Skip to content

Business Administration Abroad

Business Administration

Choosing to study an MBA abroad can be a life changing decision, so it’s important to know what is involved. You’ll want to find out the different options available such as the types of MBA available and whether or not you meet the requirements to study an MBA abroad. Studying an MBA in the UK will have different requirements to studying an MBA in USA for example.

This article will guide you through the stages of studying an MBA in the country of your choice. Once you’ve read it, you can search for an MBA to study abroad using the intuitive search box at the top of the page.


What is an MBA and Studying Abroad

An MBA or Masters of Business Administration is available at universities, colleges and business schools worldwide, but finding the right one for you can be a difficult, but important choice in advancing your career.

Since the first MBA was established in 1908, students with an MBA have enjoyed an advantage in business. Studying an MBA course abroad is an excellent way for business people looking to gain additional skills or for managers aspiring to leadership positions.

MBA courses that you can study abroad can vary in length and study modes; you could study an MBA part-time, full-time or as a distance learner. Equally, you could take an MBA abroad that lasts one, two or more years.

StudyLink offers you choice from over 600 MBA programs and courses worldwide:

  • Compare each MBA program that interest you
  • Quality MBA course descriptions and up to date fees and entry requirements

So once you have decided the MBA is for you, you’ll just need to make sure studying it abroad is right too. We’ve written extensively on this subject in the past on our blog. Why not read this article and find out the process of studying abroad this year?


Choosing an MBA

You’ve now decided that studying an MBA abroad is the right decision for you. You now need to decide on things such as the location you’d like to study your MBA in and what type of MBA you wish to pursue.

There are 1,000′s of MBA Programs to choose from so we have selected over 600 at different levels of cost, location, work experience and reputation for you to compare and apply to online. Using our MBA course search tool, you can quickly find the MBA that is perfect for you, whether you want to study an MBA in the UK, USA, Australia, or Europe, we’ve got an excellent selection for you to browse through.


The Difference Between the MBA and other Postgraduate Management Degrees

A Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) is amongst the most popular graduate business degrees in the world. However, it is not the only one: there is a wide range of other graduate business and management degrees you may wish to pursue, including general MA courses in business areas, but also MComm and MIM (Masters in Management) courses, all of which offer themselves as an excellent alternative to an MBA. To decide which one is the best for you, it’s important to understand their key differences, the type of skills they build and all the possible career prospects they open.

Key Differences

There are some important differences between MBA and other postgraduate level management and business degrees, such as master’s degrees. Knowing these differences is important when deciding on the best program for your needs.

One of the major differences is the type of skills you build. An MBA degree is designed to expand on your skills in the field and to make a you into a competitive professional and manager. Most master’s degrees are focused on academia and building a solid academic background on the areas involved in management. In short, an MBA programme is focused on professional skills whilst master’s degrees focus on academic skills.

Another important difference between these degrees is the teaching style. Most programmes combine various teaching styles, but generally speaking, master’s studies are built around classroom lectures, tutorials, and seminars. There are many presentations and a strong focus on business theory. MBA programs, on the other hand, deal with real-life business problems that students should understand, explore, discuss and finally solve. These problems are often presented in the form of case studies, with a greater practical approach on analysing the exact, real-life business problems. Typically, these issues are discussed in small groups.

MBA programs are often generalised and intended to develop a fundamental knowledge in all aspects of the business world. The goal is to build professional skills that students will be able to apply in many different professional situations. This degree prepares you for a wide range of scenarios in finance, accounting and other fields. Master’s programs, on the other hand, tend to be more specialised. They deal with one specific field or a subfield that students explore in greater detail, such as HR or marketing. In this sense, master’s programs offer a more specialised knowledge but may not build skills for solving problems in the business world. To make comparing MBAs and Master’s more confusing though, many MBAs are now being offered with specialisations which make them more focussed on a particular industry such as healthcare or energy – unlike masters courses these are designed for professionals in those fields rather than business professionals aspiring to those areas.

Most MBA programs encourage or require students to seek summer internship and work placements with reputable companies or to participate in projects within various organisations. This is intended to prepare you for future management positions. Master’s degrees may focus on a different type of experience and may encourage students to perform their own research in their specialised field.

It’s important to note though that both MBA and master’s degrees offer a wide range of opportunities when it comes to employment. Generally speaking however, an MBA is a good choice for those who wish to run their own business or to seek management and executive positions in large companies. Master’s degrees, on the other hand, have a narrow focus and they prepare you for research and academic life or for jobs in this specific field, especially when it comes to positions requiring a strong theoretical background.

For these reasons, MBA and other business degrees are not interchangeable and therefore, it’s important to understand your goals and requirements before choosing the best programme for your needs.

What the differences mean to you?

Only you can decide if an MBA degree is a better choice for you than a master’s degree. This decision will depend on several factors, above all, your professional and academic goals, as well as your interests and previous business experience in the field. Management experience is a prerequisite for most MBAs, as you will be required to draw upon your experiences as part of your programme.

Remember, one of the key differences is that an MBA degree builds general business management skills, such as problem-solving, whilst master’s programs are more focused on a specific field. Consequently, it means an MBA degree will prepare you for a wide range of generalised management positions whereas a master’s degree is designed for a specific career path in the chosen field.

For example, when it comes to finance, students of master’s courses spend almost three times as much time focusing on finance and accounting as students in an MBA degree programs do. It means that a graduate business degree, such as a Masters in Accounting and Finance, is ideal for those who wish to have a narrow focus on finance and accounting and build specialised skills in this field. On the other hand, an MBA course is better for those who need only generalised knowledge in finance but who also wish to develop a wide range of other business skills, such as statistics or general economics.

