Asian-Born Student Picked Barcelona Over America for His MBA

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Prahlad Narasimhan Chari, 30, an MBA student who was applying to a university in the US but withdrew his application and went to a school in Barcelona. His words have been edited for length and clarity.

Everyone around me in Hong Kong — and my relatives in India — seemed to think that pursuing an MBA in the US was the obvious choice. Friends and cousins who had gone before me raved about their experiences.

But I didn’t do it.

Instead, I pulled the plug on my US application. The decision felt big at the time — even a little risky.

I grew up in Asia

I was born in India, and my dad’s job as a marine engineer had my family moving often — first across India, then to Guangzhou, China when I was 10. Four years later, we moved again, this time to Hong Kong, where I spent my teens and early adulthood.

I stayed in Hong Kong for college and graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2017. I hadn’t considered going to the US for my undergrad — my parents were funding my education and couldn’t afford it.

After graduating and spending a summer traveling across Asia, I started working at Philip Morris International as a management trainee.

A few years later, I pivoted into cybersecurity, managing both technical and commercial teams. I loved the problem-solving aspect of it, but I knew I was hitting a ceiling when it came to business fluency.

I didn’t feel like I could confidently speak the language of finance or strategy in the boardroom. That’s what led me to apply for an MBA.

I started prepping for business school applications in August 2023 and hit submit between November and December that year.

Business schools in the US

I was applying to the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, but withdrew my application after I was accepted to IESE Business School in Barcelona.

I had been interested in Darden because, like Harvard and IESE, it offers a fully case-based curriculum. I had also considered applying to Harvard, but given that my GMAT score was not outstanding, it felt like a long shot.

Outside the US, I also considered London Business School and HEC Paris Business School.

Everyone around me — including my dad — assumed I’d head to the US. Many of my cousins had already settled there.

But for me, the decision came down to three things: cost, visa uncertainty, and a chance to explore Europe.

1. Cost

First, the financial reality. I’m self-funding my living expenses and half the MBA costs. For the other half, I’ve taken out a loan in Barcelona. A US program may have cost me double the price of one in Europe, not just in tuition, but also in living costs.

The degree at IESE costs 105,000 euros, or $121,000, and runs for 19 months. In comparison, Darden’s program takes 21 months and costs $121,108 per year — adding up to over $240,000.

In Spain, I’m paying around €900 a month in rent. My total spending — including traveling around Europe, food, and events — adds up to around €2,000 a month.

2. Visa

I knew that staying and working in the US post-MBA would not be guaranteed with an Indian passport. I’d have to go through the H-1B lottery system, which I’ve heard has become increasingly unreliable. And, with the ongoing Trump Harvard ban, the current outlook is more uncertain for immigrants.

Europe, by contrast, does have some post-study work options, and Spain in particular has been open to international graduates looking to stay and build careers.

3. Europe

Third — and maybe most importantly — I was ready for a change in lifestyle. After living in Asia for most of my life, I wanted to experience Europe.

Since making the move, I’ve realized that Barcelona appeals to me not just for its climate and culture, but for its work-life balance.

People here value time and productivity in a different way. For example, I rarely see people scrolling on their phones here, in comparison to Hong Kong, where you’ll see couples staring at their devices while on a date. The pace of life in Hong Kong often felt overwhelming.

At first, in Barcelona, I was frustrated by things like shops closing on Sundays, but now, I value that built-in pause.

I now have time to cook, time to rest, time to hike. I’m learning to live slower, and I didn’t realize how much I needed that.

No regrets

I moved to Barcelona in March 2024, four months after getting accepted to IESE.

My first year has been everything I hoped for. The program has around 450 students, split into six sections, each with around 75 students. The classroom is diverse, intense, and collaborative.

My team includes people from Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, England, Chile, and the US, and I’ve learned as much from them as I have from the curriculum.

I’ve also just secured a summer internship with a company in Barcelona. I’d love to stay in Spain or maybe move to the Netherlands, Germany, or the UK.

There were moments of doubt when I decided not to consider US schools, but the day I met my MBA team — eight people from eight different countries — I knew I’d made the right call.

For some, the US makes total sense. But for me, and others — especially those who are international, self-funded, and aiming for global careers — Europe has a lot to offer.

It did for me.