This week, the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business announced a guaranteed loan program for international students that covers the full cost of tuition, housing and related expenses. According to a statement released by the school, all international students in the MBA and PhD programs qualify for the loan program and no U.S. cosigner is required.

The new program replaces one that ended abruptly in July when the Illinois Designated Account Purchase Program (IDAPP) failed to renew its line of credit due to disruptions in the capital markets. Administered by Citibank, the Chicago GSB International Loan Program is available to returning students as well as new students entering the school in September.

“In order to obtain the best terms for our students, the school is contributing funding to the new program,” says Rosemaria Martinelli, associate dean for student recruitment and admissions, adding that compared with the previous loan program, the new rates and terms are more favorable to students.

The school is committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of citizenship, have access to funds by the start of classes on September 25, Martinelli explains. An online application will be used to simplify the process for applying for a loan. Students will be able to borrow up to $150,000 and have 20 years to repay. Payments can be deferred to begin six months after graduation.

The University’s arrangement with Citibank is for one year. Beginning next year, Martinelli says Chicago GSB expects to offer international students a choice of several loan programs from multiple lenders.

What’s on the minds of Chicago GSB students? Read these blogs to find out.

http://i4iday.blogspot.com/

http://run-forrest.blogspot.com/

http://the-dirty-canuck.blogspot.com/

http://tombaornot.blogspot.com/

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.

Read on for real stories from MBA applicants and students…

MaybeMBA shares some gripes as she deals with the frustrations of crafting a meaningful courseload at Chicago GSB and an internship experience that has made her question her career choice.

On the Kenan-Flagler blog, Susanna Schick posts about lessons learned by she and her classmates as they wrap up their summer internships.

Leonidas poses an interesting question about essay writing style, asking whether fellow bloggers use an inductive or deductive approach.

StairwaytoMBA is looking forward to a ten-day trip to Boston and New York this week, with plans to visit Wharton and hopes of visiting HBS. Also, things are moving slowly, painfully, yet steadily on the application and recommendations fronts.

Soni is feeling mighty fine now that he’s submitted his first application…ahead of schedule! Stay tuned for an update from Soni after he attends the MBADiversity’s Annual Symposium in Cambridge, Mass., next weekend.

HappyBunny is singing the blues after receiving peer feedback on her essays. Reviewers say either her team failure is too minor, or she’s trying to play hero. Should she really regret not having made huge mistakes in life so far, knock on wood?

July Dream is gearing up for the start of classes today at Darden while still trying to find some time for herself in the midst of several pleasant, but exhausting, gatherings. Read her blog to learn whether she found last week’s Personal Career Assessment Program and Career Discovery Forum worthwhile.

TinyDancer has a call to action for all bloggers to speak on the subject of poverty on October 15. This Wharton student hopes many b-school bloggers will join her in sharing their thoughts on the issue.

Tryst With MBA shares a link to the Flesch-Kincaid readability ease test for your essays. After pasting his essays into the readability index calculator, the results were a mixed bag. But try it out…it looks very interesting.

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.

Stacy Blackman’s Weekly Roundup of B-School Intelligence

To help marketers, the Healthcare Communication & Marketing Association (HCMA) and Northwestern University’s Kellogg Health Industry Management Program have united to develop a strategic marketing executive program. Mark Tran, HCMA’s Executive Education Committee chair, says “The HCMA and the Kellogg School of Business Management have designed this program to benefit marketing executives in the pharmaceutical, bio-pharma, diagnostics, and medical device industries.”

Columbia Business School’s Public Offering Post offers an interview with Keeth Smart ’10, who will be starting at CBS next week on the heels of his third Olympic appearance as the captain of the U.S. Fencing Team. Smart says teamwork, focus and time management are necessary skills in both athletics and business.

Hitting bookstores now is Philip Delves Broughton’s “Ahead of the Curve: Two Years at Harvard Business School.” Intrigued by the opportunities open to someone with a golden MBA degree, journalist Broughton quits his post as Paris bureau chief for London’s Daily Telegraph to attend HBS.

Thunderbird School of Global Management has launched “Doing Business in India” — a comprehensive, online certificate program on the dynamics of Indian business. The new four-week program offers working professionals the tools and knowledge they need to work effectively within India’s business, political and cultural environment.

Boutique investment firms and middle-market banks, which typically handle transactions below $1 billion, are finding themselves in an enviable position this summer, BusinessWeek reports. As the big financial firms tighten the number of internships and job offers they are giving to MBA students, smaller firms that often get overlooked by MBAs during the job hunt are suddenly in demand.

Registration for Explore Wharton on September 25 & 26, 2008 is now open. “Explore Wharton: Diversity in Action” is an opportunity for candidates from diverse backgrounds to visit the Wharton campus, network with current students, attend classes, receive helpful information about the admissions process, and experience the uniquely collaborative Wharton environment. Visit http://clubs.wharton.upenn.edu/proday/index.html to register.

UCLA’s Anderson School of Management has released its online application and announced its application deadlines and admissions essays for the 2008-2009 season.

Round 1: October 9, 2008
Round 2: January 8, 2009
Round 3: April 2, 2009

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.

INSEAD, The Business School for the World, offers MBAs a tremendous opportunity to learn from the brightest minds in business via their global events. This November 7th, international leaders from business, government, media and academia will come together at the INSEAD Asia Campus in Singapore for the Leadership Summit Asia 2008. With all eyes now on Beijing, the question on everyone’s mind is whether Asia is riding – or writing – the future.

Interactive sessions will cover the growing shift of economic power to Asia, and the challenges and sustainability of this growth. Participants will also debate on the leadership skills and capabilities that are most effective for global success, and the role of the CEO in managing risks and driving profits through global expansion and innovation.

Attendance is by invitation only, but those considering INSEAD and interested in learning more about the school’s Leadership Summits can check out the preliminary program and speaker lineup online. And for a closer look at last year’s Asia Summit, click here.

For a concise, thoughtful guide that will help you navigate the MBA admissions process with greater success, order our NEW book, The MBA Application Roadmap.