A recent Applicant Survey conducted by QS, the education and career organisation behind the QS World MBA Tour, revealed that the US and UK are still the most attractive study destinations for MBA students; however, unsuspecting locations like Singapore, Dubai, and Australia are now gaining popularity amongst MBA students.

These less conventionally sought after study locations are gaining exposure, rapidly becoming established international destinations with many high quality institutions.

While many prospective MBAs wish to study abroad, the reality is that the high cost usually prevents them from following this route. Scholarships are an excellent way to gain funding for international study, and there are more scholarships available than you may think. Wharton, Cass, Instituto de Empresa, Rotman, and ESMT are a few of the many business schools offering funding. Additionally, attending the QS World MBA Tour will give you access to the QS scholarships worth a total of US$2.7 million.

Take a look at these three up-and-coming MBA study destinations:

Singapore

Singapore, to begin with, is quickly becoming a high flyer on the international higher-education scene, with business schools like INSEAD Singapore, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, and the National University of Singapore ranking within the top 10 Asian business schools, according to a recent QS Global Top 100 Business Schools report. The University of Chicago GSB also has a campus in Singapore, offering an Executive MBA program for more experienced commerce managers.

Known in the business world as the ‘gateway to Asia’, Singapore’s geographical proximity and close economic ties with India, China, and South East Asia make the country a very attractive locale to people intending to work in Asia after graduation. The infrastructure, particularly pertaining to the business world, is highly advanced. Additionally, as English is the most commonly used language in Singapore, and living standards in the country are similar to those in Western Europe (but at lower cost!), the country makes for a very hospitable place to study for international students of many nationalities.

Singapore has been climbing the ranks of the business world within the past decade, particularly within the biotechnology field. Biopolis, Singapore’s new 2 million square foot, $300 million biomedical research village has definitely put this country on the biotech map, and scientists aren’t the only ones working within this sector. MBAs obviously are needed across this field, and studying in Singapore may be a quick portal for those interested in pursuing a managerial career in the biotechnology industry.

Dubai

The ‘Las Vegas’ of the Middle East has evolved from a desert to an international playground for corporate players, vacationers, and hard-hitting investors from around the world. Its status as a tax-free paradise has brought many global operations and a massive population of expatriates from countries around the world, making for an immensely diverse commercial zone. Accordingly, MBA classes are bound to be comprised of a multitude of different perspectives and business experiences. As a result, it’s no surprise that this region is beginning to draw MBA students.

Leading business school, Wharton is one school that has jumped on-board the Dubai powerhouse with its Dubai Leaders Program, an ‘interactive program focused on enhancing the strategic thinking capabilities and leadership skills of the participants’. With intentions of cultivating a next generation of corporate innovators, the program exemplifies Dubai’s loud presence on the international education and business scenes. Many other schools, including London Business School and Bradford have opened up destinations in Dubai, only signaling further development at a rapid pace for business and business education in this region.

Australia

The Australian Graduate School of Management, Melbourne Business School, and MGSM Macquarie Graduate School of Management rank within the top 10 business schools in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the latest QS Global Top 100 Business Schools. The country boasts 38 universities offering MBA programs. This indicates a good level of recruitment confidence in MBA graduates from Australian universities.

Many students are choosing Australia over the UK and US because the cost of living is significantly lower than said countries, and living standards are comparable, if not higher. Australia is known as a highly civilized, safe, and beautiful country, with high education standards and an admirable infrastructure. Business school tuition is also lower in Australia. Most MBA programs here are 12 months, as are the standard European MBA programs. Furthermore, the country’s cities are dynamic, multicultural, and becoming more and more part of global trade, especially with other countries within the Asia-Pacific region.

Source: topmba.com