'Should I go abroad for MBA studies?'

Karan Gupta says, Welcome to our Study Abroad session!

Karan Gupta says, I am here now and ready to take your questions.

shreuas123 asked, Hello I have in total of 2 years of experiencs and I wanted to do my MBA from Australia. So will it be good if I wait for one more year coz then my total experience will be 3 years so that I can apply in all the available universities. I even need loan for applying it so what is the minimum amount u need to have if the total cost for 2 year is apprx 20 lakhs and what is the time after ur studies is over you should start repaying your loan.

Karan Gupta answers, Since most top B schools worldwide prefer students with minimum 3 years of work experience, I recommend you gain 1 more year of experience and then apply to good schools. The maximum loan that you can get is Rs.20 lakhs from state banks in India. The interest rates are around 13% and you need security of around 100% - 150% of the loan amount in order to be approved for the loan. The repayment period is around 5-7 years. Please contact individual banks for more information on the loan procedures.

raju asked, Hi Karan, I have done Occupational Therapy and Master in Disability Rehabilitation Administration. Presently working in NGO as Project Coordinator. Could You suggest me some course in the field of Administration or social development any where in austarlia, UK or canada. Please do suggest me.........waiting for your response

Karan Gupta answers, Have a look at University of Glasgow in the UK for a Masters program in Development Studies. Also, University of New South Wales in Australia offers an MA in Development Studies.

Azhar asked, hi Karan, i went to Uk London to study Graduation And Diploma in Business MAnagement GADBM. I went there for study and wirk also but the fees is so high that a common guy cant afford it.

Karan Gupta answers, Studying abroad is an expensive affair. This is simply the reason we suggest that only if students have the required funds and their parents approval, should they apply to universities abroad.

sumandas asked, Hi Karan.This is Suman here.I am having a BE(Comps) degree from NIT(REC)surat and also having 3 years of work experience in IT.I am planning of doing my mba from NewZealand.Can you please guide me regarding this.How is the prospect in terms the universities,cost,people,return on investment.Can i think of applying for PR in that country.waiting for your response...

Karan Gupta answers, With your profile, I recommend an MBA. However, it is best to apply to universities worldwide rather than focussing on just 1 country. In New Zealand, you can have a look at University of Auckland. Remember, getting a job in any country is not possible unless you personally take the initiative and network with professors, peers and friends.

sana asked, hi am sana here i live in mumbai i have passed my 12th and am going to study physiotherapy here in pune but can u tell me which countries are good to study furthur abrod

Karan Gupta answers, You can opt to pursue your Masters in Physiotherapy in the US or UK on completion of your Bachelors degree. Have a look at University of Pittsburg and New York University in the US.

DJ asked, Hi Karan, I completed my BE Comp in 06 from pune uni. I have about 3 yrs of exp working in Data warehousing 1. Should I go for MS, is it going be a value addition since I already have 3 years of exp? 2. In order to target fall -10 semester for MS in US, What is the latest date by which I should be done with my GRE & TOEFL exams? 3. Which universities offer specializations in 'databases, data warehousing'? Thanks

Karan Gupta answers, With your profile, I recommend an MBA and take a specialization in a subject of your choice. Please check with universities before hand to see if they offer Data Warehousing by writing to them with your profile. For Fall 2010, take the GMAT and TOEFL by October 2009 and send out your applications by December 2009.

Nishanth asked, Hi, Karan.. Do u think its feasible for a middle class guy to take a loan of 20L and study in Uk.. and get a job there and repay it in the current market situation.. I have completed BCA (80.4%) and now working in IBM Daksh as CSR, I have got admission for Univ of Manchester and Univ of Southampton for 2010 session (MS Computer Science).. And which Univ you would prefer among the two..

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, Univ of Manchester is a better bet. Besides, since you have a good academic profile and will graduate from a well reputed university, i think it may not be that difficult to repay the loan. Besies banks may offer you an extension on the loan period keeping the interest rate on.

gmat asked, Hi Karan I have 8.8 yrs of exp in IT industry and wants to go for MBA in UK or US Can u plz suggest me a good university for admission with or w/o GMAT ..Takes in advance

Karan Gupta answers, I recommend you take the GMAT, score well and apply to universities such as University of IE Business School in Spain and Manchester Business School in the UK. You can have a look at www.ft.com for a complete list of top B schools.

ashish asked, hi karan well i am planning for my phd but when applied to various universities in NZ but no proper response any can you help on these

Karan Gupta answers, PhD admissions are competitive and many times requires you to find a professor at your prospective university who will be interested in your area of research. It is important to contact the professors at the universities you plan to apply to and discuss your research work with them. Contact professors at University of Auckland and Otago in New Zealand.

PagaalAaadmee asked, Hello Karan, I want to study in Nepal ...pls suggest me a good college over there for MBA.

Karan Gupta answers, Have a look at Kathmandu University School of Management for the MBA program if you are considering Nepal.

bforboyz asked, If H1 got rejected, will it effect the prospects of my student VISA in any way? same way if TIER 1 Visa gets rejected will it effect TIER 4 student visa to UK?

