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IB Summer internship, gap year and then graduate role

Context: I am a second-year economics undergraduate at a Russell-Group University. Earlier this year I secured an internship at a mid-tier investment bank.

Firstly, I am keen to take a gap year after university. If I receive an offer from the bank I am interning with this summer, is it likely that they would allow me to defer the offer by one year?

Secondly, if I were to apply to summer internships again next year, under the presumption of a one-year masters, would other investment banks (GS/JPM/MS etc) allow a gap year instead of a masters in between the internship and grad start? Would it be better to be open about this from the beginning of the application process or wait until the internship starts?

I realise that post-university gap years are difficult for aspiring investment bankers, so I would really appreciate any advice here.

Many thanks,

Greg

Reply 1

BenRyan99

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Greg567

In my experience, the chances a bank would let you take an extra year after graduating are very slim. Often they don't even let you defer for a master's, only those who intern in their final year and are doing a master's can take an extra (tho this is only because you intern a year before taking the role which is standard). But you can't just do this to take a gap year to travel etc.

If you really want a gap year, I think it's likely you'd have to decline graduate offers and then apply for graduate scheme during your gap year, go through the recruitment process that year to start the next summer.