Key Determinants of University Selection among International Students in Ghana

Mahama Braimah
(University of Ghana Business School, Ghana)

Abstract: University education has become global and increasingly competitive. Universities all over the world are adopting business and marketing practices to attract qualified foreign students into their campuses. Prospective students consider several factors in their efforts to pick a university of choice. The purpose of the study is to identify key variables that significantly influence international students in the choice of a foreign university. The study surveyed 300 international students in Accra and confirmed six factors out of eight propositions that were explored to have significant impact on student choice of foreign university. The six factors which altogether had 25 variables included learning environment; university reputation; graduate career prospects; cultural integration; personal values; and marketing communications. The two factors that were not confirmed to have any significant impact on student choice of foreign university included social influence and host country image.

Key words: university selection; key determinants; international students; Ghana

JEL code: M31