Karan Gupta answers, The Visa Office is interested in seeing if you have an admit from a recognized university and sufficient funds to support your education. Having said this, if you have a previous student visa reject the officer may be more cautious during your 2nd attempt.

sana asked,  hi am sana here i live in mumbai i have passed my 12th and am going to study physiotherapy here in pune but can u tell me which countries are good to study furthur abrod

Karan Gupta answers, You can opt to pursue your Masters in Physiotherapy in the US or UK on completion of your Bachelors degree. Have a look at University of Pittsburg and New York University in the US.

xgh asked, hi karan,i have done mba-finance having work exp of 1.5 yrs.I want to some certification programme prefreably in new york?please suggest me some finance course,duration 2 months

Karan Gupta answers, NYU - School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers professional certificate programs in Finance. Have a look at the same.

shiv asked, What are the good MBA colleges at singapore and approx cost of stdy????

Karan Gupta answers, NUS, NTU and SMU are good B schools in Singapore. In Singapore the average tuition fees are around S$17000 and the average living expenses are around S$10,000. Remember, fees will vary from university to university and course to course.

shalinee asked, i m pursuing b tech biotech,what shud i do next.what are the scopes abroad

Karan Gupta answers, You can pursue a Masters degree in Biotech to US and UK schools after your Bachelors degree. Johns Hopkins University in the US is a good school for this program.

pawan singh asked, sir i have heard about south thames college london affiliated to wales university .is it a good college for mba thereon as they are giving paid internship of 6000 pounds??????? what are the future opportunities if i complete my mba from that college?

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, this is an average univeersity and acquiring a job after graduation may be difficult. Besides, i would not recommend you get tempted to take this offer because of its paid internship facility.

Dipika asked, Hi Karan. Thank you for your time. I am a commerce graduate with 40% marks in B.Com. If I get good IELTS score, can I get some course in Australian university for Financial Management? Or other better options to study Financial management abroad? Thank you again.

Karan Gupta answers, You can have a look at the Masters program in Finance offerd by Boston College and UIUC in the US. For admissions to a Master's degree program in the US you most likely will be required to complete 16 years of undergraduate education (some US universities may now accept you with 15 years of prior education). I recommend you pursue an M.Com I degree to complete your 16th year. You will also be required to take the GMAT and TOEFL (most US schools may not accept the IELTS).

shashank asked, Hi Karan, I have completed my B.tech (E.C.E) in 2004 and since then have been working as a Tele-Sales associate in BPO and have become a TEAM LEADER(Tele-sales)an year back....so thats 4 years of experience......If i get a good GMAT & TOEFL score would my present experience in BPO be valid and counted for an U.S- M.B.A

Karan Gupta answers, Yes, as long as you are able to explain in your essays how your previous work experience has helped you untill now and added to your profile and experience.

neelima asked, HI karan, my daughter has done BMS this year and expecting above 60% marks, She intents to do MBA , what will be your advice after GMAT she can apply for us or what

Karan Gupta answers, Since most top B schools worldwide prefer students with minimum 3 years of work experience, I recommend you gain 3 years of experience and then apply to good schools worldwide. For admissions to a Master's degree program in the US you most likely will be required to complete 16 years of undergraduate education (some US universities may now accept you with 15 years of prior education).

mitu asked, Hi Karan, PLEASE REPLY ..PLEASE REPLY..Iam having 14 years of experience in IT SAP database management with most of the experience working in different countries and iam a qualified MCA(Part-Time).I would like to do MBA in UK as iam working here.Would you kindly suggest me something / universities with approximate details of the expense involved in it.Is it fine to do part time MBA than full time as iam not aware about the total expense involved

Karan Gupta answers, You can opt for a part time MBA if it suits you fine along with your work. Have a look at the MBA program offered by Manchester Business School and London Business School in the UK for the program they offer. Also have a look at www.ft.com for other top UK B schools. The average tuition fees at the universities are about $35000 per year and the average living expenses are about $10000 per year.

r asked, Hello Karan, I have done my Bsc(Hons) and MCA and into the Software field with work ex of 5 yrs. I always wanted to do a MBA or a masters degree related to finance. As per information gathered by me, UK universities offer 1 yr Masters programs in Finance and related subjects. I would like to know which universities are the best for this and also what are the job prospects in UK itself after the course. Is it necessary to take GMAT for such courses andwhen shd one start applying?

Karan Gupta answers, The GMAT is required by most top B schools. It is best to apply to schools at least 9 months prior to your course starting date. Have a look at the program offered by Warwick Business School and Oxford Business School in the UK. They offer 1 year programs.

vijay asked, Hi Karan, I have a work ex of around 6 years and i am planning to give my GMAT. I am the sole bread winner for my family and can afford only for exc. mba which is 1 year i have worked with unilever for 5 years and currently with SAP in Partner ship management a kind of relationship manager role. What are the options left for me for my MBA? Kindly help

Karan Gupta answers, You can opt for an Executive MBA or an online MBA as both will not require you to be present in another country for most part of your course. These courses have pre decided structured program and thus you can take leave from your current job in that duration and attend the course.

arnold asked, how is northeastern university(Boston) for MS telecommunicaion system management??

