The survey, which collected responses from nearly 5,000 prospective students across 147 countries in 2024, revealed significant shifts in their preferences regarding degree delivery, with candidates moving away from online study options in favor of on-campus teaching.
It highlighted that changes in learning preferences in-part mirrored a wider trend towards companies enforcing a return to in-person work. Recent years have seen a growing number of large multinational companies mandating a return to the office, with the likes of JP Morgan and Amazon requiring staff to be in the office five days per week.
Rising interest in in-person learning
This year’s GMAC survey revealed a growth in preference for in-person teaching delivery, with nearly three-quarters (73%) of prospective candidates indicating a preference for full-time, on-campus learning—up from 68% the previous year. An additional 9% expressed a preference for part-time in-person teaching, marking a 5% increase from the previous year.
In line with this trend, the study showed interest in flexible and blended or hybrid study options has marginally declined, falling below pre-pandemic levels. Preference for flexible learning dropped by 2% compared to 2019, with only 5% of candidates selecting this option. Blended or hybrid learning also saw a 2% decline, with just 7% of candidates choosing it in 2024.
The results mirror a recent survey of prospective MBA students which found an 11% increase in the percentage of candidates preferring full-time, on-campus study compared with the previous year.
Young candidates lean into in-person learning
The GMAC survey revealed that the shift in prospective students' learning preferences is closely tied to age, with younger candidates showing the most significant year-on-year increase in interest for full-time, in-person study.
For candidates aged 25 to 30, the increase was the most pronounced—79% selected full-time, on-campus learning, compared to 70% when the survey was taken in 2023. This was closely followed by those aged 23 to 24, who showed a five-point rise from 76% to 81%.
Among those aged 22 and younger, interest in full-time, in-person learning has remained consistently high, inching up from 78% in 2023 to 80% in 2024.
The only age group to see a decline in preference for full-time, in-person teaching was those aged 40 and over, dropping from 33% in 2023 to 28% in 2024.
GMAC partly attributed these variations across age groups to the "return to office" movement taking place within the broader workplace. After several years of remote and hybrid work, many big-name companies are now enforcing in-person attendance to varying degrees. Acknowledging that their future careers may involve more office-based environments, younger candidates appear to be adjusting their education preferences accordingly, the report indicated.
Women driving return to campus shift
Over the past several years of the Prospective Students Survey, data has consistently shown that women are more likely than men to favor flexible delivery options.
While that remains the case in 2025—with women still statistically less interested in full-time, in-person programs—their preference for flexible and blended formats has declined significantly. In the past year alone, preference for blended programs dropped by half, falling from 12% to just 6%.
This trend was seen globally, with two exceptions: Latin America, where women already had a strong preference for in-person learning; and Canada, where women’s preference for full-time, on-campus study has continued its multi-year decline.
Finance and management students seek in-person learning
Degree preferences were also shown to influence a candidate’s preferred study format, particularly among prospective business master’s students.
Master’s in Finance and Master’s in Management candidates showed the strongest interest in full-time, in-person learning, at 86% and 82% respectively.
Meanwhile, candidates for Master’s in Entrepreneurship (59%) and Master’s in Accounting (60%) demonstrated the greatest interest in more flexible delivery options.
Meanwhile, the report highlighted changing preferences among aspiring business school students when considering their post-graduation job prospects. It found that corporate ethics and sustainable practices were increasingly becoming an important part of the job decision process.
