Consulting Internship at BCG: A Comprehensive Guide

This article gives you an overview of consulting internships at BCG. Overall, landing an internship is as rigorous and competitive as securing a full-time consultant role, and interns handle a workload nearly the same as full-time consultants.

What does a consulting intern do at BCG?

By nature, consulting interns’ work is very similar to full-time consultants. In general, full-time consultants oversee the “manual” work of a project, while Project Leaders manage the big picture.

Both consulting interns and full-time consultants will act as “content ambassadors” between complicated client context and knowledgeable & expert consultant. 

The job of those “content ambassadors” can be summarized into two big tasks: gather and create content. While this sounds simple, in fact, the consultants will have to put in a large amount of work. They must be able to solve the problems first, then deliver the solution as a proposal to the clients, or their director. 

The process is usually like this:

• Problem-solving: A consultant would come to the client, gather data (through research, interviews with clients, mystery shopping, etc.), then analyze the situation, break it down into smaller pieces, and finally get a proper solution. That consultant can bring in experts who know best about a particular field (either function or industry experts) for support.

• Deliver technical expertise: After the long "problem-solving" process, the consultant consolidates every small item into the big picture and articulates everything into a specific proposal to the client.

To understand the work of a consultant better, you can watch this video: What the heck does a consultant DO, exactly? 

What kind of consulting internships does BCG offer?

Two main tracks: Undergraduate & MBA

BCG consulting internships typically fall into two main tracks: undergraduate and MBA. Undergraduates are generally recruited into Associate Intern positions, whereas MBAs are recruited into Summer Consultant Intern positions. 

At BCG, Consultant positions are one level above Associate positions, although this might not be the case at other consulting firms because of different namings. To have a better visualization of where these positions are among the consulting career path at BCG, you can look at the image below.

Undergraduate internships - Associate Intern

At the undergraduate level, as mentioned above, successful candidates are often assigned into the main track of the BCG Internship program - the Associate intern role.

In the BCG’s career website, you can see that intern positions opening for undergraduates can come under different programs. They can be Associate Intern or Visiting Associate Intern.

In a project, Associate interns are usually assigned to support a senior Associate with a big workstream. In some rare cases, interns can lead a small workstream. If you, as an intern, are assigned to support an Associate, you will report directly to that person. If you lead a small workstream, you will report directly to the Project Leader.

MBA internships - Summer Consultant Intern

At the MBA level, successful candidates are often assigned into the Summer Consultant Intern role. Again, their work structure is very similar to that of full-time Consultants.

The Summer Consultant intern position is an interesting position. Upon their entry, Summer Consultant interns are already much more senior than other interns. Hence, even though Summer Consultant interns are technically newbies in the BCG world, the company will make sure they enter senior positions very shortly.

Specifically, BCG does this by assigning more responsibilities to Summer Consultant interns: they typically get to lead or semi-lead a workstream. Throughout the project, Summer Consultant interns report directly to Project Leaders.

BCG internship information - Duration, salary, acceptance rate and others

BCG internships are typically 6-8 weeks duration

BCG states on its website: “Each office decides on the availability, duration, and timing of their internships, but typically, internships last between two to three months and may occur at different points throughout the year.” In practice, most BCG offices follow a similar pattern, with internships in many locations lasting around 6-8 weeks. 

However, the duration can vary significantly, from just a few weeks to as long as a year. It depends on the role, office, and location of the position. Some extended programs are designed to align with specific projects, academic calendars, or regional hiring needs.

Be sure to check the recruitment updates from your target offices to confirm the exact details and have a proper preparation.

BCG internships salary and benefits are extremely competitive

The consulting industry is famous for its tremendous high salaries, especially at one of the most prestigious firms like BCG. In that sense, interns’ salaries cannot be low.

As there’s no complete official data on salaries, we can refer to the information available on Glassdoor. Below are the reported salaries on Glassdoor for interns and full-time positions in the United States, compared with the official salary data for Associate interns. 

