Applying to Morgan Stanley for summer 2028? Check your resume against a Morgan Stanley-style screen below, then read when investment banking opens, how the three-program cap and the office and group rankings work, and what happens the moment you submit.
Key facts
- When it opens: For summer 2027, the US investment banking application ran from Jan 1 to Feb 15, 2026, reviewed on a rolling basis. Firm divisions such as Risk, Finance, Strategy and Legal posted later, with deadlines from late February to May 2026; Finance in Baltimore ran to Sep 25, 2026.2,3,4,11
- Choices: In the Americas you can apply to up to 9 opportunities a year: 3 full-time programs, 3 intern programs and 3 off-cycle programs.1
- Offices and groups: The investment banking application asks you to select and rank up to three offices (New York, Houston, Menlo Park, San Francisco) and up to three banking groups.2
- Portal: All programs are on the Morgan Stanley Campus job board on tal.net, reached from the firm's Students and Graduates pages.1,11
- Documents: You apply with your resume, then complete a HireVue. Treat a cover letter as optional: Morgan Stanley's own recruiters say not every job needs one.3,4,5
- GPA: Minimum 3.4 GPA for investment banking on the 2027 posting; 3.0 for Finance in Baltimore and for the master's-level Quantitative Risk program; 3.5 for Wealth Management.2,3,4,11
- Who it is for: For summer 2027, undergraduates graduating between December 2027 and June 2028, so usually juniors. Expect the 2028 posting to move that a year later.2,11
Morgan Stanley programs on the tracker
Live from the Intervyo tracker, so the dates update as Morgan Stanley posts them.
- 2028 Summer Analyst Program
- Dates not announced yet
- Morgan Stanley Early Insights
- Dates not announced yet
- 2028 Full-Time Analyst Program
- Dates not announced yet
Some investment banking groups hire directly, so you interview with that group: Financial Institutions, Latin America, Private Capital Advisory, Real Estate, Corporate Separations, Shareholder Activism, Houston Power & Energy, Menlo Park Technology and three San Francisco groups. The other New York groups sit in the New York Generalist program, with group placement during onboarding.2
Check your resume before you apply
Check your resume
Read against the Summer Analyst role at Morgan Stanley, Investment Banking, the way the first screen reads it.
- A score and a verdict
- An ATS check
- Your lines rewritten
What the Morgan Stanley online application looks like
Be ready on January 1
Investment banking is Morgan Stanley's earliest window: Jan 1 to Feb 15, 2026 for summer 2027, reviewed on a rolling basis. Wealth Management closed on Mar 13, 2026, and firm-division deadlines ran from late February to September 2026. Expect the summer 2028 investment banking window to open around Jan 1, 2027.2,11,4,12
Spend your three intern picks
In the Americas you can apply to 3 intern programs, 3 full-time and 3 off-cycle a year, and the firm asks you to limit your choices to the locations and programs that truly match your interests. Investment banking counts as one program, and inside it you rank up to three offices and three groups.1,2
Rank offices and groups
Choose between direct-hire groups, where you interview with that group, and the New York Generalist program, where you are placed in a group during onboarding before the summer. Houston, Menlo Park and San Francisco groups are direct hire.2
Fill in the form
The firm-division postings say to apply with your resume through the Morgan Stanley website. Treat a cover letter as optional; Morgan Stanley's recruiters write that not all jobs need one, and that if you send one it should be written for the firm, not a generic letter.3,4,5
The HireVue comes with it
In investment banking the HireVue is offered on the same page as soon as you submit, with about 48 hours to finish it. Firm divisions set a fixed HireVue deadline instead: two days after the application deadline for Quantitative Risk (May 15 and 17, 2026), the same day for Finance in Baltimore. Applying to several groups can mean a separate HireVue for each.7,8,3,4
What the form asks
- Program choices 3 intern programs
- Up to 3 intern, 3 full-time and 3 off-cycle programs a year in the Americas.
- Offices and groups (IB) Rank up to 3 + 3
- Up to three offices and three investment banking groups, ranked.
- Resume Required
- You apply with your resume through the Morgan Stanley website.
- HireVue With the application
- Part of a complete application: offered straight after submitting in investment banking, due by a set date elsewhere.
- Cover letter, transcript Check the form
- Treat a cover letter as optional. Have a transcript ready in case the form asks for one.
The cap, rankings, resume and HireVue come from Morgan Stanley's board and postings; the rest is our best reading. Check each field when you open the form.1,2,3,4,5,7
Morgan Stanley resume checklist
- One page, saved as a PDF, ready before January 1.
