Best MBA programs for international students

Applying to business schools in the United States as an international student can be quite challenging. As you may have experienced applying to undergraduate schools, the competition is high and support is limited. Applying to business schools can be equally stressful. But there are great business schools in America for international students looking to study business at the graduate level, and the knowledge and career building skills you can acquire with an MBA certainly outweigh the stress of applying.

In 2011, forty-five percent of graduate business school applicants in the USA were international students, and that number is slated to rise again this year. If you are looking for an international experience with other students from all over the world, look to schools in the Northeast. Schools in New York, such as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Rochester, St. John’s University and Hofstra University consistently rank among the programs with the highest number of international students. Schools in Massachusetts such as Bentley University, Clark University, Boston University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology also fit the bill.

On the other end of the country, in California, international students flock to the MBA programs at University of California: Los Angeles, UC Riverside and UC Berkeley. Schools on the West Coast have a high number of international students from Asian countries, as the West Coast offers a shorter flight and is easier for students to stay connected with family back home.

International business is also one of the more popular MBA specializations, especially as the world economy rebounds and communication barriers fall around the globe. If you are looking for excellent international business programs, many schools in the United States rank among the best in the world for the field. Thunderbird School of Management in Arizona is tops in the category, while University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, University of South Carolina and University of Michigan at Ann Arbor round out the top five programs in the States.

Be sure to practice, practice, practice with American standardized testing. International students are often not as well-versed in standardized testing as American students, and the GMAT and TOEFL exams may be surprisingly difficult. If these tests prove too much for you, many schools in the USA are now accepting the GRE exam in place of the GMAT, giving both domestic and international students a different testing experience. Be sure to also explore financial aid and programs to fund your MBA while working in the US. Your experience will not be one you regret!