Since Glassdoor data comes from mass surveys, it may have a wide margin of error, so it’s best not to rely on it too heavily. You can, however, compare the Associate Intern salary from Glassdoor with the official figure on BCG’s website to get a general sense of the pay range, then use that as a reference point for other positions.

The data above shows noticeable salary differences between roles. However, based on our information, consulting interns earn nearly as much as full-time consultants. So, for more accurate figures, consider reaching out to current or former consultants at your target office.

Regardless, it’s worth highlighting that both Associate intern and Consultant intern positions still offer impressively high pay ranges. Besides the salary, according to BCG, interns are also provided a comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental and vision coverage, telemedicine services, life, accident and disability insurance, parental leave and family planning benefits, caregiving resources, mental health offerings, a generous retirement program, financial guidance, paid time off, and more.

BCG internship acceptance rate is estimated at just 3-5%

Securing an internship at BCG is just as rigorous and competitive as landing a full-time position. Usually, only about 25-30% of applicants pass the screening stage and get to the interview round. From there, only 3-5% receive an offer.

Its acceptance rate is on par with the admission rates of the world’s top 10 most selective universities. According to the U.S. News, some of them include Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale universities. This level of selectivity highlights the importance of thorough preparation and a standout application if you want to be among the few who receive an offer.

What if you fail applying for the internship?

Based on our information, if your internship application is not successful, you might face a reapplication ban of 1 to 2 years. During this period, you could be ineligible to apply for any other roles, including full-time positions. It’s important to keep this in mind when planning your application strategy.

To avoid any misunderstandings, be sure to carefully read all recruitment updates or directly contact the HR representatives at your target office to confirm the reapplication policy and prepare accordingly.

Consulting interns at BCG can get a full-time offer

At BCG, interns who meet the firm’s performance expectations may receive an offer to return in a full-time role after graduation. This pathway allows outstanding interns to skip much of the usual application process and transition smoothly into a full-time position.

Even if an immediate offer is not extended, high-performing interns are often given priority over new applicants in the full-time recruiting process. This means your internship is more than just a short-term learning experience. It is also a valuable chance to prove yourself, build relationships, and secure a long-term career with the firm.

Where to find more BCG internship information?

If you’re interested in applying for a BCG internship, it’s important to look for information directly from official sources. Internship availability, application timelines, eligibility and program details can vary by office and change from year to year. To avoid missing out or misunderstanding any key information, make sure to check BCG’s latest recruitment updates regularly.

For the most up-to-date details on BCG’s recruiting process, visit their internship site: https://careers.bcg.com/global/en/internship-opportunities. 

To find current internship openings, you should check BCG’s job search page: https://careers.bcg.com/global/en/search-results. 

When searching, try using keywords such as intern, internship, associate, consultant to narrow down relevant opportunities.

Three-round recruitment process at BCG

Application round: Resume / cover letter screening

The first step in the BCG internship recruitment process is the application round. Application materials typically include:

• Resume: Summarize your experiences and highlight your leadership, achievements, and problem-solving skills.

• Cover letter: While optional, a strong cover letter can showcase your motivation and explain why you’re a good fit for both BCG and the consulting industry. 

• Academic transcripts: For undergraduate and master’s candidates, BCG often requires transcripts as part of the application.

In some offices, mainly in the United States, applicants are also asked to finish the BCG Pymetrics Test as the final step in the application round. The test uses 12 mini-games played in 30 minutes to assess candidates on social, emotional, and cognitive traits such as attention, emotion, decision-making, risk tolerance, and others.

Read more about consulting resume / cover letter here: Consulting Resume  / Consulting Cover Letter.

Read more about BCG Pymetrics Test: BCG Pymetrics Test 2024: 12 Mini Games w/ Simulation

BCG Online Assessment Test: BCG Casey / BCG Potential Test 

After passing the resume screening round, you will be asked to complete one of the two BCG’s online assessment tests, BCG Online Case (Casey chatbot) or BCG Potential Test.