Another thing you should consider is your business experience. If you are not particularly experienced in the field and you wish to get a more specialised education and skills, a master’s degree in the field might be a good solution. However, if you have several years of management level experience and you wish to expand your business skills even further to push for a promotion, an MBA degree might be the best choice for you. Please note that most MBA programmes require you to have several years management experience so you can follow the courses more easily. Prior business experience will also make it easier for you to apply all the issues and case studies to real-life problems and to understand how to use your new skills in real business situations.

MBA programmes are generally more expensive than postgraduate management degrees, with some costing in excess of £50,000. A postgraduate business management degree on the otherhand may cost less than £10,000, so financially, a masters programme is by far the cheaper option, making it a tempting alternative to an MBA. It can be argued however that the earnings potential of an MBA graduate far outweighs the negative aspects of the higher fees associated with MBA programmes.

An MBA degree program is ideal for:

  • Business people looking to gain additional skills.

  • Managers aspiring to executive and leadership positions.

  • High level executives who are looking for a qualification to accompany their experience as a manager/leader.

A master’s business degree is ideal for:

  • People who wish to build specialised skills and focus on one particular field.

  • Recent graduates with little hands on business experience.

  • Students who are more oriented towards theory and interested in performing extensive research in a chosen field.

What the differences mean to future employers?

The differences between an MBA degree and other business degrees are also important to your future employers. It’s important to understand that holding either degree is a benefit and proves that you have good knowledge of your field. In that sense, employers tend to consider them both.

However, the differences often come into play for example, if you’re seeking employment which requires a specialised knowledge in a field, then having a master’s degree in that field will always be an advantage. For example, a company looking for a HR professional will be more likely employ someone with a master’s degree in HR.

On the other hand, an MBA degree is a sign you possess many necessary skills in the business and that you are willing to go beyond basics. An MBA degree has more focus on management and leading, showing your ability for teamwork, excellent communication, flexibility and, above all, your ability to solve real business problems.

Finally, there is another thing you need to keep in mind. MBAs and other business degrees are among the most popular postgraduate qualifications, which means the market is constantly flooded with recent graduates. This benefits those students who have found additional ways to stand out from the crowd, one such example of this is how highly regarded the institution or business school is within the field. Some business schools are known for their strengths in particular sub-fields of business and management and this will only benefit the career progression of graduates looking to work in the field.  This may influence your further career, so it’s something you should consider.

We’ve also got a good selection of helpful in-depth guides and articles about studying an MBA abroad. Whether you want to find out more about the difference between the MBA and other postgraduate management degrees, or you want to discover the in’s and out’s of MBA accreditation and what it means to you, we’ll have a guide for you.


Types of MBA Program

You can take an MBA in a variety of study modes. Many MBA Programs are for 2 years, but other options are available depending on your needs. You can click the links below to make a search for these programs in a new tab.

  • Standard MBA program (1-2 years)
  • Executive MBA program (EMBA)
  • Part time MBA program
  • Distance learning MBA program

MBA Programs are also offered as specialisations or joint degrees in environment, engineering, health, hospitality, information technology, Human Resources and more.


Next Steps before studying an MBA abroad

You should have now decided the type of MBA you’re going to study and where you would like to study. This next section will make sure you’re ready to apply for your MBA and what to expect when you get there.


Requirements for studying an MBA abroad

MBA courses aren’t open to everybody. There are some requirements, which will be stipulated by the university or business school that is offering the MBA. You will usually require to have prior knowledge of business, through an undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in any subject area. This is a requirement for most MBA programs but requirements vary – see the course descriptions for more details.

Most US business schools will also require GMAT score but other destinations vary. GMAT is the Graduate Management Admissions Test used to measure your ability to succeed in graduate business studies.

See the course descriptions for more details for specific courses.

Often, you’ll require some work experience within a managerial role. Typically, this is 2 or 3 years, but some MBA programs are more flexible and may require less if the candidate is suitable. Again, see the course descriptions for more details.

When you’re studying an MBA abroad, you’ll probably be studying it in English. As such, you’ll have to hold suitable English language levels. These are assessed through English language testing. We have a dedicated section on English language requirements and testing that we recommend you look through as well.

Tuition fees for studying an MBA abroad vary greatly, but in general they range from US$10,000 to US$25,000+ per year.


Visas

If you’re studying an MBA abroad, you’ll need to check you can gain the relevant visa for studying in that country.


Applying

Applying for your MBA is a big undertaking. There is the personal statement to think about and the actual application. Luckily, in many cases you can apply to your chosen MBA directly through our website and if you can’t, there is normally a link to the institution’s website where you will be able to find the relevant contact details or application form.

As far as writing your personal statement goes, we’ve got a great advice article that will give you loads of help.


MBA Scholarships

Studying abroad is expensive. Studying an MBA abroad can be very expensive. As such, many people look for study abroad scholarships to help them afford their dream. Scholarships are often fiercely competitive and as such require a lot of time to ensure your application is successful. Even with this dedication, there is no guarantee you’ll receive a scholarship for an MBA.


HELP ?

  • We will help you.
  • We will analyse strength, weakness, interest, dreams, skills…
  • We will help you in selecting course, college, university in India and Abroad.
  • We will help in admission process.
  • Contact us by email or sms or whatsapp or phone or contact form.