10 Finance Internships for Freshmen in College (2024)

Investment banking and other finance jobs are getting increasingly competitive; as a result, the recruiting season is starting earlier and earlier each year. In order to gain a spot at a top-tier bank or fund, most students apply for internships starting their sophomore year in college for matriculation the following summer. To get even more experience on a resume, ambitious students are now looking for internships starting their freshman year in college.

If you’re interested in a career in investment banking or a similar industry, check out our Career Hub for lots of free resources and guides. Here are a few articles to get you started:

• A Guide to the Investment Banking Interview: Tips from an Expert
• The 20 Most Common Investment Banking Technical Interview Questions + Example Answers
• How to Answer the "Why Investment Banking?" Interview Question
• How to Nail the Second Most Common Investment Banking Interview Question
• The Best Investment Banking Newsletters and Podcasts to Subscribe To

Tips for Freshmen Aspiring to a Career in Finance

Because of the quantitative and technical demands of finance internships, most companies will not pay much attention to freshmen applicants. However, this time can be spent cultivating the required skills and experience to be a competitive applicant in the next few years. Here are six tips for freshmen who are hoping to eventually score an internship and career at a top-tier bank:

1. Fill in the gaps

Though you may not be actively searching for an IB internship, fill your resume with other experiences and accomplishments. For example, join finance clubs and position yourself for a leadership position. Take relevant courses and do well in them. Volunteer and pursue extracurricular activities that you enjoy. Get relevant work experience that will give you useful training and experiences to speak about in your personal story and in your “Why banking?” interview question.

2. Hustle during your sophomore year

Your sophomore year is when banks will actively be recruiting for junior internships. Make sure you are set up for success so when the time comes, you are polished and ready to nail your interviews. You should build your connections, gain valuable work and leadership experiences, practice your story, and know your technicals.

Getting a return offer after your junior internship will actively propel you as you begin your career in finance.

3. Build your quantitative skillset

Finance internships are heavily quantitative and students hoping to pursue a career in the industry will need to demonstrate mathematical abilities. By taking the right courses and practicing technical skills, you’ll be able to build a solid foundation. You don’t need to be a math major, but you do need to be good with numbers.

4. Know Excel

For anyone hoping to get into investment banking, Microsoft Excel is extremely important. Junior analysts and associates use Excel almost every day for return analyses, data mining, and more. Learning Excel while you’re a freshman means fewer late nights teaching yourself later on.

5. Read the news

To gain basic literacy in finance lingo, we recommend reading the news to understand how the markets are talked about. Newspapers like the Wall Street Journal are technical enough that you’ll be able to learn something, while basic enough to understand the gist. Many newspapers also offer newsletters and podcasts to stay up-to-date on the latest industry developments. Many universities offer free subscriptions to these newspapers through the library, so be sure to check yours before paying for one.

6. Go local

If you’re set on completing some type of finance internship during your freshman year, ask around local banks, funds, or corporate offices to see if there are any positions available that haven’t been widely advertised. Usually, these firms are less hesitant to hire freshmen and the jobs can be a good introduction to the world of finance. Also, having an experience already on your resume will make you that much more of a competitive applicant in the following years.

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Best Summer Finance Internships for Freshmen (2023-2024)

With that being said, here are the top internships in finance for freshmen in college, so that you can give yourself a head start for a great career.

1. Goldman Sachs

Role: 2024 Summer Analyst Program

What You'll Do:

• Attend orientation and training
• Learn about day-to-day operations at a top investment bank
• Take on responsibilities alongside fellow interns and other employees

Basic Qualifications (Required Skill/Experience):

• Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's degree
• Ability to work full-time, in person during the summer

Preferred Qualifications (Desired Skills/Experience):

• Academic excellence
• Active leadership and community involvement
• Currently enrolled in a finance-related major

See the job post here.

2. Deloitte

Role: Discovery Intern Audit & Assurance - Summer 2024

What You'll Do:

• Be exposed to different client service businesses at Deloitte
• Receive guidance from a counselor and onboarding advisor
• Work collaboratively on projects

Eligibility:

• College freshman or sophomore pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field
• Definitive plans to pursue minimum requirements for CPA eligibility
• Strong academic credentials (minimum GPA of 3.2)

See the job post here.

3. Abbott Labs

Role: 2024 Finance Intern

What You'll Do:

• Receive meaningful professional hands-on experience to students with proven academic performance and leadership potential
• Utilize and further develop technical and soft skills (i.e. communication), business knowledge, analytical techniques and creative problem solving abilities
• Work in corporate and operating unit headquarters, manufacturing plants, or support function locations, where the interns will interact with various finance co-workers and business partners

Eligibility:

• Completed at least one year of college education before beginning internship
• Must be enrolled in school the semester following your internship
• BS/BA student
• Before graduation, planning to complete minimum of 4 Accounting classes (one 3-4 credit hour accounting course needs to be cost accounting)
• School and/or work experience using Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Must have permanent authorization to work in the U.S

See the job post here.

4. Mirador

Role: Summer 2024 College Internship

What You'll Do:

• Work alongside a manager and mentor in various areas of business
• Participate in Mirador University, a set of workshops exploring resume writing, interview skills, public speaking, and career insights
• Create a final presentation for firm leadership

Eligibility:

• Currently enrolled at an accredited university pursuing an Associate, Bachelor, or graduate degree
• Able to work full-time, in person from June to August in Stamford, CT; Jacksonville, FL; Naperville, IL; or Salt Lake City, UT
• Comfortable with technology, software tools, and applications

See the job post here.