The BCG Online Case, also known as the “Casey chatbot”, is used by BCG in almost all countries. It takes the form of a case-interviewing chatbot that calls itself Casey (hence the name “Casey chatbot”). The chatbot asks the same kind of questions you will face in the case interview: structuring, quantitative, and summary pitches.

The BCG Potential Test is rarely used, with an unclear pattern. It can be used to assess a candidate’s numerical, verbal and logical thinking abilities. The test is available in 2 formats – paper-based, and computer-based – the latter sometimes referred to as the “BCG Online Test”.

Read more about BCG Casey Chatbot here: BCG Online Case (Casey Chatbot)

Read more about BCG Potential Test here: BCG Potential Test Guide: Question Types & Practice

Interviews: Personal experience interview and case interview

Each BCG candidate will have to undergo 4-6 interviews during 4-8 weeks. The first 2-3 interviews are often conducted by Project Leaders; later interviews are conducted by the more senior Partners. BCG interviews usually consist of two parts: The PEI/Personal Experience Interview (10 minutes) and the case interview (30-45 minutes).

Personal experience interview (PEI) is about “that one time in your life” when you did something extraordinary. In the 10-minute PEI, the interviewer will ask you to tell one story, then drill down to extract insights about your soft skills and personal traits. Some of them could be “Tell me about a time when you overcame a significant challenge” or “Tell me about a time when you convinced people to change their viewpoints”. Besides these stories, the interview might also ask you the “Why consulting/Why BCG?” questions.

In a case interview, you are given a business problem and asked to solve it. That problem, together with the whole surrounding business context, is called a case. BCG case interviews are often candidate-led. At the most extreme of this format, the candidate “leads” the problem-solving process breaking down the problem through an “issue tree” and hypothesizing for the root causes. The interviewer assists the candidate by supplying data to test their hypotheses.

Some BCG offices also use written interview cases. A written case interview is a case interview where you receive the questions and data, as well as deliver your recommendations in written forms of communication.

Read more about BCG Interviews here: BCG Case Interview Guide: Criteria, Technique & Tips

How to prepare for the BCG recruitment process?

Some big-picture preparation advices

Prepare as early as possible

Consulting prep is ideally a long process. You may spend a year or even more learning the fundamental skills and embracing the mindset, and at least 2-3 months preparing for the resume screening, the tests and case interviews.

To equip yourself with the most well-rounded skill set for consulting, read up and practice on the following topics:

• Management Consulting: Job, firms, industry and culture (especially the firms you target)

• Consulting Math: Math in business context, mental math, and chart-reading

• Tests: McKinsey Solve, BCG Potential Test, BCG Casey, Bain Online Test, etc.

• Case Interviews: Interviewer-led and candidate-led case, tips and techniques

• Fit Interviews: Stories to suggest your outstanding, consulting-fit qualities

Build networks early on

A big part of the BCG internship selection process involves case interviews conducted by managers. These interviews are expensive because they take away revenue-generating hours from said managers.

To make the most out of these expensive interviews, consulting firms highly favor candidates with positive reviews from inside the firm or the alumni network. That’s why networking is especially important in the early stages. If you can connect with a mentor, ideally a current or former consultant at your target firm, it’s even better. Beyond the potential for a referral, they can offer valuable insider advice to strengthen your application and interview performance.

So when should you start networking? As early as possible, because relationships take time to build. If you’re still in school, network a year before career events to be one step ahead of the competition, then try to get referrals. Referrals increase the chances of your CV being reviewed by recruiters in the first place.

Below are three common methods, but are less effective in general:

• Networking through acquaintances: Start with the consultants you know, followed by anyone your colleagues, friends and family can introduce. The biggest limitation is accessibility – you might not find any potential lead.

• Networking through events: This method is most convenient for applicants from target schools. Consultants here are complete strangers, but they do expect applicants to approach them after the events, so you do have a higher chance than the next method.

• Cold-emailing/Cold-calling: The least effective, but the most scalable method. You find them through LinkedIn or similar means, send emails to establish contact and request for a meeting. Most of the time, you will be rejected, but if you play the cards right, you will get someone on your side.

