MBA Options for a UK Citizen

[Skippy13]

Hey everyone,
So by scanning through the boards i've already gleaned a lot of information...moving to the USA is hard! Im a 23 year old student with a BA hons degree in economics and I am currently working for an american company in London.

My dream has always been to move to California and, with the weather turning, I am wondering how I can make this dream a reality. As a N.Irish born, I intend to enter the diversity lotterey and perhaps have some luck there. I was also wondering about doing an MBA in the USA, maybe in a year or two. My question is, would this be a good way to find a job in the USA with a view to staying?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

[Bevdeforges]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Actually, doing an MBA in the States is not a bad way to set yourself up for a longer stay. But be advised it's the expensive way to do things. A good MBA program will cost you, and while you're on the student visa your ability to work is strictly limited to "pocket money" jobs.

You might want to check to see what your company's policy is on subsidizing your MBA. Part of the pricing of many MBA programs is based on the notion that most students are either being paid for by their employers, or are being reimbursed tuition and books (at least) by their employers. What would be ideal is to have your American employer transfer you to the US and then underwrite your MBA - though I wouldn't count on it for a relative new hire. (In a few years you might have a better chance at something like this.)
Cheers,
Bev

[synthia]

I don't know of any company that subsidizes full time MBA studies. I had a lot of experience with this, since I took courses in three different graduate programs while working for four different employers. The first employer paid the tuition and if you didn't get a good enough grade, expected you to pay them back. The next two employers were universities, one that let me take one course for free while working, the other an assistantship. The assistantship was a good deal. I worked forty hours per month for $100 and free tuition in a full time program. For the last program, I worked full time, paid my own tuition, and was reimbursed when I finished each class.

The military is the only organization I know of that will sponsor someone to get an MBA full time.

[Bevdeforges]

The military was exactly who I was thinking of! But I do know of a few companies that will send upper level executives (the really BIG brass) to these "executive MBA" programs. They meet full time for two weeks or so at a stretch - and several weekends (kind of like the Army Reserves) and at the end of a couple years you wind up with an MBA. Obviously not an option for our OP, but something to consider longer term.
Cheers,
Bev

[twostep]

Originally Posted by Bevdeforges

The military was exactly who I was thinking of! But I do know of a few companies that will send upper level executives (the really BIG brass) to these "executive MBA" programs. They meet full time for two weeks or so at a stretch - and several weekends (kind of like the Army Reserves) and at the end of a couple years you wind up with an MBA. Obviously not an option for our OP, but something to consider longer term.
Cheers,
Bev

No Green Card - no US Military and then only enlisted ranks and the initial enlistment period.
Bev you are talking about industry specific programms which run two to three years with crash courses of two weeks on a full time basis. And they are full time:>) Not to mention that you better shine or write resumes:>)

Why not enroll in the UK and add US exchange semesters? A few months CA may expose the poster to some real every day life here not the idea of sun/surf/easy living.

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by twostep

No Green Card - no US Military and then only enlisted ranks and the initial enlistment period.
Bev you are talking about industry specific programms which run two to three years with crash courses of two weeks on a full time basis. And they are full time:>) Not to mention that you better shine or write resumes:>)

Why not enroll in the UK and add US exchange semesters? A few months CA may expose the poster to some real every day life here not the idea of sun/surf/easy living.

Hi twostep - no, I was not suggesting that our OP consider enlisting in the US military. Just that they are the most "obvious" subsidized MBA students on campus.

The executive MBA programs I was thinking of are not industry specific. In fact, I just got a letter from my alma mater saying that they are re-establishing their executive MBA program. When I was in the "regular" MBA program (and a teaching assistant, subsidized by the university), we used to cadge invitations to the dinners for the executive MBA folks when they were in town doing their two week stints.

At the age of 23, doing an MBA is probably not the optimal approach to immigrating to America. (It's definitely not the cheapest.) But heck, if our OP has the dosh to go that route, more power to him.
Cheers,
Bev

[twostep]

Maybe we will hear from him again.

[Skippy13]

Thanks for all the information everyone Sorry im slow to respond, work has been very busy as of late. So to recap:

1) An MBA seems to be a good way to perhaps stay in the USA....could anyone define 'pocket money jobs'?
2) I think it would be some time before I am a big brass kinda employee. Im interested in the MBA for its benefits as well, not just as a route to staying. HOw much does an MBA typically cost? The likelihood is I would be funding it myself.
3) i agree Bev, being 23 is too young to be doing one and I dont have the funds yet. I was thinking more along the line of doing it at 26/27, finishing by 28/29 and then finding a job in the US and staying. Does this sound possible?
4) I intend to start entering the diversity lottery. Is this a total waste of time or is there a chance of winning the thing. I am eligible as im N.Irish born.
5) I have heard that when someone finishes their postgrad/mba, they can stay for an extra year to work/intern. Could anyone explain this further?

Sorry, lots of questions but I really do appreciate the advice. Thanks all!

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by Skippy13

1) An MBA seems to be a good way to perhaps stay in the USA....could anyone define 'pocket money jobs'?
2) I think it would be some time before I am a big brass kinda employee. Im interested in the MBA for its benefits as well, not just as a route to staying. HOw much does an MBA typically cost? The likelihood is I would be funding it myself.
3) i agree Bev, being 23 is too young to be doing one and I dont have the funds yet. I was thinking more along the line of doing it at 26/27, finishing by 28/29 and then finding a job in the US and staying. Does this sound possible?
4) I intend to start entering the diversity lottery. Is this a total waste of time or is there a chance of winning the thing. I am eligible as im N.Irish born.
5) I have heard that when someone finishes their postgrad/mba, they can stay for an extra year to work/intern. Could anyone explain this further?

1. If I understand correctly, on a student visa you can only work a "student job" on campus, and your hours are limited (I think to weekends and school holidays). It's literally pocket money, not enough to support yourself.

2. Depends on where you go. Check some of the better state universities with good business schools. Those will be your least expensive option (though you'll pay out-of-state rates).

3. 26/27 is a good age for this sort of thing. (Same age I started my MBA. )

4. Hey, if you are eligible for it, enter it and do so every year until you win.

5. I think there are some other folks here who have more info on this than I do. My understanding is that you can extend your stay by a year to get a little "work experience" - but if your employer likes you, it's then up to them to arrange for you to stay on.
Cheers,
Bev

[synthia]

I think where you are born is what controls the diversity lottery (Fatbrit has corrected me before, but I think I've got it right this time). The only UK natives that are eligible are those born in Northern Ireland. The rule is that if there have been 50,000 immigrants total or more over the previous five years from a country, that country is not eligible for the lottery.

An MBA will be very expensive. It's hard to judge how the market will be a few years from now. You do get a one-year visa to work in your field. Right now, those who are getting MBA's in June that already have job offers based on summer internships are worried that their offers will be withdrawn because of the economy. And I'm talking about students at Harvard and Wharton. If this market doesn't change, you could finish the MBA, not be able to find a job here, and end up returning to the UK. Obviously if you can get your degree from a name school like Stanford or one of the really good state school programs, like the University of Virginia, it would mean more both in the US and the UK. A magazine called US News and World Report does an annual rating of schools that you might find interesting.