Pursuing an MBA in Asia: What to Expect

Asia is rapidly becoming one of the top MBA study destinations in the world. Three international students reveal what it’s like to study there. 

• With a growing number of English-language MBAs and globally ranked business schools in Asia, the appeal of studying there is growing. 
• International students in the region highlighted the high quality of teaching, smooth application process, and affordable tuition fees as the main advantages. 
• However, they cited a lack of English language skills and a shortage of accommodations as two challenges facing international students in Asia. 

“It’s like a whole new world out here!” 

The words of Ghanaian student Kofi Asare-Adjei may best sum up the experiences of an international MBA student in Asia. The continent is unlike any other, and it’s now home to some of the leading business schools in the world. International students are starting to take note. 

The likes of Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong have all reported increased international student numbers in recent years, while more Indian and Chinese students than ever before are considering an MBA in their home country. With the region offering world-class teaching alongside affordable tuition fees, it’s easy to see why interest is booming. 

But what is it really like to pursue an MBA in Asia? We spoke to three international students across the continent to learn what to expect. 

Applications: As Always, Apply Early 

Applying for an MBA in Asia largely works in the same way as Europe and North America. Applications are split into several rounds throughout the year, with the number of spaces in the class gradually diminishing after each round. And so the golden rule of MBA applications also applies here: apply as early as possible. 

Idal Poorekhorsandi is a recent graduate of the MBA program at Waseda Business School in Japan. He suggests that prospective students start preparing two to three months before their target deadline—which should ideally be round one for international students. “If you wanted to come to Waseda in September and you wanted to apply in the first round, you would need to send your application in October the year before,” he advises. 

“The cost of an MBA in Japan is even cheaper than in India.” 

As part of their efforts to attract more international students, many business schools in Asia also have generous scholarships available for foreign applicants. Poorekhorsandi says that an early application to Waseda could increase your chances of landing one of the school’s international scholarships. “If you apply in the first round, they are open to giving you a pre-entrance scholarship. If you apply in the second or third round, it’s less likely you’d get a scholarship before enrolment.” 

Even if you don’t manage to secure a scholarship, tuition fees in Japan and Asia generally tend to be more affordable than in Europe or the U.S. “Education is very inexpensive here,” says Poorekhorsandi. “The cost of an MBA in Japan is even cheaper than in India, for example.” 

If you don’t apply early, you may find yourself with little time to prepare. Waseda notifies its round three applicants of an admissions decision in May, which would leave you with less than five months before your course starts. If you’re planning on moving to this “whole new world.” you might want a little more time than that to adjust. 

Visas and Healthcare: A Smooth Process 

One of the main reasons that international students should apply early is so they can arrange their visas and healthcare in advance. In fact, one international enrollment officer estimates that, of the foreign applicants who receive an unconditional offer to their target school, just 30 percent arrange a visa in time. 

However, according to the students we spoke to, the visa process for Asian business schools is a smooth one. Kofi Ansare-Adjei is a Ghanaian student who moved to China to pursue an MBA at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). He says the visa process was “straightforward” because it was integrated into the MBA admissions process. And the CEIBS admissions team helped a lot. “I was constantly asking questions, and the school was happy to help.” 

Ansare-Adjei says organizing healthcare arrangements in China was similarly straightforward. “You have to pay for healthcare, but the MBA team guides you through the process and tells you which documentation you need,” he explains. “It made the transition much easier.” 

If you’re thinking of applying for an MBA in Asia, it’s highly recommended that you contact the admissions team during the application process. All of the students we spoke to highlighted how helpful and responsive they were, and they all commented on how smooth the visa and healthcare processes were because of it. 

Accommodations: Prioritize On-Campus Options 

Finding accommodations is a challenge no matter where in the world you study. And sadly, it’s no different in Asia. However, one benefit is that many business schools in Asia offer on-campus accommodations for international students. In many cases, they’re more affordable and easier to arrange than private accommodations. 

“Waseda and other business schools in Japan have dormitories that are owned and operated by the institutions. These are the cheapest option for students,” says Poorekhorsandi. “I highly recommend that international students go down the dormitory route first.” 

Ansare-Adjei echoes those thoughts, adding that he secured on-campus accommodations at CEIBS as part of the application process. He believes that this was especially valuable as an international student. “If I had to come to China and look for my own accommodation [after arriving], it would’ve been much more difficult.” 

Finding accommodations in [Hong Kong] is fairly simple—but it can be expensive. 

Part of the student housing challenge in Japan and China is navigating the bureaucracy of the rental system. It can be difficult for a native, but even more so if you don’t speak the local language. It’s a slightly different story in a place like Hong Kong, where English is widely spoken and less paperwork is required to rent a room. According to Jeremy Mirabel, a French MBA student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), finding accommodations in the region is fairly simple—but it can be expensive. 

