What drives students’ decision to enroll abroad for tertiary education?
Students weigh immediate social factors over long-term career gains when considering studying abroad, but financial and admission barrier removal shifts their focus. Social networks are key.
This study examines the decision-making processes of students considering studying abroad, with a focus on short-term priorities, long-term benefits, practical constraints, and the role of social networks.
Using subjective expectation data from Bosnia and Herzegovina, I show that students usually prioritize immediate factors such as social life, parental support, and education quality over long-term outcomes such as job prospects and financial stability.
However, removing admission and financial barriers largely increases the likelihood of studying abroad and shifts student focus to career satisfaction and education quality.
Social networks play a key role in shaping decisions, with larger networks allowing students to focus more narrowly on immediate factors such as social life and parental support. In contrast, smaller networks lead to greater uncertainty, prompting students to consider a wider range of outcomes.
This research shows the distinct motivations of student emigration, compared to adult emigration, and emphasizes the importance of short-term considerations and the role of networks in shaping students’ beliefs and decisions.
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