Application ban

Question

if you applied at MBB and Tier 2 consulting and did not pass screening or test. Is it necessary to wait 2 years or 1 year or even less is possible? Same for Tier 2 consulting?

Answer 1

Hi there,

Most MBB firms ask candidates to wait around 12–18 months before reapplying, not a full two years. The idea is to give you enough time to gain new experience or skills that strengthen your profile. If you were rejected before interviews (CV or test stage), some offices are open to reconsidering you after one year if you can show clear progress.

Tier-2 firms tend to be a bit more flexible and you can often reapply after 6–12 months, depending on the office and role. The best move is to confirm directly with HR, since each office may have slightly different rules.

Answer 2

Hi there,

This will heavily depend on the respective firm in question, as well as geography. Even within McKinsey for example, the exact duration of "hold-time" before your next application will be considered differs by office region.

As there is no standard answer to this question, my blunt advice would be to simply contact recruiting or HR for the firms / offices you are interested in and ask them to clarify this for you. There is no harm in asking them for this info - it won't reflect badly on you at all! :)

Hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Thor

Answer 3

Hey there, usually there’s no strict “wait 2 years” rule across the board. Most MBB firms recommend waiting about 6–12 months before reapplying, but it can vary by office and region. Tier 2 firms are usually more flexible, sometimes even shorter than a year. The key is to use the time to strengthen your profile before reapplying. best, Alessa :)

Answer 4

Hello,

Usually it’s around 12–24 months depending on the firm. MBB tends to lean closer to 18–24 months, while some Tier 2s may allow reapplication after a year or even sooner if your profile has changed meaningfully. Best to ask the HR.

Answer 5

The typical application ban / freeze is one year with most firms.

But, they do make exceptions.

You just need to demonstrate that you've made enough progress to make it worth interviewing you. For example, you can reach out to the recruiter and explain that even though only 9 months have passed, you've completed an internship in consulting, volunteered for a local organisation and invested significantly more time in case practice. As a consequence, you are better positioned and you would kindly ask that they allow you to reapply earlier... Most of them are really understanding and have your best interests at heart.

Best,
Cristian