Nomura Interview Process: Rounds, Timeline & Compensation
Michael King, PE Investment Manager ·
Nomura runs 2 rounds: a 30-minute first-round interview with an analyst, heavy on technicals (DCF gets particular emphasis) and the standard "why Nomura" framing, followed by a Superday of three back-to-back 30-minute interviews with an associate, VP, and senior banker; some groups add a short case study in the final round to test problem-solving under time pressure.. EMEA recruiting runs on a rolling basis from 1 September, with no single deadline — Nomura reviews applications as they land and advises applying early; recent cycles have closed London summer internship applications by early December. Once invited, candidates report moving from first round to Superday in as little as three weeks, though the full process can stretch to a few months depending on when in the cycle a candidate applies. London first-year analyst base runs roughly £50k-£60k, at the lower end of the bulge-bracket range, with total first-year comp (base plus bonus) averaging around £85k and reaching roughly £115k at the top end. That base sits below the US bulge brackets, which pay closer to £55k-£85k in London — a function of Nomura's positioning as a Japanese-headquartered, Europe/Asia-weighted house rather than a straight read on prestige.
Interview rounds
2 rounds: a 30-minute first-round interview with an analyst, heavy on technicals (DCF gets particular emphasis) and the standard "why Nomura" framing, followed by a Superday of three back-to-back 30-minute interviews with an associate, VP, and senior banker; some groups add a short case study in the final round to test problem-solving under time pressure.
Typical timeline
EMEA recruiting runs on a rolling basis from 1 September, with no single deadline — Nomura reviews applications as they land and advises applying early; recent cycles have closed London summer internship applications by early December. Once invited, candidates report moving from first round to Superday in as little as three weeks, though the full process can stretch to a few months depending on when in the cycle a candidate applies.
Compensation range
London first-year analyst base runs roughly £50k-£60k, at the lower end of the bulge-bracket range, with total first-year comp (base plus bonus) averaging around £85k and reaching roughly £115k at the top end. That base sits below the US bulge brackets, which pay closer to £55k-£85k in London — a function of Nomura's positioning as a Japanese-headquartered, Europe/Asia-weighted house rather than a straight read on prestige.
Notes
Nomura leans harder on international and cross-border framing than the US-headquartered banks — expect questions on Asian markets, sovereign flows, and Japan-linked M&A alongside standard technicals. It also draws more heavily from non-target and international candidate pools than the traditional bulge brackets, which makes the interview experience less standardised and more dependent on the specific interviewer than at Goldman or Morgan Stanley.
Frequently asked questions
How many interview rounds does Nomura run?
2 rounds: a 30-minute first-round interview with an analyst, heavy on technicals (DCF gets particular emphasis) and the standard "why Nomura" framing, followed by a Superday of three back-to-back 30-minute interviews with an associate, VP, and senior banker; some groups add a short case study in the final round to test problem-solving under time pressure.
How long does the Nomura interview process take?
EMEA recruiting runs on a rolling basis from 1 September, with no single deadline — Nomura reviews applications as they land and advises applying early; recent cycles have closed London summer internship applications by early December. Once invited, candidates report moving from first round to Superday in as little as three weeks, though the full process can stretch to a few months depending on when in the cycle a candidate applies.
What does Nomura pay first-year hires?
London first-year analyst base runs roughly £50k-£60k, at the lower end of the bulge-bracket range, with total first-year comp (base plus bonus) averaging around £85k and reaching roughly £115k at the top end. That base sits below the US bulge brackets, which pay closer to £55k-£85k in London — a function of Nomura's positioning as a Japanese-headquartered, Europe/Asia-weighted house rather than a straight read on prestige.