Are You Ready to Become a Global Leader? Tips for Successful International Study To ensure talent never goes undiscovered 1 Graduate business education is not just about the degree It’s about opportunity and achieving your career goals – in any kind of setting, anywhere in the world. Pursuing a graduate business degree abroad is a once-ina-lifetime chance to immerse yourself in a new culture, land an internship that might not exist at home, and build a global network that will benefit you throughout your career. But getting a degree outside of your home country means looking beyond just academics and thinking about the larger cultural landscape that lies ahead. Consider these tips to make sure your international study experience is a rewarding one. 2 Tip 1 Study the Academic Environment Earning your graduate business degree outside of your home country provides numerous personal and professional benefits. Be sure to look at a country’s educational style and culture. Are you expected to participate in group projects and in class discussions? Are you comfortable being challenged in front of your classmates? On mba.com, you can find and compare schools and programs from around the world that meet your needs. To help get you started, check out these international study destinations and programs that accept the GMAT® exam: Australia 82 Programs Germany 93 Programs Spain 76 Programs Canada 203 Programs Hong Kong 54 Programs Switzerland 46 Programs China 75 Programs India 200 Programs United Kingdom 248 Programs France 172 Programs Netherlands 75 Programs United States 4,116 Programs 3 Tip 1 Study the Academic Environment For students applying to US schools, be aware that all academic records must be submitted in English. If you are applying as an international student to countries other than the United States, confirm the acceptable language your credentials should be translated into. It’s wise to convert your grades to the GPA scale. Students considering study in the United States can use the table below to convert your grades to a GPA. GPA Conversion Table 4.0 Scale A-F 100-0 1-5 Four Passing Grades Three Passing Grades 4.0 3.0-3.9 2.0-2.9 1.0-1.9 0.0-0.9 A B C D F 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 Below 60 1 2 3 4 5 Highest Passing Grade Highest Passing Grade Second Highest Passing Grade Middle Passing Grade Third Highest Passing Grade Lowest Passing Grade Lowest Passing Grade Fail FailFail 4 Tip 2 Research Resources for International Students For international students, navigating the visa requirements for the United States or other countries can be complicated. Be sure to consider whether your schools can help with visa requirements. Also, ask if the schools you’re considering can put you in touch with alumni in your country and whether they are willing to be flexible if you have special dietary or religious needs. Students studying in the United States should start with EducationUSA As the most popular study destination for graduate business education, the United States offers thousands of management programs renowned for quality and flexibility. The wide range of tuition, scholarships, and living costs makes the United States affordable for hundreds of thousands of international students each year. All over the world, prospective students refer to EducationUSA as their source for information about studying in the United States. EducationUSA is a US Department of State-supported network of hundreds of advising centers around the world. Each year, EducationUSA advisers provide millions of international students with accurate, comprehensive, and current information about how to apply to US colleges and universities. 5 Tip 2 Research Resources for International Students If your goal is to study in the United States, there are laws and policies that apply to international students. This information is subject to change at any time; please consult the US Department of State for the most up-to-date information. Quick Guide: Immigration Primer on Applying for a Visa to Study in the United States Additional (non-US) resources for students British Council Singapore Ministry of Education Study in Germany https://www.britishcouncil.org/ https://www.moe.gov.sg/admissions/ international-students/general-info https://www.study-in.de/en/ Government of Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGlish/study/ index.asp Study Hong Kong http://www.studyinhongkong.edu.hk/en/ Study in Australia Study in Spain http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/ http://www.studyinspain.info/en/ Study in Holland https://www.studyinholland.nl/ Indian Visas https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/ index.html Campus France http://www.campusfrance.org/en 6 Tip 3 Consider Homesickness Your exposure to a new culture will help you gain a broad and sophisticated worldview, diversify your thoughts and values, and stand out as a job candidate. Living and studying abroad has many tangible benefits. The full immersion experience of living in a different country affords you the opportunity to learn that country’s language at social, academic, and professional levels. However, if you have never lived away from home before, make sure you are open to spending a year or two away from family, immersed in a different culture marked by a different language, different foods, and different teaching styles. VIDEO Mariana Zecca, from Cranfield University, discusses the challenges she faced going from her small home country to the United Kingdom for her MBA, and how she overcame them throughout her business school application process. 7 Tip 4 Figure Out Your Finances With the high cost of earning a graduate business degree in most countries, relying on savings to pay for your education is often not feasible. And because the cost of a graduate business education varies greatly around the world, ask the schools you’re interested in attending for information and counseling on total costs, student loans, and other financing. Scholarships, loans, and employee support Consider scholarship options to fund your degree, including program, international, and regional scholarships. Beyond scholarships, you’ll also want to look into employer support to find out if you qualify for sponsorship of tuition or other costs. Finally, you’ll want to evaluate loan options to fund your international graduate business degree. The key to loans is to be informed, so be sure to review eligibility, terms and conditions, interest rates, and any other information with lenders and schools. 