Hello Duncan/All,

I am an Indian looking to switch my career and I would love to get some suggestions regarding my college options. I have received two admissions from the following universities:

CRANFIELD - MSc in Management (UK)
TIAS - MSc in Business Administration (Netherlands)
As for my professional background, I have 5-6 years of experience as a software developer, solely focusing on coding.

The reason why I am pursuing an MSc is to make a career switch. I have been considering this switch for a couple of years and have researched various career paths that align with my interests. I am particularly interested in consulting and have found management/strategic consultancy to be well-suited to my taste. However, given my background in the IT sector, I am open to pursuing the role of a business analyst in IT firms as well.

There is almost a £12,000 difference in fees between the two colleges, with Cranfield charging around £32,000 and TIAS around £20,000 (including scholarship). While I am aware of the local language situation in European countries, I have found that almost 80% of the NL population speaks English, with high acceptance rates. Additionally, I am open to learning Dutch and taking courses during my MSc. TIAS ranks consistently in FT, with its international mobility ranking higher than its overall ranking. On the other hand, Cranfield ranks high in QS for Masters in Management ranking, leaving me in a bit of a dilemma.

Considering these specifics, I would love to know the following:

1. Which college should I choose?
2. Is the NL or UK market more friendly for international students to find jobs after completing an MSc/MScBA?
3. While I am not too worried about the living costs during my studies, I would like to know whether there is a significant difference. I have researched various accommodation situations and found that the cost is relatively similar.
4.TIAS is a top 3 college in NL, if I'm not mistaken. Would this significantly boost my chances of getting a job in NL?

The real questions here are: what are your goals and why have you applied to these schools. Other things being equal, the UK is a more accessible market for you. You seem to underestimate the language barrier. However, Tias is a much better school than Cranfield so other things are not equal. If you can get into Tias, perhaps you can get into Bath or Warwick. 

Yes, I will elaborate on what's on my mind now and the reasons behind the applications. As I mentioned earlier, I am looking to switch my career to the consulting/Business analysis field. Initially, I want to have a general idea of the fields I would like to target after my studies, which include management/strategic consulting/Business Analysis. However, after enrolling in college, I plan to discuss with faculty, career services, and alumni to narrow down my options. I am also open to exploring other opportunities since an MSC in management is a more general degree. Please correct me if I am wrong. The reason behind this thought process is that electives/specialisations may lead me in a new direction, or discussions with fellow colleagues or career services may bring up other options.
The reason why I haven't applied to Bath is that it ranked lower in the ranking when compared to Cranfield. For Warwick, I thought getting admission would be difficult as it's ranked very high, so instead, I applied to Edinburgh, but I haven't received a response yet. Additionally, most high-ranked universities charge a good amount of application fees, so it's practically impossible for me to apply to all of them. Moreover, while the internship opportunity offered by Cranfield looks promising on paper, I am not sure how effective they are. TIAS offers change management or Business analysis as specialisation, and the fee is much less compared to Cranfield. Also, since the Netherlands has a high English acceptance rate, I thought finding a job would not be a herculean task. However, the post-study work visa is one year compared to two years in the UK.

Normally, in one year with a good degree you can find a job in the Netherlands in English. France would be a totally different story :) (I know it is not in the description but to give you a different perspective).
Dutch will give you an advantage that is clear but you can find a job without. 

[Edited by Andy776 on Mar 23, 2023]

Why do you think Bath's ranking is inferior to Cranfield? Looking at the FT 2021 MiM ranking, when they were both in that ranking last, Bath seems stronger. 

Normally, in one year with a good degree you can find a job in the Netherlands in English. France would be a totally different story :) (I know it is not in the description but to give you a different perspective).
Dutch will give you an advantage that is clear but you can find a job without. 

Why do you think Bath's ranking is inferior to Cranfield? Looking at the FT 2021 MiM ranking, when they were both in that ranking last, Bath seems stronger. 

There are major shifts in the UK macroeconomy. Most UK schools are falling long term.

[Edited by Duncan on Mar 24, 2023]

There are major shifts in the UK macroeconomy. Most UK schools are falling long term.

Looking at the data in the rankings, what do you suppose? I am surprised you need to ask. 

Looking at the data in the rankings, what do you suppose? I am surprised you need to ask. 

[Edited by Skutty90 on Mar 25, 2023]

I suggest you look at the data used in the rankings as they are averaged out but the specfic attributes that matter to, such as employment,  salary or careers support.  

An undergraduate ranking like CUG isn't as useful to you as the MiM rankings. 

For consulting Dutch is needed but for other roles in multinationals it is not. 

There are major shifts in the UK macroeconomy. Most UK schools are falling long term.

Once upon a time there were only universities around the Mediterranean, and now there are universities all over the world. Once, there were world class business schools only in the USA, and now they are all over the world. Other countries' institutions are rising up to world-class levels. So, for example, in the 1990s, eight of the top 50 business schools were in the UK, and now it's only five. That's not because British schools are getting worse: it's because schools in other countries are rising up. This trend will continue for the next 50 years.