Break into Banking Academy

A six-week live programme that takes you from application to offer – taught virtually by practising investment bankers

What's included in the Break into Banking Academy?

Everything you need to go from application to offer, taught by practising bankers and built with bank HR professionals who actually screen candidates.

Every seat includes:

12 live sessions over six weeks
12 teaching modules plus a full assessment week
Technical training: accounting, valuation, M&A, LBO, capital markets
Practical advice from bankers at leading firms
CV and cover letter teardown to bank standard
Networking and cold outreach that gets replies
Behavioural and HireVue interview preparation

Mock assessment week: assessed recruitment simulation and live pitch
Self Capital AI for unlimited interview practice
Weekly homeworks
FBU-built resource library
Full FBU membership on completion
Invite-only networking evening at Mayfair for top performers

Limited to 100 attendees only

Who Should Apply to Join?

All students targeting investment banking – across spring weeks, summer internships, and graduate roles – including anyone who’s been rejected from applications and assessment centres without a clear reason why. If you’re serious about an investment banking role and willing to put in two sessions a week for six weeks, this is built for you.

What we're looking for:

We cap each cohort at 100 and read every application. The students who get the most out of this - and who we prioritise - tend to share a profile:
Students with a demonstrable interest in breaking into investment banking
Already putting in the work: applications in, some rejections, no clear sense of why
A strong academic background is preferred
Coachable - willing to be told their CV, their pitch, or their answers aren't there yet
Able to commit to every live session for six weeks, not just the ones that suit

80% that completed our last academy got offers

All applications are assessed on a rolling basis. Cohort is limited to 100 seats.

You'll learn from bankers at:

The Curriculum

12 teaching modules plus a full assessment week - led by practising bankers.

A programme built by working with HR teams, to teach you exactly what they are looking for

The Full Picture: how IB works and how recruitment really runs
CV & Cover Letter Masterclass
Applications & Online Assessments
Networking & Cold Outreach
Financial Accounting & the 3 Statements
Behavioural Interviews & HireView Masterclass
M&A Mechanics & Deal Process
Valuation Methodologies
LBO Fundementals
Intro to Restructuring
How to Pitch a Transaction
Capital Markets & How Banks Make Money

Established Lecturers from

Want to break into investment banking?

What makes the FBU Break into Investment Banking Academy different is the combination of live teaching and real application. You’re not watching pre-recorded videos on your own – every session is taught live by practising bankers, and you put what you learn into practice the same week.

Over six weeks you’ll cover the full recruitment funnel: how banks actually hire, CV and cover letter craft, applications and online assessments, networking and cold outreach, behavioural and HireVue interviews, and the technical core – accounting, valuation, M&A, LBO and capital markets.

Not theory for its own sake – the specific things banks test, taught the way they’re used on the desk.

Then you apply it. The programme runs interactive role-plays and mock interviews, and finishes with a full assessment week: an assessed recruitment simulation and a live pitch graded by bankers – the closest thing to the real assessment centre you’ll get before the real thing.

You’ll also get the practice and the network that usually decide who converts: unlimited interview reps through Self Capital AI, behavioural prep from the people who screen candidates, a private cohort WhatsApp group, and full FBU membership when you finish.

Top performers earn an invite to a closing evening at Mount Street.

The Break into Banking Academy is more than a course. It’s the structure, the practice, and the people to take you from application to offer – in six weeks.

Testimonials

What past participants say.

“The Academy bridged the gap between theory and practice in a way that other resources simply can’t. Seeing how industry professionals actually approach valuation, M&A, and deal analysis – rather than just learning concepts in isolation – was eye-opening.

Beyond the technical sessions, being surrounded by like-minded, motivated students made the whole experience even more rewarding. If you’re serious about breaking into finance and want to build both the knowledge and the practical understanding that firms are looking for, I couldn’t recommend it more.”