How to prepare for the resume / cover letter screening round?

Read the full guides here: Consulting Resume  / Consulting Cover Letter

One thing you should keep in mind while preparing the resume and the cover letter is that these papers must be written in the consulting style. In both of these papers, explicitly but objectively show off your consulting attributes: leadership, achieving and problem-solving.

The content

Whatever stories you tell in your resume and cover letter, they must emphasize the three attributes mentioned above. They must either be about leading and influencing people, doing analytical work, achieving the extraordinary, or any combination. 

More importantly, you must be highly specific and result-oriented. Instead of rambling on with your list of experiences, show the screener quantifiable results of your work, which shows you are the best.

For example, even if you flipped burgers, say something like “Set the new speed record for flipping burgers, surpassing the previous record by 50%”. Specific statements are thoroughly more impressive and more trustworthy, even outside the consulting industry.

The presentation

Regarding the format, there is no other option but black-and-white. You should keep it absolutely formal and professional. Fancy-looking resumes might get you creative jobs, but will get you cold rejections in the conservative consulting industry. Same goes for the cover letters.

Regarding the structure, every bullet point in your resume must contain similar parts. The language of these bullets must be totally formal as well. Communication must be top-down, both in resumes and cover letters.

How to prepare for BCG Online Case (Casey chatbot)?

Read the full guides here: BCG Online Case Chatbot

Start with normal case interviews

As the BCG Casey test is very similar to an interviewer-led case interview, it’s best to start here, especially if you have ample time.

Some fundamentals of case interview you should focus on are: basic concepts (hypothesis & issue tree, MECE principles, frameworks), basic business, accounting and finance; math, charts and exhibits.

You can read more about preparation for normal case interviews in the “How to prepare for case interview?” section below. 

Then transition to Casey mock tests

Once you have mastered the basic case interview concepts, it would be much easier to transit to Casey-style cases. The best way to do this transition practice is through mock tests, where you can get yourself acquainted with the differences between a real interviewer and a chatbot.

You should practice about 15-25 mock tests. It’s best to practice these in 15-25 days, meaning one each day. This would give you enough room for getting used to the interface and the format of the test, while practicing the fundamentals as well as some tips and techniques.

However, you should also keep in mind that it's better to use a few mock tests well, than to use a lot of mock tests poorly.

Practice Casey without “normal case interviews”

If by the time you receive your BCG Casey invitation, you still haven’t mastered the basics of case interview, you can still prepare for Casey through the following steps:

• Focus only on the basics of real case interviews (issue tree, MECE, frameworks)

• Do 1-3 “normal” mock cases

• Then switch immediately to Casey mock tests

Although it works if you are running against the clock, it is quite risky. It’s better to prepare thoroughly with case interview basics being mastered beforehand.

How to prepare for the BCG Potential Test?

Read the full guides here: BCG Potential Test Guide: Question Types & Practice

There are four steps on how you should prepare for BCG Potential Test:

Step 1: Learn the test format, rules, and contents

The first step you should do is to contact your target office to confirm the test format and rules to have the most suitable preparation. While waiting for the information to be confirmed, you can learn the principles because it remains the same for any given format.

Step 2: Practice answering the questions correctly

The second step is to answer all the test questions correctly without time pressure. You should practice on each question type to get yourself familiar with the question’s structure and logical foundation.

Step 3: Practice answering the question quickly

Actually, there will be no turning point indicating that it is the time you should move to this step. However, you should gradually try to answer the question both correctly and quickly. You can increase your speed by increasing your mental math, reading speed, or even using some hacking tips.

Once getting all the correct answers without clocking, you should put yourself under time constraint.

Step 4: Do the mock test and develop personal strategy

This is where you can assess yourself and develop an ultimate test strategy. Do this multiple times until you can nail every question every time.

How to prepare for PEIs / fit interviews?

Read the full guides here: Fit Interviews at MBB: Categories and Requirements 

Sometimes, each question type in the PEI will be used for the same kind of story. This means that, even if you draft 10-12 stories, 2-3 for each question type, you may only use only one story for every question.