- Education first while you are a student: school, degree written out, graduation month and year.
- GPA as 3.61/4.00, checked against your program's floor (3.4 for investment banking).
- Experience newest first, two or three bullets each, every bullet starting with a verb.
- Each bullet says what you did and what came of it, with a number where you have one.
- Modeling, valuation and deal words only for work you can walk through without the page.
- Leadership roles over memberships: what you ran, led or built.
- Skills and interests last, with interests you could talk about for a minute.
- Your three office and three group rankings decided before you open the form.
What to put on it
Your resume is where Morgan Stanley's interviews start, and the firm tells candidates to know it well enough to talk through every line without looking. For students the order is Education first, then experience, then leadership and activities, then skills and interests. The examples below are Intervyo rewrites of common resume lines, not questions from the form.6,14,15
- Education: School, degree, graduation month and year, and GPA. First on the page while you are a student.
- Experience: Internships and jobs, newest first, with two or three bullets that say what you did and what came of it.
- Leadership and activities: Clubs, teams and roles where you owned something, not only memberships.
- Skills and interests: Languages, software and a few real interests, last on the page.
Example questions and how to answer them
Experience bullet"Rewrite this bullet: "Assisted with research on potential acquisition targets.""2,6,14
- 1Start with a verb for what you did yourself: screened, built, compared, presented.
- 2Name the work precisely: a target screen, precedent transactions, a buyer list.
- 3Add scale in numbers: how many companies, what size.
- 4End with what the team did with it.
Tip: Morgan Stanley's investment banking summer analysts analyze financial information, build models and draft marketing materials, so bullets that show those tasks read well. Use only work you can explain without your resume in front of you.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Screened 45 software companies on growth and margins for a search fund's acquisition list and built a precedent transactions table of 12 deals; the fund shortlisted 4 targets from the screen for outreach.
Education line"Rewrite this education line: "UT Austin, BBA, 3.6, 2029""2,14,15
- 1University and location on the first line.
- 2Degree written out, with the expected graduation month and year.
- 3GPA to two decimals with the scale. Investment banking screens at 3.4.
- 4An optional line for relevant coursework, honors or a business honors program.
Tip: Summer 2028 analysts are usually a year from graduating, so most will show a 2029 graduation date.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
The University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, Austin, TX Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, expected May 2029. GPA: 3.61/4.00 Relevant coursework: Financial Accounting, Corporate Finance, Valuation
Leadership and activities"Rewrite this activity: "Member, Women in Business.""14
- 1Lead with a role you held, even a small one, rather than membership.
- 2Say what you organized, wrote or ran.
- 3Give one number for scale.
- 4Show what changed because of it.
Example answer, written by Intervyo (not a real candidate)
Events Chair, Women in Business (200 members): organized 6 recruiting panels with 14 alumni from banks and consultancies, growing average attendance from 35 to 80.
From resume to HireVue"Tell me about yourself."16
- 1Not your life story: pick the parts of your resume that fit the job.
- 2Two or three experiences in order, one sentence each.
- 3Tie them to the qualities in the job description.
- 4Close on why this program at Morgan Stanley is next.
Tip: Morgan Stanley's Vice Chairwoman Carla Harris calls this the first question you are likely to get and the one people most often struggle with. Order your resume so the entries you lead with come first.
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How long to hear back after the online application
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled or the deadline passes, whichever comes first, so the early weeks matter. In investment banking the HireVue arrives straight away and first rounds follow within days to weeks.2,3,7
2024 (summer 2025)
Investment banking, Menlo Park
First round about two weeks after the HireVue, then a superday two days after the first round.8
Jan 2025 (summer 2026)
Investment banking, US
The thread opened on Jan 15, 2025 with an automatic HireVue and 48 hours to complete it; one applicant's arrived two days after applying.8
Jan 2026 (summer 2027)
Investment banking, US
The thread opened on Jan 1, 2026. The HireVue was offered on the submission page, due in 48 hours; first rounds went out in batches, and the first offers followed within weeks.7
Feb 2026 (summer 2027)
Public Finance, New York
Applied when applications came out in early January; phone first round in early to mid February.9
Mar 2025 (summer 2026)
Equity Research, New York
HireVue, a VP phone screen, an online superday, then an offer exactly a week later.10
If you rank several groups or apply to more than one program, expect a separate HireVue for each.8
Best guessIn investment banking, expect the HireVue on submission and a first round, if you get one, within one to three weeks. If two weeks pass after the HireVue with nothing, check your Campus portal status and keep preparing.
