7 pc rise in management courses applications globally despite economic, political volatility: GMAC

New Delhi, Oct 22 (PTI) Despite reported concerns about economic and political volatility, MBA programmes worldwide saw a seven per cent rise in applications in 2025, according to an annual survey by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

Notably, major graduate management education (GME) hubs such as Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom experienced application contractions as their tighter visa policies and labour market uncertainty discouraged international applicants.

According to the survey, while US programmes recorded a slight one-point decrease, in Canada and the UK, the drop was pronounced, with 84 per cent of Canadian programmes and two-thirds of UK programmes reporting fewer applications.

By contrast, applications to programmes in Asia and Europe (outside of the UK) surged ahead, attracting applicants redirected from other regions.

International application growth was particularly strong in India (up 26 pc) and East and Southeast Asia (up 42 pc), highlighting the success of their business schools in marketing strategies and reputational gains.

The next era of business education is being reshaped by changing student and employer expectations, challenging geopolitics, and new skill demand prompted by technologies like AI, says Joy Jones, CEO at GMAC.

"Despite reported concerns with economic and political volatility, applications to all GME programmes continued to grow in 2025, driven by interest in full-time, in-person programmes. Total international applications were largely steady in 2025—but flowing away from top global hubs like Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom and toward Asia and the rest of Europe," the survey report said.

The annual Application Trends Survey from GMAC provides the world’s graduate business schools with data and insights to understand current trends in applications sent to GME programmes.

"Applications to MBA programmes grew modestly in 2025, buoyed by full-time, two-year programmes. Nearly all reported business master’s programmes—with the exception of Master of Business Analytics programmes—experienced both domestic and international application growth in 2025," it SAID.

"While some regions and programme offerings might face serious headwinds, this year's application growth gives strong evidence that business schools are quickly adapting to these dynamics through innovative curricula and industry-aligned experiences, positioning themselves for long-term relevance," Jones said.

This report covers changes in the volume of applications, including MBA and business master's programmes, along with examinations of today's applicant pool and new business school offerings related to artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability and non-degree credentials.

"AI in the classroom is now mainstream, with only 16 percent of programmes reporting no AI integration in 2025, down from 22 percent last year. More than half of schools now teach AI as a tool for decision-making, business strategy, and societal impact, often through hands-on experiences," the report said.

"Three in four programmes now offer opportunities to study sustainability, most commonly through MBA curricula. Candidate demand is clear -- 63 per cent of prospective students responding to GMAC’s 2025 survey say sustainability is important to their studies. Regionally, Asian programmeMESs outside of Greater China and India are the most likely to require studying the subject and those in the United States the least likely," it added.

The survey noted that globally, women continue to make up just over 40 pc of GME applicants, a level that has held for more than a decade.

"In 2025, although the median share of women applicants rose only one point, women applied to MBA programmes at a faster rate than men and their representation among business master’s applicants held steady just below parity," it said. PTI GJS GJS RT RT RT