Emory Goizueta’s International MBA Enrollment Plunges 9 Points In One Year

International enrollment in Emory University’s Goizueta Business School has taken a sharp turn downward in its newest two-year MBA class. After standing at 50% of the Class of 2024 and 48% of the Class of 2025, the proportion of international students fell to 45% last year and has dropped again to 36% of the newly enrolled Class of 2027. 

Students in the new class represent 18 countries, one more than last year. But the new class’s overall mix is now notably more domestic.

Goizueta is not alone in facing this challenge. Peer schools across the United States have also reported steep drops in international enrollment this year. Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, among others, have each struggled to maintain their global mix, reflecting the impact of shifting U.S. visa policies, rising costs, the widespread perception of antipathy toward skilled immigration emanating from the Trump administration, and heightened competition from schools abroad. 

(One school that shares a home city with Emory, however, has bucked the trend: Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, whose international population rebounded this fall after a sharp decline. Scheller went from 37% international in the Class of 2025 — enrolled shortly after the program was designated STEM — to just 24% in the Class of 2024, amid a steep drop in yield. This year, however, the school’s yield recovered, and Scheller enrolled a class comprised of 43% international students.)

EMORY GOIZUETA 2-YEAR MBA CLASSES BY THE NUMBERS, 2022-2025

Data	MBA Class of 2027	Class of 2026	Class of 2025	Class of 2024
Class size	128	128	125	113
Applications	1581	1383	1104	1055
Admits	450	509	432	391
Acceptance rate	32%	36.8%	39.1%	37.1%
Yield	28.4%	25.1%	28.9%	43.5%
Avg. GMAT (Classic)	723	705	709	700
Avg. GMAT Focus	648	—	—	—
Avg. GPA	3.5	3.5	3.47	3.38
Women	38%	32%	34%	33%
Internationals	36%	45%	48%	50%

Source: Emory

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ACADEMIC STRENGTH RISES

Emory’s MBA Class of 2027 totals 128 students, unchanged from last year and slightly above the 125 enrolled in the Class of 2025 and 113 in the Class of 2024. Applications rose to 1,581, the fourth consecutive year of growth, up from 1,383 the year before, 1,104 in the Class of 2025, and 1,055 for the Class of 2024.

With demand on the rise, Goizueta admitted 450 candidates for the new class, for an acceptance rate of 32% — down from 36.8% in the prior cycle and 39.1% the year before that. Yield increased to 28.4%, from 25.1% for the Class of 2026.

Academic strength is a defining characteristic of the new class. The average GMAT score climbed to 723, up from 705 for the Class of 2026, 709 for the Class of 2025, and 700 for the Class of 2024. For the first time this fall, Emory also reported an average GMAT Focus score, which came in at 648. The average GPA held steady at 3.5, same as last year and above 3.47 for the Class of 2025 and 3.38 for the Class of 2024.

BACKGROUNDS & INDUSTRIES

Gender representation, meanwhile, shows progress. Women comprise 38% of Emory’s new MBA class, up from 32% of the Class of 2026, 34% of the Class of 2025, and 33% of the Class of 2024. The figure represents a school record for women’s MBA enrollment.

Diversity benchmarks also remain strong. Underrepresented minorities make up 41% of the new class, a big jump from 28% of the Class of 2026 and 25% of the Class of 2025.

Academic backgrounds are varied. Thirty-one percent of the Class of 2027 studied business as undergraduates, followed by 20% in social sciences, 13% each in science and humanities, 10% in engineering, 5% in economics, 3% in computer science, 3% in public health, and 2% in law. The GPA range spans from 2.67 to 4.0, demonstrating wide-ranging scholastic achievement.

Pre-MBA industry experience is equally diverse. Financial services is the largest feeder at 20%, followed by consulting at 16%, government at 13%, technology at 11%, consumer products at 7%, and media/entertainment at 8%. Smaller shares come from healthcare, nonprofit, manufacturing, real estate, and energy. The school also reports that 16% of new students have military backgrounds, adding to the class’s professional diversity.

DON’T MISS UCLA ANDERSON’S INTERNATIONAL MBA POPULATION HAS DECLINED BY 1/4 IN TWO YEARS and FUQUA TOPS 4,000 MBA APPLICATIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME — BUT LOSES GENDER PARITY 

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