If you want to know how to apply to McKinsey, the process is: choose a role and office, prepare a CV and cover letter, submit through the McKinsey careers portal, complete the Solve game when invited, then pass the Personal Experience Interview and interviewer-led case interviews. Most offices recruit on a rolling basis, so applying early is a real advantage.
This guide covers the 2027 intake at McKinsey & Company — applications open in 2026 and are reviewed on a rolling basis, so applying early gives you the strongest chance. Confirm exact dates on McKinsey & Company's official careers page.
Step 1 of How to Apply to McKinsey: Choose Your Role and Office
When figuring out how to apply to McKinsey, start with the track that matches your timing: Business Analyst (BA) for final-year students and recent graduates, Summer Business Analyst for penultimate-year students, or experienced hire roles for working professionals.
- Pick one office deliberately. Your choice affects interview language, client industries, and your first network.
- Be ready to justify it. Interviewers ask why you chose that office — "it seemed convenient" is a weak answer.
- We cover office-selection logic in detail in our guide to choosing the right McKinsey role.
Step 2: Prepare Your Application Package
McKinsey typically asks for a CV and, in many offices, a cover letter. Your CV needs quantified impact, not job descriptions: revenue you drove, costs you cut, numbers you moved.
- The cover letter must be specific to McKinsey and to your chosen office — generic templates are easy to spot and easy to reject.
- Double-check that your documents parse correctly in the online form; formatting glitches have sunk strong applications.
- More on packaging in our piece on application mistakes to avoid.
Step 3 of How to Apply to McKinsey: Submit, Then Prepare for the Solve Game
Upload everything through the McKinsey careers portal. If your CV passes screening, McKinsey sends the Solve game — timed online games assessing critical thinking, not gaming skill. Invitations usually arrive within days to a few weeks.
- The games are timed and cannot be retaken — prepare before you submit, not after.
- We walk through the Solve game format in our McKinsey assessment guide.
Step 4: Interviews — PEI and the Case
Candidates who pass Solve move to interviews combining the Personal Experience Interview (PEI) — structured stories about leadership, impact, and resilience — with interviewer-led case interviews. Prepare PEI stories with the same seriousness you give cases; a strong case cannot save a weak PEI.
Apply early, prepare in order, and treat every stage as eliminatory — because it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I apply to McKinsey for 2027?
Most offices recruit on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply with strong materials, the better. Check the official McKinsey careers page for your target office's current openings.
Do I need a cover letter to apply to McKinsey?
Many offices require one. Even where optional, a specific, office-targeted cover letter strengthens your application — generic letters do not.
Can I apply to more than one McKinsey office?
You typically apply to one primary office. Choose deliberately and be ready to explain your reasoning.
Applying to McKinsey? Our 2027 McKinsey Solve Game & Case Interview prep covers the real questions — $79 one-time, instant download.