8 Tip 5 Ask About Job Placement Opportunities In some countries, corporate recruiters prefer to hire people who already have the required visas and work permits. Talk to your school’s career services department about job placement rates and any other requirements for international students. Read our Guide to Applying for a Visa for more information about studying and working in the United States. 9 Tip 6 Network There are so many great programs around the world, but only a small group of them will be the right fit for you. Talking with students and alumni who have chosen the path that you’re considering will help you determine how a particular program can support you in achieving your professional goals, and whether a particular school’s culture is consistent with what you need. VIDEO Hear from admissions professionals about learning if a school is a good fit for you. Find people from your academic or career background who either are attending a graduate business school in another country or have graduated recently. Ask specific questions about what it is like to live and study at the school you are considering before you make a final decision. 10 Tip 7 Measure Your English Language Ability The GMAT exam is administered in English so you’ll need basic English language skills to do your best on the Verbal and Analytical Writing sections. For non-native speakers interested in programs where English is used for instruction, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) measures your international, academic-level English skills. It is accepted by business schools such as London Business School, Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, INSEAD, IE, and IESE. The test is approved for UK and Australian student visas and endorsed and preferred by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the non-profit council of business schools that administers the GMAT exam. TOEFL and IELTS English-language tests are also widely accepted. For information about how you can take the Pearson Test of English Academic, please visit the Pearson website. 11 Tip 8 Take the GMAT® Exam The GMAT is the most widely used exam for business school admissions. As a result, 9 out of 10 new MBA enrollments are made using a GMAT score.* When it comes to your success, there is no comparison: The GMAT exam is a trusted part of the admissions process of 7,000+ business and management programs worldwide. The GMAT exam measures your critical thinking and reasoning skills, which are most relevant to the world’s top graduate business programs. When you perform well on the GMAT exam, you demonstrate the commitment, motivation, and ability to succeed in business school and your career. If you’re serious about business school, take the GMAT exam and put your most relevant skills in the spotlight. *Refers to top 50 U.S. full-time MBA programs 12 Tip 8 Available around the world throughout the year Before you decide to register for the GMAT exam, search for a convenient testing location that has available seats. Take the GMAT® Exam Bank your scores for the future Even if you’re considering business schools for the future, take the GMAT exam now while you’re test-ready and in study mode. GMAT scores are good for five years, so when you’re ready to apply to schools, your scores will be ready too. The GMAT is a test of the skills you’ve learned over time. Understanding the format, practicing sample questions, and reviewing one section at a time will help you arrive fully prepared on the day of your exam. Get Started: • Read about how to prep for the GMAT exam as a non-native English speaker • Prepare for the GMAT exam with GMAT® Official Prep products, including free step-by-step study plans and tools. Your journey to an enriching business school experience starts with the GMAT exam. Register today. 13 List of Schools The GMAT Score column is a benchmark score provided by schools (searchable in School Finder). With this score information, you can identify some schools and their target GMAT score for acceptance into their program(s). MBA University City State/Country GMAT Score Adelphi University Garden City New York Accepted Boston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts Average Total: 666 Boston University Boston Massachusetts Accepted California State University - Los Angeles Carleton University Los Angeles Ottawa California Canada Accepted Accepted Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) Chinese University of Hong Kong Beijing Shanghai China China Average Total: 670 Average Total: 640-730 Hong Kong China Average Total: 650 Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Average Total: 562 Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College New York Ithaca Hanover New York New York New Hampshire Preferred, Average Total 716 Average Total: 700 Preferred, Average Total: 716 Duke University Emory University Durham Atlanta North Carolina Georgia Preferred, Average Total: 690 Middle 80% 620-730 Fordham University Harvard University Hofstra University New York Boston Hempstead New York Massachusetts New York Required Average Score: 730 Accepted Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Illinois Institute of Technology INSEAD London Business School Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) McMaster University Michigan State University Nanyang Technological University National University of Singapore New York University Hong Kong China Average: 610-730 Chicago Fontainebleau London Cambridge Burlington East Lansing Singapore Singapore New York Illinois France U.K. Massachusetts Canada Michigan Singapore Singapore New York Accepted Average Total: 701 Average Total: 695 Average Total: 714 Accepted Required, Average Total: 660 Accepted Average Total: 672 80% Range: 680-760 Northwestern University Evanston Illinois Average Total: 715 Pace University New York New York Accepted Pennsylvania State University University Park Pennsylvania Average Total: 649 Rice University Houston Texas Required, Average Total: 676 Stanford University Stanford California Average Total: 732, Range of Total: 550-790 Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 14 MBA University City State/Country GMAT Score State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo New York Average Total: 613 University of California - Berkeley Berkeley California Average Total: 714 University of California - Davis Davis California Average Total: 688 University of California - Irvine Irvine California Average Total: 658 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles California Preferred,Average Total: 707 University of California - Riverside Riverside California Average Total: 593 University of Chicago Chicago Illinois Average Total: 723 University of Dayton Dayton Ohio Accepted University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Average Total: 650 University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign Champaign Illinois Average Total: 660 University of La Verne La Verne California Accepted University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Michigan Average Total: 704 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia Pennsylvania Average Total: 725 University of Southern California Los Angeles California University of Texas - Austin Austin Texas Average Total: 690, 80% Range: 640-730 Average Total: 690 University of Toronto Toronto Canada Average Total: 674 University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia Average Total: 706 Yale University New Haven Connecticut Median: 720 MA/MS/MSc Accounting University City State/Country GMAT Score Arizona State University Bentley University Boston College California State University - Los Angeles Case Western Reserve University Chinese University of Hong Kong City University of New York - Baruch College Tempe Waltham Chestnut Hill Los Angeles Cleveland Hong Kong New York Arizona Massachusetts Massachusetts California Ohio China New York Average Total: 633 Accepted Average Total: 686 Accepted Accepted Accepted Average Total: 613 College of William and Mary Depaul University Drexel University Florida State University Fordham University George Washington University Williamsburg Chicago Philadelphia Tallahassee New York D.C. Average: 642 Accepted Accepted Minimum Total: 570 Average Total: 615 Accepted Hofstra University Indiana University - Bloomington Lehigh University Loyola University of Chicago Marquette University Michigan State University Hempstead Bloomington Bethlehem Chicago Milwaukee East Lansing Virginia Illinois Pennsylvania Florida New York District of Columbia New York Indiana Pennsylvania Illinois Wisconsin Michigan Average Total: 681 Accepted Accepted Average Total: 710 Accepted Accepted Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 15 MA/MS/MSc Accounting University City State/Country GMAT Score Ohio State University Pace University Pennsylvania State University State University of New York (SUNY) State University of New York (SUNY) Albany Columbus New York University Park Buffalo Buffalo Ohio New York Pennsylvania New York New York Average Total: 648 Accepted Average Total: 638 Accepted Accepted Syracuse University Syracuse New York Average Total: 647 University of California - Davis Davis California Average Total: 647 University of Delaware Newark Delaware Accepted University of Denver Denver Colorado Accepted University of Florida Gainsville Florida Accepted University of Georgia Athens Georgia Average Total: 620 University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign Champaign Illinois Accepted University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago Illinois Average Total: 500-740 University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa Required, Average Total: 645 University of Maryland College Park Maryland Not Required University of Miami Goral Gables Florida Accepted University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Michigan No minimum GMAT University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Minneapolis Minnesota Accepted University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina Average: 654 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana Average Total: 660 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Average Total: 617 University of San Diego San Diego California Minimum Total: 550 Universty of Southern California Los Angeles California Accepted University of Texas - Austin Austin Texas University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas The average for the class of 2012 is 660 Range of Total: 550-700 University of Toronto Toronto Canada Average Total: 681 University of Washington - Seattle Seattle Washington GMAT Accepted University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison Wisconsin Average Total: 650 Wake Forest University Winston-Salem North Carolina Average Total: 632 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis Missouri GMAT Accepted MA/MS/MSc Finance University City State/Country GMAT Score Bentley University Waltham Massachusetts Accepted Boston College Chestnut Hill Massachusetts Average Total: 698 Boston University Boston Massachusetts Accepted Boston University Boston Massachusetts Accepted Brandeis University Waltham Massachusetts Accepted Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Ohio Accepted Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Average Total: 713 City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Accepted Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 16 MA/MS/MSc Finance University City State/Country GMAT Score City University of New York - Baruch College New York New York Accepted Columbia University New York New York Accepted Depaul University Chicago Illinois Accepted Drexel University Philadephia Pennsylvania Average Total: 600 Fordham University New York New York Accepted George Washington University D.C. Average: 650 Hofstra University Hempstead Distric of Columbia New York Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong China Accepted Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago Illinois Accepted Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland Average Total: 710 Lehigh University Bethlehem Pennsylvania Average Total: 720 London Business School London U.K. Accepted Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge Massachusetts New York University New York New York Middle 80% Range: 700770 Accepted Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts