76% of German aspiring business students considering studying abroad

The number of aspiring German business students favouring Germany as their preferred destination has increased, 19% to 27%, according to a new report by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

The survey finds that most prospective students, over three-quarters, are thinking about studying abroad.

However, the results showed a notable decline in the number of prospective German students interested in studying in the United Kingdom, dropping from 19% last year to just 9% in this year's survey.

These findings are from GMAC's annual Prospective Student Survey, conducted to measure the needs and demands of aspiring students in management and business education.

The Master of Finance continues to be the preferred degree choice for aspiring German applicants, with 29% expressing their preference for it. Following closely is the Master of Management (19%) and Master of International Management (10%), mirroring the same order as observed in last year's survey.

The survey also found that 49% of German prospective students are considering a two-year MBA, up from 32% last year.

Additionally, 40% are contemplating a one-year MBA, while 15% are considering flexible and part-time MBA options.

Overall, the survey shows more people are thinking about doing both Master's and MBA programmes. Last year, only about a third were open to both, but this year it's more than half. Fewer people are only thinking about doing an MBA or a Master programme this year compared to last year.

“Regionally in Europe, we’re still seeing the one-year MBA be the preferred programme that aspiring applicants are considering”, says Nalisha Patel, Regional Director at GMAC for Europe.

“But in Germany, master programmes continue to dominate the top preferred programmes for those considering a management education. And for MBAs, the two-year MBA is outranking its one-year counterpart.”

While consulting remains the main career ambition for aspiring students, with 76% planning to pursue this path, there has been a notable shift in industry preferences. This year's survey indicates that more aspiring students are considering entering the Finance/Accounting (51%), Consulting (49%), and Technology (35%) industries, surpassing the Products & Services industry, which was the most considered industry in last year's survey at 61%.

The GMAC annual Prospective Students Survey provides insights into the evolving preferences of prospective students across regions.

This year, the survey collected responses from 4,105 participants spanning 132 countries. Among them, 61% were from Gen Z.

These results underscore significant shifts in applicant demographics and their preferences, especially considering the increasing importance of Gen Z in the student pipeline for business schools.

/ENDS

Founded in 1953, GMAC is a global association of leading graduate business schools and provides valuable insights into the evolving trends and challenges shaping graduate management education globally.

To speak with Nalisha Patel, or a copy of the GMAC 2024 Prospective Student Survey, please contact Alexandre Lopez at BlueSky Education at alex@bluesky-pr.com or call +44 (0)1582 797959.