An article published on the site Poets & Quants reports that the number of applications to British MBA programs fell 20% last year as a result of changes made by the British government in visa policies. These changes made the British MBA programs less attractive for international students. The government’s new policy revoked MBA graduates’ right to stay and work in Britain for two years post-graduation, and not only hurt the number of applicants but also their recruitment.

This conclusion was attained through a survey of 41 British business schools. The fear that the government’s new restriction would make it very difficult for non-European graduates to get a work permit is apparently well-founded. Up till now 90% of the British MBA students were foreign, but presently the number of applications from the U.S., China, and mainly India is on the decline. The survey showed 62% of the schools reported on average a 15% decrease in the number of students. The 41 schools that participated in the survey reported that they received 26,090 applications last year, and accepted 13,484 candidates, of whom 8,081 registered for studies.

 

Put Me in Business (applying in less than a year)
Put Me in Business (applying in more than a year)