The Differences Between the Top European and Top US MBA Programs
America was responsible for creating the first MBA programs in the world. In the early 20th century, the Europeans created MBA programs in their countries too. Both Europe and the United States had an increasing demand for business professionals as globalization started to pick up. The demand has only grown ever since. Find Top European and Top US programs here.
Top European and top US MBA programs both accept international students. You could be an American who goes to London Business School or a Brit who goes to Harvard Business School, and it will still give you a valuable education in business. Top MBA programs from both continents are recognized globally.
Therefore, an MBA degree from a top business school in America can hold the same value as an MBA Degree from a top business school in Europe. You can land similar jobs and earn similar salaries with either MBA degree. However, their differences pertain to the application requirements, student age range, term length, and tuition costs.
Let’s examine some of these differences below.
1) Term Length
Top US MBA programs take about two years to complete on a full-time schedule. The UK/European programs have accelerated their MBA programs to take only one year to complete. And remember, the MBA degree has the same value at top European business schools. You could earn the degree much faster and pay less in tuition and cost of living at a European business school.
2) Return on investment
Top European MBA programs as they are shorter-term, means- 1 year less of tuition fees, lost salary, and living costs. So they have a better and faster return on investment than top US programs.
3) Eligibility Requirements
Top US MBA programs have stricter eligibility requirements. They are even picky about the GMAT scores of their candidates. Top European MBA programs offer more flexibility to their eligibility requirements. Candidates with lower GMAT scores can still find a place in a top MBA program in Europe. These European schools care more about work experience, application quality, and essay quality.
4) Age Range
Top US MBA programs don’t usually accept candidates over 30 years old. They might make exceptions in some cases, such as those that earned a master's degree, but it is rare. Top European MBA programs accept a wider range of age groups. Some of them accept candidates up to 40 years old.
Again, they care a lot about the work experience of the candidates. An older candidate with extensive work experience is more likely to get accepted at a top European MBA program than a US program.
You can also watch this webinar for more information on Top USA vs European MBA programs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf1M5ribpBI&t=142s