

6–10 weeks (June–August 2027)

Pay

£55,000–£65,000 pro rata at MBB; £40,000–£50,000 at Big 4

Acceptance rate

2–4% at MBB, 5–10% at Big 4 consulting

Conversion to full-time

80–90% at MBB, 75–85% at Big 4

Application window

August–November 2026

Section 2

The 2027 consulting summer internship timeline

Consulting firms recruit on a tight timeline. McKinsey and BCG close applications by October for internships starting the following June.

March – August 2026·Case interview preparation

This is the most important preparation period. Start practising case interviews — ideally 20–30 practice cases before your first real interview. Join a case prep partner group, use online case resources, and attend any case workshops your university offers. Also develop your "fit" stories (leadership, teamwork, impact).

August – October 2026·Applications open

McKinsey, BCG and Bain open summer internship applications in August–September. Deadlines are typically October–November. Apply early.

September – November 2026·Online tests

McKinsey Solve (ecosystem simulation), BCG Online Case (data analysis case study), Bain SOVA (aptitude test). Big 4 firms use SHL numerical and verbal reasoning.

October – January 2027·Interviews

First round: typically 2 case interviews (30–40 minutes each). Second round (MBB): 2 more case interviews, often with partners. Each interview includes a case and a fit/PEI component.

November – February 2027·Offers

Offers are typically made within 1–2 weeks of final interviews.

June – August 2027·Internship

6–10 weeks on live client projects. Performance review at the end determines your full-time offer.

Section 3

How to apply for a consulting summer internship

Your CV

Consulting CVs should demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, and impact:

Academic record first: GPA/predicted grade, university, A-Levels. MBB firms screen heavily on academics.

Leadership roles with measurable impact: "Grew society membership from 50 to 200" is better than "Served as society president."

Any exposure to problem-solving, data analysis, or business: competition wins, consulting society projects, hackathons.

Spring programme experience if you have it — reference it prominently.

One page. Clean, structured, impact-focused.

Cover letter

Consulting cover letters should address:

Why consulting specifically? Show you understand the project-based, problem-solving nature of the work.

Why this firm? Differentiate between MBB firms meaningfully — their approaches, industries, and cultures genuinely differ.

Why you? Evidence of structured thinking, leadership, and impact.

Application questions

Consulting applications tend to be shorter than banking, but may include:

Problem-solving demonstration: "Tell us about a time you solved a complex problem." — Structure, data, decision, result.

Leadership with influence: "Describe a time you persuaded others to follow your approach." — Consulting is about influencing without authority.

Intellectual curiosity: "What business challenge are you most interested in?" — Show breadth of commercial awareness.

Section 4FREE TOOL

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Consulting firms screen for academic excellence, leadership evidence, and structured communication. Upload your CV for an instant check.

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Section 5

McKinsey Solve, BCG Online Case and more

Consulting online tests are fundamentally different from banking psychometrics. They test problem-solving ability and strategic thinking.

McKinsey Solve

60–70 minutes

Providers: McKinsey proprietary

An ecosystem simulation game. You manage a virtual ecosystem by analysing data about species, food chains, and environmental factors. Tests systems thinking and data-driven decision making.

BCG Online Case

45–60 minutes

Providers: BCG proprietary

A digital case study. You analyse data sets, build charts, and answer strategic questions about a business problem. Tests the same analytical skills as a live case interview.

Bain SOVA

40–60 minutes

Providers: Bain / SOVA

An aptitude and personality assessment combining cognitive questions with situational judgement.

SHL (Big 4)

25–40 minutes

Providers: SHL

Standard numerical and verbal reasoning used by Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG consulting.

Preparation tips

McKinsey Solve: approach it systematically. Understand the data relationships before making decisions.

BCG Online Case: practise case frameworks. The online test mirrors the analytical demands of live cases.

Do at least one full practice of each test type you will face.

Section 6FREE TOOL

Practice a psychometric test

Consulting problem-solving tests are different from banking psychometrics. Familiarise yourself with analytical test formats below before facing the firm-specific versions.

