More Indian women opting for MBAs abroad: Report
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New Delhi: An increasing number of Indian women are pursuing international MBA programs, with their presence in global classrooms rising steadily over the past decade, a new report revealed on Monday.
According to global student loan provider Prodigy Finance, women now make up around 42 per cent of MBA students worldwide, compared to just 28 per cent ten years ago. In 2024 alone, over 6,100 women enrolled in full-time MBA programs at leading universities, the highest figure recorded so far.
The trend is mirrored by a wider surge in international education. Data from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) showed that Indian student enrolments in Germany reached 49,483 in the Winter Semester of 2023-24, marking a 15.1 per cent rise from the previous year. Similarly, applications to Harvard Business School in the US increased by 21 per cent year-on-year.
These figures reflect more than academic ambition. “From tier II, III, and IV towns to top MBA programs abroad, Indian women are proving that ambition travels and impact comes back,” said Sonal Kapoor, Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance.
For many women, international MBAs represent a pathway to leadership positions and global career opportunities that were previously harder to access. Reports from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) also indicate that more than half of MBA programs worldwide are seeing a growing proportion of female applicants.
Flexible and hybrid learning options are proving especially attractive, enabling women to pursue higher education while balancing work and family responsibilities.
However, financing remains a major challenge, with the cost of an international MBA ranging between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 80 lakh. Prodigy Finance noted that education loans and innovative funding models are helping to ease access.
“Education has the power to transform lives. By backing women’s education, we are not only making learning more accessible but also enabling them to make a lasting impact in the business world,” Kapoor added.