What happens after the online application
Online applicationYou are here
This page. Resume-based, on the Morgan Stanley Campus board, with 3 intern programs a year in the Americas.1,3
HireVue video interview
Part of a complete application: offered straight after you submit in investment banking, due by a set date in firm divisions.7,3
Online assessment
Online tests after the HireVue, due by a set deadline. For the New York equity derivatives summit (summer 2027), eligible applicants were sent an additional online assessment, due by its own deadline.17
First round
A phone or Zoom interview. In investment banking it has been with two analysts and mostly behavioral (one report, office not named); Menlo Park and San Francisco have been far more technical.8
Superday
Back-to-back interviews in one day. Equity Research in New York ran three 30-minute interviews online.7,10
Investment banking vs other programs
Investment banking opens on January 1 with a rolling HireVue; firm divisions and Wealth Management set fixed deadlines later in the year. Plan around the one you want.
FAQ
When do Morgan Stanley 2028 summer analyst applications open?
For summer 2027, investment banking ran from Jan 1 to Feb 15, 2026, so expect around Jan 1, 2027 for summer 2028. Firm divisions and Wealth Management follow from February to May.2,11,12
How many Morgan Stanley programs can I apply to?
In the Americas, up to 9 opportunities a year: 3 intern programs, 3 full-time and 3 off-cycle. Investment banking is one program, inside which you rank up to three offices and three groups.1,2
What GPA do you need for Morgan Stanley?
The 2027 investment banking posting set a minimum 3.4 GPA. The 2027 Finance (Baltimore) posting and the master's-level Quantitative Risk posting set 3.0, and Wealth Management 3.5.2,3,4,11
Does Morgan Stanley ask for a cover letter?
Treat it as optional. The postings ask you to apply with your resume, and Morgan Stanley's recruiters write that not all jobs need a cover letter. If you write one, make it specific to the firm and do not repeat your resume.3,4,5
When is the Morgan Stanley HireVue?
Straight away in investment banking: it is offered on the page as soon as you submit, with about 48 hours to finish. Firm-division postings set a fixed deadline, such as May 17, 2026 (summer 2027) for Quantitative Risk, two days after applications closed.7,8,3
Should I pick a direct-hire group or the New York Generalist program?
Direct-hire groups interview you for that group, and include Houston, Menlo Park and San Francisco groups. The New York Generalist program covers the other New York groups and places you in one during onboarding. Rank the ones you can explain wanting in an interview.2
Does Morgan Stanley review applications on a rolling basis?
Yes. The investment banking posting says applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and encourages you to apply as soon as you feel prepared. In San Francisco, a first round has even been set before the application opened (2025). Apply in the first days.2,8
Online application at other firms
Sources
Firm pages first, then dated candidate reports. Last checked Nov 4, 2026.
- 1Morgan Stanley Campus: Global Programs (Americas board)
- 2Morgan Stanley Campus: 2027 Investment Banking Summer Analyst Program (United States)
- 3Morgan Stanley (Handshake): 2027 Firm Risk Management Summer Analyst Program - Quantitative Risk (New York)
- 4Morgan Stanley (WayUp): 2027 Finance Summer Analyst Program (Baltimore)
- 5Morgan Stanley: Are Cover Letters Important?
- 6Morgan Stanley: Interview Preparation
- 7Candidate discussion on a public forum: Morgan Stanley SA 27 (from Jan 2026)
- 8Candidate discussion on a public forum: Morgan Stanley IBD 2026 Thread (from Jan 2025)
- 9Candidate report on a public forum: Public Finance Summer Analyst interview, New York (Feb 2026)
- 10Candidate report on a public forum: Equity Research Summer Analyst interview, New York (Mar 2025)
- 11Extern: Morgan Stanley Internship 2027-2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply · prep site
- 12Extern: Investment Banking Internships 2028: When Each Bank Opens · prep site
- 13SuperdayAI: Summer 2028 IB Recruiting Timeline: Bank by Bank · prep site
- 14Mergers & Inquisitions: Investment Banking Resume Template: Proven Formula · prep site
- 15Georgetown University Cawley Career Education Center: Resume Content & Formatting · prep site
- 16Morgan Stanley: Don't Let These Common Interview Questions Trip You Up
- 17Morgan Stanley (AnitaB.org job board): 2027 Institutional Equity Derivatives Trading and Structuring Summer Analyst Program, In-Person Summit (New York)
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