Accepted Ohio State University Columbus Ohio Average Total: 671 Pennsylvania State University- Great Valley Malvern Pennsylvania Accepted Pepperdine University Malibu California Accepted Princeton University Princeton New Jersey Accepted Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana Accepted Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York Accepted Simon Fraser University Vancouver Canada Minimum Total: 600 State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo New York Accepted Syracuse University Syracuse New York Average Total: 684 Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania Average: 675 Tulane University New Orleans Louisiana Accepted University of California - Berkeley Berkeley California Average Total: 700 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles California Accepted University of Cambridge Cambridge U.K. Accepted University of Delaware Newark Delaware Accepted University of Denver Denver Colorado Accepted University of Florida Gainsville Colorado Accepted University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Average Total: 713 University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign Champaign Illinois Accepted University of Maryland College Park Maryland University of San Francisco San Francisco California Middle 80th Percentile is 680-750 Accepted University of Texas at Dallas Richardson Texas Range of Total: 550-700 University of Toronto Toronto Canada Accepted Accepted Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 17 MA/MS/MSc Finance University City State/Country GMAT Score Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee Range of Total: 640-760 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis Missouri York University New York Canada Average Total, Corporate Finance: 695 Average Total, Quantitiative Finance: 734 Accepted Business Management University City State/Country GMAT Score Audencia Nantes France Accepted Babson College NANTES, Loire Atlantique Babson Park Massachusetts Accepted Brock University St. Catharines Canada Average Total: 616, Range Total: 550-670 California State University Long Beach California Accepted Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Accepted Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Accepted City University - London London U.K. Average Total: 650 Cornell University Ithica New York Accepted Duke University Durham North Carolina Average Total: 660 EDHEC Business Scool, Like-Nice Nice France ESSEC Business School Cergy-Pontoise France Accepted Minimum Total: 550 Accepted Florida International University Miami Florida Accepted Florida State University Tallahassee Florida Accepted Fordham University New York New York Accepted Groupe ESC Toulouse Toulouse France Accepted HEC Paris Jouy-en-Josas France Accepted London Business School London U.K. Average Total: 683 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge Massachusetts Average Total: 714 National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore Accepted New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark New Jersey Accepted Ohio University Athens Ohio Accepted Pace University New York New York Accepted Pepperdine University Los Angeles California Accepted Polytechnic Institute of New York University Brooklyn New York Accepted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy New York Average Total: 650 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York Accepted St. John’s University New York New York Average Total: 550 Texas A & M University College Station Texas Accepted University of British Columbia Vancouver Canada Accepted University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut Accepted University of Florida Gainsville Florida Average Total: 568 Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 18 Business Management University City State/Country GMAT Score University of Ottawa Ottawa Canada Accepted University of Rochester Rochester New York Average Total: 683 University of San Diego San Diego California Accepted University of Southern California Los Angeles California Accepted University of Waterloo Waterloo Canada Accepted University of Wisconsin- Madison Madison Wisconsin Accepted Washington State University Pullman Washington Accepted MA/MS/MSc Marketing University City State/Country GMAT Score Bentley University Waltham Massachusetts Accepted Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong China Average Total: 713 City University of New York - Brauch College New York New York Accepted Clemson University Greenville South Carolina Accepted Cranfield University Cranfield U.K. Accepted Depaul University Chicago Illinois Accepted Florida State University Tallahassee Florida Minimum Total: 530 Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia Average Total: 612 Goethe University Frankfurt Germany Accepted Hofstra University Johns Hopkins University Hempstead Baltimore New York Maryland Accepted Average Total: 690 Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan Accepted Stockholm School of Economics Stockholm Sweden Minimum Total: 600 Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden Accepted Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania Accepted Thunderbird School of Global Management Glendale Arizona Average Total: 610 University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Alabama Accepted University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Alabama Accepted University of Cincinnati Cincinnati Ohio Accepted University of Denver Denver Colorado Accepted University of Florida Gainsville Florida Accepted University of Georgia Athens Georgia Average Total: 648 University of Groningen Groningen Netherlands Accepted University of Maryland College Park Maryland Average Total: 650 University of Melbourne Melbourne Australia Accepted University of South Flordia Tampa Florida Accepted University of Tampa Tampa Florida Accepted University of Dallas Richardson Texas Range of Total: 500-700 Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond Virginia Accepted Search and browse a full list of programs and GMAT scores at mba.com/schoolfinder. 19 Search Browse Compare School Finder is a tool that lets you find and compare schools, including location, cost, and GMAT score information. 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