How To Make The Most Of An MBA In Europe

There are a multitude of reasons to pursue an MBA in Europe beyond simply the delicious food, old churches, and stunning coastlines (although these are undoubtedly a bonus).

According to the Financial Times, Europe is home to several of the world’s top MBA programs recognized for their quality of education, cohort diversity, and impressive graduate salaries.

So, for those ready to embark on their next adventure, how can you make the most of your Europe-based MBA? 

1. Immerse yourself in the culture

Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as a child Jennifer Elie (pictured right) was fascinated by cosmetics and beauty. She later moved to the US, where she spent years working across various companies in the cosmetics industry. 

However, Jennifer began to feel she’d need to further develop her business skillset to keep progressing in her career. She considered pursuing an MBA, alongside the possibility of exploring a new place. 

“I’ve always been naturally curious about the movement of the world,” she says. “I wanted to have a European experience.” 

To satisfy both curiosities, Jennifer applied to study an MBA at HEC Paris—Europe’s top-ranked business school. Once accepted, she took the leap, moving across continents to one of the globe’s most dynamic cities.

Of course, as Jennifer discovered, immersing yourself in a new country also involves some proactive steps—which can include learning the lingua franca or reading up on social etiquette.  

“Paris is a very cosmopolitan city. However, I think from a politeness and a social assimilation point of view, it helps to speak a little bit of the local language,” Jennifer advises. 

Since she grew up in Haiti, Jennifer already spoke French. But even for those who aren’t fluent in a country’s native tongue, MBA students can still maximize their experience by watching informative videos, reading guidebooks, or taking a language course. 

2. Get to know your classmates 

Within the Financial Times MBA Ranking, European schools far outperform the US when it comes to the proportion of international students. 

Diversity can make a significant difference to the richness of your MBA experience, as the opportunity to work alongside classmates from varied backgrounds opens you up to new ideas, learning styles, and even future career opportunities. 

The eclectic nature of the HEC Paris MBA cohort, which consists of 94% international students, meant that Jennifer was able to have enriching conversations with classmates from across the globe. 

HEC Paris is also home to more than 140 clubs and extracurricular opportunities, getting involved with life on campus is a great way to get to know your cohort. 

3. Study in multiple locations 

The high level of interconnectivity between Europe’s business schools means there are a multitude of programs allowing students to study between two or more destinations.

For example, as part of Jennifer’s MBA, she chose to spend a semester away from HEC Paris, studying at the highly-ranked Bocconi University in Milan. 

Her experience meant that not only did she have the opportunity to broaden her education, she was also able to have fun discovering a new city.

“I love everything about Italy. I arrived about three weeks before the course started, so I had enough time to get comfortable and unpack and explore,” Jennifer says. 

At HEC Paris, MBA students are also able to complete an international exchange at prestigious business schools across the world, including the UK, Spain, Australia, and the US. 

4. Make the most of affordable travel

For better or worse, it’s hard to beat Europe when it comes to budget airlines. With flights regularly on offer for as little as $30 between cities like London, Paris, and Prague, there is plenty of opportunity to see some of the world’s most famous sights, even on a student budget. 

When Boston-born Nathaniel Alden (pictured right) decided to enroll in the HEC Paris MBA, a large part of the appeal was the chance to not only explore Paris, but also to make the most of his proximity to other major European destinations. 

“One of my primary goals in doing an MBA in Europe was to get was to gain international experience and deepen my understanding of how business is conducted on a global scale,” Nathaniel reveals. 

Of course, travelling is not just about being a tourist. Exploring new terrain and observing an unfamiliar way of life is integral to developing your multicultural communication—a crucial skill in the modern business world.

Nathaniel capturing the breathtaking views of Ireland's rugged west coast © Nathaniel Alden

5. Make lucrative connections in the start-up industry 

While the US has traditionally dominated the startup scene, Europe is becoming an increasingly attractive region for aspiring entrepreneurs, with the region now taking more than a third of global early-stage venture capital investments. 

“The French tech start-up scene is an ecosystem I'm quite interested in,” Nathaniel shares.  

Through his MBA, he was able to land an internship with XAnge, a European venture capital fund specializing in exciting areas such as AI, deep tech, and sustainability.  

At HEC Paris, MBA students have the option to specialize in entrepreneurship and to take part in the Creative Destruction Lab which allows students to innovate in business areas including climate, space, and AI. 

Whether you see yourself as an entrepreneur or more of a manager, emerging businesses provide an excellent opportunity to become an intrinsic part of a company and build an exciting career. 

As Jennifer and Nathaniel have shared, these are just some of the best ways to make the most of studying an MBA in Europe.