In today's world, getting a higher education isn't limited to just one place. There are lots of options available, and among them, getting a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is really popular. An MBA can open up great job opportunities and help people grow in their careers. But why do some students choose to study for their MBA in other countries? What makes them want to go abroad for their education? This article looks into the reasons why students are deciding to do their MBA abroad and the cheapest MBA universities in the world.  

Reasons why students prefer studying mba abroad :

  • International Networking opportunities
  • Career advancement
  • Attractive job package
  • Career change
  • Specialization opportunities
  • Business skills
  • Competitive advantage
  • Language learning
  • Leadership skills

According to the Cost of MBA Report 2023, The average total cost of studying at one of the world’s top MBAs is $202,200.The cost of an MBA increased 7% from last year—this is largely due to the majority of US schools raising their tuition fees.

When comparing prominent B schools in India, such as IIMs, XLRIs, and FMS, to B schools abroad, these Indian B schools are significantly cheaper for MBAs. But it's still possible to get an MBA degree abroad for a cheaper price. This article is about affordable business schools around the world, we'll cover some of the top and the most affordable business schools abroad.

Which is the best country to study MBA at a low cost?

The cheapest countries to study MBA for Indian students is listed below: 

  • USA
  • Australia
  • UK
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Norway
  • Ireland
  • Netherlands
  • France
  • Singapore

MBA in USA

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in the United States is the world's most popular and established postgraduate management program. Every year, thousands of professionals from several industries apply for MBA programs in the United States in a wide range of specializations. These are some low-priced MBA universities in USA : 

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

10,000 USD-25,000 USD/ year

9,804 USD per year

  1. Worcester State University

  2. Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico

  3. Cameron University

  4. Southeast Missouri State University

  5. Northeastern State University

MBA in Australia 

Australian management courses include practical and academic knowledge, with a focus on improving communication, personal, and leadership abilities. Australian courses promote innovation and independent thinking. Many Australian management schools allow international students to get experience through internships with local businesses or participation in international conferences or study tours. These are some cheap MBA universities in Australia : 

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

AUD 16,000 to AUD 126,000/year

   AUD 16,000 to AUD 126,000/year

20,000 AUD per year

  1. Kaplan Business School

  2. Holmes Institute

  3. Charles Darwin University

  4. Edith Cowan University

  5. Central Queensland University

MBA in UK

An MBA from the UK is one of the most popular and recognized certifications in the world, graduates are acknowledged in all fields. The United Kingdom is a popular destination for international students because of its prestigious colleges and high-quality education for one-year affordable degrees. Here are some reasonably priced MBA universities in UK :

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

£12,500  - £15,250/year

£1300-£1400 per month in London,    £900-£1300 in the rest of the UK

  1. University of Bolton

  2. Teesside University

  3. Staffordshire University

  4. Leeds Trinity University

  5. University of Ulster

MBA in Canada 

In recent years, Canada has become one of the most preferred education abroad destinations for many Indian students who aspire to pursue an MBA overseas. The main reason for this is that Canada not only offers world-class education but at much lower costs.

The Canadian Government also offers benefits like scholarships and bursaries to students. As per Canadian legislation, students are required to fulfill certain eligibility criteria in order to study in Canada. Students are required to deposit their one year’s living expenses into a GIC account. These are some affordable universities for MBA in Canada :

Average Tution Fee

Average cost of living 

Top B-schools

CAD 18,738  - CAD 22,626/year

CAD 18,340 per year      

  1. Memorial University of Newfoundland

  2. University of Northern British Columbia

  3. University of Manitoba

  4. University of Saskatchewan

  5. University of New Brunswick

MBA in Germany

Germany is considered the cheapest country to study abroad for Indian students. It is because students do not have to worry about paying high tuition fees. These are some inexpensive universities for MBA in Germany : 

Average Tution Fee

Average cost of living 

Top B-schools

€ 8000 to € 50,000/year

10,200-12,000 EUR per year

  1. Johannes Gutenberg University

  2. University of Bayreuth

  3. Ludwig Maximilians University Munich

  4. Esslingen University of Applied Sciences

  5. Offenburg University of Applied Sciences

MBA in Norway

Norwegian universities are publicly funded and they do not charge tuition fees. This is applicable to all the local and  international students.Norway has over 70 institutes of higher education, including both colleges and universities. In Norway, universities have detailed business study programs, and they offer an outstanding educational experience that is recognized throughout Europe and the world. Here are some popular universities for MBA in Norway : 

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

No Tuition Fee 

€14,000 per month

  1. BI Norwegian Business School

  2. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology

  3. Norwegian School of Economics

  4. UiS Business School,

  5. University of Agder

MBA in Ireland

Ireland is one of the best countries to study MBA at a low cost for international students. Ireland B-schools are offering cheaper yet equally competent alternative MBA programs. An MBA from Ireland is not only internationally recognized, but it also provides a wide range of specialties in addition to the traditional HRM, Finance, Marketing, and Sales. These are some low-cost universities for MBA in ireland :

Average Tuition Fee

  Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

€12,000-€22,000 /year

€7,000 to €12,000 per year

  1. University College Dublin

  2. Trinity College Dublin

  3. University College Cork

  4. University of Limerick

  5. Dublin University business school 

MBA in Netherlands  

MBA graduates in the Netherlands get to experience outstanding career prospects. Non-EU students can look for employment in the Netherlands after completing graduation. International graduates can also apply for a residency visa for entrepreneurship, which could potentially make it easier for them to start their businesses. These are some economical universities for MBA in Netherlands :

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

€12,000 - €54,000/year

€800 – €1,200 per month

  1. University of Amsterdam

  2. Maastricht University

  3. Erasmus University Rotterdam

  4. Nyenrode Business University

  5. Hanze University of Applied Sciences

MBA in France

Enrolling in a public institution qualifies you for a two-thirds fee remission from the state, making France one of the top study destinations in the world for international students. This would reduce the cost of your MBA program even further. We have mentioned some cost- effective MBA universities in France here : 

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

€30,000 - €100,000/year

€980 to €1,200 per month

  1. ESG Management School

  2. EPITA Graduate School of Computer Science

  3. EFREI Engineering School of Information and Digital Technologies

  4. Neoma Business School

  5. Paris School of Business

MBA in Singapore

Singapore's business schools have minimal admissions requirements and provide an affordable MBA degree. It also has five of Asia's best universities, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. These are some low-priced MBA universities in Singapore : 

Average Tuition Fee

Average Cost of Living

Top B-schools

21,000 SGD to 91,000 SGD/year

1,515 SGD to 1,530 SGD per month

  1. Nanyang Technological University

  2. NUS Business School

  3. EBS Business School

  4. Singapore Management University

  5. ESSEC Business School

I hope this article helped you in getting the idea of affordable business schools around the world. If you think we missed out on any of the affordable business schools, you are most welcome to share with us in the comments section below.

Students who are willing to study abroad mostly look for education loans to finance their studies. If you want to take an education loan to finance and support yourself in your dream country, don't hesitate to contact our team at WeMakeScholars as we have the best education loan deals in the market. 

Our financial team will help you apply for education loans and connect you with the best lenders. Get in touch with our team and we'll reach out to you soon.