Every year about 90 thousand people leave their jobs and spend a considerable amount of time and money to enroll in a MBA program in the US. The motivation for these people varies from person to person, but is usually related to advancing faster in their careers and/or getting a better job.

Among the MBA students, approximately 30% are international. Among the international students, a fairly large group (close to 50%, or roughly 13,500) decides to get a job and stay legally in the world’s largest and richest economy. For them, the MBA is not only a catapult into a better job, but also the opportunity to broaden their geographic horizons.

For an international student, the road to an MBA is even more complicated. It usually means leaving behind their country, friends and family. It means having to adapt to a different environment and culture. It is a lot more expensive and little financing is available. But worse of all, the job-search process is particularly challenging.

The job search for international students is characterized by anxiety and confusion. The idea of having a foreign person staying and working in the US is touchy for most Americans, and most people will try to avoid the subject. Thus, you will rarely find a book or a guide to help you. You had to rely on the scarce information available and on word of mouth from those who have been there before you.

Although word of mouth is a great source of information, it is rarely reliable or accurate. Those who have been there are usually to busy, to biased (considering their particular experience), or outdated to provide accurate advice. This prompted us to write this guide to compile all the knowledge and experiences of those who have succeeded in the past.

Whether you are about to begin an MBA, in the middle of this process, or planning to attend a Business-School in the foreseeable future, this guide is for you. Written by ex-MBA students for MBA students, it will guide you through the process and provide you with the most useful tips collected over the years.