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Building and Supporting Excellence (BASE)

Building and Supporting Excellence (BASE)

The BASE program was originally established as an avenue to provide initial exposure and a chance to learn about a career in professional services to MBA students whose backgrounds are often underrepresented in the profession.

This is designed to help you succeed in your MBA and beyond

We welcome Black, Hispanic/Latin American and Indigenous pre-MBA students to join us for a weeklong immersive look inside the exciting world of strategy consulting.

BASE Camp is an in-person experience where you’ll receive plenty of support before and after to ensure you get a good sense for what this work is like. You’ll participate in a full day of training and be staffed to a case team, handling a component of a client consulting project. Throughout the week, you'll enjoy a variety of social activities, experience our unique culture, and hear from business leaders and mentors, including many who belong to our Black at Bain and Familia at Bain affinity groups. It’s an opportunity to sharpen your business acumen and see what you could gain from a career at Bain.

It's a great start to your business school experience and whatever lies beyond. Upon completing the program, if you are excited to further explore consulting as a career path, you will have an opportunity to learn more about joining as a Summer Associate. 

Build a community of peers and mentors

Eligibility & Timeline

How to apply for this program

We are hoping to connect with individuals whose perspectives and experiences are historically underrepresented in our industry. This program is for individuals who are Black, Hispanic/Latin American, or Indigenous (Native American, Alaska Native, Inuit, Métis and First Nations), and who have accepted an offer to start a full-time two-year MBA program in the fall. We currently do not accept part-time or Executive MBA students.

Apply in Spring 2025

Applications for our 2024 BASE Program are now closed. Our 2025 BASE Program application will open in early Spring 2025. Feel free to reach out to our BASE team if you have any questions.

Application format 

  • Resume
  • Test scores if applicable (not required)
  • Bain office(s) of interest
Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know

  • Do I need to be affiliated with MLT or Consortium to apply to BASE?

    No, we encourage any pre-MBA recruits who meet our qualifications described above to apply. 

  • Will BASE Camp be in person?

    Yes, BASE Camp is hosted in person. We’ll cover all travel-related expenses. 

  • Can I apply to both BASE and ExperienceBain? How are they different?

    Yes, we encourage you to apply for BASE and ExperienceBain if you are eligible and interested. They are similar in that both programs introduce you to consulting and Bain before starting business school. But here’s how they differ:  

    • BASE is a highly selective exploratory program that is for recruits who are Black, Hispanic/Latin American, or Indigenous. BASE Camp is for one immersive week.  
    • ExperienceBain is a larger program open to all incoming MBA students heading to eligible schools. It features periodic programming throughout the year.


    If you are selected for BASE, we’ll help you navigate any overlaps with ExperienceBain.

  • Which offices host the BASE program?

    BASE is only available in our North American offices right now. When applying, please make sure to only apply if you are interested in the US or Toronto locations: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Seattle, Toronto and Washington, D.C.

  • If I am not selected for BASE, can I still apply to Bain in the future?

    Absolutely, and we encourage it. BASE is a highly selective program. If you are not selected for BASE, we would love to keep in touch and reconnect on campus. In the past years, we have hired several BASE applicants as summer associates and our full-time roles even though they were not selected for the BASE program. Sometimes, those extra few months of case prep can help. 

  • Are international students eligible to apply to BASE?

    International pre-MBA students are welcome and eligible to apply. Because of the intent of the program, BASE is for Black, Hispanic/Latin American, and Indigenous (Native American, Alaska Native, Inuit, Métis and First Nations) students. Non-North American citizens are eligible, but you must be planning on attending a university in the US or Canada for your MBA. 

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