Students, particularly those holding Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degrees, are losing interest in pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in the United States following the proposal to impose a $1,00,000 fee linked to Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Students said the proposed fee could make studying in the US financially unviable, as OPT provides international graduates with an opportunity to gain practical work experience in their chosen fields after completing their courses.
For BBA graduates planning to pursue an MBA, the opportunity to work in the US after graduation is an important factor in deciding whether to invest lakhs of rupees in overseas education. They said the additional financial burden could discourage many students from choosing the country.
Sridhar, a BBA student from Hyderabad, said, “MBA in the US is already a huge investment. OPT is one of the main reasons we consider studying there, as it gives us an opportunity to gain international work experience. If we have to pay such a huge amount, it defeats the purpose of spending so much on higher education.”
An MBA student studying in Michigan said the uncertainty was also worrying those already pursuing their degrees. “OPT is extremely important for us to gain experience. I plan on moving back to India, and having one year’s experience under my belt can land me a better opportunity. Without it, I won’t get good opportunities, and neither can I get some return on my educational investment. My friends in India are already dropping plans,” the student said.
Dinesh M., a consultant based in the city, said “Students go to the United States for quality education, and to gain valuable work experience. Adding a $70,000 fee for the university’s first applicant for OPT, and a $100,000 fee for every applicant thereafter, will burden universities and they will not file OPT applications for most students. It creates a big gap among students’ experiences.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