Your 6-Week Programme

Programme Structure: 12 Virtual Sessions

A programme created by working with leading HR teams Attend 12 live seminars, an assessment week, and be invited to an exclusive networking evening

Modules Include:

Module 1

Board Fundamentals

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Board overview
Directors' duties in regulated sectors
Role of Board vs Executive
Sub-committees (Audit, Risk, Remuneration, Nomination)
Advisory groups
Key roles: Chair, SID, NED, CEO, CFO
Governance frameworks & best practices

Module 2

Portfolio Career Strategy

Led by

Ralph-Grayson

Advisory vs NED vs Fractional roles
Working with founders vs CEOs
Listed board dynamics
Career progression: Advisor → NED → Chair
Coaching importance
Income mix & portfolio structuring

Module 3

Fintech Advisory & NED Landscape

Led by

Susanne Chishti

Module 4

Fundraising Journey

Led by

Ian Merricks

Module 5

Regulatory Accountability

Led by

Hyder Jumabhoy

Module 6

AI for Board Members

Led by

Simon Poole

Module 1

Breaking Into Banking: The Full Picture

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand how investment banks are structured and where IBD graduates actually get hired
Learn the full recruitment timeline - when banks open, when you need to be ready, and what happens if you miss the window
Get clear on the different desks and groups within IBD so you're targeting the right roles from day one
Understand what banks are actually looking for at each stage of the process
Leave with a clear picture of your personal recruiting roadmap for the months ahead

Module 2

CV & Cover Letter Masterclass

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Build a banking CV that survives a six-second screen and gets you to the next stage
Learn how to position your experience - even if you have no finance background yet
Understand exactly what HR and bankers look for, and the red flags that get you cut
Write cover letters that say something instead of repeating your CV
Walk away with a template and framework you can reuse for every application

Module 3

Applications, Online Assessments & Getting Through the Door

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Learn the key points behind application strategy
Master how to answer written questions within the online applications
Understand the online assessments - numerical, logical, situational - and how to prepare for each
Avoid the common mistakes that get strong candidates auto-rejected
Build a system for managing multiple applications without dropping the ball

Module 4

Networking, Cold Outreach & Building Your Pipeline

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Learn how to find and reach the right people at each bank
Write cold messages and emails that actually get replies
Understand how to run a coffee chat and what to ask
Turn conversations into referrals and a genuine pipeline
Build a networking system you can sustain across an entire recruitment cycle

Module 5

Financial Accounting & The Three Statements

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement and how they connect
Learn how to read and interpret a set of accounts the way a banker would
Understand the key line items that matter in an IB context and why
See how changes in one statement flow through to the others
Build the accounting foundation you need before tackling valuation and LBO modelling

Module 6

Behavioural Interviews & HireView Masterclass

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Master the "why banking, why this bank, why you" questions that come up every time
Build a bank of stories you can flex across any behavioural question
Learn how to perform on HireVue - delivery, structure, timing and presence on camera
Understand what interviewers are scoring you on behind the screen
Practise and refine your answers so they land under pressure

Module 7

M&A Mechanics: Deals, Process & Accretion/Dilution

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand how an M&A deal actually works from pitch to close
Learn the roles banks play and where analysts fit in the process
Get to grips with accretion/dilution and why it matters
Understand the key drivers behind whether a deal creates or destroys value
Walk through a full live deal end to end, and learn how to discuss it convincingly in interviews

Module 8

Valuation: DCF, Comparable Companies & Precedent Transactions

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Learn the three core valuation methodologies banks use every day
Know all the steps behind a DCF, understand each input and the key drivers
Understand the rationale behind selecting and apply trading comps and precedent transactions
Know the strengths, weaknesses and "when to use what" of each method
Be able to walk through a valuation confidently in a technical interview

Module 9

LBO Fundamentals: Returns Analysis & the Paper LBO

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand what a leveraged buyout is and why private equity uses them
Learn the mechanics of how leverage drives returns
Walk through a paper LBO step by step - the question that catches people out
Understand the key return drivers and how to talk about them
Practise the exact calculation interviewers ask you to do on the spot

