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*This guide is cross-posted from Lemma, and is available with more detail, links and will be updated further there:* [*https://lemma.org.uk/blog/springs*](https://lemma.org.uk/blog/springs)
*Note that the above link is not paywalled, and the website contains nothing paid. This post is not an advertisement. This post is also focussed more on the London/ EU iterations of each program, where the team attended most their spring weeks.*
I saw that generally people online (including on this and other subreddits) ask for information on spring weeks. Having gone through the process and achieving several top spring weeks, myself and my friends have decided to try and write up information about all the quant finance spring weeks we had attended to help others.
**Q: What is a spring week?**

A spring week/ discovery day is a work experience or outreach program, typically on the order of a few days long and usually run by financial institutions. However, unlike the realms of traditional finance, where spring weeks are quite important in later receiving an internship for the next summer's cycle, the role of spring weeks in quant finance is considerably more nuanced.

Importantly, most spring weeks do not provide the opportunity to receive an internship offer, and some do not even provide any form of "fast tracking" for applying to the firm's internship program (such as Jane Street's FTTP).

We begin with spring weeks which do provide the opportunity to receive a return offer or "fast track", as it is the opinion of the authors that these programs should be prioritised over those which don't provide this opportunity. Each program listed was either attended by a member of the author team, or was verified by a previous attendee.

**Inside/ Explore HRT (Hudson River Trading)**

This programme first ran in London in 2026, having run for a few years prior in NYC and Singapore. This program is extremely competitive, having 9 spots on the Algo Dev track, 9 spots on the C++ SWE track and \~5 spots on the Python SWE track.

The process consists of a resumé screen, programming OA (this is the same for all tracks and is the CodeSignal GCA), another resumé screen, and then a 30 minute technical interview. It is important to note that due to the competitive nature of the programme, for 2026 a full score of 600/600 was required in the OA to pass to next round. You may complete this OA in whatever language you prefer (i.e Python or C++).

For Algo Devs, the interview was to work through a probability question with an Algo Dev, while for SWEs the interview was working through a probability-flavoured backtracking question with another SWE. Although in 2026 the Algo Dev interview did not contain any programming, a proficiency in this is expected and it may show up in later years.

During the programme itself, participants across all tracks built order books, and then further modified these based on their track. This was the primary mode of assessment, and \~3 internship return offers were extended. There were also several "fast-tracks" awarded, mostly to the onsite round.

Importantly, this is one of the few programmes across those which do provide return offers that has its own SWE track.

**Launchpad Programme (IMC Trading)**

Launchpad is IMC's two day discovery programme, which although described on their own site as being "for ambitious second-year university students", also accepts first years. The European edition runs at IMC's Amsterdam office, and travel is covered.

IMC doesn't extend offers to the best performers, but instead fast tracks people to various parts of the process, depending on performance (from the first interview to the onsite). Nearly all attendees received some form of fast track.

The process consists of a resumé screen, OA, HireVue (one sided interview), and a mixed technical and behavioural interview with a recruiter (often with a brainteaser at the end). The trading OA previously consisted of various games (NeurOlympics), but for the 2027 cycle the OA is reported to be changing (to SHL). The HireVue consisted of mostly behavioural questions, with a probability style brainteaser at the end, similar to the recruiter interview. Note that for the SWE track, the OA was a LeetCode style HackerRank assessment, and the interview was a lot more technical for SWE.

It's important to note that you are not expected to have any finance knowledge, but understanding very basic option theory (such as a strike price, call option, and put option is recommended).

The program consisted of various challenges based on track, which assessment was based from, as well as a poker tournament.

**FutureFocus: Quants (Optiver)**

FutureFocus has run globally for a few years, with the availability of tracks and process of applying differing based on location. We will focus on FutureFocus in Amsterdam, which only currently has a Trading & Research joint track.

Similar to HRT, FutureFocus is quite intense, with lectures on option theory, market making exercises and continuous assessment on each day of the program.

