r/InternationalMBA

I’m trying to narrow down my options for an international MBA, but honestly the number of countries and universities is making it harder rather than easier. How did you guys decide where to apply?

Was it mainly based on career opportunities, tuition fees, post MBA work options, rankings, or just the overall experience of living there?

Hi everyone, I’m a 28-year-old Chartered Accountant from India with 3.5 years of overall work-ex across PwC and EY. Between PwC and EY, I also spent around 8 months building my own CA practice. The venture did not work out, and I eventually returned to corporate roles.

Education
● Class 10: 90%
● Class 12: 94.2%
● B.Com
● Chartered Accountant

Work Experience
● 3.5 years of professional experience in total
● PwC → 8-month entrepreneurial stint → EY
● Experience in M&A, audit & accounting
● 1 promotion received; next promotion due next year

I’m planning to apply to 1-year MBA programs and would appreciate an honest assessment of my profile.

1. How competitive is my profile for top 1-year MBA programs ?
2. Which schools should I realistically target?
3. How much can a strong GMAT score compensate for any weaknesses?
4. Will the 8-month entrepreneurial stint be viewed positively or negatively?
5. What should I focus on strengthening before applying?

Hi everyone, looking for an honest evaluation of my profile for Europe.

Academics

1. Female
2. Class 10: 92%
3. Class 12: 89%
4. B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering from a Tier-2 engineering college
5. CGPA: 8.89/10

Work Experience

1. 3 years of full-time experience in IT/Technology at a large multinational corporation as a software engineer.
2. Internship experience at a Big 4 firm
3. Received 3 workplace awards for innovation and outstanding contribution
4. Achieved the highest performance rating in the most recent performance cycle
5. Due for promotion in ~1 month

Leadership / Extracurriculars

1. Worked as a teacher during college as part of a robotics internship, teaching and mentoring multiple students
2. Participated in social entrepreneurship and community-impact initiatives during college

Test Scores

1. Haven’t taken the GMAT/GRE yet
2. Planning to take one

Questions

1. How would you rate my profile for HEC?
2. How competitive would I be for top European MBA programs?
3. Should I take the GMAT or GRE?
4. What score should I target?
5. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of my profile?
6. Should I apply with 3 years of experience or wait longer?
7. What should I focus on over the next 6–12 months to improve my chances?

Would appreciate honest/blunt feedback, especially from current students, alumni, applicants, or people familiar with MBA admissions.

Hii y'all !

I'm an engineering grad (Mech TBP) with 10 years of experience in one of India's biggest automotive companies currently working as Senior Manager in Product design & dev. My GRE score is 321 (V=157; Q=164). I already have an admit from Ivey business school, Canada but not sure to take the offer. I have HEC , INSEAD & ESADE in mind .

Do let me know my chances with current situation ? I also might be giving GRE again to cross 325+.

Should I take Ivey offer (Scholarship 60000 CAD) ?

Also do let me know my chances of transitioning to product management or strategy roles.

Thanks in advance ...will be grateful for constructive feedbacks and suggestions.

I have an admit from Ivey with a fat scholarship along with additional loan arrangements through Ivey’s partners. This overall significantly reduces my tuition cost, with money mostly spent on living etc.

I want to pursue an international career in brand management, after working in global ad agencies since last 4 years. I am unsure if I should look at Indian options that can help provide international opportunities few years after my MBA or should I make the switch and move to Canada, to pursue brand management there.

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks

Hi everyone,
I’m planning my MBA application strategy for the September 2027 intake and would love an honest profile evaluation and advice on target schools, exam goals, and profile positioning.