Module 10

Restructuring: An Introduction

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand what restructuring is and when companies turn to it
Learn the difference between restructuring and traditional M&A advisory
Get an overview of the key players involved - companies, creditors and advisors
Understand the basic options available to a distressed company
Walk away with a foundational grasp of the restructuring landscape

Module 11

How to Pitch a Transaction

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Learn how bankers pitch transactions to clients in the real world
Understand exactly what banks look for when they ask you to pitch at a Superday
Learn how to structure a clear, logical pitch from rationale to recommendation
Build and deliver a compelling investment case under time pressure
Learn how to handle questions and push-back on your thinking
Walk in to the pitch stage of your Superday knowing exactly what to expect

Module 12

Capital Markets: ECM, DCM & How Banks Make Money

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Understand what equity and debt capital markets teams actually do
Learn how companies raise capital and the bank's role in the process
Get clear on the difference between ECM, DCM and advisory
Speak credibly about how banks raise capital an interview
Understand the commercial side of banking - how banks win mandates, structure deals and generate revenue

Module 13

Programme Recap

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Pull together everything you've learned across the six weeks
Revisit the key technical and behavioural concepts before the Assessment Centre
Get your outstanding questions answered
Understand exactly what to expect from the assessed stages ahead
Go in with a clear plan and the confidence to execute it

Module 14

Assessed Recruitment Simulation

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Experience the full recruitment process mirroring the way that the banks run it
Complete an assessed application, online assessment and HireView
Top performers progress to a live assessed interview
Get scored and benchmarked against selection criteria used by banks
Receive feedback you can act on before the real thing

Module 15

Live Pitch Simulation

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

Build and refine your pitch as part of a team, mirroring how bankers actually work
Deliver a live deal pitch under real conditions
Put everything from the programme into practice in one high-stakes session
Field questions and defend your thinking on the spot
Receive written feedback from bankers who review your pitch after the session
Compete to be among the top performers invited to the dinner

Module 16

The Inner-Circle Dinner

Led by

Patrick Dunne OBE

An invitation-only evening at a private lounge in Mayfair for the programme's top performers
Mix with session leaders and other industry professionals over drinks and small plates
Build genuine relationships in an intimate, off-the-record setting
Get candid advice from people already in the seats you want
Leave with connections that last well beyond the programme

Dates, Times & Format

Mock Assessment Week

Experience a Full Assessed Recruitment simulation – built to mirror the process you go through to get an internship.

You’ll be Scored and assessed by people who’ve actually sat on the other side of the table
Walk into the real AC having already done it once
Direct, individual feedback on where you stand – not a generic completion certificate
The same prep that’s behind an 80% offer rate among students who complete the programme

Built with the people who do the hiring

The entire curriculum has been shaped through direct relationships with HR and early careers teams at leading investment bank

Built around what actually gets candidates through screening – not generic interview advice
Continuously updated as recruitment processes change, because we stay close to the people running them
You’re learning what HR is actually looking for, not guessing at it

Who this Academy is Perfect for?

The Academy is designed for:

All students targeting investment banking
Anyone who's been rejected from applications without knowing why
Students with strong academics who know grades alone don't convert
Anyone able to commit to two live sessions a week for six weeks
Students who want feedback on their answers - not just videos to watch

It is NOT designed for:

FBU is Trusted by Industry Leaders

See some of our past speakers.

Bea Martin

EMEA President

Aleksis Razmuss

Associate Portfolio Manager

Francesco Ceccato

European CEO

Vathany Vijayaratna

UK CEO

Paolo Poma

CFO

Juha Anjala, Dwayne Lysaght

EMEA Co-Head of Healthcare & M&A

Eduardo Mestre

Global Chairman of IB

Joe Chambers

EMEA COO, UK CEO

Andre Kelleners

EMEA Co-Head of IB & Global Co-Head of Consumer Retail

Rachel Palmer

EMEA CEO

Touker Suleyman

Dragon

Jean-Jacques Guiony

CFO

Karun Chandhok

Presenter, Ex F1 Driver

Bea Martin

EMEA President

Juha Anjala, Dwayne Lysaght

EMEA Co-Head of Healthcare & M&A

Eduardo Mestre

Global Chairman of IB

Andre Kelleners

EMEA Co-Head of IB & Global Co-Head of Consumer Retail

Rachel Palmer

EMEA CEO

Jean-Jacques Guiony

CFO

The difference

What makes this
academy different.

