Recruiting for London or Hong Kong finance programs from the US
You can apply to London or Hong Kong programs from a US school, but they are separate recruiting processes with their own portals, timing, and work authorization rules, so treat them as a second, smaller campaign. cycle covers US programs only, so check each firm's own regional careers site for dates and whether they can sponsor you to work there.
Updated November 6, 2026. Live data checked against each firm's own careers site 1m ago.
Can a US student apply to London or Hong Kong programs?
Yes. Most large banks and many buy side firms run separate programs in London and Hong Kong, and those programs accept applications from students at any university. What changes is the process: a different posting, often a different application portal, a different class to fill, and a different team making decisions.
Applying to the US program does not usually put you in the running for London or Hong Kong. If you want a seat there, find and apply to that region's posting directly.
What is the first question to answer?
Whether you can legally work there. A US citizen generally needs a visa or work permit to intern in the UK or Hong Kong, and whether a firm will sponsor one for a summer intern varies. Students who already hold citizenship or the right to work in that place have a much simpler path.
Before you write a single cover letter, check the firm's regional careers site for its eligibility language and ask the recruiter if it is unclear. The answer decides whether this is worth your time.
- Right to work: citizenship or residency in the region makes everything easier.
- Sponsorship: some programs state they cannot sponsor interns; read the posting.
- School calendar: UK and Hong Kong programs may not line up with your US term dates.
- Language: Hong Kong roles covering mainland China may value Mandarin or Cantonese.
How is the process different from US recruiting?
The broad shape is familiar: an application, online tests or a recorded interview, then live interviews and an assessment day. The details differ, and you should not assume US timing applies. UK recruiting uses its own vocabulary, such as spring weeks for first-year students and penultimate year internships, because many UK degrees are three years long.
Waddle Street does not track non-US programs, so we do not state their dates. Find each one on the firm's regional careers page, track it in your own calendar, and assume it may open on a different clock from the US program at the same firm.
How do you network for a region you are not in?
The same playbook works with two changes: time zones and a sharper reason. A banker in London or Hong Kong will ask why you want to be there and not New York. You need a real answer: family, language, a market you follow, a plan to build a career in that region.
- Find alumni from your school working in that office, using your alumni tool and LinkedIn.
- Write a short note that leads with your reason for that city, not just that firm.
- Offer two or three call times that work in their time zone, early or late for you.
- Ask how their office recruits interns and whether they hire students from US schools.
- Log every call and follow up once if there is no reply, as you would at home.
- Keep your US recruiting running in full alongside it.
Should you still run your US recruiting in full?
Yes. For most US students the US programs are the main campaign and the overseas ones are a second line. The table below shows what is live in US investment banking right now, read from each bank's own site. Track the ones you want so the US side never slips while you chase a city abroad.
Questions students ask
- Does Waddle Street show London or Hong Kong programs?
- No. cycle covers US programs only, and our matcher skips postings for non-US offices. Use each firm's regional careers site for anything outside the US.
- Do I need a visa to intern in London or Hong Kong?
- If you are not a citizen or resident there, generally yes. Rules change and firms differ on sponsorship, so read the posting and confirm with the recruiter and an official government source.
- Is it easier to start abroad and move to New York later?
- Sometimes people do, but it is not a reliable shortcut. Start where you want to build a career, since transfers depend on the firm and the year.
- Are the interviews the same as in the US?
- The technical and behavioral content is similar. Expect more questions about why that city and, in Hong Kong, sometimes about the regional markets you follow.
- Can I apply to both the US and London programs at the same firm?
- Often yes, as separate applications. Some firms limit how many programs you can apply to, so read the rules on their portal before you do.