On the application process, Optiver sends an OA to everyone who applies around the first week of January and does **not** screen on resumé, hence making it an excellent opportunity to break into the space with a traditionally "weaker" background. The OA is a subset of Optiver's regular Trading OA, consisting of Beat the Odds (multiple choice probability questions with 90 seconds each), a sequences test, and various Zap-N games (short "neuroassessment" games such as Tower of Hanoi, memory tests and reaction speed tests). Note that each assessment has it's own bar for completion, so getting full marks in Beat the Odds and the sequences section won't override a low Zap-N score.

This is followed by a behavioural interview with a trader, with no technical aspect (which is different to FutureFocus in the US, which does have technical interviews). In the most recent cycle, around 30-40% of attendees received a return offer for either a Quant Trading or Quant Research Internship.

**Five Rings LINK (Five Rings)**

Although LINK is situated in Five Rings NYC, recruiters have confirmed that students globally are eligible. It's separated into a SWE and Trading & Research tracks. Typically, this programme is also for second years, and those accepted receive travel, housing and meals, and a $2,000 stipend.

The process for each track consists of a resumé screen, OA and then a technical interview with either a trader or software engineer.

For SWE participants the programme typically dives into the intricacies of modern C++, distributed systems, and the fundamentals of automated trading system programming.

**Discover DRW (DRW)**

Discover DRW is a two day event that DRW run in London and Chicago in parallel, usually in late March or early April. We will focus on the London edition. Usually participants take part in card trading games, a datathon, a trader panel, desk shadowing and office tours, and the former two are usually used for assessment.

Both first years and second years are now eligible, and a small amount of participants receive fast tracks for the internship program. The process consists of a screen, an OA (5 questions, 1 hour) which consists of probability brainteasers and an interview. Notably, the OA must be sat by everyone at once at the same time, and is proctored over Zoom.

In previous years, usually only those with 5/5 pass the OA, although there have been cases with candidates scoring 4/5 and progressing to the next round. The interview is mostly behavioural but can sometimes end with a brainteaser, similar to IMC.

**Spring into Quant Finance (G-Research)**

G-Research's Spring into Quant Finance is mostly targeted to PhD students, which constitute most of the attendees, although second year undergraduate students are eligible.

The process consists of an extremely competitive resumé screen, an OA (10 questions covering mathematics, statistics, programming, and machine learning) followed by a behavioural interview. Those invited to take the OA are given a practice test, and this is the same OA taken by candidates applying to the Quant Research internship.

The program itself takes place at a 5 star resort in the South of France or Italy, with around 90 participants. There, lectures covering machine learning and the use of statistics in quant finance take place, and assessment is usually via challenges (such as bot trading challenges).

It is also important to apply sooner rather than later as admissions are rolling. Participants who are fast tracked usually only skip the screen and OA to the first round.

**Susquehanna Discovery Days (SIG)**

SIG's in-person discovery days are split into several tracks, from Trading, Technology and Equity Research. However, first years have only ever been considered for the Technology track, with other tracks being exclusively for second years. Each track has it's own separate OA, with Quant Trading consisting of probability questions and Technology being a HackerRank.

The process for these in-person discovery days is a resumé screen, OA, and an interview depending on track. At the event itself, participants are able to earn fast tracks through the interview process for the next internship application cycle, based on performance.

Notably, SIG does run a "First Year Discovery Day", although this is virtual, has no meaningful screening process and mostly walks through the internship application process and the history of SIG. Hence, it is the opinion of the Lemma Team that the value of this program in terms of resumé signal and useful information is limited.

**FTTP and FOCUS (Jane Street)**

These are two separate programmes, and it's important to note that you can only attend one. This means that if you apply to both, you will only be admitted to the first one that releases decisions, which is usually FOCUS.

The application is the lightest of anything in this guide, essentially a CV screen and the option to add a "cover letter". There is no online assessment and no interview. While a "cover letter" is not necessary, anecdotally it is usually done by those accepted. Jane Street cover travel, meals, housing and a daily amount for other expenses.