Unlike generic online courses and CV-review services, this academy:

Was built by working with HR
teams at leading banks

Is taught live by praciticing bankers
not pre-recorded by career coaches

Covers the whole funnel - CV, HireViews,
networking, interviews, and technicals

Puts you through a real
assessment week process

Teaches real deal mechanics, not
just textbook finance

Track record: 80% of students that
completed our last academy got offers

How to apply & cost

A selective application.
100 seats.

01 - Apply

Submit a short application. It takes a few minutes - no fee to apply. Applications are rolling.

02 - We Review

We read every application and select students who fit the profile - we aim to get back to you via email within 3 days.

03 - Offer & Payment

If you're offered a place via email, you confirm it with the £440 fee. That's the only payment.

04 - Start 28 July

You'll get the full schedule and access to all resources.

FAQ

Who is this programme for?

The Break Into Banking Academy is designed for university students targeting investment banking roles at top-tier banks. Whether you’re preparing for your first internship application or pushing for a graduate offer, the programme is built around getting you through the process.

What stage of the recruitment process is this programme for?

The programme is primarily geared towards students targeting summer internships, where competition is highest and the process most rigorous. That said, the content applies equally to spring weeks, off-cycle roles and graduate positions – the recruitment process is largely the same across all of them.

How much does the programme cost, and how do I pay?

Making your application is free. The programme costs £440, payable upon acceptance to the programme. Payment details will be included in your offer email. Places are only secured once payment is received.

How long will it take for me to hear back from my application?

We assess each application on an individual basis. We endeavour to get back to applicants within 3 business days of their submission date.

How long is the programme?

Six weeks, with two sessions per week delivered virtually. The programme culminates in a three-day mock application process, interview, and deal pitch assessment.

Are sessions recorded?

Sessions are not recorded. All teaching is delivered live, so we ask that students commit to attending each session in full.

What resources do students have access to outside of sessions?

Throughout the programme, students have access to a bank of interview questions, AI-powered interview practice via Self Capital, and FBU resources to support the content of each session. Regular homework assignments are set to consolidate learning between sessions.

Who teaches the sessions?

Sessions are led by the FBU programme lead and a roster of practising bankers from top institutions. Every session leader has direct experience in the roles you’re targeting. The curriculum was built by working with HR at bulge bracket banks.

What is the Assessed Recruitment Simulation?

A two-day assessed process designed to replicate the real thing – including an application assessment, online assessment, HireView simulation, with top performers passing through to live interviews.

How many students are on the programme?

Places are limited. We keep cohort sizes small to ensure every student gets direct access to session leaders and a genuinely high-quality experience – and because we’re only looking to work with students who are serious about breaking into banking.

What is the invitation-only dinner?

After the recruitment simulation and mock pitches, top performers are invited to an intimate dinner with session leaders and senior industry professionals. It’s an off-the-record evening built around real conversations and genuine connections.

Do I need prior finance knowledge to apply?

No. The programme starts from the ground up. That said, we do review applications carefully – we’re looking for students who are serious about the process.

What universities do you accept students from?

We don’t restrict applications to specific universities. We’re looking for students with a strong academic background who are genuinely committed to breaking into banking.

Will this help me get a role at a top bank?

We have direct relationships with early careers teams at leading institutions. While we can’t guarantee outcomes, around 80% of last year’s academy participants went on to receive offers in banking and financial markets – and every element of this programme is built to maximise your chances.

Is there support after the programme ends?

Yes. All participants receive full FBU membership upon completing the programme, giving you ongoing access to the FBU community, resources and network as you continue your recruiting journey.

When does the programme run?

The programme runs from 27 July to 5 September 2025, with sessions delivered virtually across six weeks. The recruitment simulation and mock pitches take place at the end of the programme.