1. Basic Profile & Education
   Undergrad: B.Tech in Computer Science & Engineering from VIT Vellore
   CGPA: 8.09 / 10
   Class 10th / 12th: 88.4% / 88.6%
   Category: GEM (General Engineering Male)
2. Work Experience
   Current Role: Senior Software Engineer at HSBC
   Total Workplace Tenure: 4 years currently (~5 years by September 2027 intake)
   Key Responsibilities & Highlights:
   Software development, system architecture, and tech leadership within enterprise banking/finance systems.
   Promoted to Senior Software Engineer.
   (Optional: Add 1–2 bullet points highlighting leadership, cross-functional projects, or direct impact on business/revenue)
3. Academic & Entrance Exams
   Target Exams: CAT / GMAT
   Target Intake: Fall / September 2027 (Focusing strictly on 2-Year General MBA programs)
4. Post-MBA Goals
   Short-Term: Transition into Tech Product Management (PM), Management Consulting, or Strategy/Operations in Financial Tech.
   Long-Term: Executive Leadership / Strategy within global tech or financial institutions.
5. Questions for the Community
6. Target Score Range: Given my GEM profile and 5 YOE, what percentile/score should I realistically target on CAT/GMAT to be competitive for top-tier 2-year MBA programs?
7. Profile Positioning: As an applicant with 5 years of software engineering experience, what specific narrative or non-work achievements help stand out against standard IT profiles?
8. School Suggestions: Based on this profile, which B-schools (India and Global) should be on my realistic vs. reach list for a 2-year general MBA?

Hi everyone,

I'm 31M trying to decide whether pursuing MBA makes sense.

My profile:

Engineering degree from a reputed private university in India

10 years of work experience in IT (software development): 6 years in India, 4 years in Singapore, plus short-term experience working in Australia

Currently working in Singapore, earning more than $100k/year

Preparing for GMAT atm..

While I'm paid decently enough, I don't see myself just being a developer long term. My goal is to transition into management consulting or tech senior management, ideally in Singapore, the UAE, or India.

If I decide to pursue MBA at INSEAD since I'm already in singapore(exploring other BSchools in UK and europe too), my biggest concern would be the significant loan I'd need to take and post graduation job prospects. Given that I'm already 31 and recently married (my spouse moved to Singapore recently and is not currently working), I'm wondering whether the opportunity cost of pursuing an MBA is worth the risk given job market is not that great at the moment and AI posing serious threat to management consulting and IT jobs.

Would you pursue MBA in my situation? I'd really appreciate any brutal assessment of my profile, and I'll gladly take any advice!

Thanks..!

Hello, everyone !

So, I am 29 M with 5+ years of experience in climate change and sustainability. Currently I am working in an industry chamber and cater to India's Central Public Sector Enterprises (PSUs/SoEs).

I have pretty decent academic qualifications: my\_qualifications: B.A. (Hons) Geography from DU, MSc. Geoinformatics from TERI (Gold Medalist- if that matters), Certificate in Data Science from IIIT-B (so as to learn the fundamentals of data science and coding).

While working in the industry chamber, I have realised that I am interested in corporate climate advocacy, partnerships, engagement, collaboration and help industries in their transition and decarbonisation process. Therefore, I want to now pivot my career towards this area.

So, I wanted to ask which courses should I target in Europe ? I have come across courses in RSM, UCL, ESCP, LSE. But I would really appreciate some guidance on which courses to lookout for so that I can advance my career according to my interest.

PS - Ofcourse I would want to choose a programme/university/country where post programme opportunities are there. I also know Europe is struggling with climate careers these times but still would appreciate some guidance.

Thank you in advance.

Hi everyone,
I’m an international applicant from India and have recently been admitted to the Ivey MBA (Jan 2027 intake) with a $70K Forté Fellowship.
I’m very excited about Ivey, but I’m trying to make a financially responsible decision before committing.
After the scholarship, I would still have a significant amount to fund through a combination of family support, savings, and potentially an education loan. I’m trying to understand whether the investment makes sense given the current Canadian job market.
A little about my background:
~6 years of experience in B2C EdTech
Currently in a senior sales/business development leadership role
Managed a 35–40 person sales organization
Significant revenue ownership and multiple promotions
Looking to transition into SaaS/B2B sales, strategy, consulting, or broader business roles after the MBA
International student / Indian applicant
Ivey MBA Jan 2027
$70K Forté Fellowship
I’d especially appreciate perspectives from current Ivey students, recent graduates, and other international MBA students in Canada.
My main questions:
For an international student, do you feel Ivey is worth the remaining financial investment after a $70K scholarship?
How realistic are post-MBA employment opportunities for international students in the current Canadian market?
How have people managed the remaining cost — loans, scholarships, savings, family support, etc.?
Are there meaningful additional scholarships/funding opportunities after receiving the initial Ivey scholarship?
How difficult has recruiting been, particularly for people trying to switch industries/functions?
If you were in my position again, would you still choose Ivey?
I’m not looking for a promotional answer — I’d genuinely appreciate the honest financial and career perspective, including the downsides.
Thanks!