As an alum of the program, I want to emphasise that you shouldn't put too much weight on getting into FTTP. They don't just accept the best people, and even IMO and IOI medallists get rejected. They have many candidates who look sufficiently qualified on paper (which is all you can tell without an OA or interview) and a finite number of places, and they want a range of people in a cohort, including people who might not have considered quant finance before. So whether you get in says very little about you and instead programmes like Optiver FutureFocus and Inside HRT matter more, because they have the chance of a return offer.

Online you might see that FOCUS used to be advertised in terms of underrepresented ethnic or racial minority groups, and Jane Street have since broadened it to a barriers-based definition. The date of application does not matter, and everyone receives their decision on the same day.

**Discover Citadel (Citadel/ Citadel Securities)**

Despite being two separate firms, this is one combined event. This is mostly a networking event, but does have competitive aspects such as a software engineering challenge, as well as mock interviews.

The programme is open to first year and second year students, and the process is just an application with your resumé and cumulative GPA.

There is no fast track for any of the quantitive finance internships that Citadel offers, unlike their other programs such as Terminal, Datathon, and the Quant Invitational. The date of application does not matter, and everyone receives their decision on the same day (usually the last day Citadel says they will reply by).

**London Insight Program (D.E. Shaw)**

D.E. Shaw's London Insight Program is similar to Discover Citadel, being primarily a networking event, although it does not lead to any fast tracks (whereas Citadel sometimes can fast track for non-quant roles). This program mostly covers the non systematic, and hence less quantitive, side of D.E. Shaw with panels from the discretionary investing team, a market making challenge, a walkthrough of the summer internship application, and social events.

The application process consists of an application consisting of a resumé, some short written answers, and your transcript, with no OA or interview.

**Maven Minds Spring Week (Maven Securities)**

Maven Minds consists of two tracks, a trading track and a technology (SWE) track although applicants can only apply to one. Although Maven Securities works across London, Amsterdam, and Chicago, Maven Minds is only for the London office. On eligibility, only first years of a 3 year course and second years of a 4 year (integrated masters) course are considered.

Maven also run Women in Trading and Women in Technology variants of the spring week as separate postings, aimed at underrepresented applicants but open to all. It is noteworthy that Maven still heavily favours women for these postings, and their spring weeks in general.

The process consists of a resumé drop, several rounds of OAs (Maven is one of the few firms in quantitive finance to use Arctic Shores, and there are also numerical and probability tests), followed by a technical and motivational interview.

**Women in Trading & Technology Insight Programme (GSA Capital)**

GSA runs this outreach event for "first year undergraduate or postgraduate women in STEM from any university globally", although they do in some cases consider second year students.

The application is simply a resumé screen, and applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis, and applicants are not able to receive any fast track or return offer.

**Meet Millennium (Millennium Management)**

Meet Millennium is a one day insight program into the firm at Millennium's offices (London, New York, Miami, and Singapore). It is aimed at both first years and second years, and those with a quantitive background (especially with programming).

The process consists of a competitive resumé screen, followed by a HackerRank OA covering SQL, LeetCode style programming, mathematics, and REST APIs. Interestingly, among those who complete the OA, candidates have been rejected with full marks and accepted while scoring 0, so it's safe to assume there's a second (more important) screen following the OA.

The event itself contains panels from quantitive researchers, portfolio managers, and software engineers. Then participants are split into groups and complete the "Signal Alpha Competition", where they must find a signal and program a strategy to capatalise on it.

**Also worth knowing**

Marshall Wace run single day insight days at their London office rather than a week, currently a Technology Spring Insight Day which is invitation-only and goes to people they have met at hackathons and university societies, a Women in Quant Investing Insight Day, and a Quantitative Investing Spring Insights Day. The latter two are aimed at STEM Masters and PhD students.

Jump Trading runs Jump Early Access, a one day expenses-paid programme at their Chicago headquarters. In 2026 it was open only to first-year undergraduates at US universities, with no London edition, although this may change in the future.
*I would be happy to answer any other questions you have about any of these programmes too, and I wish you the best of luck with applying!*

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