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, this is a very good school.

Swara asked, Hi karan. I hold a MCA with 3.5 years of work ex. Recently i visted a consultant and was told that, even with my work ex, US top schools wont even consider my profile coz ther is no managerial level experience. So i shud try only for UK for MBA. This amused me; coz with 3.5 years; who wud expect me to have a hard core managerial exposure? i hav avge acads; but my work ex is with top investment banks. plz help. Thanks.

Karan Gupta answers, You can definately apply to some top US schools with your profile. Have a look at Boston College, USC, and NYU in the US.

kaushik1 asked, Hi Karan, I have just completed my BE from Pune Univ. I am planning to do an MS in Financial Engineering. I will be appearing for GRE soon. Can you please guide me further. How to proceed from here ?? Thanks

Karan Gupta answers, For the application procedure, shortlist the universities you plan to apply to, complete the online application forms and then mail the supporting documents such as resume, recommendation letters, SOP, financial documents, mark sheets and transcripts (prepared by your college) to the universities. I recommend that you send your applications at least 9 months prior to your proposed year of study. Have a look at Duke University in the US.

sid asked, i got in university of boras , sweden? MS in infomatics? should i go for it??

Karan Gupta answers, I am not aware of this university and thus unable to comment on the same. I recommend you talk to current studnets and alumni and get some direct feedback about the program.

vinny asked, Karan, I have just got an admit for my masters @ Univ of Manchester. I am yet to apply for a passport, educational loan and the visa. The session starts in mid-Sept 09. Do you think it could be done so quickly? How much time does it take for the passport and the visa?

Karan Gupta answers, A new passport generally takes 45 working days to be processed. The UK visa generally takes 10 working days from the time you submit your applicaton. If your passport comes through by mid-August, you still have a chance to apply.

Deep asked, hello karan..I have offer from sheffiled Hallam university ,UK..in Advanced Engineering...is the university good?....

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, this is an average university.

sumi asked, hi Karan, this is sumit, my percentages in the 10th and 12th are 69 and 62. and in btech 72%. i have aroud 2 years of workex in IT. i want to do my mba in australia please uide me how to go about it. and plus is gmat really necessary for good universities especially which are in the top 10(in australia)

Karan Gupta answers, Yes, I recommend you take the GMAT and look at schools such as AGSM, Melbourne Business School and University of Sydney in Australia.

Harsha asked, Can you suggest which two uni can I pick from these two for C.Sc 1) George mason 2) California Lutherans 3) Cal poly 4) University of northern Virginia 5) Stratford university

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, Cal Poly is your best best, followed by George Mason University.

Attarwala asked, Hi Karan, I recently gave my gre and got 1220.I graduated in JUNE 2009 in B.E Information Tech. Am interested in doing masters in US in a field which has both concept of Software plus business.Kindly, suggest me some courses related to this.

Karan Gupta answers, Study the Engineering Management course offered by USC and Duke University in the US. This course offers a good blend of both Engineering and Management.

SG asked, Hi Karan, Which school for MBA is better in terms of job opportunities and recognition(brand image) in India - IE ,Spain or Lancaster, UK

Karan Gupta answers, In my opinion, IE University is your best bet keeping in mind its recognition as well as the placements.

riteshtonk asked, CAn you suggest a distance learning education programme for Computer Science for ma reputable university?

Karan Gupta answers, Have a look at University of Phoenix in the US for distance learning programs.

sunilsahatpure asked, i want to study mBA in U.S. what is poocedure for admission

Karan Gupta answers, Take the GMAT and TOEFL. For the application procedure, shortlist the universities you plan to apply to, complete the online application forms and then mail the supporting documents such as resume, recommendation letters, SOP, financial documents, mark sheets and transcripts (prepared by your college) to the universities. I recommend that you send your applications at least 9 months prior to your proposed year of study.

rajupl asked, i want to do MS in civil engineering in Uk universities . then what about the oppurtunities after studies there ?

Karan Gupta answers, This is a good program and the UK offers good scope for the same.

SamVerma asked, Hi Karan, I have completed my Msc in Software engineering and have 4 years experience in IT. I have applied for Msc In Business Computing at Nortampton Univ and Northumbria. I am not inclined towards an MBA and find the course contens at northampton univ apt though it is a relatively new univ..what are the prospects??? Thanks,

Karan Gupta answers, If you want to choose between these 2 universities, I would recommend Northumbria.

Punit asked, Hey Karan. I am currently pursuing an Eng. & Mang. Degree at Clarkson Uni. in upstate NY. I have 2 semesters remaining for my graduation but due to certain reasons i had to take a break from my education. I was hoping you could guide me as to certain courses i could do here in bombay and get the credits transferred to Clarkson University towards my degree??

Karan Gupta answers, It is unlikely that any credits of a program pursued here at this point will be trancferred. However, you can show the university the syllabus of Mumbai University and see if they will make any considerations.

Karan Gupta says, It is time and we will have to end here!

Karan Gupta says, Thank you for being part of this chat. Look out for more of these soon.

Karan Gupta says, Goodbye and have a great day ahead!