Earn a Spot in a Top American Online MBA Program

The U.S. is the No. 1 place prospective students want to earn an MBA.

From October 2012 through September 2013, about 70 percent of business school applicants said they preferred to study in the country, convinced U.S. schools had the best global reputations, according to a 2104 survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council.

For many years, U.S. schools remained out of reach for international students tied to their home countries by families, jobs and the cost of moving abroad. But today, with many of the top U.S. business schools offering online programs, international students can complete a well-respected U.S. MBA program from China, Canada or wherever they call home.

[Explore why online MBAs offer an easier admissions path.]

Getting accepted into one of the top online graduate business programs isn't as tough as one might expect. At the top 11 programs ranked by U.S. News, for example, an average of 71 percent of students were accepted in 2012-2013. But that doesn't mean international students shouldn't put a lot of thought and effort into their applications. Students from outside the U.S. can emphasize certain parts of their application to maximize their chance of acceptance, admissions officials say.

The online graduate business programs ranked highly by U.S. News typically have the same criteria for their international applicants as their U.S. applicants: a strong undergraduate academic record, high test scores on the GRE or GMAT, a resume with solid work experience, compelling reference letters and a well-written essay.

But international students have the added hurdle of demonstrating their mastery of English, which they'll have to show by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, or other exam.

"Language barriers can sometimes be more pronounced in an online environment and in graduate level education, making a certain level of language proficiency important," says Kathy Harper, director of marketing strategy for the University of Florida's Hough Graduate School of Business -- ranked No. 3.

At the online graduate business program at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, ranked No. 2 by U.S. News, officials typically look for Internet-based TOEFL scores of 100 or higher, says Ruthie Pyles, director of admissions and recruitment for the school. She says students should put equal focus on the verbal, written and listening portions of the exam, since all of these areas will be challenged in the online environment.

If students choose to submit a GRE score instead of a GMAT score, they should also try to do well on the verbal portion of the test, Harper says .

Students should demonstrate their English skills throughout their application, including in essays and resumes, Pyles says. Another good way to impress an admissions committee is to have someone mention a student's strong English skills in a reference letter, she says.

Anja Oertel, a student from Berlin, Germany who pursued an online MBA through the University of Florida, recommends students take another step to ensure their written English come across well: "Have an English-native speaker read over everything," she says.

[Discover MBA programs with the most international students.]

International students should also use their essays or resumes to emphasize any experience they've had working virtually with people from other cultures, admissions officials say.

"With the rise of international business and with these virtual workplaces becoming more and more common I think it would be definitely be something an admissions committee would want to know more about," says Eric Spoonmore, associate director of enrollment management for Kelley Direct, Indiana University's online business school program -- ranked No. 1 by U.S. News.

Since Indiana's program, where 25 percent of students are international, tries to simulate a diverse, online workplace, students would be wise to emphasize how their professional experience has prepared them for that environment, he says.

Another way international students can successfully showcase their assets during the application process is by focusing on any experience they've had with U.S. business culture, experts say.

"Anytime they can talk about their experience both internationally and here domestically, that will set them apart from other applicants," says Pyles with Arizona State University. "It doesn't provide an advantage but it's something to highlight. The fact they have exposure to a U.S.-based company culture is interesting for us to know. That might be something where we say, 'Oh, maybe they haven't spent time here but they understand the company culture.'"

[ Master the MBA interview as an international candidate.]

Even when schools post their application criteria online, students may still have questions.

Oertel, who wanted an MBA from a U.S. school but couldn't move there with her then two-year-old son, says one way to make sure you are on track is to participate in an online information session.

Pyles and other admissions officials at top online MBA programs say they are eager to admit international students. The three highest-ranked online MBA programs, for example, don't have enrollment caps on international students.

"We want that diversity of background -- everything from where they went to school to what they are currently doing," says Harper from the University of Florida. "All of these different perspectives add to the overall perspective of every student."

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Devon Haynie is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering online education. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dhaynie@usnews.com.