5. Maine Employers' Mutual Insurance Company (MEMIC)

Role: Finance Intern

What You'll Do:

• Roll forward budget worksheets, 2024 season prep, Annual Financial Statements, and ITD Loss and Premium worksheets for financial calls
• Peer group research and updating of ratios
• Confirm control preparation for audit
• Work on reinsurance XOL claim worksheet

Eligibility:

• Must be able to work full-time, in person in Portland, ME from June 3 to August 16
• Must be pursuing an Associate's degree or above, majors in finance, accounting, mathematics, economics, and other related degrees preferred
• Proficient in Excel and MS Office

See the job post here.

6. Highmark Health

Role: Undergraduate Intern - Business Analyst

What You'll Do:

• Acquire practical experience through direct exposure, training, and experience in business lines
• Work on projects and programs, plan and implement initiatives
• Conduct research and write reports for recommendations and proposals
• Work in collaboration with customers to translate high-level business needs into detailed requirements for new capabilities, provide root cause analysis, and ensure quality delivery

Eligibility:

• Must be enrolled fully or part-time in an accredited college or university baccalaureate program

See the job posting here.

7. Northwestern Mutual

Role: Finance Internship, Summer 2024

What You'll Do:

• Investment Strategy: Assist in cross asset research. Update and develop models for forecasting expected returns across asset classes. Special research projects as needed on new investment opportunities. 
• Investment Performance & Data Analytics: Support Wealth program strategy informational materials, support Advisor questions around account performance information, and periodically investigate large/out of tolerance investment performance numbers to find the drivers behind the numbers.
• Distribution Performance Field Rewards & Finance: Work closely with financial consultants, assisting with Excel model maintenance and recurring tasks/reporting that support the team. Support ad hoc projects requiring financial data interpretation. 

Eligibility:

• Pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Investments, or related field from an accredited college or university
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Previous work or classroom experience in one or more of the following: Finance, Accounting, Investments, Data Science, or IT Management
• Able to work full-time, in person from May 30 to August 9, 2024 in Milwaukee, WI (eligible for travel reimbursement, housing provided by company)

See the job post here.

8. John Deere

Role: Accounting/Finance Summer Intern 2024a

What You'll Do:

• Complete process improvements projects by utilizing finance automation techniques
• Understand and use financial software tools (Excel, Power BI, etc.)
• Gather, review, and analyze financial information
• Work cross-functionally to solve business problems
• Develop professional skills by networking and interacting with Deere leaders

Eligibility:

• Must be currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters degree in accounting, finance, economics, business analytics, or related major with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Must have completed at least 6 credit hours of accounting courses
• Must be able to relocate within the United States

See the job post here.

9. AT&T

Role: EDGE Internship Program

What You'll Do:

• Work alongside a team on an innovative group project in one of five focus areas (technology, sales, finance, marketing, and corporate)
• Present project findings to an executive panel of judges
• Develop essential skills for full-time management positions

Eligibility:

• Currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in an accredited college/university
• Must be able to work full-time, in person for 10-12 weeks
• Must be willing to relocate (relocation stipend provided)

See the job post here.

10. Centene

Role: Actuarial Intern (Undergraduate - Summer)

What You'll Do:

• Work on process improvement opportunities related to financial modeling or report development
• Learn and utilize in Excel and SQL
• Attend training and development presentations
• Gain knowledge in fundamental concepts utilized in cost reporting development

Eligibility:

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate program at an accredited university or college, preferably in a major related to finance or accounting
• Must be able to work full-time for 12 weeks

See the job post here.

How Freshmen Studying Finance Can Benefit from Internships

Internships are a valuable tool for college students across all disciplines. Even as a freshman, it's not too early to start thinking about how to find opportunities to learn and start adding to your resume. One of the main benefits of internships is that they provide hands-on experience that can help you stand out when applying for jobs after graduation. They are a great way to learn the ropes of a given industry and develop the skills that employers are looking for. Additionally, internships give you the chance to network and make connections within a field, which can be extremely valuable when you are eventually looking for full-time roles.

Another benefit of internships is that they can give you a better sense of what you want to do in the future. Many students enter college with a general idea of what they want to study, but internships can provide a more concrete understanding of the day-to-day work of a particular profession. This can help you to make a more informed decision about your career goals and ultimately lead you to a more fulfilling professional path.

Freshmen in college studying finance should start looking for internships early, as many opportunities are highly competitive. Reach out to the college career center, professors, or alumni for guidance, and take advantage of any career fairs or networking events that are available on campus. With the right approach and a little bit of effort, an internship can help you to unlock the door to success in the finance industry.

Land an IB Job With the Help of an Expert

Whether you are preparing for interviews, polishing your resume, or simply interested in the investment banking industry, the best way to prepare yourself for a successful career in banking is to talk to an expert. Here are several of our top investment banking coaches, browse all of them here.

Here are several other articles you may find helpful:

• How to Ace Your Alpine Investors PE Interview
• How to Ace Your TA Associates PE Interview
• The Best Venture Capital & Private Equity Newsletters and Podcasts to Subscribe To
• The Top 10 Venture Capital Fellowships
• An Expert's Guide to Resumes: Five Tips to Make You Stand Out
• What to Do if You Didn't Have an Internship This Summer