London Banking Tour

About

In September 2025, 26 talented Dutch students will set foot into the dynamic world of investment banking. The FSA will organize the 32nd edition of the London Banking Tour—a unique opportunity to experience life as an investment banker in one of the world’s most prestigious financial hubs.

London is home to hundreds of financial institutions packed into its famous “Square Mile” and “Canary Wharf”. It’s the ultimate destination for anyone curious about the fast-paced world of finance, particularly investment banking.

During these two weeks, you’ll visit top-tier banks in both London and the Netherlands, gaining firsthand insights into the industry. The program includes engaging presentations, challenging case studies, and exclusive dinners with professionals from leading financial institutions. Accommodation will be provided at a centrally located hotel in London.

A career in investment banking is unlike any other. It demands dedication, resilience, and a strong work ethic, but the rewards are unparalleled. The skills and experience you gain will benefit you throughout your professional journey.

Who Are We Looking For?

We welcome ambitious students from all academic disciplines in their bachelor’s or master’s studies. A background in economics is not a requirement—students from all fields of study with an interest in or experience with investment banking are encouraged to apply. However, fluency in Dutch is mandatory. We cannot make any exceptions to this rule. If you don’t have a background in finance or economics, we do recommend to prepare yourself by reading Vault: Career guide to Investment Banking and Breaking into Wall Street: 400 questions.

Program Details

The London Banking Tour will take place from the 8th until the 20th of September 2025. It begins with two in-house events in the Netherlands on the 8th and 9th of September 2025, after which we will travel to Londen on the 10th of September. Please note that full participation in the program is required.

How to apply?

The application deadline has passed, and we are unable to consider any late submissions. 

Selection process

After the application deadline, a selection of applications will be sent to the banks. The banks will submit their top-preferred students to the committee. You may be invited for an interview between June 9th and June 25th. Please keep in mind that this interview will be held in person and that this is a mandatory part of the selection procedure. Based on the interview, you may be selected to participate in the Tour. If selected, we require a participant contribution.

FAQ

Can you make any exceptions to the language requirement?

No, we can’t and we won’t. The banks recruit for their BeNeLux teams, and therefore they require their team members to be fluent in Dutch. Therefore, we need all participants to be able to speak Dutch fluently.

I can’t seem to merge my forms. Can I hand them in separately?

No, we need all documents in one merged PDF-format. There are plenty of online pages where you can merge documents for free. We receive too many applications to merge the documents ourselves. In case your transcripts are protected, please contact your university.

I made a mistake in my application form/I forgot to hand in one of my files. What now?

Please hand in your files again and resubmit your application form with the correct information. Please notify us of this error through the e-mail address below.

I don’t have a finance or economics background. Can I still apply?

Yes, we encourage everybody who is motivated to start in IB to apply. However, we do recommend to prepare yourself by reading Vault: Career guide to Investment Banking and Breaking into Wall Street: 400 questions.

I already graduated. Can I still apply?

Yes, you can. However, most banks look for students that are in their penultimate or final year of study due to the specific internship timelines. In case you participate with the LBT 2025, you’ll either start with an off-cycle in January 2026, but the majority will start with a summer internship in 2026. After your summer internship, you might get a full-time offer starting in summer 2027.

To whom should I address my motivation letter? In what language should I write the letter? What are key points to include in the letter?

The motivation letter will be sent to the banks, so it needs to be written in English. There is not one way to write a strong cover letter, but it needs to address your motivation to participate in the Tour and why you want to work in investment banking. Furthermore, we encourage you to be as creative and authentic as possible.

If you have any remaining questions, please reach out to [email protected].