Key takeaways
- In the USA, F-1 students can apply for 12 months of Optional Practical Training, with a 24 month extension for STEM designated degrees.
- GOV.UK says the UK Graduate visa is 18 months for applications on or after 1 January 2027.
- Canada's post graduation work permit rules, including field of study requirements for some programmes, changed in 2024.
- Rules change often, so read the government page on the day you apply.
The right to work after your MBA is part of its return on investment, so read it before you pay a deposit. This guide covers the three destinations where Indian applicants most often ask. It is general information, not legal advice.
USA
- F-1 students can apply for Optional Practical Training for 12 months after completing their programme.
- A degree on the DHS STEM designated list can add a 24 month STEM OPT extension. Ask your school whether its MBA is STEM designated, because designation depends on the programme.
- Longer term work visas are limited and subject to selection rules and fees that have been changing, so read the USCIS pages when you plan.
Fees and tables for ten schools are on the USA page.
UK
The Graduate visa lets you stay to work or look for work after an eligible course. GOV.UK states that you can stay for 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. Before that date the length may differ, so check the page for your application date. See the UK page and our UK guide.
Canada
Eligible graduates can apply for a post graduation work permit. The rules changed in 2024, including field of study requirements for some programmes, and they have continued to change. Read the IRCC page for your specific programme before you apply, and see our Canada and Singapore guide.
Europe and Singapore
Rules depend on the country. For Europe read the national immigration site of France, Spain or Italy. For Singapore read the Ministry of Manpower pages. Both are covered on the Europe page and Singapore page.
How to use this in your decision
- Write down how long you could legally work after graduating in each country.
- Ask schools for their latest employment report for international students.
- Estimate what happens if you have to return to India sooner than planned.
- Use that to compare the total cost and the likely return, not only the fees.
Questions to ask each school
- What share of international students got jobs in the country within a few months of graduating?
- Is the MBA STEM designated, if you plan to use the US extension?
- Do you offer visa support, and what does it cover?
- Which employers sponsored work visas for graduates in recent years?
- What do graduates do when they cannot stay, and how does the career team help them?
Plan for more than one outcome
Build one plan in which you stay and work abroad and another in which you return to India after the programme. Compare the debt, the expected salary and the network in each case. If the plan only works in one of them, reconsider the programme or the funding. Read our funding plan guide for how to stress test repayment.
Fees change every year and each school sets its own. The figures here come from the schools' own pages and were checked in October 2026, so confirm them on the school site before you decide. This guide is for planning and is not an offer from any school.