Psychometric Tests

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10 questions per test. Timed. Instant results with explanations. No signup required.

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Section 7

The case interview — how to prepare and what to expect

The case interview is the centrepiece of consulting recruitment. You are given a business problem and asked to solve it live, thinking out loud, over 30–40 minutes. There is no substitute for practice — candidates who have done 20+ practice cases perform significantly better than those who have done fewer than 5.

Each interview typically has two components: a 5–10 minute fit/PEI (Personal Experience Interview) section covering your leadership, teamwork, and impact stories, followed by a 25–30 minute case.

At MBB firms, you will face 4–6 case interviews across two rounds. First round is typically two interviews; second round is two more, often with partners or senior engagement managers.

Common question types

Profitability decline

"A UK retailer has seen profits decline by 20%. Diagnose the problem and recommend a solution." — Structure: Revenue (price × volume) vs Costs (fixed vs variable). Dig into the driver.

Market entry

"Should a European fintech company enter the US market?" — Structure: market size and growth, competitive landscape, regulatory environment, client capabilities, entry modes.

Pricing

"Our client wants to price a new subscription product. How should they approach this?" — Consider cost-plus, value-based, and competitive pricing approaches.

Market sizing

"How many electric vehicle charging stations will the UK need by 2030?" — Break into components, state assumptions clearly, calculate step by step.

Personal Experience Interview (PEI)

"Tell me about a time you led a team through a significant challenge." — McKinsey PEIs probe deeply. Expect 5–6 follow-up questions on a single story.

How firms score your answers

Structure — Do you break problems into logical components with a clear framework?

Analysis — Can you work with data, make calculations, and draw sound conclusions?

Communication — Do you explain your thinking clearly as you go?

Business judgement — Do your hypotheses and recommendations make commercial sense?

Composure — Can you handle pushback and unexpected data without losing your structure?

Synthesis — Can you summarise findings into a clear, actionable recommendation?

Section 8FREE TOOL

Practice a HireVue question

Many consulting firms use video interviews for initial screening before case interviews. Practising structured answers on camera develops the same communication skills you need in live cases.

HireVue Practice

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Your question

30s preparation 2 min recording Camera + mic

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Section 9

The interview rounds — what to expect

Consulting interviews are conducted in two rounds, each consisting of multiple case interviews. Unlike banking superdays, these are usually scheduled on separate days.

First round — 2 case interviews

2 × 45 minutes

Each interview has a 5–10 minute PEI/fit section followed by a 25–30 minute case. Interviews are typically conducted by managers or engagement managers.

Second round — 2 case interviews (partners)

2 × 45 minutes

More challenging cases, often with ambiguous data or multiple correct approaches. Conducted by partners or senior leaders. The fit component probes deeper.

Group case (some firms)

60–90 minutes

Big 4 firms sometimes include a group case study as part of the assessment. Work collaboratively on a business problem and present recommendations.

How to stand out during the week

Do 20–30 practice cases before your first real interview. Partner with other candidates and practice both as interviewer and interviewee.

Learn 3–4 core frameworks (profitability, market entry, pricing, market sizing) but never force-fit a framework. Adapt to the specific problem.

Practice mental maths. You will be asked to make calculations without a calculator in live cases.

In PEI: prepare 3–4 deep stories. McKinsey interviewers probe extensively — have enough detail for 5–6 follow-up questions per story.

Ask for a moment to think before structuring your approach. Taking 30 seconds to organise your thoughts is expected and appreciated.

Section 10

Summer internship deadlines by firm

Consulting firms recruit earlier than many students expect. MBB firms close by October–November.

Firm	Programme	Opens
McKinsey	Summer Associate	August 2026	Get alerted
BCG	Summer Consultant	September 2026	Get alerted
Bain	Summer Associate	September 2026	Get alerted
Oliver Wyman	Summer Intern	September 2026	Get alerted
LEK Consulting	Summer Consultant	October 2026	Get alerted
Deloitte	Summer Analyst	September 2026	Get alerted
EY	Summer Intern	October 2026	Get alerted
Accenture	Summer Analyst	October 2026	Get alerted