Welcome! On this website you will find everything you need to know about the full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA):
What it is, why you would want to get an MBA from a top program only, how to get in, and the different top MBA programs that are out there.


What is an MBA: Masters Business Administration 

Let's first explain what a Master of Business Administration is. It's an advanced degree teaching you everything revolving around business in the areas of finance, accounting, marketing, strategy, organizational behavior, operations, ethics, statistics, entrepreneurship, or economics. There are primarily four different ways of getting an MBA degree: 
  1. Full-time MBA: Students are enrolled full-time for 1 or 2 years. Due to the work load and demands of the course, working part-time while earning your degree is uncommon and can be very demanding. Please note that this website is solely focused on this type of degree from top MBA programs.
  2. Part-time MBA: While pursuing their regular jobs, students take evening or weekend courses. It can take up to 4 years to complete a part-time MBA because students can only take a limited amount of classes each term due to their day time employment.
  3. Executive MBA: An executive degree can be earned full-time (usually <1 year) or part-time (2 years). Unlike full-time MBA students with 3-6 years of full-time work experience, executive MBA students usually have >6 years of full-time work experience. An executive MBA is the most expensive MBA (on an annual basis), often the only program of a business school generating any profits.
  4. Online / distance MBA: Online MBA degrees can be obtained at an individual pace. There are barely any admission requirements - hence this degree is also the least prestigious (but it's also the cheapest).

All afore listed MBA programs share in common that you will more or less receive the same business education. Some programs will have better professors and the quality of your peers will also play a role, but in general you will learn the same stuff. However, only a full-time MBA program from a top school will offer you the following for your hard earned money:
  • Career advancement: Most full-time MBA graduates from top programs increase their post-MBA salary by 50% or more. Also, most obtain positions which previously were out of their reach.
  • Career switch: With the economic climate a career switch post-MBA has gotten harder, but it is still most feasible with a full-time MBA from a top program. Graduates often are able to switch industry, function and/or location.
  • Networking: Because you are enrolled in a full-time program, you will get to know your peers better and have a greater chance at growing your business network.

While the above mentioned benefits are not impossible to obtain from non full-time MBA programs, they are much harder to achieve.

Full-time MBA degrees are usually awarded in 2 years (most US b-schools). Only in Europe most b-schools offer 1 year MBA programs. So what are the main differences between a 1 or 2 year programs? Masters Business Administration

A 2 year MBA has the following advantages:
  • During the summer between the first year and the second year you can do a summer internship. Recruiting for these internships already starts a few months after the beginning of the MBA and for coveted internships in finance or consulting this can be quite competitive. The internship allows you to try out working in a new industry or function and facilitates the transition for career switchers. Almost everyone in 2 year MBA programs does 1 (or even 2) internships during the summer. Only those who are company sponsored and will return to their previous employer after the MBA might not do anything during the summer but relax, volunteer or go travel.
  • Another great advantage of 2 year MBA programs is having more time to decide in which career direction you want to go post MBA.
  • Having more time also allows you to bond more with your classmates who will be your business network and close friends after the MBA. Networking is extremely important and especially later on in your career can open you many doors. 



A 1 year MBA has the following advantages:
  • An MBA is not cheap! Annual tuition can easily be around $35,000-$45,000 for 2 year MBA programs - and that's per year! While the tuition for 1 year MBA programs is around $65,000, you have the advantage that you can return to the workforce sooner again and start paying off your tuition loans should you take any.
  • The 1 year MBA is especially suitable for those who exactly know in which career direction they want to go post-MBA.

Yes a Master of Business Administration ain't cheap. So how can people afford to pay these large tuition bills, while not working at the same time? Many are company sponsored (especially consultants), but several take out loans. If you are an international student and want to do your MBA in the US, then often you will need a US co-signer to get a loan from a US bank. Other schools will have partnerships with local banks to provide loans to anyone. Otherwise there are often government loans in your home country. Americans have access to Stafford loans as an example. Most MBA programs also have scholarships which are merit based. However, many will exit the MBA with large amounts of debt. If a full-time MBA is so expensive, why would you ever get one?