Most students eventually come across the hard choice of whether they should continue their studies or take some time off to travel. Both choices could potentially delay their entry in the job market, but international business schools have an answer. By enrolling in international programs, students can continue their education, travel, and make connections for future jobs, all at the same time.

International business schools are looking for global-minded students open to new experiences. In these different degree programs, students can sometimes study in several locations around the world by the time their program ends.

Our ideal student understands the new globalized business world. They have a desire to gain hands-on international experience, not just learn from case studies in the classroom, says Dana Cordova, North American regional marketing manager at Hult International Business School, based out of Boston, San Francisco, New York, London, Dubai, Shanghai, and São Paulo. We actively seek out individuals with unique backgrounds and experiences who not only fit our student profile but who will, more importantly, enrich the experience of the entire student body.

Over 80 per cent of Hult's students come from outside North America, making for a culturally enriching and challenging educational experience that prepares graduates for the global job market.

Every student is in the same boat where they are moving to a new place which is unfamiliar and they're wanting to make friends and adjust to the new culture, so one of the challenges is you're starting an intensive graduate program and, at the same time, adapting to that new culture, explains Jennifer Differ, Hult's North American director of enrolment. And a lot of graduate school is not just the courses, but preparing to find a job, so a lot of that is building your network and getting know the city and its people.

Students who enrol in international business schools can expect to be immersed in the real-life business world and are often instructed by working professionals who either manage their own companies or have worked for the world's top corporations.

We teach students something we call ÔÇÿglobal fluency,' a skill which, to us, means more than language, explains Adam Conner-Simons, communications coordinator for Brandeis International Business School, an American school with research links to overseas institutes such as the Asia-Pacific Center for Economics and Business. It means having a firm grasp of cultural nuances, recognizing the interplay of economic, political, and social forces, understanding the dynamics of cross-border commerce, and finding opportunity in volatility across global markets. It means knowing how the world works and being able to thrive in it.

And best of all, when students come out of an international business school, they have a decided employment advantage over students who have done their studies domestically. You're able to show employers that you've not only studied international business, but actually had international exposure. You've seen the way business is run in different markets and through team projects you've learned to work with people from diverse cultures, says Differ. In a world that's so global now, that can definitely set a graduate apart.

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