Instead of preparing on a question-answer basis, a more efficient approach would be to focus on the stories. You should prepare three to five stories and make them as detailed, all-rounded, well-presented as possible. View them from every possible angle, each corresponding to a trait required by BCG, or to one of your personal values. With such an approach, you also gain flexibility. As with well-developed stories, you can respond to ANY kinds of questions, even the unexpected ones.

How can you prepare such stories? Spend your efforts on three layers of a story - the content base, the plot, and the style.

You can read our full guides with the link above for detailed and step-by-step prep guidance.

How to prepare for case interviews?

Read the full guides here: Case Interview 101: The Online Guidebook

To prepare for case interviews, especially BCG case interviews, we recommend you to follow these steps:

#1. Get familiar with some case examples

To grasp how BCG cases “flow”, we encourage you to go out there and find as many examples of candidate-led cases as possible. There are three such examples on the BCG website with suggested answers.

• Set a climate strategy

• Restore customer satisfaction

• Support a cloud migration

You can access these three cases here: Case Interview Preparation | BCG 

#2. Practice consulting math

Consultants work with quantitative data dozens of times a day. It simply takes too long to pull out a calculator every time they need to calculate something, and doing so in negotiations looks really bad. This is why interviewers place such high emphasis on the mental math skills of prospective consultants.

In the beginning, consulting math can be difficult for some; nonetheless, we have a few tips for you to ease the process and still practice effectively: 

• Use your head daily: Do all your daily calculations mentally unless an EXACT answer is required.

• Flatten the learning curve: At the start, a piece of scratch paper and a 5% margin of error really help; once you are confident, discard the paper and narrow down the margin.

• Establish a routine: Allocate some time for daily practice. This may seem hard at first, but once you’ve overcome the initial resistance, you can literally feel the improvement.

Read more about consulting math: Consulting & Case Interview Math Practice Guide.

#3. Develop business intuition

Having business intuition significantly sharpens your performance in case interviews.

Working on any kind of intuition is a gradual process that takes practice every day. You can improve your business intuition in two ways:

• Written sources: I suggest reading business papers daily; you can also visit McKinsey, Bain, and BCG websites for their excellent articles. Beware though – it’s not the pages you read that count, but the insights you draw from them.

• First-hand experience and observations: Don’t just come to your workplace to work; try to examine what senior managers are doing – what’s the rationale for their decision, and how has it impacted the organization?

#4. Learn fundamentals and question types

As a consulting intern at BCG, you will need to tackle real business problems. Hence, knowing the fundamental concepts of consulting problem-solving is crucial. In the candidate-led case interview, particularly, make sure to master the use of hypotheses, issue trees, MECE principle – they are the backbone of this interview kind.

The other key to conquering interviewer-led cases is in methodically mastering each and every basic question type; then you will be ready to tackle the more complex and less predictable ones.

For each type, there are always tips and techniques to deliver an ideal answer; you can check out an even more comprehensive guide in our Case Interview Questions. The key takeaway is to treat interviewer-led questions like mini-cases, and take a structured, MECE approach to each.

#5. Self-practice solving the case examples 

When getting the fundamentals of a case interview, you can try to solve case examples by yourself first. With BCG’s official practice cases, you should solve the case based on what you’ve learned, then compare your answer with BCG’s official answer. 

In that way, you can both get familiar with the process of solving a case, and find out your weaknesses in case-solving at the same time. Besides, you can also broaden your problem-solving angles by learning from the new approach of the official answers.

#6. Perform mock interviews

The best way to train on something is to do it.

Well, you CAN’T simply come to BCG and ask them for a case interview, but you CAN find a partner to conduct mock interviews for you. It’s better if you can find a former consultant to do it – they’ve been through countless case interviews, both mock and real.

Make the best of every mock interview you do by recording them, then replay again, and again, and again. You’ll realize a lot of mistakes you made, and how you can fix them.