Last-minute internship options for this summer

If you haven't yet sorted a summer internship, there are still a handful of finance-related companies accepting applications. But hurry, vacancies in most firms are in single figures.

Here's where to look:

KPMG

KPMG still has places on both its UK and international schemes. A handful of general audit placements are going in Aberdeen, Plymouth and Reading, and there are a few public-sector audit positions in Glasgow.

More glamorously, as of 3 April there were three places left on an audit and advisory internship programme that involves four weeks in London and four in the US.

For French-speakers, there were two audit internships in Switzerland, and for German speakers, 12 places left on an audit programme in Germany.

The usual entry requirements apply, says Sara Reading, from KPMG graduate recruitment - the equivalent of three Bs at A level, and applicants must be on target for a 2i degree. Application is via the KPMG website: https://www.kpmgcareers.co.uk

Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young also still has several vacancies. Audit, tax and corporate finance placements are available in London, and mostly audit in other UK locations. Placements are generally for six weeks and start in July. London pay rates are around 350 a week. You will need a minimum of 300 UCAS points to apply and be on course for a 2i. Vacancies are updated daily, says the graduate recruitment team. Go to https://www.ey.com and follow the careers navigation to 'undergraduate vacancies'.

Deloitte

Deloitte, meanwhile, has just two vacancies left in its tax and audit rotation, one in Jersey and the other in the Isle of Man. Go to https://graduates.deloitte.co.uk to apply.

Watson Wyatt

For future fund managers, investment management firm Watson Wyatt is still listing a total of 11 internships on its website in investment, insurance and financial services, located in London, Leeds and Reigate. Go to https://www.watsonwyattgraduatecareers.com and click on 'vacancies' for the latest.

JPMorgan

The investment banks' main summer internship programmes are closed, but a few banks offer ad hoc opportunities. Check out JPMorgan's website https://careers.jpmorgan.com and follow the navigation to 'Opportunities Now'. On 3 April, applications were being invited for quantitative research internships and for a four-month placement in portfolio management starting ASAP.

Commerzbank

Commerzbank is also still recruiting in several areas within corporates and markets in London. Only linguists need apply. All jobs require German and French, as well as English. Go to https://www.commerzbank.com/karriere for more information, and search for Student Trainee vacancies.

Centrica (and Shell)

It's also worth looking for finance internships with large corporates. Energy companies can be especially good hunting grounds, as some offer trading internships that translate well into trading for investment banks. Centrica is still recruiting onto its 10-week summer placement. Go to https://www.centricagraduates.com/summerplacement. Shell, meanwhile, recruits interns into commercial areas year-round, and the recruitment team advises students to apply on an ad hoc basis. Follow the navigation from https://www.shell.com

If none of these works out for you, there's still the labour-intensive option of calling round smaller firms, which don't have formal internship programmes, but which occasionally take on work placement students on an ad hoc basis. You'll need a broadband connection to search for firms (look through the sectors on this site to get an idea of search terms), a convincing telephone manner, and plenty of credit on your phone.

It's worth the effort, though. After just six calls we got one small trading house that said: "We do sometimes take people on an occasional basis, but not so that it's worth publishing." So there's the challenge. The opportunities are there for those willing to try.

For a list of small trading houses, click on the related links box at the top right of this article.