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Break into American consulting as an international student

Hi there!

I’m an incoming third year engineering undergraduate at one of the top IITs. I’m currently interning at Deloitte in Nigeria and was wondering what are my chances of obtaining an internship at one of the MBB USA offices. 

Do consulting firms in the US provide sponsorship for international students from international universities? And what are the odds if they do?

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Ian
Coach
on Jun 07, 2022
Top US BCG / MBB Coach - 5,000 sessions |Tech, Platinion, Big 4 | 9/9 personal interviews passed | 95% candidate success

Hi there,

To be very honest/transparent it is hard.

It is not impossible, and to get there you'll have to network aggressively.

My view is you should try “both”. You can select multiple offices in an application. Network across the US AND other countries where you have strong odds. Then, apply where you have traction and they've expressed interest.

The key here will be networking effectively.

Good luck!

on Jun 06, 2022
#1 rated McKinsey Coach | top MBB coach

Hi there, 

Yes, they do support candidates coming from abroad, but it doesn't happen that often. 

Basically, what you need is to create a link. A link would explain why for you it's a natural next step to be in the US or at least provide some sort of rationale. A link is for instance you having already lived in the US, having some family there, having studied there, having done some work there, basically anything that doesn't make it sound like you want to randomly relocate. All of this should come across in your cover letter. 

Whilst applying also get in touch with people from your target office in the US (both consultants and HR) and seek their guidance as well. They will know the office best and will be able to provide you with a tailored recommendation. 

But in short, it's not impossible. It just requires a bit of engineering. 

Best of luck!

Anonymous A
on Jun 06, 2022
Hey!
Thank you so much for the information. I’ve contacted a couple offices in States regarding this. Some of them have responded. Guess, Its up to me to carry the conversation forward now. Thank you so much once again. Really appreciate it :)
Deleted user
on Jun 06, 2022

Hey Mate  -

IIT so I assume that you are from India? Getting an H1B sponsorship in the US will be quite hard. Getting that Visa is essentially a lottery and companies do not hire at the undergrad level unless you have studied in the US. 

You might be better off looking for an internship/ job in other places and then doing an intercompany transfer on the L1 visa after a year. 

Happy to give you more information if you like. We can do a quick free intro chat and I can tell you more about this. 

12
Deleted
Coach
on Jun 07, 2022
I will get you an offer|McKinsey Senior EM|Offers from MBB|100+ interviews at McKinsey|Recruiting Lead|Experienced hire

Hi,

Getting an offer in India and trying to transfer to USA in 12-18 months might be a simpler/easier route. There are specific programs in firms like McKinsey (e.g., KA program) designed specifically for transfer/exposure to US offices. If you have more questions about the program, happy to chat further. 

Cheers,

Nirmit

Deleted user
on Jun 06, 2022

Hi

To be frank, chances are very slim to none really due to visa restrictions. Your best bet is ME office if not the home country.

Good luck!

10
Clara
Coach
on Jun 09, 2022
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

In the US it´s quite simple: do you have a VISA? (given that you are not studying in the US, it would need to be one by birth). Without, almost impossible

Cheers, 

Clara

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