“Hong Kong is very expensive; it’s one of the most expensive places to rent in the world,” he explains. “But it’s not that difficult [to find a room]. When you rent a flat they ask for the minimum of paperwork—they didn’t ask me for proof of income or anything like that.” 

Mirabel also says that CUHK is one of very few universities in Hong Kong to offer on-campus accommodations, which are much cheaper. But places are limited and competition is fierce, which means you may still have to go down the private route in Hong Kong. 

Languages: You Can’t Rely on English 

There are more English-language MBA programs than ever before in Asia, so finding one in the world’s lingua franca shouldn’t be a challenge. What may be more difficult is the language barrier in many countries. Poorekhorsandi says he underestimated it before moving to Japan. 

“The issue with Japan is that there’s a really big language barrier [for English speakers]. Very few people speak English, and almost all of the procedures need to be done in Japanese: getting health insurance, renting an apartment, utility contracts … so that can be really complicated for foreign people.” 

In order to truly immerse yourself in the local culture, it’s important to get a strong grasp of [the local language].

Ansari-Adjei says it’s a similar situation in China, although language difficulties aren’t likely to arise on campus. “When you’re on campus, you don’t really need [to speak] much Mandarin. Any crucial information you need is communicated in English.” 

CEIBS does provide Chinese lessons for international students, and Ansari-Adjei has made a point of traveling around the country to try to improve his Mandarin. But he says that in order to truly immerse yourself in the local culture, it’s important to get a strong grasp of Mandarin. 

Yet the breadth and diversity of Asia is such that the continent is also home to plenty of English-speaking countries. If you’re worried about the language barrier, it may be worth looking into programs in locations like India, Singapore, and Hong Kong instead. 

Mirabel lived in Japan for two years before moving to Hong Kong and says the region’s English proficiency made the transition much smoother. “In Hong Kong it’s much easier to move here [as an international student] because almost everyone here speaks English. But it’s the opposite in Japan.” 

Classroom Experience: Practical, Hands-On, High-Quality 

All of the students we spoke to reiterated the quality of the teaching in Asia. For Mirabel, the hands-on nature of his MBA classes in Hong Kong was a particular highlight. 

“There’s a lot of studying, but there’s a lot of learning too,” he explains. “We have a lot of group projects, presentations, and case studies. So it’s not like you sit in a class and listen to the professor for four hours—it’s very interactive and they encourage participation.” 

“It was extremely different—in a good way,” suggests Ansare-Adjei. “The format of the classes in the CEIBS MBA is tilted towards Harvard-style teaching, based around case studies and practicality. You have to read the case before class, you have to understand it, and you have to participate.” 

For Ansare-Adjei, this approach to teaching was particularly valuable because it gave him the opportunity to communicate his unique outlook in class discussions. “It gave me the room to express myself more. I’m the only African—the only Black person—in my cohort, so it’s like: how do I read this case and express myself from an African perspective?” 

Poorekhorsandi also highlights the strong professional experience of the faculty at Waseda. One of his classmates who also pursued an MBA in the United States even felt that the staff in Japan had more professional experience than those in the U.S. It all adds up to a high-quality learning experience that can match any study destination in the world. 

Post-Graduation: Strong Opportunities for the Right Candidates 

Asia’s MBA offerings are expanding rapidly—and so is its economy. Job opportunities for MBA graduates are growing in the region. For Mirabel, doing his MBA in Hong Kong helped him leverage connections in the region that are boosting the growth of his startup. 

However, both Ansari-Adjei and Poorekhorsandi again highlight the language barrier as one of the main obstacles likely to arise in a job search. 

“For foreigners [who don’t speak Mandarin], it’s slightly more limited,” says Ansari-Adjei. “For example, you might have to work in a multinational if you want a job that’s fully in English.” 

But even in a multinational, you may encounter difficulties, according to Poorekhorsandi: “The most important factor for finding a job in Japan is learning the language,” he says. “There are a lot of misconceptions among people here who think that multinational companies in Japan are more accepting towards foreign workers—but that’s not the case. At these companies, most of the employees are Japanese. And so to communicate at any level in the organization, you need to speak Japanese.” 

The prestige of a school is extremely important in Asia.

But one point to mention is that the prestige of a school is extremely important in Asia. Ansari-Adjei believes that having the CEIBS brand behind him “makes it easier to enter rooms that people who went to other schools might not be able to enter.” Poorekhorsandi echoes this sentiment; he believes that in some cases the prestige of the school is even more important than the program itself. 

In short, there are plenty of career opportunities for MBA students in this “whole new world.” And if you decide to pursue an MBA in Asia, you’re in a prime position to take advantage of them.