Features: Study for an MBA abroad

Written by Luke Berté, Editor, Graduate Prospects, March 2013

With 189 business schools in over 70 countries, if you're considering a lucrative and successful career in business, then the MBA world is your oyster

The multitude of backgrounds that students bring to an MBA means there could be up to 20 different nationalities in any one classroom.

Add in the fact that you'll be enjoying the benefits of a new culture and language in a foreign land and an MBA abroad is one of the most rewarding postgraduate programmes around.

Lisa Piguet, associate director of MBA admissions and marketing at the IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland, says, 'Ours is an international business school, where participants benefit from an international faculty, classmates, projects and class content.'

'Switzerland itself is located in the heart of Europe and many organisations have chosen the country for their European or global headquarters.'

Most business schools have good links with industry. If you know which industry you are interested in and where that industry is thriving, you can develop your business contacts in the most suitable locations.

The IMD Business School in Switzerland is situated just 40 miles away from Geneva, where companies such as Nestlé, Firmenich, Unilever and Novartis have headquarters.

The benefits of studying overseas

In today's globalised business world, studying for an MBA outside of the UK will not only develop your international outlook, but it will allow you to understand wider international viewpoints, too. It also helps to learn about other cultural practices.

British citizen Bruce Cooper chose to study for his MBA at EM Lyon Business School in France, and a Global AMBAssador for the Association of MBAs  (AMBA).

'I gained a worldwide network established within the class, a shared experience through working with my cohort, the many business tools presented by the professors and the ability to know how to tackle almost any problem that may arise in everyday work situations,' explains Bruce.

UK candidates are well situated to apply for MBA courses in other countries. All accredited programmes are delivered in English and some schools in the UK have campuses overseas. If they don't, most will have solid links with other business schools abroad.

The Grenoble Graduate School of Business (GGSB), for example, has its campus headquarters in France, but has developed international networks to deliver MBAs in different locations. The institution's partnership with the London School of Business and Finance means you can take a GGSB MBA in Morocco, the USA and Georgia to name a few.

Although initially you'll be out of your comfort zone, being surrounded by different customs and a new language could make studying abroad a more fulfilling experience, especially if you organise yourself some language lessons.

The European School of Management and Technology (ESMT), which is based in Berlin, offers an intensive, eight-week German language course for its future MBA students. Beginning in October and finishing in December before the programme starts, it is included in the cost of tuition fees.

Costs and funding

Overseas MBAs will also differ in price compared to their UK counterparts. INSEAD Business School, (which has campuses in France, Singapore and Abu Dhabi), currently charges €58,000 for its full-time MBA (January 2013).

As in the UK, not all schools charge the same amount. At the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM), Erasmus University, the same course is €39,000. Such a difference in price will heavily influence your decision, so research each school and programme to ensure you can afford any course you apply for.

Maryke Luijendijk-Steenkamp, director of marketing and admissions at RSM, says that prospective candidates should gain as much information as possible on any MBA programme and the country it is based in.

'Speaking to current students from the programme is hugely beneficial - especially those from the same country as you or with the same backgrounds. You should ascertain if the MBA programme is giving you the return on investment you're seeking.'