Hello, I applied for the ADL SEA Internship (September intake) in late March, and my application status has been “Under Review” since early April. However, I haven’t received any updates as of now.
I wanted to check if this timeline is typical, or if it might indicate a rejection? Would it be appropriate to send a follow-up at this stage?
Thank you.
Totally normal — Under Review for several weeks (even 1–2+ months) is pretty common for Arthur D. Little internships, especially for SEA offices where recruiting timelines can move slowly and applications are often reviewed in batches. I wouldn’t read it as a rejection signal at all.
A few thoughts:
Something simple like:
‘Dear Recruiting Team, I hope you’re well. I wanted to kindly follow up regarding my application for the SEA Internship (September intake), which has been under review since early April. I remain very interested in the opportunity and would appreciate any update you may be able to share. Thank you for your time and consideration.’
I’d stay patient for now, and maybe send a follow-up if you haven’t heard anything in the next week or two.
Also, if you’re preparing for potential interviews, happy to help — I coach consulting candidates and would be glad to offer a free intro call if useful.
Hi there,
Yes, it's quite typical to be at that stage for a while.
It typically means that the recruiters are now actually reviewing the applications and deciding how to take them forward.
So give it another two weeks or so before following up with a polite email in case they haven't already contacted you.
Best,
Cristian
Given it is internship - you are probably applying via your university cohort. Your benchmark should be other applicants within your cohort - If some of them have started receiving any news on the next steps, then could potentially mean a rejection. No harm in following up though as recommended by others !
Your timeline is normal for ADL SEA. Their cycle is slower than MBB, especially for internships outside main campus rounds. Three to four weeks of "Under Review" is not a red flag.
For September intake, decisions usually come out in May or June. You are still in the normal window.
A polite follow-up at the four to five week mark is fine. Keep it short, two or three lines, expressing continued interest and asking for a status update. Send it to the recruiter directly, not the portal.
Something like, "Hi, just following up on my internship application from late March, currently showing as Under Review. I remain very interested in joining the SEA team for the September intake and wanted to check if there is any update. Happy to share any additional information if helpful."
One follow-up is enough. Do not chase more.
In the meantime, reach out to consultants at ADL SEA on LinkedIn. A coffee chat or referral often moves files faster than the portal.
Good luck.
Hi there,
This timeline is pretty normal for Arthur D. Little, especially in SEA. “Under Review” for a few weeks usually just means your application is still in the pipeline — these processes can move slowly and often depend on project demand and interviewer availability.
It’s not a rejection signal at this stage. That said, if it’s been ~3–4 weeks since your last update, it’s perfectly reasonable to send a short, polite follow-up to HR to check on status and reaffirm your interest.
In parallel, I’d keep preparing and applying elsewhere — don’t wait on one process.
Happy to help you prep in case you get the interview
Best
Evelina
